The IFOD
The Interesting Fact of the Day Blog
Fame or Infamy: The Herostratos Syndrome and the Quest for Immortality
On the night of July 21, 356 BC, the arsonist Herostratos destroyed the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. As noted by historian Albert Borowitz, Herostratos was "a shadowy figure of whose life nothing is known before he was...
Think ChatGPT Was All Hype? Not So Fast – This Concept Explains the Rollercoaster
On November 30, 2022--one year ago yesterday--ChatGPT was launched. I started using it about a week after launch and was blown away. For me, it was similar to when I first used the internet for the first time back in 1995. Yet, here we are a year later, ChatGPT hasn't...
After 30+ Years with PCs, I Made the Leap to Mac – And I’ll Never Go Back
Until last year, I'd been a PC guy for my entire life. And I've had a lot of PCs: IBM Thinkpads, Lenovo Thinkpads, Dells, HPs, an NEC, and back in the day, a Compaq and a Gateway 2000. My wife has had Macs for years, and whenever I'd use them, I'd feel lost. They made...
The Illusion of Moral Decline
People often feel nostalgia for the past, claiming that previous times were better. A common view is that general human goodness and morality are declining -- people are less kind, more selfish, and less moral than they were in the past. It's as if they view the past...
Behind Vibram: The Unexpectedly Interesting Story of Those Grippy Soles on Your Boots
Have you noticed that most hiking boots/shoes have "Vibram soles?" You'll also find Vibram soles on work boots, trail running shoes, and even some dress shoes. What are Vibram soles and why should we care? What Is A Vibram® Sole? Vibram soles were born out of a...
Are First Class Cabins Driving Air Rage Incidents?
Sometimes air travel sucks. Delayed flights. Crowded airports. Stressed and testy airline employees. And planes always seem to be packed to the gills. Maybe it's not surprising that air rage incidents are up, with the International Air Transport Association reporting...
Tasmanian Devils, Rainforests, Art Museums, Oh My! Why This Island is a Must-Visit
My younger daughter studied abroad this past semester at the University of Tasmania and loved it so much she is transferring there to finish college. I've just spent the last ten days in Tasmania checking it out, and I can see why she loves it so much. This IFOD is a...
NASA’s Voyager Probes Carry Earth’s Mix Tape to Aliens – But the Batteries are Running Out
Voyager 1 and 2 are spacecraft that NASA launched in 1977 to collect information about Saturn and Jupiter. After making notable discoveries related to Saturn's rings, and Jupiter's atmosphere, Voyager 2 then flew by Neptune and Uranus and collected information about...
Prestige vs Dominance: The 2 Ways Humans Climb the Social Ladder
We're Wired to Care About Social Status We're wired to care about where we stand in the social pecking order: seeking and protecting social status is a primary human motivation. Like other group-living animals, our desire for higher status is an adaptive survival...
Prohibition Bootleggers: How Outrunning Cops Led to NASCAR’s Creation
From 1920 to 1933, federal law prohibited the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors” in the United States. This dark period of American history is known as "Prohibition." Even though alcohol was illegal, the U.S. didn't become a nation of...
I’m 53 But Feel 35 – And Science Says That’s Good For My Health
Photo by Tom Hussey. Link. One of our interns this summer called me "Mr. Jennings" and the entire summer basically treated me like my age (53). It makes sense. He's 19, and his parents are about my age plus he's an intern and I'm president of the company. Yet, every...
The 4 Horsemen of Aging – And How to Outsmart Them to Add Decades to Your Life
Are you interested in not just living longer but living better? That is the primary topic of Dr. Peter Attia's excellent book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity. Dr. Attia is an interesting guy. He trained as a cancer surgeon, left medicine to be a consultant...
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jjennings[at]Stlouistrust.com
