2026-10-17 -- control

#1 · news-in-context Apr 23, 2026

Explore a timeline of Tesla through 2025

Initially called Tesla Motors, the company was renamed Tesla Inc. in February 2017. Its Model Y became the world's bestselling EV worldwide by the end of 2023, overtaking the Model 3's title from 2020.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.48 · keep 0.48 · score -8

#2 · explainers May 29, 2026

By designing a $35,000 car, Tesla sought to bring EVs into the mainstream

Despite production delays, factory struggles, and skepticism from established carmakers, Tesla reached its goal of making 5,000 Model 3s per week. This achievement marked a turning point, proving that electric vehicles could be scalable to meet increasing demand.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.50 · keep 0.42 · score -3

#3 · experiences May 29, 2026

A quick guide to everything SpaceX

SpaceX has single-handedly reignited commercial space exploration, with its reusable rockets, broadband satellite constellation, and plans to populate Mars. The company has gone from a mere idea in 2002 to the world's most well-known private space company. Learn the basics about this pivotal company with this quick guide from CNET.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.41 · keep 0.21 · score -27

#4 · explainers Jan 25, 2026

See how the White House is 'flipped' in a matter of hours on Inauguration Day

On Inauguration Day, the outgoing family departs after a morning farewell, and residence staff rapidly pack and move their belongings out while preparing rooms for the incoming first family—transforming the White House within hours before they arrive that afternoon.

itk White House press secretary ousted after a week on the job. sibling · sim 0.44 · keep 0.64 · score -1

#5 · curiosity Jan 25, 2026

See what it's like to work at the White House

Anita McBride discusses her experience working at the White House across three presidential administrations. She began in 1984 as a correspondence analyst, reading mail, and later served as chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush from 2005 to 2009.

itk White House press secretary ousted after a week on the job. own · sim 0.43 · keep 0.67 · score -2

#6 · curiosity Sep 15, 2026

A 1954 outbreak at a Boston boarding school allowed scientists to isolate the measles virus and formed the basis for the first measles vaccine.

While measles was described as early as the 9th century, humanity lacked the medical technology to fight the disease until the mid-20th century.

Vaccine development in the 1960s and 1970s that drew from the Boston outbreak data led to one of the most effective inoculation campaigns in history.
Swabs and blood samples were taken from students, and cultures from 11-year-old schoolboy David Edmonston ultimately led scientists to cultivate the virus and enabled the first vaccine against measles.
That first vaccine was approved for use in the United States in 1963.
The first internationally focused measles immunization campaign took place in Africa, beginning in 1966. The Gambia was the first country in the world to halt measles transmission the following year.
Subsequent versions of the vaccine were developed, including the combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine (MMRV), which is commonly used in the United States. The varicella component was added in 2005.
Standalone measles vaccines are now difficult to obtain in many locations because manufacturers have discontinued individual formulations in favor of combination vaccines to improve cost-effectiveness, convenience, and safety.

itk CDC to send disease detective to investigate Pennsylvania measles outbreak. sibling · sim 0.46 · keep 0.40 · score -11

#7 · experiences Jun 25, 2026

Explore an interactive timeline of technological inventions and social structures since 1500.

etc Browse this year's best inventions. own · sim 0.44 · keep 0.55 · score -6

#8 · curiosity Sep 4, 2026

The Ig Nobel Prize—a satirical version of the Nobel Prize—aims to engage broader audiences by spotlighting scientific achievements that make people laugh before they think.

While the Nobel Prize is named after Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and founder of the awards, the Ig Nobel Prize is named after his fictional cousin, Ignatius Nobel.

The Ig Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1991 at the MIT Museum in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after being established by the Annals of Improbable Research, a scientific humor magazine.
The IG Nobel Prize award ceremony honors work across 10 categories and features "24/7" lectures, in which scientists explain their work in 24 seconds and again with just 7 words.
Research that has received an Ig Nobel Prize includes studies on how the ability to hold one's urine affects self-control and the use of dog-training clickers to train surgeons.

etc This year's Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, explained with ice cream. (w/audio) sibling · sim 0.42 · keep 0.80 · score -7

#9 · curiosity Mar 30, 2026

Traditional bands largely disappeared from the Billboard charts in the 21st century, mostly replaced by solo artists.

Music journalist Chris Dalla Riva analyzed 65 years of Billboard charts and found that bands (even those that don't play instruments) severely declined in the 21st century, largely replaced by solo artists.

Bands were at their peak on the charts on the mid-1960s through the early 1970s—when rock 'n' roll was at its cultural zenith.
Interestingly, the most popular bands of the 2010s, like Imagine Dragons and the Neighbourhood, were largely reviled by music critics.

etc The 21st century's bestselling albums of each year. sibling · sim 0.50 · keep 0.47 · score -1

#10 · news-in-context Oct 6, 2026

Tesla plans to eliminate the use of rare earth elements in future vehicles

At a 2023 Investor Day event, Elon Musk outlined steps to focus Tesla's efforts on climate action rather than new vehicle models. Musk estimates the transition to carbon-free, sustainable energy will cost $10T.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.12 · score -25

#11 · explainers Apr 23, 2026

Elon Musk joined Tesla in 2004, investing $30M and becoming chair

The company went public in 2010, raising $226 million in its IPO just two years after beginning production on its first car. Tesla's first Supercharger stations were launched in 2012 with six locations in California.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.48 · keep 0.17 · score -6

#12 · curiosity Oct 14, 2024

A pair of engineers began Tesla to prove the viability of electric vehicles

Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning sought to design a high-end electric sports car for environmentally motivated, affluent buyers. The Tesla Roadster would be the first highway-legal car to use lithium-ion batteries.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.63 · keep 0.64 · score -1

#13 · explainers Sep 25, 2026

Amid a massive measles uptick in 2026, at least 6 babies in central Pennsylvania have been born with congenital measles.

Pennsylvania had more than 100 measles cases in just one week in late September 2026, and more than 800 cases overall, according to the state's health department.

A baby can be born with measles if a pregnant woman is infected within the final weeks of her pregnancy.
Many of Pennsylvania's measles patients are adults, not children, underscoring that there are swathes of people in the state that were never vaccinated as kids.
There's no specific treatment for measles geared toward newborns.
Pennsylvania is running out of airborne infection isolation rooms to help contain the virus in hospitals.
Pregnant women cannot receive the measles vaccine during pregnancy, so women would need to be vaccinated prior to pregnancy to help protect themselves and their fetuses.

itk CDC to send disease detective to investigate Pennsylvania measles outbreak. own · sim 0.60 · keep 0.09 · score -1

#14 · curiosity Oct 2, 2026

Explore an illustrated history of the WNBA's first 30 years, analyzing how the league has quadrupled its attendance since 2021.

Before the WNBA's 1996 inaugural season, women's basketball players often went to Europe to play professionally after finishing their college careers.

The Golden State Valkyries were the first WNBA franchise to be valued at $1B.
The WNBA's attendance for the 2026 season is over four times what it was in 2021.
Sheryl Swoopes, the first player to sign with the WNBA, was also the first woman with a Nike signature shoe, the Air Swoopes.

itk WNBA finals tip off amid record viewership and attendance. sibling · sim 0.53 · keep 0.35 · score -4

#15 · curiosity Apr 13, 2026

Watch the inaugural WNBA game between Lisa Leslie's Los Angeles Sparks and Rebecca Lobo's New York Liberty.

On June 21, 1997, the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty faced off in the inaugural WNBA game.

The matchup was a showdown between Olympic gold-medalists Lisa Leslie and Rebecca Lobo, who had become national stars following the 1996 Summer Games.
Sparks guard Penny Toler scored the game's first basket, the first in WNBA history.
The Liberty won the game, 67-57.

itk WNBA finals tip off amid record viewership and attendance. own · sim 0.52 · keep 0.62 · score -6

#16 · experiences Jan 26, 2026

A century of Billboard issues documenting the evolution of popular music.

etc The 21st century's bestselling albums of each year. own · sim 0.46 · keep 0.30 · score -3

#17 · curiosity Oct 6, 2026

Tiny solar-powered tags can now track monarch butterflies across North America

Monarch tracking began in 1935, utilizing low-tech methods to gain a better understanding of migration patterns as monarchs travel to central Mexico during the winter. Each tag weighs 60 milligrams and can be tracked via an app to provide insights into butterfly life cycles.

etc Cornstarch saves a monarch butterfly that landed in refried beans. own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.22 · score -1

#18 · 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.

etc Half of US adults say they don't use chatbots. Here's why. own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.50 · score -7

#19 · curiosity May 29, 2026

In 2018, SpaceX launched a Tesla Roadster into heliocentric orbit for publicity

As of February 2023, the vehicle and its mannequin driver—dubbed "Starman"—have completed three and a quarter revolutions around the sun. One paper estimated that the car has a 22% chance of crashing into Earth within the next 15 million years.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.57 · keep 0.34 · score -2

#20 · explainers May 29, 2026

Take a drone tour of a Tesla factory

The first of Tesla's large-scale European manufacturing plants for its electric vehicles was opened in Berlin in 2022. It—along with other facilities in Nevada, New York, Texas, and Shanghai—collectively manufactures solar panels, batteries, and other energy collection and storage products.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.46 · keep 0.66 · score -12

#21 · curiosity Oct 6, 2026

The first flight on Mars carried a piece of the Wright plane with it

In April 2021, the solar-powered helicopter Ingenuity—attached to NASA's Perseverance Mars rover—flew in what became the first controlled flight on a planet other than Earth. Carried with it was a piece of fabric from the famous 1903 Wright Flyer, a symbol of Ingenuity's continuation of the Wright tradition.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.50 · keep 0.43 · score -4

#22 · explainers Feb 12, 2025

The gaps in menopause research and their effects

Nearly all studies (99%) researching the biology of aging don’t consider menopause in their setup. A Harvard professor noted that about 75% of aging-related diseases are likely influenced by menopause. In this article, she discusses how gaps in research are negatively impacting how the medical system can effectively treat aging women. Read her analysis of the issue here.

itk Ovaries remain active decades after menopause, according to landmark study. own · sim 0.55 · keep 0.32 · score -1

#23 · curiosity Feb 27, 2026

Buford the Pyrenees showered with gifts after rescuing 2-year-old boy lost in the desert

The young boy wandered away from his family home and ended up spending the night alone in the Arizona wilderness. A search party of more than 40 people and a helicopter participated in looking for the boy. A dog named Buford eventually found the child and led him back to a ranch, allowing him to soon be reunited with his family. Once the story broke, Buford started receiving an influx of toys and treats from strangers.

itk Georgia firefighters help veterinarian deliver rare 15-puppy litter; one firefighter adopt own · sim 0.46 · keep 0.10 · score -1

#24 · curiosity Feb 27, 2026

Toddler delivers tear-jerking speech at her mom and dad's wedding

Three-year-old Evie brought her father to tears while sharing loving words before her mother walked down the aisle.

itk Bride jokingly surprises her dad with the emergency credit card he gave her when she left own · sim 0.40 · keep 0.48 · score -1

#25 · experiences Jun 7, 2022

Evaluating the world’s 'smartest' cities

A ranking of "smart cities" analyzes cities by economical and technological aspects as well as quality of life, inclusiveness, and care to the environment.

etc Taipei tops list of cities with best public transit. sibling · sim 0.42 · keep 0.56 · score -3

#26 · curiosity Jan 6, 2026

Your pet might eat you if you die

Cats and dogs can eat their deceased owners. Experts say it typically occurs after days without food and reflects basic survival instincts, rather than aggression, affection loss, or a sudden behavioral shift.

etc How long would your pet survive in the wild? (w/video) own · sim 0.45 · keep 0.69 · score -1

#27 · curiosity Oct 15, 2026

Fenway Park is the oldest professional baseball stadium in use

The legendary park was built in 1912 and is considered hallowed ground for baseball fans, along with iconic venues like Yankee Stadium in the Bronx and Wrigley Field in Chicago.

etc How Fenway Park feeds over 37,000 fans every game. (w/video) sibling · sim 0.54 · keep 0.39 · score -1

#28 · curiosity Apr 16, 2026

SpaceX was built to achieve Elon Musk's vision of making humans an interplanetary species.

Founded by Elon Musk in 2002, Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is a Texas-based company that pioneered the development of reusable rockets.

Learning quickly from early Falcon rocket failures and clashes with vendors and safety regulators, the company has focused on reusability as a first step to reaching Mars.
It's also been backed by NASA funding to do so.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.49 · keep 0.19 · score -5

#29 · explainers May 29, 2026

Tesla's production of a high-performance electric vehicle revived the EV industry

The Model 3 shifted public perception by showing that EVs could be fast and desirable, and built at scale. However, at one point, Tesla built an entirely manual production line in a tent outside its main factory to keep up with demand.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.44 · keep 0.60 · score -15

#30 · curiosity Apr 9, 2026

Explore a timeline of advancements in American aviation

From the Wright brothers' flight of the first powered plane in 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to SpaceX's debut of the Falcon 9 rocket in 2010 with reusable boosters, this interactive shows off the technological evolution of flight, from mechanical propulsion to ballistic spaceflight.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.48 · keep 0.57 · score -7

#31 · explainers Sep 16, 2026

In Pennsylvania, there were roughly 4 times as many measles cases in 2026 as in the previous 3 decades—combined.

After people develop immunity to measles, either from vaccination or from recovering from infection, there is only a roughly 3% risk of developing the disease if exposed to the virus.

The defining feature of measles isn't its rash; it's the small white or bluish-white spots that appear on the inside of the cheeks, called Koplik spots.

itk CDC to send disease detective to investigate Pennsylvania measles outbreak. sibling · sim 0.56 · keep 0.17 · score -2

#32 · curiosity Oct 6, 2026

Dolphins have doulas too?

For the first time in over a decade, a dolphin gave birth at Brookfield Zoo, and she didn't do it alone. Right beside her was another dolphin, acting as a doula. Why do dolphins support each other this way? The answer reveals something incredible about how animals care for one another.

itk Retired firefighter and fisherman coordinate six-hour community rescue of a dolphin stuck own · sim 0.44 · keep 0.83 · score -2

#33 · curiosity Jan 22, 2026

One New Yorker saved $1,600 during her 'no-buy January'

A social trend in recent years encourages participants to buy essentials only for the month (an abbreviation of the even more radical no-buy year). Hannah Marder gave the fast a go, fastidiously dividing her purchases into wants and needs and managing to save roughly $1,600 over the month.

itk Woman secretly pays off her family's more than $58K debt with careful budgeting and over $ own · sim 0.42 · keep 0.68 · score -5

#34 · experiences May 3, 2023

How global conditions have improved over 200 years

In an era of 24-hour news, it can feel as if the world is on a perpetual downward spiral. This set of visualizations zoom out, and show how global living conditions have improved in recent centuries. The percentage of people living in extreme...

etc How participation in social activities has changed since 1995. (w/chart) sibling · sim 0.41 · keep 0.55 · score -3

#35 · curiosity Dec 11, 2023

McDonald's releases a new adult Happy Meal

Some McDonald's restaurants in Ohio began a nostalgic campaign in late 2023, reviving chicken nugget-style doll toys famous in adult-themed Happy Meals over a quarter-century before. The company collaborated with artist Kerwin Frost to create the toys. Read more and see photos here.

etc Restaurants are bringing back happy meals for grown-ups. own · sim 0.67 · keep 0.17 · score -1

#36 · curiosity Oct 6, 2026

'Mystery hikes' were a popular attraction in the 1930s

Still reeling from the Great Depression, many Americans were looking for low-cost (or free) activities. Some travel agencies curated "mystery hikes," which offered intrepid amblers the opportunity to be set on a blind adventure.

etc Why haunted houses became popular during the Great Depression. own · sim 0.47 · keep 0.69 · score -3

#37 · curiosity May 21, 2026

View the 18 vehicles that broke the land speed record

The battery-powered "La Jamais Contente" was the first car to exceed 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) per hour, achieving the feat in 1899. By 1997, advancements in aerodynamic understanding and engineering led to the Thrust Supersonic Car, a jet-powered vehicle that reached a speed of 1,223.6 kilometers (760.3 miles) per hour.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.47 · keep 0.56 · score -9

#38 · explainers Aug 11, 2026

The first Model T rolled off the line on Aug. 12, 1908. Watch someone operate the vehicle, described as 'driving a tractor with the soul of a sewing machine.'

The Ford Motor Company released the Model T in 1908.

It was the first widely available, affordable vehicle, starting the American obsession with the family car.
Although cars existed before the Model T, manufacturing them required a group of highly specialized mechanics.
The Model T was so affordable in large part because of the moving assembly line, which cut down the total manufacturing time of the car and replaced specialized workers with general laborers who performed repetitive tasks.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.44 · keep 0.70 · score -17

#39 · curiosity Apr 23, 2026

Since its 2019 reveal, the Cybertruck underwent numerous delays and design changes

Elon Musk first envisioned the Cybertruck in 2012, with its design inspired by "Blade Runner" and "The Spy Who Loved Me." Semiconductor shortages and battery manufacturing issues made it impossible to manufacture enough vehicles to meet the 250,000 preorders without shifting delivery dates.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.47 · keep 0.19 · score -10

#40 · explainers Jan 5, 2026

Measles is one of the most contagious preventable diseases—it was eliminated in the US in 2000, but it is now making a resurgence due to declining vaccination rates.

The virus’s ability to persist in the air for up to two hours means an infected person could enter a room, leave, and two hours later infect someone else entering the room.

The virus builds up in the body’s upper respiratory tract, which also makes it easy for viral particles to be sneezed or coughed into the air.

itk CDC to send disease detective to investigate Pennsylvania measles outbreak. sibling · sim 0.48 · keep 0.65 · score -9

#41 · curiosity Mar 17, 2026

A malaria case in Maryland stumped doctors in 2023—leading to the wrong treatment and underscoring the challenge of physicians being mindful of tropical diseases in our interconnected world.

When the state had its first locally acquired malaria case in over 40 years, the patient was misdiagnosed with a more common tick-borne infection, leading to weeks-long treatment for the wrong infection.

The patient had symptoms that could occur with malaria or with babesiosis, a disease caused by Babesia parasites and transmitted by ticks in the US.
Malaria was considered eliminated from the US in 1951.

itk CDC to send disease detective to investigate Pennsylvania measles outbreak. sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.13 · score -14

#42 · curiosity Jun 15, 2026

Measles evolved from an ancient cattle disease, perhaps as recently as 3,000 years ago.

Genetic analysis suggests that the closest modern relative of measles is a livestock virus known as rinderpest, with the viral strains diverging between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago.

The timing coincided with the rise of major cities with populations exceeding 250,000, offering a novel transmission route for the newly mutated measles virus.

itk CDC to send disease detective to investigate Pennsylvania measles outbreak. sibling · sim 0.43 · keep 0.59 · score -15

#43 · experiences Aug 11, 2026

Explore a visualization of the data behind Ben & Jerry's legendary ice cream flavors.

etc This year's Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, explained with ice cream. (w/audio) sibling · sim 0.40 · keep 0.57 · score -8

#44 · curiosity Jul 12, 2023

A rundown of some of the wildest new tech inventions around the world

The US Patent Office approves roughly 300,000 new patents every year. Among these are some fascinating tech inventions, from high-profile robots and automated bike garages to kaleidoscopic shelves and laser-projected directions for scooters. Check...

etc Browse this year's best inventions. own · sim 0.51 · keep 0.70 · score -1

#45 · curiosity Jan 26, 2026

A technological breakthrough altered how Billboard determined what was popular.

Before 1991, retail stores manually reported sales to Billboard, which then used those figures in its calculations for its weekly charts.

In 1991, the magazine began using Nielsen SoundScan, a technology that tracked every unit sold in participating stores, providing a more accurate picture of what consumers were actually buying.

etc The 21st century's bestselling albums of each year. sibling · sim 0.42 · keep 0.48 · score -10

#46 · curiosity May 16, 2025

Watch the hypersonic flight of a reusable aircraft

Stratolaunch completed a second hypersonic flight of its Talon-A2 autonomous vehicle, showcasing reusable hypersonic aircraft capabilities. The aircraft carried payloads and Department of Defense experiments while achieving Mach 5 speeds.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.47 · keep 0.12 · score -11

#47 · explainers May 29, 2026

Elon Musk's will to launch: the early days of SpaceX

Radically reducing the cost of rockets and innovating totally new space vehicles originated in the singular force of Elon Musk's vision. In this podcast, Founders creator David Senra shares what he learned reading a book about SpaceX's beginnings, highlighting Musk's audacious refusal to follow industry conventions and promotion of a culture of action and speed. Learn more insights from the founder here.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.44 · keep 0.28 · score -18

#48 · curiosity May 1, 2026

SpaceShipOne was the first privately built spacecraft to reach the boundary of space

The rocket-powered aircraft was built by Richard Branson's company Virgin Galactic. The English business magnate has described being inspired to go to space since he was a child watching NASA's moon landings.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.45 · keep 0.58 · score -13

#49 · explainers Jan 5, 2026

Measles infection, which was nearly universal during childhood in prevaccine era, was described by the Persian physician Rhazes in the 10th century as 'more to be dreaded than smallpox.'

This resource is the CDC's "Pink Book" chapter on measles, which is intended to be a comprehensive guide to the disease, its history, causes, and treatments.

The first vaccine against measles was licensed for US use in 1963.
After the measles virus replicates in the lungs, it spreads to the regional lymphoid tissues before spreading throughout the body.
The virus is closely related to the rinderpest and canine distemper viruses and causes a systemic infection in people.

itk CDC to send disease detective to investigate Pennsylvania measles outbreak. own · sim 0.45 · keep 0.18 · score -12

#50 · 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 WNBA finals tip off amid record viewership and attendance. sibling · sim 0.49 · keep 0.73 · score -9

#51 · curiosity Oct 23, 2024

David Stern had a hand in starting the WNBA

For years, NBA Commissioner David Stern had been planning for an NBA-supported women’s basketball league. When the US Women’s Basketball Team captured gold at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, he began putting them into motion.

itk WNBA finals tip off amid record viewership and attendance. own · sim 0.46 · keep 0.28 · score -14

#52 · experiences Sep 17, 2026

See Spotify's most-streamed albums to date, from Bad Bunny's 'Un Verano Sin Ti' to Olivia Rodrigo's 'Sour.'

The up-to-date list shows the most-streamed albums on Spotify, and can be sorted by year, decade, or all-time listens.

etc The 21st century's bestselling albums of each year. sibling · sim 0.44 · keep 0.67 · score -5

#53 · curiosity Jun 9, 2025

The 100 most significant sports moments between 2000 and 2025

This list ranks the 100 most significant sports moments of the first 25 years of the 21st century. The editors compiled the collection based on a list of factors, including the "collective joy" factor, whether it made you curse in disbelief, and how much it transcended the sport and entered the broader culture. The top moment: The improbable "helmet catch" during the Super Bowl in 2008.

etc The 21st century's bestselling albums of each year. own · sim 0.40 · keep 0.67 · score -14

#54 · curiosity Jul 23, 2026

While invasive species typically harm ecosystems by outcompeting native organisms for resources, some provide unexpected benefits, including new shelters, nesting habitats, and reduced environmental heat stress.

In Arizona, decades after cattle overgrazed native grasses that Botteri's sparrows used for nesting habitats, invasive lovegrasses provided an alternative that cattle did not consume.

From the Indo-Pacific to the Caribbean, an invasive microbe called Durusdinium trenchii—formerly Symbiodinium trenchii—has helped corals manage heat stress by continuing to photosynthesize at higher temperatures, providing food in conditions where other symbiotic, photosynthetic algae do not survive.
Invasive eucalyptus trees alter a microclimate's temperature, humidity, shading, and soil characteristics, but monarch butterflies in California are known to use the trees to roost, lay eggs, and as a source of nectar.
On the Japanese island of Anijima, fast-growing drooping sheoak trees drop significant litter on the forest floor, which prevents native plants from growing there, but this litter also helps native land snails seeking to hide from invasive black rats.

etc Cornstarch saves a monarch butterfly that landed in refried beans. own · sim 0.40 · keep 0.59 · score -2

#55 · curiosity Apr 23, 2026

Overcoming industry skeptics, SpaceX provides low-cost, high-publicity spaceflights

From recovering and reusing rocket components to launching a mannequin and Tesla into orbit to the tune of David Bowie's "Starman," Elon Musk drove public interest and government contracts to his company as he transformed space launches into spectacles.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.44 · keep 0.20 · score -14

#56 · explainers Nov 5, 2024

Self-driving formula cars race in the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League

The league and high-speed versions of traditional cars help to showcase the capabilities of driverless vehicles and the reliability of their AI systems. Leonardo da Vinci first imagined the idea for such machines in the 16th century.

lead First Flying Car? own · sim 0.43 · keep 0.42 · score -21

#57 · curiosity Apr 29, 2026

Falcon 9's first stage is able to land within a 30-foot diameter target consistently

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket releases its reusable first stage hundreds of miles above the Earth's surface as it travels thousands of mile per hour. The stage often then lands on an autonomous ocean drone in the middle of the sea.

lead First Flying Car? any_band · sim 0.44 · keep 0.78 · score -16

#58 · explainers May 6, 2026

Late-onset menopause lowers osteoporosis risks, but heightens the risks for certain cancers

Defined as when a woman starts to experience perimenopause after age 55, late-onset menopause is linked to an elevated risk of developing breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers.

itk Ovaries remain active decades after menopause, according to landmark study. own · sim 0.52 · keep 0.47 · score -2

#59 · curiosity Jul 22, 2026

See nine celebrities who adopted animals they met on set.

itk Georgia firefighters help veterinarian deliver rare 15-puppy litter; one firefighter adopt own · sim 0.43 · keep 0.77 · score -2

#60 · curiosity Feb 9, 2026

Peloton raised more than $300K in 30 days during its Kickstarter campaign

Peloton ran a Kickstarter campaign in 2013, hoping to raise $250K and ended the campaign with $307K. Peloton sold its first bikes during that campaign for $1.5K. Foley later said that most of the bike purchases came from investors, not necessarily new customers.

itk Teen triathlete raises more than $30K to distribute 400 bikes and 500 helmets to low-incom sibling · sim 0.42 · keep 0.19 · score -1

Flying Car, Oregon School Shooting, and Grown-up Happy Meals