As I’ve previously noted, 1981 saw the British release of the ZX81 and BBC Micro, two of the first mainstream home computers and both relatively small compared to business machines of the time. But as this kids’ television show from the same year shows, the mindset of the time was very much that bigger is […]
25 things you might not know about Harry Potter by our pals over at Mental Floss. Speaking of Mental Floss, did you know that the popular website is also a magazine? In fact, it’s one of the most interesting “geeky” magazines out there! Mental Floss magazine is an intelligent read, but not too intelligent. We’re […]
Did you know that the great Egyptian pyramids were likely build by paid workers and not by slaves? Some may have performed this work as a form of tax payment for several months of the year. Skilled engineers would have planned and orchestrated the building. An estimated 10,000-20,000 people would have been working on a […]
Oomph, a company that makes plastic cards, compiled a list of 40 popular logos that feature hidden messages about the brand they represent. I learned a lot of interesting trivia thanks to this infographic! Edit: The BMW logo does not represent a moving propeller but the Bavarian Free State colors of blue and white. Thanks […]
History geeks among us will know that the traditional carved vegetable of the Halloween season was not–as it is commonly seen today–the pumpkin, but rather the humble turnip. While some cite the practice to the legend of Stingy Jack, the mythology behind the turnip goes much farther back into the Celtic age. According to some […]
The world’s most expensive dessert is a chocolate ice cream sundae that they sell for $25,000 at Serendipity 3 in New York City. This is just one of 25 dumb but interesting facts about dessert in this episode of the Mental Floss Show. [Mental Floss]
Have you ever wondered why Americans dropped the “u” from British words like “humour” and “behaviour”? And what about “theater” vs. “theatre” or “center vs. “centre?” Watch this enlightening episode of Anglophenia to find out! Siobhan Thompson explains the spelling divide between our nations. [Anglophenia]
Did you know that Nikola Tesla once said that Thomas Edison “had no hobby, cared for no amusement of any kind and lived in utter disregard of the most elementary rules of hygiene?” This is one of a hundred amazing facts from this week’s episode of the Metal Floss show. [Mental Floss]
I never use these kinds of headlines on Geeks are Sexy, but considering the nature of this video, I guess it’s totally appropriate. Warning: Language. [Epic News (with Peter & Chris)]
You might think emoticons a relatively new “Internet” phenomenon, but evidence suggests they date back to the 19th century. [Mashable]