What was Volkswagen’s best seller last year?

The VW Jetta and Tiguan sold well last year. (The beloved “beetle” is no more.) But although Volkswagen shipped 5.2 million vehicles in 2024, they sold 8.5 million currywurst sausages. The automaker began making and serving this specialty bratwurst to employees in 1973, and it became so popular that it is now sold in 12 […]

What do all Maryland lakes have in common (besides water)?

There are about a dozen major types of lakes, meaning there are about a dozen ways lakes naturally form. None of those are found in Maryland. Some 74% of all lakes are glacial in origin, but glaciers never entered Maryland during the last Great Ice Age. Other major types of natural lakes include those that […]

What was the treadmill originally designed for?

Using a treadmill, the constant walking, maybe even up at an angle, can seem like torture. It was designed for use by prisoners, providing useful labor. Originally called a treadwheel, up to 40 prisoners at a time were forced to walk on planks, rotating a giant wheel for up to eight hours a day. The […]

When is a building like a beer mug?

The headquarters of Asahi Breweries in Tokyo is the Asahi Beer Tower. It is a golden office building designed to look like a glass of beer, complete with a foaming head on top. Next to it is the Asahi Beer Hall, a three-story restaurant topped with the Asahi Flame, the official name of which is […]

What are the “dog days” of summer?

  The brightest star in the night sky, and in the constellation Canis Major (greater dog), is Sirius. During the summer, it rises in the pre-dawn sky in the same area as the sun. The ancient Greeks believed that Sirius, which translates as “the scorcher,” enhanced the heat of the sun. Sirius is sometimes referred […]

Why do fingers get pruney when wet?

A common explanation of pruney digits has the outer layer of skin absorbing water. The outer layer swells, causing wrinkles. Another theory posits that wrinkling is caused by the narrowing of blood vessels: when exposed to water, nerve fibers shrink, and this causes the skin to prune. But to what purpose? One hypothesis suggests these […]

What amusement park ride can you enjoy any day for free?

In 1896, engineer Jesse W. Reno brought his patented “Endless Conveyor Elevator” (he called it the “inclined elevator”) to the Old Iron Pier at Coney Island. Reno’s invention stretched a mere seven feet angled at 25-degrees, and instead of steps, it used a conveyor-like belt. The Coney Island installation is said to have carried more […]

What do Play-Doh and Verizon Wireless have in common?

Play-Doh and Verizon: one you squeeze into shape and the other squeezes your wallet? Nope. They both have trademarked smells. Chances are you’d immediately recognize the scent of Play-Doh. In 2018, the patent office formalized their ownership of that aroma. But Verizon Wireless? They own Reg. No. 4,618,936 for the “flowery musk scent” that consumers […]

What country has the world’s longest standing army?

On a tour of the Vatican, they said that the Pontifical Swiss Guard, established in 1506 under Pope Julius II, is the oldest military unit in continuous operation. They have great uniforms, but they are not the oldest. The record goes to Infantry Regiment “Inmemorial del Rey” No. 1, which is part of the Spanish […]