2026-09-21 -- control

#1 · news-in-context Sep 21, 2026

The US and Denmark signed a military agreement over Greenland in 1951.

The massive island in the northern Atlantic had been under Denmark's control as a colony.

Denmark and the US signed an agreement allowing the US to build military bases in Greenland.
The US and Denmark reached a deal in September 2026 that bolsters security in Greenland while maintaining the island's Danish sovereignty.

lead US-Greenland Security Deal own · sim 0.83 · keep 0.15 · score -1

#2 · explainers May 23, 2023

Like fingerprints, brain anatomy is unique too

Researchers have discovered that a combination of experiences and genetic factors shape the anatomy of the human brain. They found even quick experiences affect the brain’s genetic makeup, which—over time—means every person develops a completely unique brain anatomy. While brain imaging could be used to identify individuals, it remains much more expensive than fingerprinting for now. Read to found out more about this study from the University of Zurich.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together sibling · sim 0.45 · keep 0.25 · score -1

#3 · longform Feb 19, 2026

'20 Days in Mariupol' is a firsthand look at a siege from the war's front lines

The award-winning documentary "20  Days in  Mariupol" follows a Ukrainian AP team trapped in Mariupol during the first weeks of Russia's 2022 invasion—documenting the bombing of a hospital, mass graves, and civilians under siege. Note: graphic content.

lead Ukraine Strikes Moscow sibling · sim 0.40 · keep 0.15 · score -15

#4 · explainers May 15, 2026

The numbers behind the 'Star Wars' franchise

The "Star Wars" movies include some of the biggest blockbusters in Hollywood history, with the original film, 1977's "A New Hope," earning a 2,400% profit. Only one of the franchise's movies (2018's "Solo") has lost money at the box office.

itk George Lucas opens 300,000-square-foot museum in Los Angeles; collection features over 1,3 sibling · sim 0.48 · keep 0.54 · score -4

#5 · curiosity Mar 9, 2026

Watch the greatest buzzer beaters, clutch shots, and crazy endings in March Madness history

From Christian Laettner's legendary 1992 buzzer-beater against Kentucky to Kris Jenkins' championship-winning 3-pointer in 2016, this compilation captures the most unforgettable last-second moments in tournament history.

itk Watch Vanderbilt win on an improbable last-second fumble sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.83 · score -1

#6 · curiosity Feb 27, 2026

20 years of NCAA buzzers

The last few beats of the March Madness title game are among the most thrilling in sports. This video compilation collects the final five seconds of every women's championship from the first year of the tournament through 2022. The result is a fascinating document of celebrations, disappointments, and last-ditch efforts. It's also objective proof that basketball's style has evolved considerably over the decades.

itk Watch Vanderbilt win on an improbable last-second fumble own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.73 · score -2

#7 · experiences Feb 19, 2026

An AI-built pixel map reimagines New York City as a video game

Isometric NYC is a zoomable pixel-art map that renders the city in game-style perspective (think SimCity), helpfully clarifying the dense geography and architecture. The makers built the project tile-by-tile using satellite data and generative AI. Zoom into building-level views or out to see all five boroughs.

etc Truck driver builds real-life model of NYC. (swipe right for photos) sibling · sim 0.52 · keep 0.83 · score -1

#8 · curiosity Feb 19, 2026

Prediction markets have their own lingo that's an amalgamation of Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang

For instance, if you've been out-maneuvered by another trader, you've been "mogged." A "rulescuck" is someone who is a stickler for betting market rules and may try to win on a technicality.

etc "Chud" notches No. 2 ranking on Generation Alpha's slang in 2026. ( Share) sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.28 · score -1

#9 · curiosity Jul 17, 2026

The iconic 'I Heart NY' logo was originally designed in the back of a cab.

In the mid-1970s, New York City officials bankrolled a tourism campaign to drive visitors back to the city, which was nearly bankrupt.

Graphic designer Milton Glaser developed the campaign logo, which he sketched in a taxi on his way home from work.
Glaser designed many iconic logos for companies like Brooklyn Brewery and DC Comics, and even cofounded New York magazine, though the New York logo is often one of the first things associated with his name; in 2016, he told the New York Times, "'It's something I wish people would forget."

etc Truck driver builds real-life model of NYC. (swipe right for photos) sibling · sim 0.42 · keep 0.69 · score -3

#10 · news-in-context Feb 19, 2026

Fighting in eastern Ukraine killed thousands in the years before Russia's full invasion

From 2014 to 2022, fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces in the Donbas region killed roughly 14,000 people and left many cities in ruins, setting the stage for Russia's 2022 invasion.

lead Ukraine Strikes Moscow sibling · sim 0.52 · keep 0.07 · score -1

#11 · explainers Aug 3, 2022

The evolution of the human brain

The human brain, in all its staggering complexity, is the product of millions of years of evolution. Read on to find out about brain size and intelligence, language and brain development, and more.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together sibling · sim 0.44 · keep 0.25 · score -2

#12 · explainers May 5, 2026

Schizophrenia is being studied with pea-sized 'mini-brains'

Brain organoid research is enabling researchers to study distinct electrical firing patterns associated with schizophrenia. These "mini-brains" that are constructed in the lab from patients' cells could lead to better diagnosis approaches and drug development.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together any_band · sim 0.43 · keep 0.25 · score -3

#13 · explainers Jul 12, 2023

Visualizing the highest-grossing movie franchises from 1979 to 2019

A few dozen major movie franchises have dominated the box office in recent decades, including "Star Wars," "Harry Potter," "Lord of the Rings," and Marvel. This video shows the change from quarter to quarter in gross revenue for each movie franchise over the decades.

itk See the numbers behind the iconic sci-fi franchise sibling · sim 0.46 · keep 0.70 · score -2

#14 · curiosity Mar 10, 2026

The Beastie Boys started as a punk band

Before they became a legendary rap group, the New Yorkers played fast, scrappy hardcore in the style of Bad Brains. Still, they were fans of the explosion of hip-hop culture in their city and recorded a jokey track in 1983, which led to a record deal and conversion to hip-hop.

itk See the oral history of the pop-punk band's founding sibling · sim 0.46 · keep 0.75 · score -1

#15 · curiosity Jan 27, 2026

Witness the birth of punk rock through the archives of an influential music magazine

Trouser Press magazine (originally Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press) was an influential publication that operated from 1974 to 1984. During that time, they ran cover stories on emerging acts like the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and others, offering contemporary readers a window into how punk was understood as it evolved.

itk See the oral history of the pop-punk band's founding own · sim 0.45 · keep 0.28 · score -2

#16 · experiences Jan 15, 2025

Visualizing New York City's public transportation commutes

New York City is one of the largest cities in the world, and transports one of the largest numbers of commuters on a daily basis. This data visualization tells the stories of those commuters, showing the varying volume of travelers throughout the week and day, where they are going, and maps of high-traffic areas like stadiums and midtown. Dive into the data here.

etc Truck driver builds real-life model of NYC. (swipe right for photos) own · sim 0.43 · keep 0.51 · score -2

#17 · curiosity Oct 24, 2024

The coolest ghost towns in every US state

Trying to avoid crowds? This list from Thrillist compiles various ghost towns across the United States, highlighting their unique characteristics and explaining why they were abandoned. Peruse this comprehensive list to learn more about why people left these areas and what's still there. If you're looking for additional creepiness, explore and find out which of these spots are particularly haunted!

etc See each state's favorite Halloween candy. (w/map) own · sim 0.45 · keep 0.76 · score -2

#18 · curiosity Aug 12, 2026

New York City's carriage horses are at the center of a long-running debate over whether a centuries-old tradition still belongs in the country's largest city.

Despite their antiquated technology, horse carriages remain a popular tourist attraction in New York City, where 160 horses still pull carriages through Manhattan.

In summer 2026, a runaway horse killed Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist; Mahajan's death reignited a debate about the use of carriage horses in the city.
In the late 1800s, New York had somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000 horses prowling its streets, pulling both carriages and horsecars, a more robust carriage that was often pulled by multiple horses.
In 1857, the city held an open landscape architecture design competition to create a place where city residents could escape the hundreds of thousands of horse (and their manure) that occupied the city's bustling streets—Frederic Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux proposed a park in the middle of Manhattan, which would eventually be named Central Park.
Carriage horses today are draft horses that live in stables where individual stalls are just 60 square feet.

etc Forty life-size buffalo puppets take over NYC streets. (w/video) sibling · sim 0.42 · keep 0.47 · score -2

#19 · news-in-context Jun 30, 2026

Watch two Russian jets damage US drone over Black Sea

The Pentagon has released footage that appears to show a Russian aircraft intercepting a US Air Force drone in international airspace over the Black Sea.

lead Ukraine Strikes Moscow sibling · sim 0.52 · keep 0.09 · score -2

#20 · explainers Aug 2, 2024

Stem cells develop into a wide range of other specialized cells in the human body

Stem cells are different from other cells because they are capable of creating copies of themselves and producing other types of cells. For example, the ones found in our brains, bones, or muscles. Curious about stem cells? Here's a breakdown of how they work.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.67 · score -4

#21 · curiosity Mar 12, 2026

Some animals may anchor their brain cells to specific landmarks to determine direction

In a study of bats exploring a new area, specific sets of "head direction cells" were seen becoming active based on bats' orientation when moving, and this activity became more coordinated over time. Researchers suspect, like humans, bats and other animals establish this sense of direction based on movement relative to known points of interest.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together any_band · sim 0.42 · keep 0.43 · score -5

#22 · explainers Jul 31, 2026

As occurred during the 2026 hack of an AI platform by OpenAI, agentic AI may exploit a system vulnerability to access sensitive data if that information enables it to complete its assigned task.

Upon being given a task, agentic AI systems can plan, adapt, and pursue their goal without human oversight by obtaining data from their environment and acting on it, including identifying weaknesses that allow them to enter restricted environments and escalate their permissions and access.

The hack of the Hugging Face database by OpenAI was facilitated by a software flaw in the isolated environment housing the agentic AI, which it found and exploited to escape containment and travel across the internet.
Agentic AI can be made more capable by connecting it to more systems and databases, thereby providing it with more data to act on, but restricting it is more challenging because it is designed to learn from and bypass obstacles to achieve its goals.

itk Google reports that its AI software hacked three outside systems in May; company believes sibling · sim 0.50 · keep 0.12 · score -1

#23 · curiosity May 15, 2026

How 'Star Wars' changed science fiction

The popularity of "Star Wars" effectively killed New Wave, a '60s and '70s science-fiction movement that focused less on faraway worlds and more on more sophisticated, literary narratives about characters' internal lives.

"Star Wars" led to a sci-fi gold rush in Hollywood, with movies like "Alien," "ET," "Tron," and "Blade Runner" greenlit as a result.
George Lucas believed people did not want dystopian science fiction, pointing to the failure of his debut film, "THX 1138," as proof.
Some sci-fi writers rejected the optimism of "Star Wars," desiring to present a grim future wracked by technology; this subgenre would later be called Cyber Punk.

itk See the numbers behind the iconic sci-fi franchise own · sim 0.46 · keep 0.76 · score -3

#24 · curiosity May 8, 2026

Palantir once investigated a cyberattack on the Dalai Lama's computer

In 2008, officials realized the Dalai Lama's email had been hacked after details of an event that hadn't been made public yet began circulating. Palantir's software was able to identify both the hack and the hacker network.

itk Google reports that its AI software hacked three outside systems in May; company believes own · sim 0.40 · keep 0.23 · score -10

#25 · experiences Jun 30, 2026

Pepsi uses augmented reality to prank people at a bus shelter

Commuters at a London bus stop have seen alien invasions, monsters from the sewers grabbing pedestrians and tigers running down the street as part of an elaborate advertising campaign.

etc Forty life-size buffalo puppets take over NYC streets. (w/video) own · sim 0.40 · keep 0.56 · score -4

#26 · curiosity Sep 17, 2024

Some say baseball's drug problem goes back to the late 1800s

At age 32, pitcher James “Pud” Galvin was feeling tired and decided to take "the Brown-Séquard elixir," which contained a testicular fluid from dogs and guinea pigs, believed to invigorate tired bodies. It might've worked: Galvin pitched a two-hit shutout the next day.

etc Baseball game opens with a purr-fect pitch. own · sim 0.47 · keep 0.49 · score -1

#27 · curiosity Jan 29, 2026

Shaquille O'Neal showed up to a meeting with Nike wearing head-to-toe Reebok

Nike wanted to sign then-newcomer Shaquille O'Neill, but didn't offer Shaq his own shoe because they had already signed Alonzo Mourning. Shaq said he felt like Nike didn't understand his potential, and the company wouldn't have given him as much creative control as Reebok would.

etc Shaquille O'Neal is named an honorary FBI agent. own · sim 0.53 · keep 0.64 · score -1

#28 · news-in-context Feb 19, 2026

The Russia-Ukraine conflict is the largest ground war in Europe since World War II in terms of casualties, forces mobilized, and displacement of civilians.

Russia is estimated to have suffered nearly 1.2 million battlefield casualties between February 2022 and December 2025.

As of January 2026, the war had displaced roughly 10 million Ukrainians (about 3.7 million internally and 5.9 million abroad).
This interactive map shows conflict events across Ukraine throughout the war, categorized by attack type.

lead Ukraine Strikes Moscow sibling · sim 0.52 · keep 0.10 · score -3

#29 · explainers Jun 20, 2022

How brain cells carry information

At any moment, there is an electrical storm coursing through your body. Discover how chemical reactions create an electric current that drives our responses to everything from hot pans to a mother’s caress.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together sibling · sim 0.42 · keep 0.57 · score -6

#30 · explainers May 15, 2026

Researchers are exploring neural links between Alzheimer's and autism

Recent DNA sequencing and molecular biology studies suggest that similarities in genes, neural circuitry and patterns of disease warrant further exploration to potentially better understand both conditions and how to treat them.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together any_band · sim 0.41 · keep 0.24 · score -7

#31 · explainers Feb 10, 2026

Malware has transitioned from notoriety-driven to profit- and data-driven

Many of the first researchers and hobbyists who created viruses and worms showed a natural curiosity in experimenting with and designing such software to make a name for themselves and advance the field of computer science. In the future, AI-augmented malware may adapt in real-time or design enhanced cryptojackers, infostealers, and ransomware for cybercriminals.

itk New AI-powered malware poses threats to Android phones by tricking users to gain access to own · sim 0.54 · keep 0.60 · score -1

#32 · curiosity Jul 9, 2026

Scientists determined that tectonic plates moved the ocean floor by observing symmetric patterns of magnetic stripes on opposite sides of underwater volcano systems, which could only result from seafloor spreading.

At these mid-ocean ridges, erupted material forms new oceanic crust, which pushes older ocean crust away on either side of the mountain range.

Because scientists knew that the Earth's magnetic field flipped based on evidence in surface igneous rocks, whose embedded metals aligned with the field when they cooled and hardened, they could match seafloor patterns to the timeline developed from surface rocks to identify the rate of seafloor spreading and ocean floor recycling.

itk Scientists advance predictions of explosive volcanic eruptions by monitoring bulges caused own · sim 0.50 · keep 0.14 · score -4

#33 · curiosity Apr 21, 2025

The volcano threatening the Greek island of Santorini

Santorini is a popular tourist destination, known for its stunning white architecture and dreamy blue waters. Yet underneath the charming island is a potentially dangerous underwater volcano. Recent earthquakes have triggered nearly half of residents to evacuate, signaling heightened uncertainty about when the volcano could erupt. Researchers studying activity in the region plan to produce detailed hazard maps for Greek authorities to improve local safety and emergency planning.

itk Explore an interactive map of volcanoes own · sim 0.48 · keep 0.11 · score -5

#34 · experiences Jan 13, 2026

Essential pipes, sewers, and cables lie buried beneath New York City

The Department of Design and Construction offers a tour of its work sites, explaining the complex systems that exist underground. Gas, electrical, telecom pipes, and many others, sprawl out underneath the entire city, with dozens of maps that help workers know where they're placed. This layout is unusual compared to the rest of the country, where wires are often present and visible above ground.

etc Truck driver builds real-life model of NYC. (swipe right for photos) sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.76 · score -4

#35 · curiosity Aug 3, 2023

A gallery of New York cats alongside their feline reflections

Comedian Jim Tews began capturing photos of cats from the Big Apple in 2014 as a joke mimicking the highly popular site "Humans of New York," which captured random New Yorkers accompanied by their quotes. The site grew in popularity and Tews...

etc Forty life-size buffalo puppets take over NYC streets. (w/video) sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.52 · score -3

#36 · curiosity Apr 29, 2026

A history of the rare, chaotic moments when MLB batters charge the pitcher on the mound

They typically occur when a pitcher has slung a pitch a little too close to the batter—though the exact causes vary, from quick tempers to longstanding grudges. No definitive account of these infrequent but highly visible incidents has existed, so sportswriter Jon Bois compiled data on 264 such moments between 1950 and 2025. The resulting 23-minute video explores the rich narratives leading to these charged events.

etc Baseball game opens with a purr-fect pitch. sibling · sim 0.45 · keep 0.74 · score -2

#37 · news-in-context Feb 19, 2026

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24, 2022

Russia launched a massive multifront assault from Belarus, Russia, and Crimea, aiming to seize Kyiv within days. Instead, Ukrainian forces repelled the advance, halting Moscow's plans for a rapid takeover.

lead Ukraine Strikes Moscow sibling · sim 0.50 · keep 0.11 · score -4

#38 · explainers Jun 30, 2026

How neurons give rise to thoughts

Neurons in the brain are singular nerve cells that flicker on and off or connect to each other based on incoming stimuli. The more neurons communicate by firing electrical impulses through tendrils known as synapses, the stronger their connection becomes. The electrical energy zipping along these interneural connections in an attempt to classify and respond to incoming stimuli may be what gives rise to thoughts.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.56 · score -9

#39 · curiosity Jun 30, 2026

What a tiny marine worm can tell us about our brains

Meet the amphioxus, a small eel-like animal that has a lot to teach us about brain evolution. The genetic roots of our brains can be seen in these unusual creatures. This three-minute educational video focuses on the evolutionary history of the human brain through these odd little critters with a 500-million-year-old history.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together any_band · sim 0.41 · keep 0.76 · score -8

#40 · explainers Jun 30, 2026

The next generation of space-based observatories

How exactly does a space telescope come to be funded by NASA? NASA's most famous telescopes, like Hubble and James Webb, were once featured in the decadal survey–a once per decade survey run by the National Academy of Science that recommends which projects to support. This article and podcast covers which telescope designs are in contention to be part of NASA's next generation of space-based observatories.

itk NASA shares first images from Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, including photos of stars own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.38 · score -25

#41 · curiosity Jul 24, 2026

Two Papa John's pizzas were the first real-world transaction involving cryptocurrency.

In 2010, a programmer Laszlo Hanyecz made the first real-world transaction involving cryptocurrency—purchasing two Papa John’s pizzas for 10,000 bitcoins.

While the transaction was lauded as a milestone for cryptocurrency, it has also become a tongue-in-cheek cautionary tale—the value of the purchase price exceeded $620M at bitcoin’s all-time high.
Bitcoin, the oldest and most popular cryptocurrency, is a digital cash alternative introduced in 2009 that has rapidly grown in popularity since, now boasting a global user base.

itk Cryptocurrency 101 sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.77 · score -20

#42 · curiosity Jul 19, 2023

A primer on the president's nuclear football

During the Cold War, the United States and the USSR were forced to prepare for a nuclear strike at a moment's notice, leading to a new innovation: the so-called "football" (known as the chemodanchik in Russia), a bag containing nuclear strike plans, authentication codes, and likely a communication device, which attended the country's leader wherever they went. This easy-to-read piece breaks down the history and lore around the high-stakes quirk in nuclear governance.

itk What makes a missile "ballistic"? sibling · sim 0.42 · keep 0.57 · score -2

#43 · experiences Sep 12, 2023

Visit these offbeat attractions in each US state

Skip the lines, avoid the crowds, go against the grain: That's the spirit of this list of the 50 coolest offbeat attractions in every US state. From Alaska's museum of hammers to Wyoming's thermal pools, you can find somewhere a little different to...

etc See each state's favorite Halloween candy. (w/map) own · sim 0.41 · keep 0.81 · score -6

#44 · curiosity Jul 8, 2026

An eephus is a high-arc pitch usually thrown by position players filling in for pitchers in blowout games.

The specialty pitch—rarely used by starters—is unexpectedly slow and thrown with an abnormally high arc, often catching batters off-guard.

Below is one famous example from 1981: Yankees pitcher Dave LaRoche striking out the Brewers' Gorman Thomas with an eephus that fans called the "La Lob."

etc Baseball game opens with a purr-fect pitch. sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.63 · score -6

#45 · curiosity Apr 14, 2026

Explore some of the best baseball books, including Michael Lewis' influential 'Moneyball' and Bob Uecker's autobiography 'Catcher in the Wry.'

etc Baseball game opens with a purr-fect pitch. sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.67 · score -8

#46 · news-in-context Mar 18, 2022

A deep dive on the weapons being used by both sides

From ballistic missiles to armed drones, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is proving the devastating power of modern weaponry. This infographic illustrates and explains the uses and effects of the weapons of choice for both sides of the conflict. Tactics are also explored in regards to their efficacy and consequences, with expert commentary added.

lead Ukraine Strikes Moscow sibling · sim 0.48 · keep 0.11 · score -5

#47 · explainers Sep 12, 2025

Brain hemispheres control opposite sides of the body without either dominating

Although distinctions exist between the two halves—language processing is left-oriented, and emotions are right-oriented—signals are sent along neural pathways between the hemispheres and across different regions to collectively process information about external stimuli.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.32 · score -10

#48 · explainers May 15, 2026

Psychedelics set off a flurry of brain activity that may permanently alter it

The brain seems to experience a sharp increase in communication between areas that generally don't interact. New research suggests a thin, sheet-like gray matter structure tucked deep within the brain, between the insular cortex and striatum, may be the key to this change. The area is centrally located and home to many of the receptors that psychedelics target, potentially rewiring the brain and rewriting thought patterns.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together any_band · sim 0.41 · keep 0.77 · score -11

#49 · explainers Aug 26, 2026

Trade between the US and China has significantly increased in recent decades.

After China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, the trade partnership between the US and China bloomed.

Pros of the relationship include lower prices for US consumers and higher profits for US corporations.
Cons, however, include the loss of American jobs due to import competition and multinational companies moving overseas.

itk See map of states most reliant on China trade own · sim 0.45 · keep 0.15 · score -3

#50 · curiosity Jan 25, 2026

President Trump tore down the East Wing in October 2025 to build a new ballroom

In October 2025, Donald Trump commenced demolition of the historic East Wing of the White House to clear space for a privately funded, 90,000-square-foot ballroom. The project drew criticism from preservationists and public officials.

itk President Donald Trump says his 250-foot-tall Triumphal Arch in DC will serve a military p sibling · sim 0.46 · keep 0.17 · score -1

#51 · curiosity Aug 27, 2025

Auburn’s “Kick Six” in 2013 is one of college football’s most unforgettable finishes

In the 2013 Iron Bowl, Auburn’s Chris Davis returned a missed Alabama field goal 109 yards for a touchdown as time expired—securing a 34–28 win and instantly etching the play into college football lore.

itk Watch Vanderbilt win on an improbable last-second fumble sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.68 · score -3

#52 · experiences Mar 16, 2026

A visual guide to identifying baseball's pitches, from common pitches like 'fastball' and the 'change up' to specialty types, like 'cutter' and 'slurve.'

etc Baseball game opens with a purr-fect pitch. own · sim 0.44 · keep 0.58 · score -3

#53 · curiosity Mar 10, 2026

A 1930s card game birthed modern fantasy sports

"National Pastime" used the statistics of real Major League Baseball players to determine a winner, creating the template for the modern fantasy sports model.

etc Baseball game opens with a purr-fect pitch. sibling · sim 0.40 · keep 0.59 · score -9

#54 · curiosity Jul 8, 2026

Before 1920, during the Deadball Era, a single baseball was used throughout a Major League game, leading to a notoriously dirty style of play.

During the Deadball Era, pitchers doctored a baseball with spit, nail files, and licorice for a competitive edge, leading to discolored, mangled, and lopsided baseballs by the game's end.

This concluded in 1920 when Cleveland Indians star shortstop Ray Chapman was hit in the head by a ball too dirty to see and died. The rules were changed to require an umpire to replace a dirty baseball and outlawed the spitball.

etc Baseball game opens with a purr-fect pitch. sibling · sim 0.40 · keep 0.62 · score -10

#55 · news-in-context Feb 19, 2026

The Russia-Ukraine war greatly affected the global food supply

Russia's invasion devastated Ukraine's agricultural sector, destroying farms, ports, and grain infrastructure and causing over $40B in losses. Disrupted exports fueled global food insecurity, while Moscow leveraged its grain exports to expand influence across the Global South.

lead Ukraine Strikes Moscow sibling · sim 0.45 · keep 0.08 · score -6

#56 · explainers Jan 8, 2024

The dreaming brain, as understood by scientists

Technology has advanced to where the seemingly separate fields of psychology and neuroscience are asking the same questions about dreams, such as whether they're more closely related to perception or visualization. Some field-intersecting findings include research that shows people with impaired face perception don't dream of faces, those with brain legion-related cognition difficulties deal with similar issues in dreams, and children's dreams change in parallel to their cognitive development.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together sibling · sim 0.40 · keep 0.29 · score -12

#57 · explainers Jan 21, 2026

Your brain appears to age in five distinct stages, with the pattern of connections inside your brain shifting, on average, around ages 9, 32, 66, and 83.

Analysis of brain scans from about 4,000 people helped scientists identify those five major stages of our brain's maturation from birth to death.

lead Two Brain Cells, Together any_band · sim 0.40 · keep 0.50 · score -13

#58 · explainers Mar 5, 2026

The 1979 Iranian Revolution inspired other Islamist movements and alarmed Sunni governments

By establishing the world's first modern Islamic theocracy, the revolution inspired Islamist movements across the region and alarmed Sunni Arab governments. The resulting rivalry between Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia has since fueled proxy conflicts in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen that persist today.

itk Iranian-backed Houthi rebels target Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh for the first time du own · sim 0.41 · keep 0.19 · score -2

#59 · curiosity Feb 27, 2026

Christian Laettner's iconic game-winner, 'the Shot'

It has been over 30 years, but one buzzer-beater continues to make the highlight reel every year: "the Shot." Everyone has seen Christian Laettner nail his jumper from the free-throw line as time expires. But how did Duke get there? This March Madness video starts with 37 seconds left in the Elite Eight game against Kentucky in 1992 and goes through each lead change until the final buzzer.

itk Watch Vanderbilt win on an improbable last-second fumble sibling · sim 0.40 · keep 0.68 · score -4

#60 · curiosity Mar 10, 2026

The first known use of 'punk rock' was in 1971

When Creem Magazine's Dave Marsh wrote about seeing '60s garage rockers ? and the Mysterians perform, he remarked it would be unthinkable "to miss such a landmark exposition of punk-rock." The band isn't considered a punk band, but Marsh's description would go on to define other scrappy, back-to-basics acts.

itk See the oral history of the pop-punk band's founding sibling · sim 0.45 · keep 0.64 · score -3

Greenland Deal, Moscow Attacks, and Gen Alpha Slang