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Networked surveillance minicopters can’t be kept down – “The helicopter in this video may weigh only 30 grams, but it carries a compass and motion sensors, can change course and warn fellow craft of obstacles it bumps into, and could even carry a small camera. It can also resist what might be called a King [...]
No, the wicked city wasn’t Sodom or Gomorrah — it was Port Royal, Jamaica.
The English, after failing to capture Hispaniola from Spain for Oliver Cromwell, grabbed up Jamaica instead in 1655. In the later part of the century, Port Royal was one of the biggest English cities in the Americas (along with Boston).
Port Royal had a lucky location, trade-wise: right at the separation between Kingston Harbor and the Caribbean. The deep water near the shore also made it easy for ships to unload and reload cargo.
The city became very wealthy, largely due to privateering and piracy.
Port Royal was riding high and just beginning to understand what kind of money could be made from plantation owning as opposed to piracy when tragedy struck.
Although the city’s location was lucky for trade, it was disastrous in terms of stability: It was located on a sand spit not far above the water table.
How long does it take a solar panel to heat water?
by Marshall Brain | November 30, 2009
You Asked: How long does it take a solar panel to heat water? — Howard, Tel Aviv, Israel Marshall Brain Answers: There are several variables that we have to take into account. They include: – The strength of the sun – The size of the panel – The efficiency of the panel – The amount [...]
Is it possible to put a car in reverse while driving fast?
by Marshall Brain | November 30, 2009
You Asked: Is it possible to put a car in reverse while driving fast? — Karthik, Chennai, India Marshall Brain Answers: The short answer is no. If you have a modern automatic transmission car, there are electronic systems in place that will prevent you from doing it. If you have a manual transmission car, the [...]
So, late last week I was at Trader Joe’s picking up a gift certificate for my aunt’s birthday. She really loves that place. And as I pulled my car into the parking lot, I witnessed (well, nearly witnessed) an unusual incident. Just seconds earlier, an elderly woman had driven her Dodge Neon completely over a parking barrier (all four wheels) and into a brick wall. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking: How embarrassing. A Dodge Neon?
You Asked: Which animal is the smartest? — Cierra, Franklin, Ind. Marshall Brain Answers: Human beings are animals, and human beings are the smartest by most definitions. Humans use and/or enjoy language, mathematics, science, music, art, maps, tools, etc. None of the other animals do these kinds of “smart” things in any significant way. If [...]
You Asked: Do energy drinks really work? — Joslynn, Trafalgar, Ind. Marshall Brain Answers: The answer to this question depends on what “really work” means. If it means “do energy drinks provide a short-term boost that helps keep people awake and feeling like the energizer bunny?”, then the answer is yes. How do energy drinks [...]
I don’t need to tell anyone who lived through Black Friday that Christmas is rapidly heading our way. This weekend, I overheard many children asking for a certain toy, only to be told that they’d have to ask Santa for the item. So how does a child go about doing so? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never trusted the North Pole workers who sit in malls. Yes, I know that Santa sent them, and they are his trusted emissaries, but I’d prefer my wants and desires to go straight to the big man himself.
That’s why I like to communicate in writing with Santa Claus. I figure my good penmanship and polite letter will help Santa remember that I belong on the “nice” list, not the “naughty” one.
On Monday’s podcast, Sarah and I talked about the Opium Wars. We realized we’d been on Western streak, so we’re branching out.
To understand the First and Second Opium Wars (1839-1842 and 1856-1860), you have to have a little background. The British had been trying to open up the Chinese market for years, to no avail. The Chinese were uninterested in the goods the British had to offer. The British, however, were importing tons of tea, along with silk, candy, spices and porcelain. This created a trade imbalance — lots of imports for the British, no exports. But they finally discovered something the Chinese did want: opium.
Wednesday’s podcast was about the first Thanksgiving.
Did your Thanksgiving dinner involve a lovely roasted swan? Perhaps a dish of eel? A scrumptious eagle? No? Then your feast didn’t accurately reflect its origins!
Confession time: In the last month, I’ve logged in to Google Reader and marked 1,000+ items as read in one fell swoop at least four times. And if you read FanStuff regularly, you’ve probably noticed that, aside from a flurry of activity leading up to Halloween, the blog’s been pretty quiet. There’s plenty of cool stuff happening in the worlds of TV, movies, music and games, and I could probably get to it all with the help of time dilation. But as it stands now, FanStuff needs more cowbell than I can provide by myself.
So, starting this week, HowStuffWorks editor Chanel Lee is going to be joining me at FanStuff. Find out more about her after the jump.
Recent Postings by Category
BrainStuff
- Thank You and Best Wishes to Marshall Brain
- Contest – Design a $300 house and win $25,000
- How the Philtrum works – the place under your nose where your face comes together
The Coolest Stuff on the Planet
- Traveling on the Orient Express
- Deep-fried Goodness at Carnival
- The Colors of the Running of the Bulls
Keep Asking
- Why can a 5 foot 8 inch man dunk a basketball on a 10 foot rim while some people of taller stature can’t?
- What happens to our sun once it runs out of fuel?
- How do we know the age of the universe?
Stuff Mom Never Told You
- Who invented the Christmas card?
- How the Kinsey Report Fueled Whiskey Sales
- How to Get Your Wedding Announcement into The New York Times
Stuff to Blow Your Mind
- Blow Your Mind: In the Lair of the Rat King
- Mandala: Memory Palace, Inception and Simulated Worlds
- Virgin Galactic: $200,000 Ticket to Ride
Stuff You Should Know
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
- Amazing Medical Conditions: Maple Syrup Urine Disorder
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
- Why is NASA studying car safety?
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How-to Stuff
- How to Make the Most of a Gallery Crawl (When You’re on a Shoestring Budget)
- How to Swim with Dolphins (When Deep Water Terrifies You)
- How to Cure a Homemade Cookie Craving Without Turning on the Oven
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 40: Did movies ruin love?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 39: Urban Legends
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 38: Defending Disney Princesses?
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
Stuff to Change the World
- Who will own the Arctic?
- Obesity: The New Global Crisis
- Bill Gates Makes For A Pretty Decent Cartoon
Stuff You Missed in History Class
- Butch Cassidy: Should we read between the lines?
- Are we rooting for D.B. Cooper?
- Party Time: A Look at Unconventional Politics
