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Credit:  Getty Images  News via Getty Images George W. Bush Banned Blue Jeans From the Oval Office Shortly after assuming the presidency in 2001, George W. Bush  banned jeans  from the Oval Office, reverting to a dress code that was set in place during his father’s administration but had been relaxed during the Clinton years. (The stricter dress code also required men to wear neckties and women to wear “appropriate business attire.”) Prior to Bush taking office, several Presidents publicly sported blue jeans, including  Jimmy Carter , who donned the pants to embrace his farming roots, and Ronald Reagan, who owned a ranch in California and was frequently seen wearing blue jeans while riding on horseback. President Clinton was the first to flaunt blue jeans around the White House, and he was even known to wear them while working from the Oval Office on weekends. While Bush’s executive order sought to restore more of a classic formal atmosphere for official busines...

  A visit to the Tateyama Snow Corridor in Japan’s Alps  ➜ The fabled  Tateyama Snow Corridor   is one of the most spectacular winter wonders in the world. Located in   Japan’s Northern Alps , the route is carved out of the region’s deep snow, creating towering snow walls that can reach up to a reported 65 feet (20 meters) high—taller than a five-story building. To keep the mountains accessible for locals, snow plows use GPS technology to locate and clear the road after months of snowfall. As  Wonder World  explains in  this video , “without GPS they would have no idea where the road is.” The sight, open from mid-April to mid-June, has become a popular tourist destination, attracting around 1 million visitors from around the world every year. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

Credit:  Ricardo Gomez Angel / Unsplash Blue Jeans Were Initially Called “Waist Overalls” When businessman Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davies  received their patent  for denim pants with metal rivets at the stress points to make them more durable on May 20, 1873, they  marketed the trousers  as “waist overalls,” intended for miners and other workers. The utilitarian pants underwent their first marketing shift in 1890, when the company introduced  Levi’s 501 waist overalls  made from blue denim, a move to widen their appeal in advance of the patent’s imminent expiration. (Why Levi’s chose the number 501 is unclear; many of the company’s records were destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.) This marked the start of a shift in blue denim’s fashionability. In the following decades, the pants began to  grace the silver screen , worn by movie stars such as Marlon Brando (in 1953’s  The Wild One ) and James Dean (in 1955’s  Rebel With...

Tips and Tools for Cleaning Your Keyboard One item in my home that I touch every day, without fail, is my keyboard. Whether for work or leisure, I’m constantly typing away on my laptop or desktop. That means I’m transferring whatever is on my hands to the top of the keys as crumbs and dust accumulate underneath.  You know to keep your bathroom and kitchen tidy, but it’s also necessary to be extra-attentive to cleaning and disinfecting a keyboard.  Note:  The above comes directly from their website. Click here to read more.

Here to Save the Day! Asteroid defense gets serious. By Tom Vanderbilt   February 28, 2024 Back in the early 1990s, Dave Tholen, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii, had an intellectual itch he couldn’t quite scratch. His specialty was finding and mapping asteroids—he had even served on an early “detection committee” that NASA had helped organize. The committee had recommended that Tholen search for asteroids in what’s known as the “opposition region” of the sky—the part opposite the sun, with Earth in between—because that’s where their models had suggested most asteroids might be found. Tholen, however, had other ideas. “It seemed like circular reasoning,” he told me. “You’re basically saying that the best place to look in the sky is where we have been looking.” What if, he wondered, he were to search for asteroids whose orbits lay between the Earth and sun? “Something like Venus or Mercury, but on a more eccentric orbit,” he described it to me. If it became an impact hazard...

  What Did People Use Before Toothbrushes? Since the fourth millennium BCE, when urban civilizations first appeared in ancient Mesopotamia, humans have strived to achieve proper dental hygiene. Yet the nylon-bristled toothbrush we use today didn’t come along until the 1930s. For the thousands of years in between, people relied on rudimentary tools that evolved with scientific knowledge and technological advancements over time. Some of the earliest toothbrush predecessors date as far back as 3500 BCE. Here’s a look at how people kept their teeth clean before the modern toothbrush. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

  Thomas Elkins – The Modern Toilet and Improved Refrigeration Thomas Elkins’ Gilded Age patents included improvements to the basic refrigeration units at the time and improvements to commodes that eventually formed the basis of modern bathroom fixtures. Taken on their own, they were impressive upgrades to objects that were rapidly becoming increasingly important parts of everyday life. However, Elkin’s broader contributions are arguably more important than his specific inventions. As a surgeon, dentist, and pharmacist, Elkins focused on engineering improvements that enhanced daily hygiene and food safety. Those areas were often tragically underserved then, and Elkins helped pave the way for a better and safer future. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to learn more.

  These 10 archaic words would make our modern vocabularies so much better! Published on  February 19, 2025 Credit: Patrick Tomasso Language is considered a living tissue, so it stands to reason that the words we use as we move through the decades change with us: Since we have no use for some words, they sadly fade from existence and are ultimately forgotten. However, that doesn’t need to be the case: Who says we can’t launch some kind of conservation effort to keep words relevant? With that in mind, we have selected 10 forgotten words that we think should make a well-deserved comeback. We honestly believe that adding these terms to our collective vocabularies would make our lives easier, or at least, more colorful. Enjoy! Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

  Elijah McCoy – Automatic Engine Lubrication System Locomotives were a crucial component of the Gilded Age era, but the trains at that time featured several notable design flaws. Perhaps most notably, trains had to come to a complete stop before their engines could be lubricated. It was a common nuisance that Elijah McCoy helped solve when he patented the automatic lubricator in 1872. That device was capable of automatically oiling steam engines, which greatly improved their efficiency and reliability. It was such a game changer for railroads that other manufacturers soon began making their own, often lesser versions of the device. Reportedly, the phrase “real McCoy” comes from those asking for McCoy’s invention by name to distinguish it from lesser products. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

  Ellen Eglin – The Clothes-Wringer Like many housekeepers at the time, Ellen Eglin grew to despise the laborious process of washing and drying clothes by hand. So she invented an early version of a device you’re almost certainly familiar with: the clothes-wringer. This crank-operated rolling machine made it significantly easier to dry wet clothes faster than ever. It improved the daily lives of countless people, and it should have made Eglin a legend. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen during Eglin’s lifetime. She actually sold her patent to the clothes-wringer for a mere $18. Why? Well, Eglin worried that it would be difficult for a black woman to secure a patent at that time. She also feared that white households would not want to purchase the device if they knew a black woman had invented it. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

  Why Don’t Fish Freeze in Antarctica? The ocean water in  Antarctica  is 28 degrees Fahrenheit—below the freezing point of fresh water—and the fish themselves are cold-blooded, meaning their body temperature matches their surroundings. “So any fish that you throw in here should be frozen solid,” biologist  Paul Cziko  posits sitting next to  McMurdo Station’s  dive hole. “Right? If they touch ice they should just freeze and die… pretty much instantly, within a few seconds.” Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

Where did “sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite” come from? Well wishes for a good night’s sleep are a common refrain, but one in particular involves a pest infestation. There’s nothing restful about bedbugs, so where did this rhyme come from? It’s important for your health to sleep well and recharge, and wishing someone a good night’s sleep is an act of common kindness. It’s such a natural habit that we’ve invented plenty of ways to send someone off to bed, including the standard “sleep well,” and the more playful “catch some Zs” and “hit the hay.” My favorite way to tell someone good night is the classic rhyme from childhood: “Good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.” I grew up hearing this phrase, but like any other nursery rhyme, it has an origin story. Interestingly, it seems the three parts of this good-night wish have separate roots. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

  The first napkins were made of soft dough. The ancient Greeks unknowingly set the bar for environmentally friendly dining: The first napkins were edible pieces of soft dough, which were often fed to the dogs after a meal. Centuries before the widespread use of paper napkins, soft pieces of dough were cut into small pieces, rolled, and then kneaded at the table before being used to wipe people’s fingers and hands after eating. This dough was called apomagdalia, which refers to the doughy bread inside the crusts, also known as “the crumb.” Eventually, the practice evolved , and diners used sliced pieces of bread to clean their hands.   Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

  Who Invented the Internet? What most of us think of as the  Internet  is really just the pretty face of the operation—browser windows, websites, URLs, and search bars. But the real Internet, the brain behind the information superhighway, is an intricate set of protocols and rules that someone had to develop before we could get to the  World Wide Web .  Computer scientists  Vinton Cerf  and  Bob Kahn  are credited with inventing the Internet communication protocols we use today and the system referred to as the Internet. Before the current iteration of the Internet, long-distance networking between computers was first accomplished in a 1969 experiment by two research teams at UCLA and Stanford. Though the system crashed during the initial attempt to log in to the neighboring computer, the researchers, led by  Leonard Kleinrock , succeeded in creating the first two-node network. The experiment was also the first test of “packet switching...

  Are Social Media Settings Intentionally Confusing? Here’s the Truth Ah, social media—the place to check in on old friends without the awkward small talk. But have you ever tried changing a privacy setting? It’s like trying to navigate a labyrinth of menus and submenus. What if I told you that this is intentional? Everything Has a Footprint Privacy is both a necessity and a mystery the moment you start sharing your life online. Most of us are glued to our phones, whether we’re posting or just browsing. Almost everything we do—whether it’s posting vacation photos or something as mundane as liking a post—leaves behind a  digital footprint . That footprint can be collected, analyzed, and used in ways most of us don’t even realize. If you're serious about your online privacy, you can even  delete your digital footprint . Social Media Design Makes Navigating Privacy Hard In today’s world, we have the ability to connect with pretty much anyone across the globe and in an instan...

  Apollo 12 left a piece of art on the moon. When Apollo 12 departed Kennedy Space Center on November 14, 1969, the spacecraft was carrying a tiny artwork titled “ Moon Museum ” — albeit unknowingly to the astronauts aboard. The piece was a ceramic tile measuring less than an inch, inscribed with designs from six contemporary artists. However, the idea was never sanctioned by NASA, and “Moon Museum” had to be smuggled into space. “Moon Museum” was the brainchild of concept artist Forrest Myers, who collaborated with artists Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, David Novros, Robert Rauschenberg, and John Chamberlain. Each artist sketched a unique image on the tile. Warhol signed his initials in the upper left, forming the shape of a phallic rocket; Rauschenberg drew a line next to it, and Novros created a black square in the upper right. From left to right on the bottom row, Myers added an interlocking drawing, Oldenburg sketched Mickey Mouse, and Chamberlain drew an image based on a circu...

  The Real Reasons Why Milk and Eggs Are Sold in the Back of a Grocery Store By   Lisa Lombardi Published on  Mar. 10, 2025 You run to the supermarket for a  gallon of milk  … but have to trek to the way back of the store to grab it. It’s annoying, to say the least—even more so when you forget an item in that section and have to run back there again before checking out. You know your grocery store isn’t trying to help you hit your daily steps goal, so what’s going on? To find out, we went straight to grocery insiders. While it may seem random, there’s a method to the milk-in-the-back madness (just as there’s a reason for the  gust of cold air when you walk into a grocery store ). Here’s why essentials like your 2% and eggs are almost always at the back of the supermarket. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For? Our lives are measured by rotating cycles of a.m. and p.m., but do you know what these abbreviations really mean? There’s a common axiom that we all have same 24 hours in a day. Some days seem to pass by faster than others, but whether we’re stopping to smell the roses on a summer day or watching the clock race by on a deadline, those 24 hours are the same. Each hour can be counted, from the first one (hour 0) to the last one (hour 23). That said, how people count and describe those hours around the world can vary. Let’s take a closer look at how to tell time around the world, with a particular focus on what different time abbreviations mean. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

  The World’s Most Active Volcanic Regions By Julia Hammond Read time:   6   minutes Without volcanoes, our planet would be a very different place. Not only do some volcanic eruptions form new land, but heat from deep within the Earth can also be harnessed for geothermal energy. Mineral-rich rocks give us metals such as gold, nickel, and copper, while weathered volcanic material creates the fertile soils that support agriculture. Of course, it’s not all positive — eruptions can be tricky to predict and hazardous to life. Yet, volcanoes are deeply fascinating, providing one of  nature’s greatest spectacles . Take a look at some of the world’s most active volcanic regions and explore why they have an enduring appeal to travelers. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to read more.

Why You Fart While Walking and What It Means for Your Body   You may notice you tend to fart when you walk.  Passing gas  is how the body gets rid of gas and air trapped in the digestive system. Walking and other physical activity can aid digestion, and producing farts is a normal function of an active digestive tract. While farting during a walk can be embarrassing, some people embrace the benefits. The term "fart walk" has found its way into the social conversation as people tout taking a walk to reduce bloating and trapped air. Note:  The above comes directly from their website.  Click here to learn more.

  What Was the Golden Age of Train Travel Like? By Nicole Villeneuve Before the age of  cars  and  planes , trains ruled America’s landscape. During the golden age of rail travel, which spanned from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century,  the journey  itself was as important as the destination. Trains at the time were more than just a means of transportation — they symbolized progress and adventure, moving and connecting freight and people like never before. Take a glimpse into what train travel in America was like during the heyday of the rails. The Dawn of Rail Travel Credit:  ClassicStock / Archive Photos via Getty Images  The first passenger and freight railroad in the U.S. opened in 1830. The steam locomotives on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad didn’t go very far or get there very fast — the initial track was just 13 miles long, and trains traveled between   10 and 14 mph . In the early days of U.S. trains, there also were no dis...

  A Brief History of Peanut Butter The bizarre sanitarium staple that became a spreadable obsession Kate Wheeling January 2021 North Americans weren't the first to grind peanuts—the Inca beat us to it by a few hundred years—but peanut butter reappeared in the modern world because of an American, the doctor, nutritionist and cereal pioneer John Harvey Kellogg, who filed a patent for a proto-peanut butter in 1895. Kellogg’s “food compound” involved boiling nuts and grinding them into an easily digestible paste for patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, a spa for all kinds of ailments. The original patent didn’t specify what type of nut to use, and Kellogg experimented with almonds as well as peanuts, which had the virtue of being cheaper. While modern peanut butter enthusiasts would likely find Kellogg’s compound bland, Kellogg called it “the most delicious nut butter you ever tasted in your life.” A Seventh-Day Adventist, Kellogg endorsed a plant-based diet and promoted peanut but...

A man ate several bicycles, TVs, and a waterbed over the course of his life. Michel Lotito was a French entertainer renowned for his unusual diet, earning him the nickname “Monsieur Mangetout” (“Mr. Eat-it-All”). He was known to consume bicycles, TV sets, and other items made of metal and glass. In a 1978 interview with Canadian newspaper  The Leader-Post , the man with the seemingly iron stomach  claimed  to have eaten his first piece of glass in a swimming pool at the age of 16 before going on to eat “plates, nails, and bottles — all to win bets.” He later carved out a career eating indigestible objects for others’ amusement. On one occasion in 1978, Lotito ate 15 pounds of a bicycle over the course of 12 days for $5,000 (around $24,000 today), washing it down with 10 bottles of mineral oil and 100 razor blades on the side. To digest these materials, Lotito chopped the metal items into tiny pellets, stretched his meals out over multiple days, and drank plenty of water. ...