2026-10-04 -- control

#1 · news-in-context May 31, 2022

The states in America that drink the most beer

Americans, in 2020, drank on average almost twenty-six gallons of beer per adult aged twenty-one or over, over the course of the pandemic.

lead Beer is an alcoholic beverage primarily made from water, grains, hops, and yeast. own · sim 0.44 · keep 0.60 · score -12

#2 · explainers Dec 23, 2024

How winemaking has changed throughout history

Winemaking is an ancient practice, and researchers continue to find evidence that this ritual came even earlier than previously estimated. This article outlines five key turning points in wine’s history, from the fermentation of fruit by our primate ancestors to today’s increasingly popular “New World” wine. Discover the fascinating scientific and cultural factors that led to wine’s changes in flavor and increased symbolic importance.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. own · sim 0.48 · keep 0.44 · score -24

#3 · experiences Oct 11, 2023

Tour the ancient world via beer

What did the people of yesterday make of beer, and how exactly did they make it? Explore the timeless beverage in this guide to ancient beers from around the world. Archaeological evidence suggests the rise of beer brewing may have coincided with humanity's shift from hunters to farmers. According to this article, beer was first enjoyed in ancient Mesopotamia, where paintings, poems, and myths glorified the porridge-like brew.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. own · sim 0.46 · keep 0.56 · score -15

#4 · explainers Aug 28, 2026

The US and allies invaded Iraq based on flawed intelligence about potential weapons of mass destruction.

In 2003, the US—backed by the UK and other allies—launched an invasion of Iraq.

The justification for the invasion was Iraqi possession of alleged weapons of mass destruction and ties to terrorism, despite no credible link to 9/11 and the absence of WMDs.
The Global War on Terror began the longest military engagement in American history.

itk US forces formally withdrew from Iraq after over two decades of military presence in the c own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.12 · score -1

#5 · curiosity Aug 2, 2022

Fancybear: The state-backed hacker cell

Fancy Bear (APT28) is a Russian-based hacker group that targets a variety of organizations across the globe. Learn how to prevent Fancy Bear.

itk Dutch police arrested a suspected member of the ShinyHunters hacker group, days before the own · sim 0.41 · keep 0.16 · score -2

#6 · curiosity Jun 10, 2026

The Artemis program to bring humans to the moon for the first time since 1972

Using NASA's next-generation megarocket, the Space Launch System, Artemis I will take an uncrewed spacecraft on a 42-day journey around the moon. Subsequent missions plan to land the first woman on the lunar surface.

itk SpaceX launches Starship spacecraft into orbit for the first time to test its readiness fo own · sim 0.61 · keep 0.21 · score -1

#7 · experiences Oct 1, 2026

View a gallery of 3D printed clothing

Many 3D printed garments represent wearable art where technology meets couture. Despite their appearances on runways since Iris van Herpen's pioneering top at Amsterdam Fashion Week in 2010, mainstream adoption has been limited due to high costs and reduced comfort when compared to fabric-based apparel.

etc 18-year-old fashion designer goes viral after experiencing encouragement from strangers wh own · sim 0.41 · keep 0.45 · score -1

#8 · curiosity Sep 17, 2026

Spotify's success turned Swedish entrepreneur Daniel Ek into a billionaire in his mid-30s.

Ek and his cofounder Martin Lorentzon envisioned Spotify as a legal version of Napster.

Securing licensing deals with major labels like Universal Music, Sony, and Warner Music gave Spotify access to a broad music catalog.
Its freemium model, offering both a free tier supported by ads and a paid ad-free tier, helped attract early adopters.
Customers loved the convenience of streaming songs rather than paying per download from services like iTunes.
At first exclusive to desktops, Spotify launched mobile apps for iOS and Android devices in 2009.
Rapid growth followed Spotify’s mobile expansion; the service had around 1 million users at the start of 2009, which grew to around 7 million by the end of that year.
Spotify entered the US in 2011, which helped its global user base expand to 20 million by 2012.

etc Apple, Spotify, YouTube own · sim 0.41 · keep 0.32 · score -6

#9 · news-in-context Apr 17, 2026

See the numbers behind US beer production, including top-producing states and the most breweries per capita.

In 2022, American breweries produced 5.5 billion gallons of beer.

Colorado breweries produced more beer in 2022 than any other state that reported its numbers, with over 20 million barrels.
Between 2012 and 2022, keg sales declined by 35 percent, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

lead Beer is an alcoholic beverage primarily made from water, grains, hops, and yeast. own · sim 0.41 · keep 0.31 · score -20

#10 · explainers Oct 14, 2024

Wine explained

Wine is the sublime product of fermentation, the process of breaking down fruit—typically grapes. As the grapes ferment, yeast consumes the natural sugars and converts them to alcohol. With the process first developed and refined thousands of years ago, wine has been a central feature of celebrations throughout modern history. Want to learn more about its origins? Check out 1440's explainer on wine.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.62 · score -51

#11 · experiences Oct 1, 2026

A database of grape varieties

All wines are defined in part by the type of grapes used, whether a single grape or a blend. This encyclopedic archive of grape varieties and their respective attributes is an easy way to become acquainted with just about any wine grape out there—from Albariño to Zweigelt. It also includes brief introductions to non-wine alcoholic beverage categories like beer and hard seltzer.

lead Beer is an alcoholic beverage primarily made from water, grains, hops, and yeast. sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.24 · score -21

#12 · explainers Mar 17, 2026

Why bananas are in trouble

The average American eats over 25 pounds of bananas every year, but we won't for long if a deadly soil fungus continues to spread. Learn what scientists are doing to save the popular fruit.

itk Bananas bred to resist browning could reach more supermarket shelves after passing a major own · sim 0.55 · keep 0.78 · score -1

#13 · curiosity Apr 4, 2026

See 33 images that became central to huge scandals, including a young Charles and Camilla, Michael Jackson's baby on a hotel balcony, and Hugh Grant's mugshot.

itk Explore 33 images that became central to huge scandals, including a young Charles and Cami own · sim 0.73 · keep 0.68 · score -1

#14 · curiosity Jun 30, 2026

Why Guinness stopped giving these world records

It's all fun until someone gets hurt. Here's an explainer on why Guinness, the world's official purveyor of superlative records, won't officiate certain events.

itk World records are often broken later in the day. own · sim 0.43 · keep 0.83 · score -3

#15 · experiences Mar 26, 2026

Reimagining YouTube as cable TV, complete with channel-surfing

The site streams YouTube content as if it were broadcast television, providing the ability to flip through channels and enter videos mid-stream, and you also can't easily skip ahead. The product is designed in part to bring back serendipity to video discovery.

etc Apple, Spotify, YouTube own · sim 0.43 · keep 0.73 · score -2

#16 · news-in-context Sep 17, 2026

Read a user's review of the differences between Spotify and its closest rival, Apple Music.

When it comes to digital music streaming services, Spotify and Apple Music have solidified their place as the #1 and #2 services, respectively, based on their number of users.

Spotify’s closest rival in the US is Apple Music, which reportedly had more than 93 million paying users as of January 2025.
Spotify had about 300 million paying subscribers as of August 2026.

etc Apple, Spotify, YouTube any_band · sim 0.46 · keep 0.22 · score -1

#17 · news-in-context Feb 2, 2026

Total per capita US consumption of beer has dropped 30% since the 1980s

Between 2011 and 2021, AB InBev and MolsonCoors (two of the leading beer parent companies in the US) experienced a combined 17% drop in US market share. Budweiser parent company AB InBev has focused on premiumization and diversifying their product offerings in recent years to combat the losses.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.37 · score -42

#18 · explainers Jul 5, 2024

The non-alcoholic wine market

A no-nonsense, stats-based exploration of the relatively new market for nonalcoholic wine. Driven by people looking to consume less or no alcohol at all, production of nonalcoholic wine has increased dramatically over the last few years. This report details the basics of nonalcoholic winemaking, as well as the current state of the market and what to expect in the future.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. sibling · sim 0.44 · keep 0.16 · score -18

#19 · experiences Apr 2, 2025

The history of coffee

From its likely origins in what is now Ethiopia to today's worldwide consumption, this video uses a map to show how coffee conquered the world. Follow along and see how pilgrimages and centuries of trade influenced the spread of the beverage we all know so well.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.69 · score -44

#20 · explainers Aug 19, 2026

In China, deepfaking a dead loved one has become a growing industry to help people process grief.

Digital replicas of the deceased—avatars—provide individuals with closure in a culture with long-standing traditions of communicating with ancestors.

Advances in creating more lifelike avatars of the dead—using audio, visual, and written materials from someone who died—have also improved the tools for digitally replicating living people.
The emotional and ethical implications of "digital immortality" are complicated further by cases of actors impersonating deceased relatives during deepfake video calls to hide their deaths.

itk Learn about the controversial AI griefbots that generate text or video avatars of the dead own · sim 0.61 · keep 0.31 · score -2

#21 · curiosity Jun 2, 2026

70 years ago today, city officials in Santa Cruz, California, banned rock 'n' roll to protect its youth from corruption after witnessing a 'provocative' concert the night before.

Officials justified the decision by saying the music, then still in its infancy, was “detrimental to both the health and morals of our youth and community.”

The ban was inspired by a performance from Chuck Higgins and his Orchestra at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium on June 2, 1956, which a police lieutenant said featured teenagers “engaged in suggestive, stimulating and tantalizing motions induced by the provocative rhythms of an all-negro band.”
After the story hit the national media on June 5, the city grew concerned that tourism would suffer and walked back the ban.

itk Revisit when a California city banned rock 'n' roll in 1956, fearing the corruption of its own · sim 0.78 · keep 0.36 · score -1

#22 · curiosity Sep 25, 2026

Known as the corpse flower for smelling like rotting meat, Rafflesia is the world's largest flower and a parasite that lives off a host vine.

Rafflesia is a genus of flowers with over 40 known species throughout the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, with the largest spanning over 1 meter (1.09 yards) in diameter.

Lacking leaves, a stem, and the chloroplasts necessary to photosynthesize its own food, Rafflesia spends most of its life absorbing nutrients and water from the vine genus Tetrastigma.
Once the Rafflesia bud opens, its characteristic scent attracts carrion flies, which enter the male flowers, collect liquid pollen, and transfer it to female flowers, thereby achieving cross-pollination.

itk The world's largest flower smells like rotting meat. own · sim 0.57 · keep 0.86 · score -1

#23 · experiences Sep 2, 2024

YouTube brought endless content—and endless culture wars

How did YouTube grow from a startup in 2005, to a media powerhouse with more than 2.5 billion monthly logged-in users who watch more than 1 billion hours of video every day? That’s what this podcast interview with Bloomberg tech reporter Mark Bergen on NPR’s Fresh Air explores.

etc Apple, Spotify, YouTube sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.29 · score -3

#24 · experiences Sep 17, 2026

Read about how Spotify creates niche genres, from 'Webcore' to 'Phonk.'

One of Spotify's most recognizable features is its playlists.

The provider offers an endless stream of strangely titled mixes with names like "Hyperpop" and "Lorem," which suggest uniform genres and scenes despite featuring seemingly random assortments of artists and songs.
By organizing its music in this way, some argue that the process erases organic movements that developed outside of the app.

etc Apple, Spotify, YouTube any_band · sim 0.42 · keep 0.56 · score -4

#25 · news-in-context Apr 17, 2026

See a list of the best beer cities in America, including mainstays, like Asheville, North Carolina, and Portland, Oregon, as well as less-mentioned enclaves, like Minneapolis and Richmond, Virginia.

The list weighs each city's estimated brewery count and breweries per capita alongside the quality, variety, and overall culture of its beer scene.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.75 · score -43

#26 · explainers Aug 4, 2026

Gen Z is drinking less alcohol than older generations.

In the years 2001 through 2003, 72% of adults under age 35 said they drank.

But by the time the years 2021 through 2023 rolled around, only 62% of under-35 adults could say the same, according to one recent study.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.32 · score -22

#27 · curiosity Apr 17, 2026

The craft beer industry has been in decline since 2024, due to changing demographics and a wider variety of alcoholic beverages.

Craft breweries were scarce during the 1980s, but began to build steam during the 1990s and became a hot trend during the 2000s and 2010s.

The downward trend began in 2024, when more American craft breweries closed than opened, and has continued since then.
Some blame the rise of canned cocktails, hard seltzers, and non-alcoholic beers, while others point to declining drinking rates for Gen Z.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. any_band · sim 0.65 · keep 0.10 · score -1

#28 · explainers Jul 19, 2024

Inside the life of a 13-year-old beauty influencer

Thirteen-year-old Evelyn started posting get-ready-with-me style videos the summer before she entered 7th grade. Pull back the curtain on how she rose to internet fame through cutting observations of her peers at school, and how platforms like TikTok have responded to those under 13 joining the creator economy.

itk 18-year-old fashion designer goes viral after experiencing encouragement from strangers wh own · sim 0.43 · keep 0.49 · score -1

#29 · curiosity Oct 1, 2026

People used to visit graveyards as a place to relax outdoors until the late 19th century, when more public parks became available for people to gather instead.

The centuries-old Wadi Al-Salam cemetery in Najaf, Iraq, is the largest in the world, hosting millions of remains.

A significant part of human history didn't involve burying the dead, and instead, loved ones were honored with an array of other practices, such as cremation or leaving bodies in trees.
The earliest known burials were likely held for the disgraced, excluding them from the standard practices for showing reverence to the dead.
Ancient people are believed to have shifted burials to a common and respected practice for honoring the dead after noting its advantages, like protecting bodies from scavengers and sparing loved ones from witnessing decay.
In Medieval Europe, churchyards were used as burial sites as well as public event spaces. Farmers also grazed their cattle on these grounds, believing the graveyard would help provide sweeter milk.
Burial space and environmental considerations are causing people to increasingly consider alternatives for handling deceased bodies, with new options including shooting remains into space or turning them into tattoo ink.

itk Cemeteries were once commonly used for picnics and public events. own · sim 0.57 · keep 0.77 · score -1

#30 · curiosity May 29, 2025

Bizarre college donations and the strings attached

When donors give to a college, they regularly prescribe specific stipulations, typically to fund a professorship in their name in a certain subject. But some of those stipulations are unique, including requiring annual graveside flowers, pet adoption for 150 dogs, or the consistent teaching of Ayn Rand’s "Atlas Shrugged."

itk Read a Yale student's profound essay about the consulting industry's influence on college own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.77 · score -7

#31 · explainers Dec 31, 2025

Viral pop artists create systems of participation, not just music

Musicologist (and Swift expert) Paula Clare Harper weighs in on the factors that make music go viral. Tracks designed for shareability that feed well into content algorithms on streaming platforms are able to grow in popularity, with traditional human gatekeepers sidelined.

etc Apple, Spotify, YouTube any_band · sim 0.41 · keep 0.57 · score -5

#32 · news-in-context May 20, 2026

Explore why Americans are drinking less alcohol

US alcohol consumption fell 5% in 2025, with beer and wine leading the decline. Economists point to tighter budgets and less face-to-face socializing overall, while younger Americans are increasingly choosing not to drink.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.19 · score -46

#33 · explainers Oct 1, 2026

In the 1920s, Prohibition helped cement tipping norms in the US

During Prohibition, restaurants lost significant revenue, given that they could no longer legally serve customers high-margin alcohol. As a result, many of these restaurants leaned more heavily on tips to ease the financial pressure of paying employees.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. sibling · sim 0.40 · keep 0.53 · score -30

#34 · curiosity Feb 2, 2026

Craft beer is partially responsible for disrupting Budweiser's US market share

Over the past few decades, as craft beer from smaller breweries has become more popular (as well as seltzers, light beers, and other alternatives), Budweiser's market share has declined.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. any_band · sim 0.58 · keep 0.16 · score -4

#35 · explainers Jan 5, 2026

A 1893 speech from a Hindu monk in Chicago set the stage for yoga in the US, which exploded in popularity in the next century.

Swami Vivekananda, a Hindu monk, spoke to the World’s Parliament of Religions, addressing those in attendance as his “sisters and brothers of America.”

The speech—and Vivekananda’s subsequent lecture tours—introduced many in the West to Hinduism, setting the stage for the interest in yoga that would follow in the next century.

itk A 1923 Supreme Court decision inadvertently popularized yoga in the US. own · sim 0.63 · keep 0.52 · score -1

#36 · curiosity Jun 30, 2026

Explaining why animals don't cross this invisible line in Indonesia

Although the distance separating the two regions is small, East and West Indonesia have starkly different species, puzzling scientists for decades. Biogeographers use the theory of plate tectonics to explain the phenomenon, arguing the two regions...

itk How different animals complete some of the most remarkable migrations on Earth. own · sim 0.44 · keep 0.85 · score -7

#37 · curiosity Apr 29, 2026

The iPhone's impact in 10 charts

It's been almost 20 years since Steve Jobs first unveiled the iPhone, the device that would come to define Apple for years and change not just the smartphone industry but the world at large. 10 examples of the iPhone's impact include its all-screen touch interface and the way it led to the rise of app culture.

itk iPhone sales accounted for more than half Apple's total revenue in 2024 and 2025. own · sim 0.50 · keep 0.50 · score -5

#38 · news-in-context Jul 5, 2024

The numbers on US wine consumption

Ever wonder how much wine the average American drank in 1949? Wonder no more! The answer is 0.89 gallons. That’s way less than 2022, where the number has quadrupled to 2.86 gallons. Check out this simple table that tracks average United States wine consumption from 1934 through 2022, by individuals and as a whole. American wine consumption peaked during the early pandemic but has lessened since then.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.43 · score -55

#39 · explainers Jul 5, 2024

How fermentation works

Alcoholic fermentation is the process where yeast transforms grape sugars into ethanol, creating wine. Microscopic fungi (commonly known as yeast) metabolize sugars, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation's speed and temperature impact wine's flavor and style: cooler temps suit fruity whites, while warmer ones enhance red's tannins. Fermentation stops when sugars are depleted or by temperature extremes, and sometimes yeast removal yields sweeter wines. Get a quick breakdown of the process with this easy explainer.

lead Beer is an alcoholic beverage primarily made from water, grains, hops, and yeast. sibling · sim 0.48 · keep 0.32 · score -5

#40 · curiosity Apr 17, 2026

The long history of alcohol and sports

Regional breweries sponsored local baseball teams, hoping to associate themselves with the loyalty fans felt for their ball clubs.

As of 2022, the 30 leading alcohol brands annually spent more than $760M on athletics.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. any_band · sim 0.55 · keep 0.36 · score -5

#41 · explainers May 29, 2026

A primer on SpaceX's primary rockets and spacecraft

SpaceX has developed several lines of rockets, from its workhorse Falcon 9 to the visionary Super Heavy rocket of the company's Starship designed for massive payloads. Each iteration costs millions of dollars and came with scientific and economic challenges and several are no longer in development. Learn more about the company's roster of rockets and craft here.

itk SpaceX launches Starship spacecraft into orbit for the first time to test its readiness fo sibling · sim 0.52 · keep 0.19 · score -8

#42 · curiosity May 2, 2026

Starship is the space travel ship that rides atop the world's largest rocket

SpaceX hopes to use the vehicle for both interplanetary travel and shorter flights around Earth. At 30 feet wide, it allows for more storage and headspace for inhabitants than previous NASA spacecraft.

itk SpaceX launches Starship spacecraft into orbit for the first time to test its readiness fo sibling · sim 0.58 · keep 0.74 · score -2

#43 · curiosity May 29, 2026

Watch a supercut of the various iterations of SpaceX's Starship rocket

The first version, called Starhopper, was named with the vision of developing rocket stages that could safely land after use, enabling reusability to cut costs. The endeavor was an enormous engineering challenge that required years of testing.

itk SpaceX launches Starship spacecraft into orbit for the first time to test its readiness fo sibling · sim 0.57 · keep 0.73 · score -3

#44 · news-in-context Aug 22, 2023

Striking demographic trends from 2022

This article lists the 15 most striking research findings by Pew Research Center in 2022. The topics highlighted represent a sample of the Center’s research, compiled through surveys. Findings examine public opinion around the biggest news events...

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.24 · score -26

#45 · curiosity Apr 17, 2026

Researchers believe beer was being brewed 13,000 years ago

In 2018, archaeologists discovered traces of a wheat-and-barley-based alcoholic beverage near Haifa, in modern-day Israel, and believe it was produced by the Natufian people.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. any_band · sim 0.67 · keep 0.17 · score -1

#46 · curiosity Apr 17, 2026

See how more than 100 types of beer are produced around the world.

Beer refers to any fermented drink made from cereal grains.

Beer can be broken into two major categories: ales (made from top-fermenting yeast) and lagers (made from bottom-fermenting yeast).
Brewing terminology has changed over time, though: Before the 16th century, an "ale" was a brew made without hops, while a "beer" was one made with them.
Most credit the popularization of the taxonomy of beer styles to "The World Guide to Beer," a 1977 book by Michael Jackson, an English writer.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. any_band · sim 0.49 · keep 0.73 · score -7

#47 · explainers Apr 10, 2026

The space race of the 21st century is focused on a permanent lunar outpost

After decades of dormancy, NASA and SpaceX hope the Artemis program will provide opportunities for lunar resource extraction. Countries like India, China, and the UAE have also shown interest in developing future lunar economies.

itk SpaceX launches Starship spacecraft into orbit for the first time to test its readiness fo own · sim 0.51 · keep 0.21 · score -10

#48 · curiosity Jun 30, 2026

Here's why you've never eaten a banana seed

Hank loves bananas and is worried about their future, so he did some investigating and wrote this four-minute episode of SciShow to share some kind of scary banana truths with us.

itk Bananas bred to resist browning could reach more supermarket shelves after passing a major own · sim 0.45 · keep 0.79 · score -2

#49 · curiosity Apr 28, 2023

One hundred rare, vintage photos of the British royal family

Their power may be in symbol only, but the Royal family commands our attention anyway. Take a look through the last few decades at some of the more choice, unknown shots of the Royal family, from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III.

itk Explore 33 images that became central to huge scandals, including a young Charles and Cami own · sim 0.49 · keep 0.59 · score -2

#50 · curiosity Apr 17, 2026

How beer became a part of medieval culture

This history of beer's evolution during the Middle Ages unpacks how the brewing process, which killed harmful bacteria, made beer a safe alternative to water. That fact, along with the Catholic church condoning (and, in some cases, producing) the beverage, helped it evolve into a major commodity.

lead Beer is an alcoholic beverage primarily made from water, grains, hops, and yeast. any_band · sim 0.51 · keep 0.50 · score -2

#51 · curiosity Apr 17, 2026

George Washington had a recipe for 'small beer,' a low-alcohol beer that was once safer than drinking water.

The first American president's journal includes a recipe for "small beer," a low-alcohol beverage that was a cleaner (and slightly inebriating) alternative to the potentially sickening water of the time.

Boiling the water killed the bacteria, allowing drinkers to consume it without getting sick or too drunk.
Washington's recipe is included in "The Notebook of a Virginia Colonel," a 1757 journal kept while he was colonel of a Virginia regiment.

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. any_band · sim 0.64 · keep 0.84 · score -3

#52 · curiosity Apr 28, 2026

In 2013, consumers reportedly purchased more beer on Cinco de Mayo than on Super Bowl Sunday or St. Patrick's Day

Beginning in the early 1980s, breweries positioned Cinco de Mayo as a "Mexican St. Patrick's Day," sponsoring events and targeting Latino consumers. Anheuser-Busch and Miller created Hispanic marketing departments, while Coors spent over $60 million marketing to Latino consumers.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. any_band · sim 0.49 · keep 0.48 · score -8

#53 · explainers Mar 29, 2024

World records are often broken later in the day—and scientists wonder if muscle clocks explain the difference.

For reasons that are still not entirely clear, on average, people tend to lift more weight and achieve other exercise feats later in the day.

Theories to explain this discrepancy include that muscle clocks are at peak performance in the afternoon and that there's morning-to-afternoon variation in core body temperature, hormones, and neural activity.

itk World records are often broken later in the day. own · sim 0.58 · keep 0.61 · score -1

#54 · curiosity Apr 6, 2026

AI griefbots that generate text or even video avatars of the dead are controversial and could conceivably change how we mourn.

Nicknamed "deathbots" or "griefbots," these modern offerings are a particularly controversial use of AI chatbots.

Mourners can "chat" with AI chatbots built from submitted inputs by loved ones, such as old voice recordings or the deceased's writings. For some people, these bot interactions may provide closure and comfort.
One company offering the service, called "You, Only Virtual," draws from conversations (both spoken and written) between the deceased and their living friends or relatives to create a person's chatbot avatar.

itk Learn about the controversial AI griefbots that generate text or video avatars of the dead own · sim 0.80 · keep 0.50 · score -1

#55 · curiosity May 22, 2026

How underground radio revitalized rock 'n' roll

Early FM was a wasteland and quickly became the domain of amateurs and risk-takers, including many stations and DJs who played music that flew in the face of mainstream trends. This history of the band's scrappy beginnings unpacks how it realigned the rock charts.

itk Revisit when a California city banned rock 'n' roll in 1956, fearing the corruption of its own · sim 0.50 · keep 0.39 · score -2

#56 · curiosity Feb 2, 2026

Budweiser stores yeast derived from the original 1800s strain in a secret bunker, which only the Head of Yeast Management can access—not even the CEO

During the late 1800s when Budweiser beers hit the market, darker, all‑malt lagers dominated the US beer market. Budweiser was brewed with a single, consistent yeast strain that gave it a crisp uniform flavor, differentiating it from darker beers.

lead Beer is an alcoholic beverage primarily made from water, grains, hops, and yeast. any_band · sim 0.48 · keep 0.68 · score -4

#57 · curiosity Oct 11, 2023

Why are archaeologists brewing ancient beers?

Archaeologists have managed to brew beer from yeast found inside jugs abandoned thousands of years ago. This article explores why scientists are recreating these ancient beverages and what they hope to learn.

People have been drinking beer for...

lead The beverage can be traced back to ancient societies, with some scholars suggesting that the oldest brewery may have been found in modern-day Israel over 13,000 years ago. any_band · sim 0.63 · keep 0.65 · score -4

#58 · curiosity Apr 28, 2026

Beer companies turned Cinco de Mayo into a mass consumer event in the 1980s

Starting in the early 1980s, breweries including Anheuser-Busch, Miller, and Coors created Hispanic marketing departments and sponsored Cinco de Mayo events. By 2003, American beer companies spent over $5M annually on Cinco de Mayo advertising.

lead Recent trends and demographic shifts have contributed to declining sales in the beer industry, though the drink remains a cornerstone of celebrations, sporting events, and cultural scenes. any_band · sim 0.48 · keep 0.51 · score -10

#59 · explainers Feb 20, 2026

A Yale student wrote a profound essay about the consulting industry's influence on elite college students that was published shortly before she died in a post-graduation car accident.

Marina Keegan was set to start her career writing for The New Yorker when she died in a car accident in 2012.

In the essay, she criticized the consulting industry's impact on not only her classmates' lives but also their ability to impact the world at large.
In 2018, roughly 13% of Yale University graduates became consultants.

itk Read a Yale student's profound essay about the consulting industry's influence on college sibling · sim 0.80 · keep 0.40 · score -1

#60 · curiosity Oct 23, 2024

The tradition of the graveyard picnic

This article from Eater shares a fresh perspective on eating amongst the dead. Writer Tiffany Leigh shares the cultural significance of picnicking in cemeteries during the Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day, which is celebrated in Chinese culture. Her article explains how Qingming can be a tender and lighthearted event to remember the deceased and how that can differ from modern American attitudes toward death and cemeteries.

itk Cemeteries were once commonly used for picnics and public events. sibling · sim 0.56 · keep 0.62 · score -2

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