Interesting Thing of the Day

Hong Kong has excellent public transit, but many people make their daily commutes on the world's longest outdoor covered escalator.

Even if you're not expecting to die any time soon, preparing your own funeral in advance can be a lot of fun. Plus, you can arrange to have your ashes sent to Atlantis, or outer space, or made into jewelry for your kids.

Forget electric cars, hybrids, and diesel engines that use vegetable oil. A century ago, a handful of enthusiasts still thought steam was the last word in auto engines.

An unusual theme park near Interlaken, Switzerland was designed around exhibits showcasing author Erich von Däniken's theory that aliens brought advanced technology to Earth thousands of years ago.

An unofficial saint in Argentina, Deolinda Correa is honored with shrines all over the country. As legend has it, she was able to keep her newborn son alive even after she died.

A night out on the town with friends doesn't have to mean a headache and a sore throat from yelling over the din at a noisy bar or club. You can get all the interaction, but without the noise, if you know where to go.

A Swedish trading ship that sank in 1745 was recently rebuilt and has once again sailed to China. Although the new ship makes some concessions to modern shipbuilding requirements, it remains true to the spirit of the original.

If you've ever had the feeling that others are standing a bit too close to you, you're not alone. Each individual and culture has different notions of what distances are appropriate for certain kinds of interactions, and mismatches can be uncomfortable.

If you lose your luggage, wallet, keys, glasses, or phone, you might try checking at the nearest lost-and-found department. Better yet: open a web browser.

When adults forget how to play, this program can help to remind them what it's like to have fun in some of the most basic human ways.