This story was originally published in our Nov/Dec 2023 issue as "Blowing Smoke?" Click here to subscribe to read more stories like this one.If you were to drown in the Thames River in the late 18th century, your best chance of survival would be for a good Samaritan to pull you from the water and carry you to a receiving house outfitted with basic medical equipment — possibly even located in the pub you had just stumbled out of — established by the local life-saving organization, the Roya ...read more
At first, it seems ridiculous — serial killers "retiring." After all, murdering isn't a career. And don’t serial killers have an innate urge to kill, a need that is overwhelming, complete and doesn’t falter throughout their lives? The truth is that the urge to kill can come and go in a serial killer’s life due to many factors. A number of murderers have taken long breaks from killing or even have stopped altogether. The Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo, for instance, appears ...read more
When someone nearby yawns, we often feel as if we've lost bodily control. Our jaws open involuntarily, overcome by some unseen force and compelled to mimic the gaping mouth in our midst. Merely thinking about yawning can cause you to yawn — an unrelenting problem for anyone pondering and writing about the subject.No one knows for sure what triggers this automatic (and often unconscious) response, but experts have proposed a few theories. Whether simultaneous yawning raises our collective aware ...read more
It's been 485 years since the last eruption at Italy's Campi Flegrei. As you might guess, a lot has changed. When Monte Nuovo formed in 1538, the population in and around Naples was a few hundred thousand people. Today, that number is closer to three million people. The 1538 eruption produced a small cinder cone in Pouzzuoli at the mouth of the Bay of Naples, burying parts of medieval villages. With increased restlessness under the Campi Flegrei, Italy has to contend with the fact that even a sm ...read more
With the gnawing emptiness that follows a skipped lunch, or a day of fasting in preparation for a big meal, you might wonder if that rumbling stomach of yours is actually capable of shrinking with hunger. After all, it sometimes feels like it.The idea that our stomachs can shrink is thrown around often, especially in the context of dieting to curb appetite or by medications promising weight loss. Sure, you can lose weight and body fat, but does that mean your stomach has changed sizes, too? To a ...read more
Author Vishay SinghPosted on Categories Discover Magazine