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- Mike compares a traditional circulating fan form Walmart with the Dyson fan that costs 43 times as much. The Dyson fan includes an a hepa and charcoal air purifier as well as a remove control and cellphone control if you prefer. But the Walmart fan generates greater wind speed with less noise. So if you don't need the remote and can manage to find an air filter that costs less than $635, your might like to stay with Walmart.
- 2018– 17mTV EpisodeThe Japanese aircraft carrier was a converted Yamamoto class battleship hull making in the largest aircraft carrier of its time. It would never see battle as it was sunk will still under construction as it was ferried from the Yokosuka shipyard to a safer port.
- One raised to the infinite power looks like it should equal one. But if you've played around with infinities a bit you know better than to jump to this conclusion. And, indeed, if you look at the question in various ways you find it does not always equal one.
- Fermat conjectured that there are no integer solutions to the Pythagorian theorem for integer exponents great than two. But some come close such as Ramanujan's taxicab number, 1729, that only misses by 1. David Rabahy has compile a list of taxicab numbers to see how close they come to Fermat's conjecture. The 68th exceeds one million.
- 2017– 5mTV EpisodeDuring the Crygenian Period the earth was largely covered with thick ice. Geologists suspect that the ice sheets caused so much erosion that they swept over a billion years worth of deposited rock into the oceans. The result is the Great Unconformity where 520 million year old sandstone appears directly over 1.7 billion year old rock in places like the Grand Canyon.
- Codes and ciphers have been used for centuries to hide secrets from prying eyes. But written languages also use code with symbols representing sounds words of names even though the intent is to share a message rather than hide it. Here are some languages and ciphers that took hundreds of years to understand.
- One of the problems with studying human behavior is you find out more if you do experiments. That's been tried with animals, as described here, but some experiments were exceedingly unpleasant for the animals as well as anyone familiar with the experimental methods. So it works better if you experiment on humans. But once again, as described here, the experiments can be exceedingly unpleasant for the test subjects particularly if the researcher is stoned on drugs, working for the CIA, or investigating his personal obsession.
- Cruise lines charge premium, sometime exorbitant prices for many things sold on board you cruise ship. Some of those items may already be included in your fare. Here are ten things to view with a skeptical eye and reasonably priced alternatives.
- Most Star Trek episodes that introduced new characters or phenomenon resolved them in the same episode. Others were revisited at a later date or incorporated into the narrative. But some, seemingly fruitful topics are still left hanging. Here are ten of the more provocative loose ends.
- There is no original copy of the Bible or even any of the books of the Bible. So what we have are a mix of oral accounts passed down through the ages, copies of copies and translations. There are hundreds or versions of ancient manuscripts that mostly agree but there are some differences. Here are some of the more significant differences that Biblical scholars still debate.
- 2010–TV EpisodeScience Fiction films, despite their name, aren't known for scientific accuracy. So it should not be a big surprise if the writers overlooked what is likely to happen after the film is over even though the hero seems to have saved the world. After all, that's a problem for whoever writes the sequel. But here are a few cases where the aftermath would be so catastrophic there is no plausible basis for a sequel. Not that a sequel won't be produced anyway.
- When locked in prison for years on end with little to do and even less freedom some inmates can't resist the urge to escape or at least be entertained no matter how long and tedious an effort is required. Here are some examples of remarkably trained critters, elaborate entertainment schemes and devices for prison breaks.
- Often masquerading a 'new' religions, cult have been around since the dawn of civilization. But in recent time they seem to be popping up everywhere. So how do you tell a cult form a religion? If the members practice or preach fraud, assassination, terrorism, mass suicide like most of these ten, it's probably a cult.
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character Sherlock Holmes is nothing less than legendary. But he is just that; a legend. Simon shares the exploits of ten real life detectives who actually made history. They aren't just legendary. They are historic. Some found there way into fiction as inspiration for mystery novel, movie and television characters and Sherlock Holmes himself. And like Holmes, they had their share of quirks and controversy.
- 2023– 32mTV EpisodeA biography of Wyatt Earp in the top ten list format. Raised in a farming family Earp soon found law enforcement more to his liking serving as a lawman, and professional gambler, in several towns in the American West.
- The best spy tactics are as old as the oldest profession, which as the honey trap is one of the tactics, and are still just as effective but now have electronic versions. So if you want to be a spy you need to bone up on; false-flag-operations, double agents, booby traps, invisible, ink, dead drops, steganography and a few more of Somon's favorites.
- Nuclear submarines sound like a novelty weapon but there are hundreds operated by about a dozen nations hiding out there under the water. To hide successfully they have to have some unusual features. And with that many ships some odd things are bound to happen.
- When you're a genius your're expected to be a bit quirky and your genius makes up for miserable people skills. But for these ten their pure nastiness outshines their genius. Antisemitism, sexism, elitism and slander aren't exactly capital crimes though for this group, despite their accomplishments, may make you want to reconsider.
- As big as they are it's surprising that cities get lost from time to time. On Simon's list this time half were submerged. Others are in remote areas in some cases due to climate change. But archaeologist keep searching and have uncovered these lost gems.
- Over the centuries English has changed and lost some once cherished, and some not, letters from its alphabet. Here are ten of these unfortunate letters that have disappeared, mostly, from the publications they once played an important, or not so important, part in though one, &, is making a comeback.
- Daniel demonstrates nine different ways card sharps cheat in card games. Then he combines them all to deal a perfect hand of bridge. His techniques fall into two categories; five involving card control and and six involving crooked dealing.
- Since slavery is black blot on the reputation of the United States and a brutal practice it stands to reason that there would be a substantial revisionist history effort on the subject as well as an effort to sanitize it for school children. Here are some of the more deceptive claims.
- Here are some more Star Trek surprises if you're quick with your remote. Yes most are more skin shots that it's almost impossible not to linger over. But what are Star Wars and Doctor Who characters doing on Star Trek. And don't some of those spaceships look oddly familiar.
- 2010– 15mTV EpisodeIf you thought there were only ten botched behavioral experiments Simone is ready to cure your naivety with ten more. As if there aren't enough reasons why an social experiment can go awry, such as being financed by the CIA, a researcher intervening in the experiment or administering drugs to test subjects is sure to produce nasty results of doubtful validity. Then there are the experiments that produce unexpected results that are so disturbing we just don't want to believe them.
- 2015– 11mTV EpisodeWhen looking for dangerous places to live in the United States you have to look are fairly small areas. Most cities have nice neighborhoods and bad neighborhoods. So here's a list of ten of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the United States based on FBI crime statistics and a few dishonorable mentions.
- It's easy to have lofty values when life is good and you're at the top of the heap. But desperate times call for desperate measures and nothing is quite as desperate as loosing a war to a tyrannical enemy. Star Fleet's solution is destroy the enemy first with whatever weapon of mass destruction is most convenient.
- There are a variety of momentary subliminal images in Star Trek episodes that you probably missed. So here's a tribute to the tireless Trekers who trekked them down. And there are some risque and skin shot too but you probably didn't miss them the first time.
- Although humankind is beginning to explore thousands of planets outside our Solar system many questions about our Solar system remain, or have emerged as a result of recent probes exploring Earth's nearby realm. Here are ten of them from Venus all the way out to the Oort cloud.
- Promenent people from all regions, eras and walks of life were children of incest. But prominent doesn't mean successful. While some made contributions to society, others were a mess and quite an embarrassment to their families. Rightfully so you might say and Simon isn't shy about naming names.
- While pretty much every premature death is a tragedy it's hard to be sympathetic when someone goes out of there way to court death by doing something blatantly stupid. Here are ten more such people who posthumously made the seemingly never ending list of Darwin Award winners. Alas, they couldn't be present to accept their award.
- 2010– 11mTV EpisodeSome scientific theories such as evolution are well established. Others fit known facts but haven''t been fully validated and are really the best guesses until more data is available. Among them are dark matter, dark energy, planet nine, string theory and the big bang.
- In the last few years a multitude of exoplanets have been discovered. The prospect that some of these exoplanets may support life has lead astronomers to stretch their imaginations to determine; What could constitute a sign of life? In what conditions can life survive? What exoplanets are suitable of life? Here are some of the latest revelations.
- From autographs to papal insults, cryptic messages to incidental debris here are are secrets that have been staring people in the face for decades before finally being noticed. Keep your finger on the pause button because knowing the secrets are there doesn't make them any easier to see.
- 2010– 10mTV EpisodeIf you believe American prisons are bleak, maximum security prison is beyond bleak. Virtually everything is a privilege and still limited. Many of the usually policies for treating prisoners don't apply. And virtually every precaution to prevent escape or other trouble is applied. But there's plenty of television.
- 2016– 22mTV EpisodeHere are some objects and signals that are or could be in the solar system that have been or plausibly could be discovered. Those that have been discovered are mysterious in that what they are isn't clear at present. The undiscovered objects are extensions of past discoveries, such as interstellar objects, but whether and how many of each type exist is undetermined.
- When you're writing a television series that involves morality plays that will open viewers eye you can't expect the lessons to go down easy. Here are ten shows viewers struggled with and a bit of commentary about what it said about viewer norms of the time.
- Who doesn't love a show with a good plot twist or surprise ending. Even cliffhangers, through frustrating, offer great opportunities for discussions. Star Trek is loaded with all three. Here are some of the most shocking. Unfortunatly, they tend to involve the death or disability of favorite characters.
- In most states liquor, marijuana, guns, same sex marriage, physician assisted suicide, public nudity, strip clubs, gambling, self-defense and home schooling are regulated, taxed, limited or down right illegal. Here are the ten states that are most tolerant of the activities.
- A list of ten rarely considered scenarios that could radically alter the world are explained. Several are based on emerging technology. Others are theorized based on obscure physical principles. Some scenarios could be good while some could be bad. Others, no one is sure about. Some could be catastrophic if they haven't already happened.
- As scientists discover more about the universe they inevitably find more thing they don't know. Here are ten topics scientists would like to understand but don't year grasp. They range from big theoretical questions like the size of the universe to little practical questions like why are metal whiskers growing and shot circuiting electronic components.
- 2010– 18mTV EpisodeNew archaeological discoveries are overturning the common knowledge about the emergence of human civilization. Some discoveries are pretty major like the first human to set foot in North America again being European rather than Asian. Here's a rundown of some of the more surprising updates.
- The American Revolution is rich in myth and legend, quite a bit of it of questionable validity. But the big one is the omission of the extent France was involved in the war thanks to the diplomacy of Benjamin Franklin. The French treated the Revolution as a proxy war with England and provided substantial naval forces, soldiers, advisors and supplies which were essential to the colonial war effort.
- Star Fleet has a curious collect of laws that range from granting omnipotence to impotence. And enforcement ranges from death to looking the other way. Is this just sloppy writing, poor enforcement or do laws present and inherent incongruity?
- 2020– 12mTV EpisodeWith the passing of Gene Roddenbury Star Trek Deep Space Nine writers were freed to try story line that Gene would have forbidden. Some of these changes gave greater depth to the franchised and even revolutionized television series in general.
- Rather these are myths refuted by science. Myths include: everlasting Twinkies, pennies dropped from the Empire State Building, lightning strikes, balancing an egg on the equinox, Nobel Prize, five second rule, waking sleepwalkers, cracking knuckles causing arthritis, bumble bees defying physics and NASA's infamous space pen.
- 2019– 16mTV EpisodeMost words have subjective meaning that give the word more depth of meaning. Subjective meanings can make it quite difficult to covey the full meaning a word in a translation. Brandon reviews ten passages in the Bible and proposes deeper meanings of words that relate to our relationship with God.
- If all you want to know is the biggest or most deadly meteor Guiness can tell you. These ten meteors have the greatest stories be it the first meteor to go viral, or the one that killed a cow, or the one that was a message from God to the people of France or the rock from Mars.
- Matt visits with Brent Hull who specializes in restoring homes to retain their aged appearance. Brent is restoring a one hundred year old house in Fort Worth, Texas. The house designed by John Fanz Staub is in exceptional condition thanks to the quality materials specified by Staub which Matt and Brent examine.
- The Hundred Years War was a series of military conflicts in the three century feud between England and France that finally ended the King of England's claim to the throne of France. Initially England was very successful in annexing regions of France until Joan of Arc rallied the French to ultimately drive them out.
- 2012– 12mTV EpisodeAstronomers have seen strange filament like structures in the Milky Way and other galaxies for about four decades. More recently they have been observed in the x-ray spectrum. Having ruled our supernova astronomers think they are caused by jets from black holes plowing in to molecular gas clouds.