Less Talk, More Pay: The Story Behind Schwarzenegger's $1,293-Per-Word 'Terminator' Salary

Arnold Schwarzenegger's role in 'The Terminator' is legendary for its efficiency. With a $75,000 salary for just 58 words, he earned a staggering $1,293 per word, proving that in Hollywood, a powerful screen presence can be worth far more than a lengthy script.

Entertainment & Media Biography & Personal Stories

Before the Jumpsuit: The Earthmover Wheelie That Plunged a City into Darkness

Long before he was a world-famous daredevil, a young Evel Knievel was fired from his copper mining job after an audacious stunt went wrong. He attempted a wheelie in an earthmover, severed a major power line, and accidentally blacked out the entire city of Butte, Montana.

Biography & Personal Stories History

The Ghost Mountain: Why the World's Highest Unclimbed Peak Will Remain Untouched Forever

Gangkhar Puensum in Bhutan is the world's highest unclimbed mountain. Four expeditions failed before Bhutan, viewing its peaks as sacred homes of spirits, banned mountaineering in 1994 and then completely in 2003, ensuring the summit remains a pristine, unconquered mystery.

Geography & Places Adventure & Exploration Religion & Philosophy

Not as Old as You Think: How 'In God We Trust' Became America's Motto During the Cold War

In God We Trust became the official U.S. motto in 1956, replacing the long-standing "E Pluribus Unum." This change, driven by Cold War anxieties, aimed to distinguish the United States from the state atheism of the Soviet Union, embedding religious sentiment into national identity.

History Society & Social Issues Religion & Philosophy

The Unsung Canine Chef: Remembering the Turnspit, the Dog That Cooked Dinner and Was Erased by Technology

Meet the Turnspit, an extinct dog breed bred for one purpose: to run in a wheel, powering a rotating spit to cook meat. Once a common kitchen appliance, this hardworking canine was sadly rendered obsolete by machinery, a poignant tale of a living engine forgotten by time.

History Animals in Culture Technology & Innovation

The Canadian Mountain Named After a Tyrant: Why 'Mount Stalin' Lasted Until 1987

From 1944 to 1987, a peak in British Columbia was named Mount Stalin to honor a WWII ally. This article explores why the name was given and why, despite the Cold War and knowledge of his tyranny, bureaucratic inertia and the mountain's remoteness caused the name to persist for decades.

History Geography & Places Wars, Conflict & Heroes

The Cosmic Puddle: Unlocking the Secrets of Tsunamis with NOAA's Hypnotic Simulations

NOAA's YouTube playlist reveals the terrifying science of tsunamis through detailed simulations. These animations show how seismic events send waves across oceans, demonstrating their incredible speed and global reach, turning abstract data into a stark visual reality of nature's power.

Science & Nature Technology & Innovation

An Appointment with Death: The Bizarre Coincidences of King Umberto I and His Doppelgänger

King Umberto I of Italy met his doppelgänger, a restaurateur. They shared a name, birthday, birthplace, and wife's name. On July 29, 1900, the king learned his double was shot and killed. Hours later, the king himself was assassinated. Their parallel lives ended in parallel deaths.

History Biography & Personal Stories

From the Schoolyard to the Stratosphere: Billie Eilish's Forgotten Life as a Movie Extra

Before she was a global pop icon, Billie Eilish was an uncredited extra in films like 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' and 'Ramona and Beezus.' It was a brief foray into acting that she found so unenjoyable it solidified her true passion for music.

Music Entertainment & Media Biography & Personal Stories

Wait, YouTube Subtitles Can Shake? Uncovering a Hidden World of Custom Captions

Did you know YouTube subtitles can do more than display text? An old, rarely-used caption format allows for hidden effects like shaking text and custom on-screen movement, a surprising piece of platform history demonstrated in a viral video by Tom Scott.

Technology & Innovation Entertainment & Media