Topic

Sports & Games

A collection of 49 issues

Beyond Marilyn Monroe: The Quirky World of Britain's 'Marilyns' and 'Munros'

In Britain, a 'Marilyn' isn't a person but a hill with a prominence over 150m, a pun on the more famous 'Munro'—a Scottish mountain over 3,000ft. Discover the fascinating hobby of 'peak bagging' and the unique classifications that define the British landscape.

Gripping a Nightmare: The Hidden Injury Plaguing MotoGP's Elite

The brutal G-forces of MotoGP cause riders' forearms to swell inside an unyielding tissue sheath, a condition called compartment syndrome or 'arm pump'. This excruciating condition often forces elite racers to undergo surgery just to keep gripping the handlebars and competing at the highest level.

Green, Yellow, Red: The Forgotten Color-Coded System That Rated Arcade Games

Long before the ESRB, arcades had their own rating system. The American Amusement Machine Association used simple color-coded stickers—green for all ages, yellow for mild content, and red for strong themes—to guide parents and players in the golden age of arcade gaming.

From Gold Medals to Ground Meat: The Olympian Who Chose a Butcher's Apron

Olympic cycling champion Franco Testa won gold in 1960 and silver in 1964. At the peak of his career, he retired at 26, not to coach or commentate, but to take over his family's butcher shop in Padua, Italy, choosing a life of community and tradition over continued fame.

From Diplomacy to Dribbling: The Bizarre Story of Henry Kissinger, Honorary Harlem Globetrotter

In a bizarre 1970s intersection of politics and pop culture, controversial diplomat Henry Kissinger was named an honorary Harlem Globetrotter. This strange alliance reflects the Cold War era's use of 'soft power' and remains a perplexing piece of trivia today.

Perfect Endings: The Surprising World of Correspondence Chess Where Computers Are Legal Teammates

In the slow-paced world of correspondence chess, players are often allowed to use endgame tablebases. These databases provide perfect moves in the final stages, shifting the game's focus from pure calculation to deep strategic planning and man-machine collaboration.

The Man Behind the Bandana and the Adamantium Claws: How David Hayter Shaped the X-Men Movies

The iconic voice of Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid, David Hayter, was also a key architect of the early X-Men films. He co-wrote the screenplays for both the groundbreaking X-Men (2000) and its acclaimed sequel, X2: X-Men United (2003), shaping the modern superhero movie landscape.

Before the Colosseum: Unearthing Mesoamerica's 3,400-Year-Old Ball Court

In Mexico's Soconusco region, archaeologists unearthed the world's oldest known ball court at Paso de la Amada. Dating to 1400 BCE, this monumental structure reveals the deep antiquity and social complexity of the Mesoamerican ballgame long before the rise of the Maya or Aztecs.