Archive for December 1st, 2009
Ever heard of Robertus Hood, Robert Fitz Odo (aka Fitzooth) or Gilbert Robynhood? As I learned in Jessika’s recent article, each could be the real Robin Hood (although probably is not).
But while the green-hosed bandit’s true identity has famously eluded historians and Robin Hood enthusiasts for centuries, one aspect of the legend is firmly grounded in fact: its setting. Sherwood Forest, Robin’s hangout, once covered western Nottinghamshire and stretched into Derbyshire, according to Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Let’s imagine that you have a military vehicle (a tank, a Humvee, a truck, whatever) and you want to protect it against rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attacks. One of the best tools available to date, at least for tanks, is reactive armor. You cover the tank in explosives that detonate and destroy an incoming RPG. [...]
Fun facts about beer – America’s favorite way to consume alcohol
by Marshall Brain | December 1, 2009
Millions upon millions of Americans drink beer. Next to coffee, beer is America’s second most popular drug delivery system. In beer’s case, the drug is alcohol. Beer is America’s most popular alcoholic beverage. How much beer is consumed in America? According to this page: “200 million barrels (6.2 billion gallons) of beer are produced in [...]
In Star Wars, the Death Star is able to destroy an entire planet: But what if you really wanted to destroy planet earth like that? (where “destroy” is defined as “by any means necessary, to change the Earth into something other than a planet or a dwarf planet.”) Is it technologically possible? This article is [...]
Last week, Ben and Scott looked at the advantages of buying a hybrid vehicle. In this episode the High Speed Stuff returns to the world of hybrids in a very different way. Tune in and learn more about the disadvantages of buying a hybrid.
Why do we crave certain foods? Does everyone experience food cravings? In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck explore the delicious topic of food cravings.
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
- Golden Fields of Canola
- The Park That Never Sleeps: Central Park
- Draw a Pretty Picture With Your Bike and Your Phone
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: Nebula in a Box
- Blow Your Mind: Three Minutes Till Impact
- Touching the Void: Psychedelics and Death
Stuff You Should Know
- Stuff You Should Know at SXSW
- The Southern Death Cult, the Maya and Georgia
- Deformed Baby Spider Brains
The Stuff of Genius
CarStuff
- Listener Mail: What’s the world’s largest engine?
- Listener Mail: What makes a “classic car” classic?
- Was Chrysler’s “It’s Halftime in America” Super Bowl commercial a little too political?
How-to Stuff
- How to Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor
- How to Travel the World in 4 Days
- How to Smell Like Someone at HowStuffWorks
PopStuff
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 68: Astrology: What’s PopStuff’s Sign?
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 67: Collecting: PopStuff’s Cabinet of Curiosities
- PopStuff Show Notes: Episode 66: Tracy and Holly’s Running Playlists
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
- Good News from the Oldest Mayan Calendar
- One Year Later: Colony Collapse Disorder
- Who Killed Martin Luther King, Jr.?
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

