Escapology is the art of escaping from restraints of some kind — be it handcuffs, straightjackets, cages or coffins. The skill has been used as a form of magical entertainment since at least the 1860s, although it didn’t become recognized as a performance act in its own right until later in the century. As the […]
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While the 2011 earthquake and worries surrounding Fukushima have brought the threat of radioactivity back into the public consciousness, many people still don’t realize that radioactive contamination is a worldwide danger. Radionuclides are in the top six toxic threats as listed in the 2010 report by The Blacksmith Institute, an NGO dedicated to tackling pollution. […]
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Universally and instantly recognizable, the President of the United States – the heads of state and government of the world’s largest superpower, the commander–in-chief of the US Armed Forces, the omnipotent and oft-termed “Leader of the Free World” – requires no long-winded or flowery introduction. What does require clarification, however, are the notions of “smartness” […]
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Halloween is on its way and feeble horror tales are being dished out left, right and center. The following true stories, however, are not only filled with death and gore; they actually happened. Though often brutal and nonsensical, ritual suicide is real and has occurred throughout history. The motives behind mass suicide are varied. In […]
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The last hundred years have borne witness to humankind’s extraordinary technological advancements. Man has walked on the moon, ventured deeper into the oceans than ever before and even uncovered the building blocks of life, DNA. But even with our inexorable progress as a species there are still mysteries and enigmas the solutions to which elude […]
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Nine years ago the RIAA won a groundbreaking suit against Napster.com in what would become the beginning of a nearly decade-long flood of litigation. The incident seemed to be a tipping point for the Entertainment Industry, as both the RIAA and MPAA up until then had enjoyed little success in stemming the piracy movement which […]
Continue readingImage Source Bioluminescence in animals is one of nature’s most fascinating phenomena and may greatly delight the casual observer. However, the showy displays of light produced by the creatures themselves, or by luminous symbiotic microorganisms, serve a range of important purposes. Predatory anglerfish may use bioluminescence to lure victims, while other species glow in order […]
Continue readingRiots display human beings acting at their worst. Usually the result of political or social turmoil, most riots rely on killing, raping, looting and widespread destruction to get their point across. After examining the tolls that riots take on society, we have to wonder whether this is an effective way to bring about change. Below […]
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Most people hope they’ll die by passing in their sleep, in a peaceful setting, or maybe surrounded by loved ones. But for the victims of these 15 executions, that couldn’t be further from reality. Whether it’s being set on fire inside of a tire or having your limbs slowly cut off, these deaths are sure […]
Continue readingAlthough there were relatively few attacks on North America during World War Two, the war was not an easy time for the United States. Even before it had begun, a large Nazi spy ring was found operating in the mainland; later when war was declared, hundreds of ships off the East Coast offered rich pickings […]
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