The Man Who Saved the World by Doing Nothing

The defining moment of Stanislav Petrov's life was the moment he decided to do nothing.

The Russian military duty officer was just a few hours into ...

Priceless Pearl Found in Nearly Discarded Clam

Jill Carattini's article Transfigured tells the story of a priceless discovery:

Barbara Krensavage insisted that clams are not a regular part of her ...

Polar Explorer Dies, Deceived By False Map

In 1879 Lieutenant George De Long set out with a crew on the USS Jeannette in hopes of claiming the North Pole for the United States. De Long's plans ...

Hidden Camera Catches Man Yielding to Social Pressure

On August 10, 1948, a pioneering television producer named Allen Funt debuted a hidden-camera reality TV show called Candid Camera. The genius of the ...

Forger Deceives Art Dealer with Celebrity Counterfeit

In our celebrity-crazed culture it's not surprising that people go crazy for memorabilia. For instance, the red leather jacket Michael Jackson wore ...

Oregon Woman's Car 'Accidentally' Stolen

If you've never heard of an "accidental car theft," then perhaps a rather strange news story from Portland, Oregon, hasn't reached you ...

Information Glut Drowns Out the Truth

A cover story for The Economist, an international magazine, was entitled "Yes, I'd lie to you: The post-truth world." The article analyzed ...

Poker Players Show Amazing Observation Skills

Have you ever watched a televised poker tournament? Cameras are embedded in the table, allowing you to see the cards held facedown by each player. Poker ...

VUCA—Acronym for 'It's Crazy Out There'

There's a trendy little acronym that's making the rounds in managerial circles—VUCA, which stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ...

Painting Once Worth $26 Now Estimated at $26 Million

If anything epitomizes the current cultural fascination with uncovering antique treasures, it would have to be the story about the discovery of an original ...