The Hit Tina Hated: The Unlikely Journey of 'What's Love Got To Do With It'

Before becoming Tina Turner's signature anthem, 'What's Love Got to Do with It' was rejected by stars like Cliff Richard and Donna Summer. It was even recorded by pop group Bucks Fizz before Turner's world-weary interpretation transformed it into a Grammy-winning classic.

Music History Entertainment & Media

From Radar Rooms to Your Pocket: The Cold War Origins of the Touchscreen

Today's intuitive touchscreen has a distant, utilitarian origin. The first capacitive screen was invented in the mid-1960s by E. A. Johnson at Britain's Royal Radar Establishment not for phones, but for a high-stakes Cold War job: simplifying air traffic control.

History Inventions & Discoveries Military Technology & Strategy

More Than a Mimic: The Complex Art and Evolutionary Genius of the Lyrebird

The Australian lyrebird possesses an unparalleled talent for vocal mimicry, reproducing sounds from other birds to human-made noises like chainsaws and camera shutters. This ability stems from a uniquely complex syrinx and is the centerpiece of the male's elaborate courtship display.

Science & Nature Oddities & Curiosities Linguistics & Communication

Heavy Metal Justice: When Cartier Brought a Steamroller to Fifth Avenue

In the mid-1980s, facing a flood of knock-offs, Cartier took a dramatic stand. On New York's Fifth Avenue, executives used a steamroller to publicly crush thousands of counterfeit watches, a bold act of marketing and a powerful defense of brand authenticity.

Business & Economics History Law, Crime & Justice

Up, Up, Down, Down: The Rise and Fall of the Video Game Cheat Code

Originating as developer shortcuts for testing, cheat codes became a staple of gaming culture, offering players secret advantages. Their decline was driven by the rise of online multiplayer, achievement systems, and a shift towards monetized in-game advantages.

Technology & Innovation Entertainment & Media History

The Falling Feeling: Unpacking the Neurological Quirk of the Hypnic Jerk

The sudden twitch or feeling of falling that jolts you awake is a harmless 'hypnic jerk.' Affecting up to 70% of people, it's a normal part of drifting off. The leading theory suggests your brain misinterprets relaxing muscles as a real fall, firing a signal to 'catch' yourself.

Medicine, Psychology & Health Science & Nature Oddities & Curiosities

The Venom of Despair: Unpacking the Irukandji's Psychological Sting

A sting from the tiny Irukandji jellyfish, found in Australian waters, triggers Irukandji syndrome. Beyond excruciating pain, victims suffer a profound psychological terror—an overwhelming sense of impending doom so intense it can make them wish for death.

Science & Nature Medicine, Psychology & Health Oddities & Curiosities

From Radar to Radarange: The Serendipitous Story of the Microwave Oven

In 1945, engineer Percy Spencer was working on radar magnetrons when he noticed a candy bar in his pocket had melted. Experiments with popcorn and an egg confirmed the radar waves had culinary potential, an accidental discovery that led to the first microwave.

Inventions & Discoveries Technology & Innovation Military Technology & Strategy

The Eye of the Sahara: The Accidental Discovery of Earth's Mysterious Bullseye

So vast it was only discovered from space, the Richat Structure, or 'Eye of the Sahara,' is a 30-mile-wide geological marvel in Mauritania. Once thought to be an impact crater, it is actually a deeply eroded dome formed over 100 million years ago.

Geography & Places Science & Nature Mysteries & Unsolved Cases

More Than Skin Deep: The Cellular Battle Behind Your Sunburn

A sunburn is a sign of a cellular battle. UV radiation damages skin cell DNA, triggering a self-destruct sequence called apoptosis to prevent cancer. The resulting redness and heat are not a burn, but an inflammatory response to repair the damage and clear away dead cells.

Medicine, Psychology & Health Science & Nature