(via Bad Newspaper)
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
The Earliest-Born Person Ever Captured on Film
Pope Leo XIII is believed to have been the earliest-born person recorded in a motion picture. This footage was taken in 1896 by W. K. Dickson. He was also the first pope whose voice was recorded. Pope Leo was born in 1810, and lived to 1903. He was the fourth longest-serving pope, and the oldest for which we have reliable records.
Project Plowshare
When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Imagine you're Edward Teller and you've spent years of your life probing the mysteries of the atom and finally invented a nuclear bomb. That happened with the Manhattan Project, and resulted in two nuclear bombs that finally ended World War II. What then? The US and the Soviet Union developed more powerful bombs and large nuclear arsenals until the concept of mutually-assured destruction took hold. These bombs were so deadly that neither side could use them as weapons, since that would be suicide.
So what good are these very expensive bomb-splitting weapons if they can't be used in war? Maybe they could be used for infrastructure projects, like digging canals, opening up harbors, oil extraction, or maybe geothermal heat production. What could possibly go wrong? If you've ever wondered what all those underground nuclear tests in the 1960s were for, Kurzgesagt is glad to explain them to us. There's a promotional break from 4:49 to 5:56. The video ends at 11:56.
Troy James at the Apollo
When you go to Showtime at the Apollo, you expect to hear some awesome music, and maybe see a dance routine or two. The audience wasn't prepared for Troy James. James is a noted contortionist who has appeared in several movies, usually as a monster or supernatural being, designed to freak people out. He's good at that! (via reddit)
Monday, March 30, 2026
The Internet of Twenty Years Ago
It may seem a little premature to get nostalgic about the internet of 20 years ago, but it's normal. In the 1970s, we all watched a TV show (Happy Days) that harnessed nostalgia about the 1950s only 20 years earlier. That said, the history of the internet can be a little jarring. Back in the 2000s (no one really calls them the aughts), graphics were rough, users were naive, and goofiness was everywhere. It was a lot of fun!
Then came algorithms, social media, SEO, and endless advertising. The sites that were the most fun were bought up by corporations. Paywalls went up. Personal data became a commodity. Influencers made money by making you feel inadequate. Spam and viruses gave way to bots. And then there's artificial intelligence. But let's not think about those things- Weird History is glad to take us back to the days of flourishing creativity and goofiness in the 2000s. This video has a promotional break from 5:18 to 6:29.
The Illegal Airport?
Ercan International Airport in Cyprus is weird because it's caught in a political no man's land. The history of Cyprus is like a lot of other country's histories: ruled by the Greeks, the Romans, the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire, then left to their own devices. This led to a split between the ethnic Greeks and the ethnic Turks, and the formation of Northern Cyprus, which is not a recognized country. That designation puts the Ercan International Airport in a weird spot, as Half as Interesting explains. The video is only six minutes; the rest is promotional.
Miss Cellania's Links
Scientists captured female sperm whales on video working together during a birth to protect the calf.
Government Defrauds Legal Immigrants and US Sponsors Who Paid $1 Billion in Fees. And no one is surprised. (via Metafilter)
Small town police work can be a sitcom.
32 Things About America That Make The Rest of The World Cringe.
Fear and Fragility: The Glass Delusion and Its History. (via Messy Nessy Chic)
Stephen Miller makes dramatic move aimed at rolling back Civil War gains. He wants to keep undocumented children out of public schools. (via Fark)
They Don’t Have Lip Filler, They Just Have Lip Filler Accent. (via Nag on the Lake)
H-Bomb: A Frank Lloyd Wright Typographic Mystery. The famed architect made a surprising error on one of his most notable buildings — or did he? A deep dive to uncover the truth. (via kottke)
Classical Music Mashup II
Years ago, Grant Woolard gave us a fine mashup of classical music by the world's greatest composers. It's still a treat to listen to! He followed it up with volume two. This one features a blend of 52 familiar classics by such diverse names as Mozart, John Philip Souza, Bizet, Tchaikovsky, Liszt, and Scott Joplin. They go together quite well. (via Digg)
The Mission
There is an element of truth in the cartoon that makes the situation truly pathetic. Our sons and daughters are the cannon fodder for the sons and daughters of the oligarchs!
— conifergirl.bsky.social (@conifergirl.bsky.social) March 27, 2026 at 11:42 AM
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Sunday, March 29, 2026
Le Moribond
Jacques Brel wrote and sang the song "Le Moribond" in 1961, long before Terry Jacks changed the lyrics and made it the weird one-hit wonder "Seasons in the Sun" in 1974. Brel's lyrics and delivery are so much better. It's also very French, since it's about love and dying and nihilism and drinking and dancing and adultery. But most of all, it's about forgiveness. (via Metafilter)
Roadrunner
The robot called Roadrunner has only two legs, but it moves amazingly well. Roadrunner uses its powered wheels to move in dual mode, inline mode, and even balances on one wheel. It never needs to turn around, because forward, backward, and sideways are human constructs. Then it can lock its wheels and just walk like a human, which includes navigating stairs and ramps. Can Roadrunner dance? Of course!
You might wonder what good all this is. Besides the research in kinetic movement, this kind of locomotion would come in handy for wheelchairs and bomb disposal units that need to negotiate rough terrain. Unfortunately, its first real use would more likely be offensive battle. (via Born in Space)
The Triumphal Entry
Palm Sunday, one week before Easter, is the day Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. His reputation preceded him, since so many had heard of how He raised Lazarus from the dead. Here's the scene as it was portrayed in the TV series The Chosen.
The Lindy Hop
"Jumpin' at the Woodside," colorized, the most famous dance number from the 1941 film Hellzapoppin'. You can see the full movie at YouTube.
Palm Sunday Procession Canceled in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM (RNS) — In lieu of the Palm Sunday procession, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem called on Christians around the world to commit to a moment of prayer for the Holy City of Jerusalem. https://religionnews.com/2026/03/23/jerusalems-palm-sunday-procession-canceled-due-to-iran-war/
— RNS (@rns.org) March 25, 2026 at 8:00 AM
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Saturday, March 28, 2026
Tiny Little Lip Balm
Brian David Gilbert went to the dentist and came home with chapstick. Then he wrote a little song about it, because he didn't want to think about war. (via Metafilter)
Lost at 60th in Queens
The Gregory Brothers and friends sing a little song about the Maspeth neighborhood of Queens, New York. They call it the "Bermuda Triangle" of the city, because there is a 60th Street, 60th Avenue, 60th Lane, 60th Road, 60th Place, 60th Court, and 60th Drive. No wonder you can't find anything, including a way out. It's a catchy song.
But why is Queens like this? The wacky numbering system goes back to the turn of the 20th century, when New York City annexed Queens. The city wanted to lay a logical grid of numbered street names like they did in Manhattan, but the geography of Queens was not amenable to the logic of the system. Streets run along longitude lines, and avenues run along latitude lines. But Queens already had plenty of streets. There's a real explanation for the streets named 60th in Maspeth, and good luck understanding it. (via Laughing Squid)
Britain's Most Gorgeous Man
The Mr. Apollo competition in 1950, back when steroids were few, and bodybuilderss looked like real people.
Today is the Day
No ICE. No wars. No Kings. Find your local protest and join us on Saturday. 👇
— Indivisible ❌👑 (@indivisible.org) March 25, 2026 at 8:56 PM
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No Kings. No Jesters. No Child Molesters. #WeSayNoKings
— Outspoken™️ (@out5p0ken.bsky.social) March 27, 2026 at 2:07 PM
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Friday, March 27, 2026
Marshmallow Peeps
There are two main reasons to buy Peeps. Either you are filling an Easter basket for the kids, or you have a great idea for a diorama and don't want to mold clay figures. But around Easter, they are sitting there in a store, five or ten in a box, at a rather low price, and your mouth waters at the anticipation of a sugar rush. By the time you get to the third one, you're full of regret.
But did you know that before 1955 Peeps had wings? They were works of confectionary art that really looked like cartoon chicks. But that's not scalable nor affordable. The family that runs the Just Born company were inventors as well as confectioners, and they figured out how to get Peeps made in a hurry at mass scale- but they had to lose the wings. That made Peeps what they are today- an Easter tradition made of sugar and air that you can either eat or keep from year to year.
The Joy of a Wobbly Cat
This is Shakey, who has cerebellar hypoplasia and is in no pain, not even from her toothy face. She gets so excited for treats that she loses all her control, but uses all her concentration when using the litter box. She is much loved, and in return provides endless entertainment to her people. You can see more of her shenanigans at Instagram.
A Michael Jackson Passover
Passover is the Jewish festival that celebrates the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. It begins at sunset on April 1st, and just in time we get the traditional song parody from the Jewish a cappella group Six 13. This year, it's a medley of Michael Jackson hits with new lyrics that explain the history and traditions of Passover, created with nothing but the human voice.
The songs included i this video are "Billie Jean." "Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’," "Beat It," "Smooth Criminal." and "Man in the Mirror." I would have included at least something from The Jackson Five, but those songs are older than any member of the group. Maybe next year. Chag Pesach Sameach!
Miss Cellania's Links
The joy of creating the perfect Jello. (via Everlasting Blort)
Meet the 16 Billionaires Making Bank by Underpaying Their Workers. Half of them own Walmart. (via Fark)
32 Of The Most Disgusting Things That People Have Experienced At Somebody Else’s House. Drinking milk with dinner may be odd, but does not rise to the level of disgusting.
Constant fowls in a game of birdball.
Another Day: The Calculator That Makes You Feel Old. Put your own birthday into the calculator and feel really old. (via Metafilter)
Cat attempting to avoid vet visit rescued from recliner in Overland Park. (via Neatorama)
How The West Was Photographed. (via Damn Interesting)
Librarian 'gobsmacked' after school uses AI to remove 200 books from shelves including Orwell's 1984 and Twilight. Fifty years ago, 1984 was required reading in my school. (via Fark)
Mick Jagger at 15
He was referred to as "Michael" during this demonstration of proper footwear. It was his first TV appearance. (via Buzzfeed)
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Thanks, Obama
The only president we've ever had who is younger than me goes one on one with 24-year-old Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. There's some trash talking but a lot of fun. They are supposed to play again at the opening of Obama's presidential library, which is much more than a library, and is called the Obama Presidential Center. (via Metafilter)
Samoan Wedding Dance
A Samoan bride, her mother, and her sister perform a traditional dance at the wedding reception as the crowd goes wild. The bride keeps her beautiful beaming smile throughout, and her head straight to keep the headdress intact. Those who know inform us that people joining in is a tradition that emphasizes the talent and synchronicity of the dancers by contrasting it with their not-so-smooth moves. The napkin-waving symbolizes a blessing to the newlyweds. A joyous occasion, indeed.
Sign of Spring
A pair of mourning doves are building a nest on the ledge outside my transom window on the second door leading to the porch. It's the perfect place for them, high up and out of the rain, and I never use that door anyway. I'm glad I have a window to keep an eye on them, because it's a reminder that nature continues the best it can.
Digging a Deep Hole
The latest question in the What If series concerns digging a deep hole in the ground. Our parents told us if we dug deep enough, we would come out on the other side of the earth in China. However, if you started in the United States and dug straight down, you'd end up in the Indian Ocean, west of Australia. Be that as it may, you can't dig through the earth's core, because it's too hot. And it gets too hot way long before you get near the core.
But in this scenario, heat isn't the only factor working against you. Randall Munroe also explains the difficulty of trying to dig such a hole. That doesn't mean that people haven't tried it. You might recall this somewhat disturbing video of the deepest holes humans have dug.
Miss Cellania's Links
Popular Lore Claims That William Howard Taft Got Stuck in a Bathtub. New Research Sheds Light on the Legend’s Forgotten Origins.
Nobody wants to work anymore.
Two Places, One Story: Mickey Mantle’s House and the Toxic Town Nearby. An Atlas Obscura map led to a joyful stop at Mickey Mantle’s childhood home, and a haunting visit to the abandoned mining town just up the road.
A recent ruling in a federal court in Boston has slowed RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccine agenda. But the news isn't all good.
The Dumbest Star Wars Trope Is Also Somehow The Most Scientifically Accurate. Missing planets? That literally happens all the time.
10 Best Discontinued Taco Bell Items That Were Iconic On the Menu.
Afroman's defamation victory is a win for Americans who cherish the right to cuck the police in song. (via Everlasting Blort)
A Blast from the Past (2014): French Fries Around the World.
Simon's Cat in The Tree
Simon's Cat is stuck way up in a tree and is afraid to come down! So, like any good cat owner, Simon goes up to get him, but finds it's pretty scary up there. Simon Tofield says this Simon's Cat cartoon is based on a true story.
Taking in the Scenery
Some cats are just so damn cool.
— The Spirit of Lorenzo the Cat (@lorenzothecat.bsky.social) March 24, 2026 at 6:33 PM
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Wednesday, March 25, 2026
The Bell Witch Haunting
The legend of the Bell Witch is still told in Tennessee. John Bell and his family started undergoing paranormal experiences in 1817. Most of the incidents were poltergeist activity, although the word was not yet used in America at that time. The haunting went on for years. The family kept the weird phenomena to themselves for months, and when the word got out, other families reported similar events. They continued until John Bell, the patriarch of the family, died under mysterious circumstances in 1820. Bell had married his wife Lucy when she was 12 years old (he was 32). They moved to Tennessee after Bell beat a murder rap in North Carolina. The family eventually had nine children and a solid reputation in Tennessee. But the witch threatened Bell constantly, and some reports said his health was failing the entire three years of the haunting. Or was he poisoned? Dr. Emily Zarka tells the tale of the Bell Witch. How much of the story is true is a matter of conjecture. Written accounts didn't appear until decades later, and even family recollections varied over time, but the story still chills those who hear it.
Red Pandas
Now here's some entirely pleasant footage. Red pandas are not at all related to giant pandas, and the only thing they have in common is eating bamboo. Giant pandas are bears. Red pandas had the name first.
Artificial Gravity Never Fails
We've watched movies and TV shows about space travel since we were little kids. Most of us have also watched the miracle of real space travel, such as the many videos we have of operations on the ISS. Have you noticed the real difference between the two? In the real world, we have not achieved artificial gravity, nor have we ever tried to. But it's in every show involving space travel. That one system must require a lot of power.
Adam Schwartz took this idea and ran to its logical conclusion. When a ship's life support systems are failing, why not turn off the artificial gravity and use the enormous amount of power it's consuming? One might think that it's built like some modern electronics, without an off switch. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Fox News Then and Now
Everything wrong with Fox News in one video pic.twitter.com/MhnApiQ3pG— NowThis (@nowthisnews) March 16, 2018
Fair and balanced, indeed. This was posted in 2018, but slot in a couple of different names, and nothing has changed.
At the Airport
Today's New Yorker cartoon, by Ivan Ehlers
— Laguna Beach Democratic Club (@lagunabeachdems.bsky.social) March 24, 2026 at 3:44 PM
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Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Rocking Out with a Dutch Marching Band at a Street Parade
The Dutch marching band K&G Leiden performed a magnificant rendition of Metallica's "Master of Puppets" during the 2024 Streetparade in Vlaardingen. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
Otter Makes a Trade
Otters keep a rock with them to bash open shellfish while they float on their backs. When they find one they judge good at its job, the otter will keep that rock for some time. This otter has learned that he can trade with humans and get a fish! I bet he knows where to find other rocks that are just as good as the one he traded away. (via Nag on the Lake)
LEGO Traffic Jam
YouTuber Brick Technology built a LEGO traffic simulation as a miniature version of Yuki Sugiyama's full-size traffic experiment on what causes traffic jams. While this involves a round track with no intersections or turns, the results are similar to what we may encounter in real life.
First he has to build a track using magnetic guidance, and then the trucks. They are programmed to act either like human drivers or robot drivers in the way they accelerate, slow, and stop. The results are dependent on the density of traffic, because one too many truck will slow them all down. Then he throws in confounding factors: one drunk driver, then a real human with a controller, and finally he raises the speed limit. It's all chaos by the end. You might get the idea from this that robots drive better, but keep in mind there are no pedestrians wandering onto this track. (via The Awesomer)
This Evil Chemical Reacts with Nearly Anything
It's a little strange to hear a chemist refer to a compound as "angry" or "vicious," much less "evil." But after seeing how manganese heptoxide reacts to everything, I can see that the adjective "volatile" doesn't quite do the job. Wikipedia says that manganese heptoxide is "more often discussed than intentionally prepared." YouTuber styropyro (Drake Anthony) mixes some up to show us why. This chemical hates everything. Even heat. Well, except for glass or ceramic, since otherwise you wouldn't have a container to make it in. No wonder he calls it a "demon molecule"! (via Digg)
Update: The original video is gone, since styropyro got suspended from YouTube for two weeks. Here's an older video in its place.
Monday, March 23, 2026
Private Snafu Goes to Iran
Warner Bro. made this animated instructional film for the US military in 1945. Private Snafu starred in the series, voiced by Mel Blanc. Hot Spot was one of the later cartoons in the series, directed by Fritz Freleng, and written by Phil Eastman and Dr. Seuss. (via Fark)
What Darth Vader Eats
The question had been circulating among Star Wars fans, who overthink everything, for years. The answer is here, although is isn't in English, and you can't feed graphics into a text translator. I know enough French to get the gist of this, but people who know say it's even funnier in French.
1. Milk exists on Tatooine. Luke drinks Bantha milk.
2. Moisture exists, so therefore mold can exist to create cheese.
3. Darth Vader can't eat most things, because he needs his mask to breathe.
4. That's why his mask has a cheese grater in the front.
If you read French and can offer any further insights, please leave a comment. (via Gizmodo)
2. Moisture exists, so therefore mold can exist to create cheese.
3. Darth Vader can't eat most things, because he needs his mask to breathe.
4. That's why his mask has a cheese grater in the front.
If you read French and can offer any further insights, please leave a comment. (via Gizmodo)
Blind Husky Love the Outdoors
What do you do with a blind husky? In this case, she was sent for euthanasia when she was just a puppy, possibly by a breeder who couldn't sell her. Dani was born without eyes. She was rescued from that fate by an organization that takes in special needs dogs, and then was adopted. Her new family had plenty of pets, but still had the time and patience that Dani needed.
Huskies are bred for the outdoors, and even a blind dog wants to run and play. Dani gets that chance with a long lead that keeps her in sight but still lets her go full speed ahead in a safe area. She also loves to play ball, and is used to losing it every now and then. She has no trouble getting around in familiar places, and not much trouble in unfamiliar places. That's a good dog. See more of Dani and her occasionally pink tail at Instagram.
The Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway is a road that goes from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, in the Arctic Circle, to Ushuaia, Argentina, known as the most southern city in the world. It was going to be a railroad, but then cars were invented and that made construction easier. The United States has the most miles of the highway, but we had to cheat a bit to actually claim that. But a hundred years after the project was initiated, the highway is still not complete. The real problem is the Darién Gap, in southern Panama and western Colombia. So the highway gap is right where the two American continents meet.
Jay Foreman and Mark Cooper-Jones make jokes aplenty while explaining how the Pan-American highway was conceived and what stopped its completion. There's a sponsor message from 4:43 to 6:10, and everything after 11:06 is promotional. (via Damn Interesting)
Miss Cellania's Links
The rise of the 'backup passport.' People are seeking dual citizenship for safety and flexibility. (via Fark)
Beautiful Jim Key, the World's Smartest Horse. (via Strange Company)
You’re likely already infected with a brain-eating virus you’ve never heard of.
The Man Who Made the Front Page Twice. The newspaper layout was funny, but it solved a crime. (via kottke, where you'll see a larger, more readable image)
ICE Is Deploying To Airports. TSA Agents Say Its a Bad Idea.
This cat has quite a following. (via Nag on the Lake)
Project Hail Mary explores unique forms of life in space – 5 essential reads on searching for aliens that look nothing like life on Earth.
South Texas Latinos who voted for Trump have big-time buyer's remorse. (via Fark)
Fulfilling His Dream
Will always wanted to be an air dancer, one of these "tube men" that dances by blown air power to catch your attention. And he got his wish! Not only is he a tube man, but a professional tube man! The kicker is that this is a real ad, a local commercial for a car dealer. It matters little that you see any of the actual products for sale. If you live in the local area, you'll remember the ad, and the name of the dealer. (via Tastefully Offensive)
Priorities
Who's gonna tell him?
— George Takei (@georgetakei.bsky.social) March 22, 2026 at 10:00 PM
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Sunday, March 22, 2026
Megachonker on a Diet
CC is a wobbly cat, meaning she has cerebellar hypoplasia. But you don't even notice that when you see her- what you notice is that she's a heckin' chonker. CC weighed 23 pounds when she came into the care of The Big House Cats in Ontario, a rescue shelter for very overweight cats. CC was so big she couldn't climb into her litter box, and she could barely take a few steps before she had to sit down.
Restricted food and lots of love got her started. Then they added exercise, and found that CC really wanted to play, she was just too big to do it. As she lost weight, she became more playful. So far, she's lost six pounds! At around five minutes, you get to see before and after pictures that show how far she has come. Her goal is to lose five more pounds. See more of the Big House Cats at Instagram.
Microplastics in Your Body
When plastics were developed, they were considered amazing. A material that is cheap, lightweight, won't rust, and can be shaped in any way? Sure, let's go for that! But as long lasting as plastic is, it does degrade. That's why bottled water has an expiration date- because the plastic wears out. As it degrades, plastic sheds microscopic pieces that get into our environment, our food, and our bodies.
So what does accumulating plastic in our bodies do to us? We don't know much about it yet, but we're seeing evidence that it can lead to obesity and infertility, two of the major health trends in the modern world. We can't do a lot about the microplastics we already have in our bodies, but there are a few things we can do the lessen the amount we ingest. (via Geeks Are Sexy)
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