Interesting Thing of the Day

A mirage in which a building, ship, or other structure appears to hover above the ground was named after the legendary half-sister of King Arthur.

A theory proposed in the 1950s says that the world's production of oil has already peaked and is heading toward a rapid decline. Is it truth, fiction, or merely optimism?

Situated entirely within France, though quite close to the Spanish border, is a town that's considered part of Spain. Both countries go to considerable (if sometimes silly) lengths to protect their turf.

The world is having trouble reducing its production of carbon dioxide, which increases global warming. But there's a way to make the problem less bad, at least temporarily: storing excess greenhouse gases in a safe place.

There are time capsules, and then there are time capsules. A vault sealed in 1940 in Atlanta contains a huge stash of artifacts that should be unearthed in 8113.

Around the world, choral ensembles have formed for the express purpose of singing litanies of complaints. The result is surprisingly satisfying to listen to.

Robots that see and hear are nothing new, but researchers have developed machines that can distinguish and identify odors. Applications include healthcare, public safety, and rescue work.

Automatic transmissions are common on cars, but a similar technology can provide easier pedaling for bicyclists too. Bike manufacturers are trying to overcome the technical and marketing challenges.

The battle was a failure, but hundreds of thousands of soldiers were rescued from the coast of France by the ordinary citizens who formed the Bathtub Navy.

A series of gigantic drawings on a desert floor in Peru depict people, animals, and complex geometric shapes. They were made thousands of years ago, but can only be seen in their totality from the air, making their origin somewhat mysterious.