Welcome to our top 10 rare roundup of mind‑blowing scientific finds that have cranked up the cool factor across the cosmos, the Earth, and even inside our own bodies. From ancient starlight to a mysterious extra dimension, these discoveries prove that nature still has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.

top 10 rare insights into the unknown

10 The Earliest Stars

When the universe was barely half a million years old, it was a dark, star‑less expanse filled only with wisps of hydrogen gas and the lingering glow of the cosmic microwave background. Astronomers have chased the signature of the first luminous objects for decades, but the hunt was akin to trying to hear a single violin in a stadium full of drummers.

Thanks to ultra‑sensitive radio telescopes and clever data‑analysis tricks, researchers finally caught the faintest whisper of hydrogen that points to the very first generation of stars. Because hydrogen is the raw material that fuels stellar birth, this signal sparked a frenzy of excitement—it is essentially a beacon from the universe’s infant lights.

These primordial stars are so distant that even the most powerful telescopes may never capture a direct image. Nevertheless, their inferred existence forces us to rewrite the early chapters of cosmic history, showing that star formation began far earlier than previously thought.

Earlier surveys had identified a galaxy forming when the universe was about 400 million years old. The new hydrogen signal, however, comes from a region that unfolded a mere 180 million years after the Big Bang. Intriguingly, the data also suggest the early universe was colder than our models predict, a puzzling detail that scientists are still trying to explain.

9 Steve

Imagine looking up at the night sky and spotting a thin, violet ribbon of light that stretches for thousands of miles, curling gracefully from east to west. That’s “Steve,” a strange atmospheric phenomenon that first dazzled observers in 2018 and has since prompted NASA to enlist citizen scientists to help track its antics.

Sometimes Steve rides alongside the familiar green aurora borealis, lingering for about an hour before fading. Other nights the usual auroral curtains appear without any sign of Steve, making its appearances feel both random and tantalizingly purposeful.

The name “Steve” isn’t a whimsical nickname; it stands for “Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement.” The first documented sighting occurred over Canada, and later sightings have been reported as far away as Scotland, confirming that this is a global, not just regional, event.

When amateur photographers first captured Steve’s eerie glow and shared the images with researchers, the scientific community was baffled. What they now know is that Steve is a stream of ionized gas racing at roughly 6.4 km s⁻¹ (about 4 mi s⁻¹), and it forms through a mechanism distinct from the classic proton auroras that light up the polar skies.

8 First Interstellar Visitor

In late 2017, the solar system received an unprecedented guest: a cigar‑shaped interstellar object christened ‘Oumuamua. Unlike the typical comets and asteroids that orbit the Sun, this newcomer hurtled in from another star system, sparking a global wave of intrigue.

‘Oumuamua’s most striking feature is that it is an asteroid, not a comet. Most ejected bodies from planetary systems are icy comets, but this rocky traveler broke the mold, suggesting it was flung out by the gravitational gymnastics of a binary star system—two suns tugging and tossing it into interstellar space.

Scientists still can’t pinpoint the exact home system of ‘Oumuamua, nor can they say how long it has roamed the galaxy. Observations lasted only about a week before the object slipped beyond the reach of our telescopes. Curiously, despite its rocky nature, the asteroid showed no signs of ice, yet it carried complex organic molecules—building blocks that hint at the chemistry of life.

Its fleeting visit left a lasting impression, prompting astronomers to refine their search strategies for future interstellar interlopers and to reconsider how common such rocky emissaries might be in the cosmic neighborhood.

7 Strange And Fragile Tigers

When researchers turned their scanners on the 13 preserved baby thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) specimens worldwide, they uncovered a trove of surprises about this extinct marsupial. These virtual autopsies revealed the developmental milestones of the joeys, which had previously been a mystery.

The scans showed that newborn thylacines were built much like other marsupials: they emerged with powerful forelimbs and jaws designed to scramble into their mother’s pouch and latch onto a teat. It wasn’t until they were roughly three months old—almost full term—that their hind limbs fully formed, giving them the dog‑like silhouette we associate with the species.

One of the most puzzling findings is the uncanny similarity of thylacine skulls to those of canids such as wolves and red foxes. Genetic analysis of a century‑old specimen from Museums Victoria confirmed that, despite these resemblances, thylacines diverged from the canine lineage millions of years ago, underscoring a striking case of convergent evolution.

The research also painted a sobering picture of the species’ genetic health. Even before European hunters decimated their numbers, the thylacine population suffered from an alarmingly low gene pool, suggesting that, had they survived, the animals would likely have been frail and vulnerable to disease today.

6 A Unique Galaxy

Enter NGC 1052‑DF2, a galaxy whose unassuming catalog name hides a cosmic conundrum. Conventional wisdom holds that dark matter provides the scaffolding for galaxies, pulling together stars and gas into coherent structures.

However, a 2018 study revealed that DF2 appears to be essentially devoid of dark matter. Its stars orbit as if nothing invisible were holding them together, challenging the notion that dark matter is a mandatory ingredient for galaxy formation.

Visually, DF2 is so sparse that distant background galaxies peek through its translucent veil. This ghostly appearance fuels debates about alternative gravity theories that propose dark matter might be an illusion stemming from our incomplete grasp of gravitational physics. Yet, DF2’s lack of dark matter proves that such theories cannot fully replace the dark matter paradigm.

5 New Human Organ

Even after centuries of anatomical study, scientists recently announced the discovery of a previously unrecognized organ in the human body. Dubbed the interstitium, this structure isn’t a localized lump but a sprawling network that permeates any region of connective tissue.

The interstitium acts like a built‑in shock absorber, a fluid‑filled lattice that cushions organs ranging from the digestive tract’s lining to the skin, lungs, urinary system, and even surrounding our muscles. Its presence reshapes our understanding of how tissues maintain flexibility and resilience.

For decades, standard tissue‑preparation techniques unintentionally destroyed the interstitium. By slicing samples into ultra‑thin sections, researchers drained the fluid from the spaces, causing the network to collapse and become invisible under the microscope.

The breakthrough came when pathologists, while examining a biopsy to determine whether cancer had spread, noticed the honeycomb‑like pattern of fluid‑filled compartments. Real‑time imaging technology captured the organ in its natural, hydrated state, revealing that it holds roughly a third of the body’s total water volume.

4 Double Memory

For years, the prevailing model of memory formation suggested that experiences first create a short‑term trace in the hippocampus, which later gets transferred to the cortex for long‑term storage. This linear pipeline was widely accepted in neuroscience.

In 2017, researchers conducting experiments on mice uncovered a surprising twist: the brain actually creates two identical copies of a memory at the moment of encoding—one in the hippocampus and a twin in the cortex. These parallel traces form simultaneously rather than sequentially.

However, the cortical copy remains dormant for several days. If the neural bridge linking the hippocampus and cortex is disrupted during this vulnerable window, the long‑term version never activates, effectively erasing the memory. Understanding this dual‑storage system opens new avenues for tackling memory‑related disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

3 First Glimpse Of CaSiO3

The famed Cullinan mine in South Africa, celebrated for yielding the massive diamond that now adorns the British Crown Jewels, recently produced a tiny, 3‑mm gemstone with an extraordinary secret hidden inside.

Embedded within this modest diamond was a mineral never before observed in nature: calcium silicate perovskite (CaSiO₃). Under surface conditions this mineral would instantly break down, but the diamond’s protective cage preserved it for scientists to study.

Analyses indicate that the perovskite formed at depths of about 700 km (roughly 435 mi) beneath Earth’s crust, exactly where models predict it should be abundant as the planet’s fourth most common deep‑mantle mineral.

Further chemical fingerprints revealed that the perovskite originated from oceanic crust that had been subducted deep into the mantle, providing concrete evidence that tectonic plates are indeed recycled back into Earth’s interior.

2 Alien Atmospheres

Exoplanets—worlds orbiting stars beyond our Sun—pose a daunting observational challenge due to their vast distances. To bridge this gap, scientists recreated the atmospheric chemistry of nine alien planets inside a laboratory for the first time.

By mixing gases such as hydrogen, water vapor, and carbon dioxide and then energizing them with a cold plasma discharge, researchers sparked a cascade of reactions that painted the chamber in vivid, aurora‑like hues. One experiment even produced a striking olive‑green haze reminiscent of Earth’s own upper‑atmosphere displays.

Although it may seem like a whimsical art project, the resulting hazes are scientifically priceless. Under certain conditions, these particles could act as precursors to life, and their laboratory signatures give astronomers concrete spectral fingerprints to hunt for when scanning real exoplanet atmospheres.

1 The Fourth Dimension

Edwin Abbott’s classic novella “Flatland” introduces us to a square confined to a two‑dimensional world, unable to comprehend anything beyond lines. The story illustrates how a higher‑dimensional being—a sphere—can upend the flatlander’s perception of reality.

Physicists have long speculated about a hidden fourth spatial dimension that would render us, as Flatlanders, blind to an extra layer of reality. Directly visualizing such a dimension is impossible for three‑dimensional beings.

In 2018, a team of researchers reported a breakthrough: they trapped ultracold atoms in a two‑dimensional lattice and observed a phenomenon known as the quantum Hall effect, which, according to theory, can only emerge within a four‑dimensional environment.

What they witnessed was effectively the three‑dimensional “shadow” of a four‑dimensional quantum state—much like a 2‑D silhouette cast by a 3‑D object—providing the first experimental glimpse that a fourth spatial dimension may indeed influence physical systems.

Welcome to the top 20 cool roundup of everything that makes New Zealand a truly fascinating place. As a Kiwi who grew up among the rolling hills and bustling cities, I’ve gathered a mix of history, nature, and quirky legislation that will surprise and delight you. Let’s jump in and explore the wonders of Aotearoa!

1. Top 20 Cool: Colonial Connection With Australia

Long before it became the independent nation we know today, New Zealand was administratively linked to the colony of New South Wales – the future Australia. When the Australian Commonwealth formed in 1901, New Zealand was invited to join as a state, but it politely declined, choosing instead to chart its own sovereign path while maintaining economic and Commonwealth ties.

2. Kiwi Bird Not Fruit

The iconic kiwi you see on postcards isn’t a fruit at all – it’s a flightless, nocturnal bird unique to New Zealand and the affectionate nickname for its people. The actual fruit is called kiwifruit (formerly known as the Chinese gooseberry), and New Zealanders refer to it simply as “kiwifruit.”

3. First Nation With Universal Suffrage

In 1893 New Zealand made history by granting every adult citizen – male and female – the right to vote, becoming the first major country to adopt universal suffrage. This bold step set a global precedent for gender equality in politics.

4. Early European Exploration

Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to set foot on New Zealand’s shores in 1642, but after a violent encounter with Māori, he departed. It would be over a century later, in 1769, when British Captain James Cook arrived, charting the coastline and laying the groundwork for future settlement.

5. The Queen’s Role

Queen Elizabeth II holds the title of Queen of New Zealand, a symbolic role represented locally by a Governor‑General who gives royal assent to legislation passed by Parliament, ensuring the constitutional link to the Crown.

6. Two Official National Anthems

New Zealand joins a rare club of nations with two equal‑standing anthems: the traditional “God Save the Queen” and the distinctly Kiwi “God Defend New Zealand.” Only Denmark and Canada share this dual‑anthem distinction.

7. The Mighty Moa

The extinct moa, once roaming the islands, was among the largest birds ever, reaching heights of up to 3.6 metres (12 feet) and weighing around 300 kg. Māori hunters drove the species to extinction by the late 1500s.

8. Arrival of the Māori

Before any Europeans arrived, the Māori – Eastern Polynesian settlers – made New Zealand home sometime between 800 and 1300 AD. Oral histories speak of an ancestral homeland called Hawaiki, though its exact location remains a mystery, with linguistic clues pointing toward the Cook Islands.

9. The Tragic Moriori

On the remote Chatham Islands, a pacifist group known as the Moriori lived peacefully until 1835, when invading Māori forces decimated their population, leaving only about 100 survivors by 1862. The last full‑blooded Moriori, Tommy Solomon, passed away in 1933.

10. Women Holding the Top Three Posts

New Zealand once boasted the unique distinction of having its three highest offices simultaneously occupied by women: Prime Minister Helen Clark, Governor‑General Dame Silvia Cartwright, and Chief Justice Sian Elias.

11. Sheep‑to‑Human Ratio

Sheep farming is a national staple, with roughly nine sheep for every resident. This impressive ratio underscores New Zealand’s global influence in the lamb and mutton markets.

12. Southernmost Capital City

Wellington, the bustling capital where I reside, claims the title of the world’s southernmost capital city, offering a blend of political importance and breathtaking harbour scenery.

13. Nuclear‑Free Stance

In the 1980s New Zealand adopted a nuclear‑free policy, refusing nuclear‑armed or powered vessels from its ports. This stance led to its exclusion from the ANZUS alliance, although defense ties with the United Kingdom remain strong.

14. Balanced Media Landscape

Unlike many nations, New Zealand’s media scene isn’t sharply divided into left‑ or right‑wing camps. The press enjoys a reputation for balanced, liberal reporting.

15. Cash‑less Nation

Most everyday transactions in New Zealand are card‑based, with EFTPOS systems ubiquitous in shops and even taxis. Some suggest New Zealand may have been among the first to widely adopt such electronic payments.

16. Progressive Social Laws

New Zealand’s legislation is notably liberal: civil unions for same‑sex couples are legal, prostitution is regulated, the driving age is 15, the age of consent is 16, and alcohol can be consumed by 18‑year‑olds (or younger when accompanied by an adult in a restaurant).

17. Lake Taupo’s Super‑Eruption

Lake Taupo, a popular tourist hotspot, was the site of the world’s largest volcanic eruption in the past 70,000 years, scoring a VEI‑8. The cataclysm expelled over 530 cubic kilometres of magma, reshaping the landscape dramatically.

18. Last Major Landmass Settled

Human migration reached New Zealand later than virtually any other sizable landmass (excluding the polar regions), making it one of the final frontiers of settlement.

19. Nobel‑Winning Physicist

Ernest Rutherford, a New Zealand‑born scientist, earned the Nobel Prize for his pioneering work in nuclear physics, famously formulating the planetary model of the atom.

20. Sir Edmund Hillary on the Five‑Dollar Note

Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to stand atop Mount Everest, hails from Auckland. His legendary climb is commemorated with his portrait featured on New Zealand’s five‑dollar banknote.

Hope you enjoyed this whirlwind tour of the top 20 cool facts about New Zealand. Feel free to share your own tidbits in the comments – the more we know, the richer the story!

If you’re itching to step into the sweet science and want to sound like a seasoned pugilist, you need more than just raw power. The top 10 cool boxing moves compiled here will give you a toolbox that blends offense, defense, and a dash of showmanship. While a seasoned trainer can fine‑tune your technique, knowing these signature maneuvers will let you impress the gym and intimidate any opponent.

Why These Top 10 Cool Moves Matter

Each maneuver on this list isn’t just a flashy trick; it’s a proven weapon that has helped legends dominate the ring. Whether you’re a rookie looking to build a solid foundation or a seasoned contender hunting that extra edge, mastering these ten tactics will sharpen your timing, improve your footwork, and keep your opponent guessing at every turn.

1 Jab And Grab

The “Jab and Grab” lives up to its straightforward name. It fuses a crisp jab with an immediate clinch, letting you neutralize an opponent’s next attack. Timing is everything: deliver a solid jab that lands clean, then close the distance fast enough to lock a grab before the rival can recover. The move steals space, denies the opponent a chance to extend their arms, and forces a break or a defensive reset. Heavy‑handed champions like the Klitschko brothers have used it to dismantle aggressors, while modern tacticians such as Andre Ward employ it to turn offense into control.

2 Straight

The straight, often called the “cross,” is the power punch that follows the jab in classic combos. It’s thrown by crossing the dominant hand over the body, generating torque from the hips and shoulders. In an orthodox stance (left foot forward) the right hand delivers the straight; in a southpaw stance the left hand does. Though most fighters align handedness with stance, exceptions abound. The straight is a staple of every combo—from the basic one‑two to intricate counter‑punching sequences. Even defensive maestros like Floyd Mayweather, famed for his elusiveness, unleash rapid, precise straights to keep opponents at bay.

3 Bolo Punch

The “Bolo Punch” masquerades as a long‑swinging uppercut, but its true genius lies in deception. The rear hand whips around as if setting up a heavy hook or straight, drawing the opponent’s focus. Meanwhile the lead hand snaps a powerful punch toward the target. Successful execution demands that you sell the fake convincingly, making the opponent commit to a defensive reaction before you land the real blow. Legends such as Sugar Ray Leonard and Kid Gavilan mastered the art of misdirection, while Roy Jones Jr. turned the Bolo into a signature weapon in the modern era.

4 Haymaker

The “Haymaker” amplifies the classic hook with a dramatically extended arc. By cocking the arm farther back and looping in a wide, semi‑circular motion, you unleash massive force, channeling your body weight into a single, crushing blow. Its raw power makes it a perfect finisher against a fatigued opponent, but the trade‑off is vulnerability: the wind‑up can leave you off‑balance and open to counters. When executed with proper technique—tight core, pivoted foot, and a quick re‑guard—the haymaker can end a bout decisively. However, amateur fighters often mistake wild flailing for a true haymaker, sacrificing form for spectacle.

5 Check Hook

The “Check Hook” shines when an aggressor lunges forward. As the opponent charges, you pivot on your lead foot (right foot for a left‑handed fighter, left foot for a right‑handed one) while simultaneously throwing a hook. This creates a sideways angle that lets the attacker miss, then the rotational force of the pivot adds extra torque to the hook, sending the foe off‑balance. It’s a tactical blend of footwork and timing, famously demonstrated by Floyd Mayweather when he knocked out the previously unbeaten Ricky Hatton—an iconic example of the move’s knockout potential.

6 Parry

While most fans associate boxing defense with slipping, weaving, or blocking, the “Parry” often flies under the radar. By using the hand or elbow opposite to the incoming punch, you deflect the strike sideways, redirecting its momentum without absorbing the force. A well‑executed parry leaves the opponent momentarily off‑balance, opening a window for a swift counter‑attack. Historical greats like Jack Johnson were masters of the art, and later champions such as Larry Holmes added a unique elbow‑parry variation, rotating the elbow upward to deflect blows with surgical precision.

7 Feints

Feints are pure psychological warfare—no contact, just illusion. By initiating the motion of a particular punch, you coax the opponent into reacting—blocking, slipping, or stepping back—only to unleash a different strike at the exposed opening. The “body drop” feint, for example, bends the torso, drops a knee, and thrusts the lead hand forward, fooling the rival into defending the high line while you target the midsection. Fighters with blistering hand speed, like Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan, weave feints seamlessly into flurries, constantly keeping opponents guessing and creating exploitable gaps.

8 Pull Counter

The “Pull Counter” is a cinematic blend of reflex and timing. You lean slightly forward, inviting the opponent’s punch, then snap your head back at the last instant, evading the strike while simultaneously delivering a straight counter. The motion looks like something out of a movie, but it hinges on razor‑sharp reflexes and precise distance control. Legends such as Muhammad Ali and the flamboyant Naseem Hamed have employed the pull counter to turn an opponent’s aggression into a spectacular counter‑punch.

9 Low Head Stance

The “Low Head Stance” (sometimes called the head‑push) uses a tucked head as a protective shield while the fighter lands left‑ and right‑hand hooks without looking up. Rather than head‑butting, the fighter presses the head lightly against the opponent’s torso, forcing the rival to punch lower to avoid the contact. This forces the attacker into a vulnerable position, where an uppercut or a low‑body attack becomes the most viable reply. Practitioners like Tim Bradley and Lamont Peterson have turned this unorthodox tactic into a defensive advantage, making it difficult for opponents to land clean punches without exposing themselves.

10 Dempsey Roll & Gazelle Punch

The combined “Dempsey Roll & Gazelle Punch” marries two classic movements into a fluid assault. Jack Dempsey’s eponymous roll involves a rapid bob‑and‑weave, crouching the head and shoulders, then springing back in a figure‑eight pattern that lets the fighter slip inside an opponent’s guard. Floyd Patterson’s “Gazelle Punch” adds a leaping, upward strike launched from that low position, delivering a powerful hook, straight, or uppercut. Mike Tyson famously blended the two, using relentless bob‑and‑weave to close distance before exploding upward with a Gazelle‑style punch. Even lighter‑weight champions such as Nonito Donaire have adopted the technique, proving that size matters less than timing and coordination.

Mastering these top 10 cool boxing moves will not only enrich your skill set but also give you the confidence to dictate the pace of any bout. Whether you’re grinding in the gym or stepping into the spotlight, let these tactics become the foundation of your fighting repertoire.

When most people think of Iceland, the first thing that comes to mind is probably ice—lots and lots of ice. However, strangely enough this isn’t the case. Iceland is hardly icy at all; on the other hand, Greenland has plenty of ice and isn’t very green. And while Iceland may not have much ice, it does have many unique things to offer the world. Here we delve into one of the happiest countries in the world. This article presents 10 cool facts that will make you see Iceland in a whole new light.

10 Cool Facts Overview

10 Public Nudity

In Iceland there are multitudes of refreshing hot springs. If you visit the country it is very likely that you will pay at least one of them a visit. Like a public pool in the United States, you are expected to shower first before you enter the water, however, if you are shy about your body you might find things slightly difficult on your vacation. In Iceland, people are expected to use similar shower facilities, but you are required to shower without your swimsuit on, and unfortunately, many of these showers don’t have a door to hide you from the outside world.

While some cultures may find this shocking, in Iceland it is a simple matter of hygiene. After all, it isn’t exactly easy to get fully clean while wearing all of your clothes. Of course, generalized public nudity is just as illegal in Iceland as it is anywhere else, so you can’t just strip and take a leisurely walk down the street.

9 Elves

We’ve mentioned them briefly before, but they bear mentioning again. Polls taken over a period of time have shown that the majority of Icelanders believe in elves. These elves usually live in rocky areas, have magical powers, and cause trouble if someone tries to disturb their home. In some cases, bulldozers have been reported to malfunction when trying to work on a supposed elf site. And in Iceland this belief is so important that some people are actually called in to arbitrate with the elves in the hopes of getting them to leave.

Icelandic pop star Bjork has mentioned that record companies prefer to sign Icelandic musicians who admit to believing in elves—perhaps they think it means they have more personality. In any case, despite how strange the belief might be, it persists among many and doesn’t seem likely to go away anytime soon.

8 Midnight Golf

During the months of June and July, Iceland has days with a full 24 hours of precious, beautiful sunlight. While you might think of a variety of things you could do with 24 hours of light in a day, a lot of people in Iceland look at it as a splendid time to catch up on their golf. While the weather can get somewhat cold and rainy on occasion, that doesn’t deter the most spirited golfers, who stick it out regardless. Some who have played golf in Iceland during the midnight sun have described the experience as both surreal and sublime.

And while golfers may not see much in the way of trees on a typical Icelandic golf course, they may have to deal with unique challenges—such as lava beds and the fury of angry birds that have had their nests disturbed.

7 Pornography Laws

Iceland is fairly well known for being liberal when it comes to sexual issues, so it may come as a surprise to outsiders that their government voted to ban strip clubs. However, the government has not limited their sights just to the physical world of stripping. Recently, they have also been considering placing a ban on online pornography. Some may think that this is a backward way of looking at sex, but from their perspective it is actually quite progressive.

You see, Icelanders are not doing this out of any puritanical attitude toward sex, but for feminist reasons. Iceland’s government is close to half female at this point, and it is probably one of the most feminist‑friendly countries in the world. The reasoning for the ban is that stripping objectifies women, while some hardcore online porn can be quite violent—all in all, it just gives the wrong message to children.

6 Handball

In Iceland, handball is basically the national sport. When the president of Iceland spoke to the media after a recent Olympic win, he explained how important the sport is to their country. Everyone in the country knows the names of the national team’s players and the overall success of the team is considered very important. Handball is not particularly popular in the United States, or in many parts of Europe, but it enjoys popularity in some parts of the world, including certain Scandinavian countries.

Handball has been described as being sort of like soccer, except you actually use your hands. It is actually an incredibly fast‑paced and brutal game; scores generally run much higher than soccer and violent play is often perfectly within the rules.

5 Skyr

Eaten regularly as a snack or with meals, the dairy product Skyr is one of the most popular foods in Iceland. However, despite its popularity within the country, it isn’t well known outside of Iceland. That may change soon however, as Russell Crowe recently returned from a trip to Iceland with a love for the stuff and now it will be coming to Fresh Markets throughout the United States.

Skyr is considered by many to be much like yogurt, but it is actually a form of soft cheese and is prized for having a high amount of protein and virtually no fat. Unfortunately, unless you live in Iceland or have a Fresh Market near you, it will probably be difficult to get any of this delicious dairy treat. While there are recipes for it, due to the way it is made with a bacterial culture you need Skyr to make more Skyr. There are substitutes that can be used but the end result won’t be quite the same.

4 The Yule Lads

As you’re probably aware, most countries celebrate something similar to Christmas, but every place usually does it a little differently. Iceland is no exception to this rule. Instead of Santa Claus, Iceland has something called the Yule Lads. These strange lads have an interesting history because they didn’t start out as bringers of Yuletide joy; they were actually descended from trolls and were used the way parents today use the threat of taking away a video game console—to scare small children.

However, in the 1700s a decree was issued that actually made it illegal for parents to do this, and eventually the Yule Lads became a Christmas tradition. The Yule Lads—who have heart‑warming names like “Skyr Gobbler,” “Window Peeper,” and “Bowl Licker”—each have their own colorful personality. They now visit every year, each one stopping by a day after the other.

3 The Cod Wars

Since the 1950s, Iceland has often clashed with the British over the use of Icelandic waters for fishing. In Iceland, the fishing industry is pretty important and basically serves as the main source of food. So perhaps it is unsurprising that the “cod wars” started back in 1958 when Iceland decided they needed to increase the exclusion zone around their territory—this is the section of water that other countries are not allowed to fish in.

Of course, the British government retaliated by sending their own navy to protect fishermen they had in the area, and considering how these things escalate, it wasn’t long before people were firing shots and ramming boats. Eventually, a diplomatic solution was decided upon and the British backed off. This same scenario ended up playing out twice more over the years, with Iceland eventually increasing the range of their exclusion zone from an original 6.5 kilometers (4 mi) to 320 kilometers (200 mi).

2 Volcanic Energy

Iceland has a ton of volcanic activity. While some countries might be scared to live in the center of a fiery ring of volcanoes, Iceland grabbed nature by its slippery throat and figured out how to use it to their advantage. Roughly 85 percent of Iceland’s energy is from renewable resources, and well over half of that is geothermal alone.

Of course, it didn’t start out as a means of power for most of the country—before geothermal energy became more prevalent, it was mainly used for basic water heating purposes. Over time it eventually was used for general electricity needs. On top of everything else, the most important use for it is heating swimming pools. Iceland has well over 150 public swimming pools, and most of those are kept heated thanks to all‑natural volcanic heat.

1 Raw Puffin Heart

Puffins are small birds with black and white feathers; they have cartoonishly oversized beaks and are absolutely adorable. Gordon Ramsay, being no stranger to controversy, recently came under fire for eating the raw heart from a dead puffin he had killed during an episode of his television series The F Word. Animal rights groups were of course up in arms, and many people objected to the cruelty of the act.

However, the people of Iceland would not have batted an eye at his actions. The reason for this is that, in Iceland, raw puffin heart is actually considered a delicacy, and puffins are eaten for food all the time. Ramsay actually had all the proper permits and was cleared of any wrongdoing by the media authorities.

+ Brennivin

If there is one thing Iceland is well known for, it is probably their love of strange cuisine, and this extends to more than just food. Apart from drinking more Coca Cola per capita than anywhere else in the world, Iceland also has a drink all their own that they call Brennivin. This alcoholic beverage has something of a nasty reputation, even among Icelanders. Brennivin is a sort of schnapps distilled from potatoes; this doesn’t sound too bad, but it also uses caraway seeds, and this apparently gives it a vile flavor.

This drink is often consumed alongside an Icelandic fermented shark dish, hakarl. Likely the two are combined because Brennivin only seems good after you’ve just eaten diseased shark meat. Many Icelanders only drink Brennivin if they are trying to show off around people visiting their country, or when they are trying to make an extra show of allegiance to their Icelandic roots.

You can follow Gregory Myers on Twitter.

There are few things people obsess over more than their cars. They’re personal statements on wheels, full of memories and occasional headaches. From endless maintenance to long lines at the pump, drivers face a parade of annoyances. Below we unveil the top 10 cool tricks that can smooth out those bumps, save a few bucks, and maybe even keep you alive.

Top 10 Cool Car Hacks Overview

10 Jump Your Dead Car Battery With a Rope

The Common Problem:

Finding yourself stranded with a dead battery is a driver’s nightmare. Most of us keep a set of jumper cables in the trunk, but that only helps if another vehicle happens to be within arm’s reach. In remote locations, waiting for a helpful stranger can feel endless, and the clock keeps ticking while the engine stays silent.

The Easy Solution:

Grab a sturdy jack, a length of strong rope, and a manual‑transmission vehicle. Prop the jack up behind one of the front tires and shift the stranded car into third gear. Crank the engine, then loop the rope around the raised tire several times. A quick, firm yank transfers kinetic energy to the wheels, turning the engine over long enough to get a spark. This improvised push‑start isn’t a permanent fix, but it buys you precious minutes to locate a proper jump‑start source.

9 The Arrow On The Side Of Your Fuel Gauge

The Common Problem:

Pulling into a gas station only to realize the fuel filler is on the opposite side of the car is an embarrassingly common blunder. The scramble to walk around the vehicle, especially when you’re in a hurry, wastes time and can even lead to missed pumps or awkward lane changes.

The Easy Solution:

You don’t need a treasure map—manufacturers have already left a subtle clue. Look closely at the fuel gauge cluster: beside the little gas‑pump icon, a tiny arrow points toward the side where the filler neck resides. Follow that direction, and you’ll glide straight to the correct pump without a second‑guessing step. It’s a built‑in cheat sheet that most drivers overlook.

8 Toothpaste For Cloudy Headlights

The Common Problem:

Over time, headlights become hazy from road grime, UV exposure, and oxidation, dimming the beam and compromising night‑time safety. Replacing them can be pricey, and many drivers ignore the foggy issue until visibility becomes a genuine hazard.

The Easy Solution:

Reach for a tube of regular toothpaste—preferably one with baking soda. First, wash the headlight with soapy water or a glass‑cleaning spray, then dry it. Apply a pea‑sized dab of toothpaste to a soft sponge and rub it onto the cloudy surface in circular motions. The mild abrasive gently scrubs away the oxidized layer, restoring clarity. Rinse thoroughly and repeat if stubborn spots remain. It’s a budget‑friendly polish that makes your lights shine like new.

7 Plunger Out Dents

The Common Problem:

Minor dings and dents pepper the body of any vehicle over time, marring its appearance and lowering resale value. Conventional repair shops can be costly, and many owners shy away from tackling the issue themselves, fearing they’ll make it worse.

The Easy Solution:

All you need is a regular toilet plunger and a kettle of hot water. Heat the dented area with hot water to expand the metal slightly, then place the plunger over the dent, ensuring a tight seal. Pull the plunger’s handle back slowly; the suction will draw the dent outward, often restoring the original contour. For stubborn spots, repeat the process a few times. It’s a quick, inexpensive way to smooth out small imperfections without professional help.

6 Hand Sanitizer For Frozen Locks

The Common Problem:

Winter can turn a simple key‑in‑the‑lock action into a frozen nightmare. Ice builds up inside the lock cylinder, making the key jam and preventing the door from opening. Traditional methods like hot water or metal picks risk damaging the lock’s delicate mechanisms.

The Easy Solution:

Apply a generous dab of alcohol‑based hand sanitizer to the tip of your key and insert it into the icy lock. Hold the key for about thirty seconds; the alcohol’s low freezing point lowers the ice’s melting point, gradually thawing the blockage. After the ice softens, twist the key and the door should swing open. As a bonus, you keep a pocket‑size sanitizer handy for both health and automotive emergencies.

5 Kitty Litter Can Defog A Window

The Common Problem:

After battling frozen doors, the next hurdle is a fogged windshield that obscures vision. Waiting for the defroster to work can waste precious minutes, especially in heavy traffic or during a sudden weather shift.

The Easy Solution:

Grab a bag of fresh, crystal‑type kitty litter and pour it into an old clean sock. Tie the sock tightly and place it on the dashboard where it can absorb ambient moisture. The silica crystals draw water out of the air, clearing condensation from the glass in seconds. This quick‑dry trick not only improves visibility but also doubles as a traction aid when sprinkled lightly on icy road surfaces.

4 A Shoelace Can Unlock A Car

The Common Problem:

Accidentally locking your keys inside the vehicle is a classic blunder that leaves you stranded and frantic. Modern cars often have sophisticated lock mechanisms that seem impossible to bypass without the proper key.

The Easy Solution:

Take a long shoelace, tie a small noose in the middle, and feed the loop into the narrow gap between the door and the frame. Maneuver the loop until it catches the lock’s tailpiece, then pull the ends of the lace to tighten the noose around the latch. A firm tug will disengage the lock, allowing the door to swing open. This low‑tech method works best on older models with simpler lock designs.

3 Put Your Key Under Your Chin

The Common Problem:

Keyless‑entry vehicles rely on a radio signal from the fob to the car. When the fob is too far away, the doors stay locked, forcing drivers to walk around the vehicle or risk leaving the fob inside.

The Easy Solution:

Rest the fob against the underside of your chin for a few seconds before pressing the unlock button. The human head’s conductive fluids apparently amplify the radio frequency, extending the fob’s effective range by several feet. While scientific consensus is mixed, many drivers swear by the trick, noting a noticeable boost in signal strength that can save a few steps in a parking lot.

2 A Carseat Headrest Breaks A Submerged Car

The Common Problem:

If a vehicle becomes flooded, water pressure quickly equalizes inside, making doors and windows impossible to open. Panicking while the car fills with water can lead to fatal delays.

The Easy Solution:

Detach the adjustable headrest from the seat—most modern cars allow quick removal. The sturdy metal rod attached to the headrest can be used as a makeshift hammer. Strike the corners of a window with the rod’s tip; the concentrated force shatters the glass, creating an exit path before the cabin fills completely. Protect your eyes, and after breaking the glass, use the rod to pry away remaining shards for a safer escape.

1 Only Turn Right

The Common Problem:

Maximizing miles per gallon while minimizing travel time is a constant challenge for drivers and delivery fleets alike. Frequent left turns often lead to longer waits at red lights and higher fuel consumption.

The Easy Solution:

Adopt the UPS‑style routing strategy: plan routes that favor right‑hand turns whenever possible. By reducing the number of left‑hand intersections, drivers encounter fewer stop‑and‑go situations, cutting idle time and improving overall fuel efficiency. UPS reports that this simple adjustment saves roughly 10 million gallons of fuel annually, proving that a slight change in turning habit can have massive environmental and economic benefits.

Thousands of adults stepping into the workforce each day have never known a world without the Internet. Still, among the endless stream of gadgets that define our daily routines, there are 10 cool gadgets that laid the groundwork for today’s digital convenience. It’s a humbling reminder that we’re only a couple of generations removed from an era that could fairly be called an informational dark age.

10 Cool Gadgets: Historical Devices That Paved Modern Tech

10 Based Services

Before personal computers became household staples, the telephone reigned supreme as the only device capable of a two‑way exchange of information. Consequently, many of the instant facts we now glance at on smartphones first appeared as phone‑based services. For instance, virtually every populated U.S. region once offered a simple number you could dial to hear the current time and temperature—services that sprang up near the turn of the century and, in some locales, persist to this day.

By the mid‑20th century, telephone services began to branch out: multi‑user “party lines” functioned as early social networks, while radio stations experimented with on‑demand music through request lines. These innovations hinted at the interactive possibilities we now take for granted.

Fast forward to the 1990s, and the most beloved of these services was Moviefone, which essentially performed the role of today’s Fandango—providing showtimes and ticket bookings via a simple phone call. Though the phone line was retired in 2014, the brand lives on as an app, a testament to its lasting influence.

9 Video Dating

While contemporary dating apps dominate the scene, the core idea of matchmaking through personal profiles predates the internet and can be traced back to a quirky fad known as video dating. The inaugural service, Great Expectations, launched on Valentine’s Day 1976, inviting members to pay an annual fee, fill out detailed profiles, and record candid videos describing their ideal dates at local Member Centers.

As the concept caught on, niche video‑dating services proliferated, mirroring today’s specialized apps and generating billions in revenue throughout the 1970s and 1980s. However, the rise of online matchmaking—starting with Match.com’s debut in 1995—quickly eclipsed the format, leading to Great Expectations’ nationwide franchise shuttering a few years later.

8 Pocket Video Games

When video games burst onto the scene in the early 1970s, enthusiasts immediately dreamed of taking the arcade experience on the go. The technology of the era, however, kept true portability out of reach. Undeterred, inventive firms pushed the limits, delivering the closest thing to a pocket‑sized arcade.

Mattel’s early attempts used red LED dots and dashes to simulate action, while later entrants like Tiger and Nintendo turned to LCD displays for crude animation. Nintendo’s Game & Watch series proved especially popular, even offering dual‑screen models and loose adaptations of arcade hits such as Donkey Kong.

7 Bulletin Board Systems

By the mid‑1980s, dial‑up modems were spreading, yet the modern Internet as we know it had not yet emerged. Instead, a sprawling, disconnected network of Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) served as the era’s proto‑websites, letting users dial in, post messages, exchange files, and even hunt for illicit software.

Because long‑distance phone charges remained steep, BBSs tended to cluster locally. In the early 1990s, as modest chat and gaming features appeared on these boards, the broader Internet began to capture public imagination. Though the rise of the web largely eclipsed BBS culture, a surprising number—over 300—still operate today, primarily across the United States.

6 Cartrivision

The VCR became a household staple in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but before its dominance a bold contender tried to seize the market: Cartrivision, the first home video recorder marketed in the United States. Launched in 1972, Cartrivision arrived as a bundled set—including a TV—and was sold under various brand names.

The system recorded broadcast TV onto plastic cartridges, each holding up to an hour of video, and could also capture monochrome home movies via a camera attachment. Hollywood studios even released rental films on these cartridges, but the design required a special rewinder, ensuring each rental could be viewed only once.

Unfortunately, the device suffered from poor picture quality and a prohibitive price—roughly $9,000 in today’s dollars—leading to its spectacular failure. Yet a 1973 Washington Post interview hinted at its legacy: an investor predicted it would “put pornography back in the home where it belongs,” presaging the home video boom.

5 The Mikiphone

The Sony Walkman revolutionized portable music in the 1980s, yet the quest for a pocket‑sized listening device began even earlier. In 1924, the Mikiphone emerged—a gramophone the size of a modern CD case—promising “an orchestra in your pocket.”

This compact contraption required a modest assembly process and employed a resonator for sound amplification instead of a conventional speaker. Operated by a hand crank, the Mikiphone could play full‑size records, showcasing a remarkable feat of early 20th‑century engineering.

4 The Zoopraxiscope

Eadweard Muybridge, a renowned British photographer working in America, received a commission in 1877 to resolve a long‑standing riddle: do all four of a horse’s hooves leave the ground while galloping? To answer, Muybridge rigged a series of cameras triggered by trip wires, capturing each phase of the animal’s stride.

The resulting images were transferred onto a proprietary disc format and projected using Muybridge’s own invention, the Zoopraxiscope—a circular projector that produced the world’s first moving pictures. In effect, Muybridge created nearly 100 loops of both human and animal motion that resemble today’s GIFs. Seventy‑one of these discs survive at Kingston Museum, alongside the sole Zoopraxiscope ever built, confirming that indeed all four hooves lift off the ground.

3 The Iter Auto

It may seem astonishing, but the first commercial navigation aid predates both GPS satellites and modern digital maps. In 1932, Italian engineers introduced the Iter Auto, a console attached to a vehicle’s speedometer that employed interchangeable scrolling maps to guide drivers to their destinations.

This device was pioneering—it displayed the driver’s real‑time position on the map, a concept that worked flawlessly as long as the driver avoided wrong turns. However, trips often required multiple map scrolls, forcing motorists to pull over and swap them out periodically. Though the Iter Auto never achieved mass market success, it foreshadowed the navigation systems that would become ubiquitous over six decades later.

2 The Hogg Selfie Stick

Selfie sticks may seem like a recent craze, but their lineage stretches back nearly a century. In 1926, Arnold Hogg—grandfather of modern‑day photographer Alan Cleaver—crafted a rudimentary selfie stick to capture a grainy black‑and‑white family portrait. The device mirrors today’s popular sticks in form and function, complete with a telescoping arm and a hand‑held camera.

Cleaver recalls his grandfather’s cheeky grin in the photo and notes that Hogg kept using his invention until his death in 1972. Though Cleaver jokes that contemporary selfie sticks have made us “insular” and reliant on gadgets, he admits it would have been nice if Hogg had patented his early invention.

1 The Telharmonium

While music streaming platforms dominate today’s listening habits, the first service to broadcast music directly to telephone receivers predates both smartphones and the modern Internet. In the early 1900s, callers could ask an operator to connect them to the Telharmonium—a massive 200‑ton contraption that generated electronic music and sent it through the telephone line.

The Telharmonium comprised an intricate maze of relays, alternators, transformers, and switchboards linked to two specialized keyboards. Musicians performed around the clock, their output transformed into electrical signals that produced eerie, tinkling tones. A paper funnel attached to the receiver amplified the sound, compensating for the era’s lack of electronic amplifiers.

A 1906 New York Times article praised the invention, prompting Mark Twain to visit. Twain famously remarked, “Every time I see or hear a new wonder like this I have to postpone my death right off… I couldn’t possibly leave the world until I have heard this again and again.”

Caves aren’t just home to bats and ancient relics; they also hide 10 cool things that will surprise even the most seasoned spelunker. From adrenaline‑pumping sports to secret sanctuaries, these subterranean surprises prove that the world beneath our feet is far more eclectic than anyone expected.

10 cool things You’ll Find Below

10 Mountain Biking

Mega Cavern Bike Park in Louisville, Kentucky, boasts the world’s first underground mountain‑biking trail system and claims the title of the largest indoor bike park ever constructed. The cavern’s towering 30‑meter (90‑foot) ceilings allow riders of every skill level to carve through winding paths, tackle jumps, and experience the sensation of descending a mountain without ever leaving the earth’s surface. Co‑owner Jim Lowry likens the experience to “riding or skiing down a mountain,” explaining that riders don’t just speed straight downhill; they weave back and forth over bumps and smooth stretches, alternating between bursts of speed and slower, technical sections.

Designed by ESPN X‑Games veteran Joe Prisel, the park follows a modular design that lets the team reconfigure trails throughout the year, constantly offering fresh challenges. The cavern maintains a steady 16 °C (60 °F) temperature, eliminating weather‑related hazards that plague outdoor biking. A riding school is also slated to help newcomers master the craft.

The 92‑acre underground complex also houses a business park and a range of attractions, such as the “Lights Under Louisville” drive‑through display featuring over two million Christmas lights. The cavern stretches beneath the Louisville Zoo and several commercial structures, yet the texture of the limestone walls and the varied earth feel surprisingly open, as if you’re on a mountaintop rather than underground.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the cavern’s massive limestone roof was deemed sturdy enough to serve as a fallout shelter capable of protecting up to 50,000 people. Excavated in the 1930s, the man‑made cavern was originally a limestone quarry for more than four decades. After changing hands in 1989, it transitioned to a recycling hub and later accommodated 11 acres of office space, evolving into a sprawling hidden metropolis within the limestone cliffs.

9 A Nightclub

Deep within Hotel Las Cuevas in Trinidad, Cuba, Disco Ayala transforms a natural cavern into a pulsating rave haven. The venue features three bars and five dance floors, blasting disco‑salsa beats from a DJ booth while vibrant lights bounce off stalactites. An opening in the roof releases some of the heat generated by the party, but it also serves a crucial structural purpose: it prevents sound waves from building up enough pressure to cause a cave‑in. The cavern can host up to 5,000 revelers, and live performances include acrobatics, glass‑eating, fire‑walking, and even snakes.

Local legend claims the cave once belonged to infamous Cuban serial killer Carlos “Coco” Ayala, who allegedly kidnapped and murdered children there during the 19th‑century Cuban War of Independence. Parents still warn misbehaving children, saying, “Be good or Carlos Ayala will come looking!” Historical records confirm that Ayala committed several murders inside the cavern in the late 1800s, though the exact details are murky. Despite the grim folklore, the club’s owners retained the Ayala name, repurposing the space solely for entertainment rather than as a memorial to the murderer.

8 A Church

Carved into a chalky cliff in the Voronezh region’s Kostomarovo village, the Spassky Cave Church forms the larger of two sanctuaries belonging to the ancient Svyato‑Spassky Convent. Despite its subterranean setting, the church can seat roughly 2,000 worshippers and even includes a “Cave of Repentance” where sinners can confess. The surrounding landscape mirrors biblical geography, featuring a Calvary, a Gethsemane garden, a Golgotha hill, and a Mount Tabor.

Before Christianity took root in Russia, hermits and monks sought refuge in isolated cave cells to escape persecution. By the 12th century, the first monastery was erected, offering protection against enemy sieges. Monks lived in cramped rock‑cut cells, isolated from the outside world except for a tiny window. During the Soviet era, the convent was shuttered, its monks executed, and the caves later served as shelters for soldiers in World War II. The church briefly reopened in 1943, only to be closed again in the early 1960s under Khrushchev, who ordered the caves flooded and the exterior structures burned.

Following the Soviet Union’s collapse, the complex was rebuilt in 1993. Today, pilgrims continue to travel to the cavernous sanctuary, preserving a centuries‑old tradition of worship beneath the earth.

7 A Whole New Ecosystem

China’s Er Wang Dong cave, nestled in the Chongqing province, is so expansive and secluded that it nurtures an entirely self‑contained ecosystem, complete with its own weather patterns. Researchers only managed to explore its depths in 2012 because reaching the entrance demanded a 250‑meter (820‑foot) vertical descent using specialized gear. Once inside, the team discovered a series of natural openings that linked the interior to the surface, as well as a stunning 13‑acre chamber where clouds perpetually hover—a phenomenon known as Cloud Ladder Hall.

These clouds drift in but cannot escape, creating a surreal mist‑filled ceiling. Though the cave once yielded nitrate deposits, its inner chambers now boast lush vegetation, including full‑sized trees. However, explorers must remain vigilant, as swift underground rivers can surge, sweeping adventurers over cascading waterfalls.

Explorer Robbie Shone notes the profound mystery still surrounding subterranean realms: “More people have been to the Moon than to some of these caves. Each expedition brings back images and footage that reveal completely new, never‑seen phenomena.”

6 Modern Cavemen And Cavewomen

In China’s Shaanxi province, roughly 30 million people still call caves home, inhabiting dwellings known as yaodong. The loess plateau’s porous soil makes it simple to carve out a single‑room cave residence directly into the mountainside. These modest homes often replace a front door with a sheet of rice paper or a quilt, though wealthier occupants can expand their space, add electricity, running water, and even a small yard. The natural insulation keeps interiors cool in summer and warm in winter, providing an energy‑efficient lifestyle and freeing up surface land for agriculture.

Demand for these subterranean homes has risen, with many prospective buyers eager to rent or purchase. Yet residents rarely leave; many have spent their entire lives underground. Ren Shouhua, a forty‑something local, explains, “It’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It’s quiet and safe. When I get old, I’d like to go back to my roots.”

Historically, the caves have also been sites of tragedy. The 1556 Shaanxi earthquake—recorded as the deadliest in history—claimed 830,000 lives, many of whom perished when their yaodongs collapsed. Nevertheless, caves have offered refuge during pivotal moments: Mao Zedong’s forces retreated to Shaanxi caves after the Long March, and during the Cultural Revolution, President Xi Jinping spent seven years living in a cave exile.

Not all cave dwellings are humble. The deluxe Cave House in Bisbee, Arizona, listed for over $1 million in 2012, demonstrates the high‑end market for subterranean real estate. Even eBay has seen cave homes sold, such as the 2003 purchase by Curt Sleeper in Festus, Missouri, though financing proved challenging and the property eventually went to auction.

5 Medical Treatment Centers

Two French women, convinced that modern electromagnetic radiation was harming their health, sought solace in a remote cave. One of them, Bernadette Touloumond, lamented being treated “like a crazy woman” and noted the loss of friends and family misunderstanding. Across the globe, numerous medical facilities have been established within caves, promising therapeutic benefits for a variety of ailments. The Gastein Healing Cave in Austria, for instance, hosts the world’s largest pain‑management center.

Salt caves—both natural and artificially constructed—have surged in popularity as halotherapy venues. These spaces line walls and ceilings with salt, sometimes using generators to disperse fine salt particles into the air. Visitors relax in chairs, breathing the mineral‑rich environment, which is claimed to alleviate respiratory issues like asthma and skin conditions such as eczema. However, physicians caution that halotherapy may exacerbate certain conditions, particularly severe asthma.

German physician Dr. Schutz pioneered the concept after observing accelerated wound healing near a Polish salt mine during World II. Today, salt‑cure galleries are common throughout Eastern Europe, though scientific research on their efficacy remains limited, especially in English‑language publications.

4 A Controversial Movie Set

Devetashka Cave, situated near the Bulgarian village of Devetaki, has a layered history: from a 1950s military oil‑tank warehouse to an ancient human habitation site. Presently, the cavern protects a thriving bat population, including several endangered species. In 2011, the cave entered the global spotlight when producers of The Expendables 2 staged a dramatic action sequence, having Sylvester Stallone crash‑land a plane inside the cavern to confront Jean‑Claude Van Damme’s hideout.

Environmental activists argued that the shoot decimated the bat colony, claiming a 75 % reduction. Zoologist Nikolay Simov of the Center for Bat Studies and Protection explained that props, vegetation removal, and the sheer number of crew members generated noise and disturbance, forcing bats out of hibernation prematurely. Simov also noted that local officials lacked legal authority to grant filming permits, as the cave’s regulations only permit scientific research and tourism.

Subsequent investigations by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Environment and Waters found that most bats were indeed hibernating at appropriate times and that the mortality rate was not as severe as initially reported.

3 Astronomical Knowledge & A Fertility Light Show

On Gran Canaria, one of Spain’s Canary Islands, a cave once serving as a Guanche temple reveals an astonishing grasp of astronomy. The interior aligns perfectly with equinoxes and solstices, suggesting sophisticated celestial knowledge among the island’s pre‑colonial inhabitants. Archaeologist Julio Cuenca describes the cave as “a projector of images from a vanished culture.”

The temple creates a seasonal light display that mirrors fertility myths. From March to September, sunlight filters onto the walls, casting phallic projections over engravings of female pubic symbols. As autumn approaches, these images morph into a pregnant figure and finally a seed, illustrating a cyclical narrative of life and reproduction.

2 An Amusement Park

While technically not a cave, the Wieliczka Salt Mine near Kraków, Poland, has transcended its mining origins to become a subterranean amusement park. The 300‑kilometer (186‑mile) complex spans nine underground levels, featuring chapels, elaborate sculptures, and a massive cathedral—all carved from salt by generations of miners since the 13th century. The mine also boasts an underground lake and dazzling salt chandeliers.

Visitors can partake in extreme activities such as bungee jumping, hot‑air balloon rides, and even windsurfing across the lake—though a giant fan provides the necessary breeze. An on‑site brass band adds a festive soundtrack, while a dedicated spa offers halotherapy for those with respiratory ailments. In 1978, UNESCO recognized the site as a World Heritage treasure.

1 Hidden Treasure

In March 2015, 21‑year‑old Hen Zakai of the Israeli Caving Club stumbled upon an ancient cache while exploring a concealed stalactite cave in northern Israel with his father and a friend. Navigating a narrow passage, Zakai’s torch caught the glint of two silver coins minted during Alexander the Great’s era, each bearing the conqueror on one side and Zeus on the other. Nearby, a cloth pouch contained remarkably preserved silver jewelry—earrings, bracelets, and rings.

Dr. Eitan Klein of the Antiquities Authority theorized that the treasure was hidden by locals fleeing the turmoil following Alexander’s death, during the Wars of the Diadochi. The cache appears never to have been retrieved, leaving the artifacts untouched for over two millennia. Further exploration revealed ancient pottery fused to stalagmites, dating from the Hellenistic period (about 2,300 years ago) back to the Chalcolithic era (roughly 6,000 years ago).

Authorities have kept the cave’s exact location confidential to prevent looters from exploiting the site, ensuring that the hidden trove remains protected for future archaeological study.

The human brain is the powerhouse behind our unrivaled dominance on this planet. We may not be able to sprout wings, grow razor‑sharp claws, or sprint like a cheetah, but the sheer computational might of our gray matter has lifted us to the apex of evolution. Yet, even this marvel has its blind spots; there are tasks it simply can’t pull off, and those shortcomings tend to surface at the most inconvenient moments.

Fortunately, researchers are constantly unearthing clever tricks to stretch those limits. Below you’ll find ten scientifically backed hacks that let you squeeze a little extra out of the organ that makes you, well, you. Ready to give your brain a friendly jolt? Let’s dive in.

Explore 10 Cool Ways to Upgrade Your Mindset

10 Be More Attractive By Believing You Smell Good

It’s no secret that a pleasant scent can boost your appeal to potential partners—our noses instantly link fragrance with cleanliness. What’s less obvious, though, is that the mere belief you smell great can give you a hidden edge. In a study limited to male participants, researchers handed half of a group a scented spray and the other half an odorless mist, then filmed each man. When women later watched the clips and rated attractiveness, the scented‑spray group consistently earned higher scores, even though the videos offered no visual clue about odor.

This finding suggests that self‑perception does more than inflate confidence; it subtly reshapes how others see you. So, a whiff of confidence—real or imagined—can tip the scales in your favor.

9 Use Gestures To Prepare For A Test

Students employ a smorgasbord of tactics to lock information into memory before an exam—note‑taking, flashcards, even yoga. While many of these methods are hit‑or‑miss, one technique stands out for its reliability: incorporating hand gestures while you study.

Research shows that when learners physically gesture to illustrate concepts, retention spikes compared to merely speaking the material aloud or scribbling it down. In fact, a study found that vocal rehearsal alone had no measurable benefit for memory formation, underscoring the power of embodied cognition.

8 Use The Sun To Hallucinate

While we condemn recreational drug use, the allure of harmless hallucinations remains strong. Surprisingly, you can coax your brain into visual tricks without any illegal substances—just the sun. By shielding one eye, pointing it toward bright sunlight, and rhythmically waving a hand across the covered eye, most people begin to see swirling shapes—spirals, hexagons, or even squares—depending on individual perception.

Another legal route exploits the Ganzfeld effect: cover your eyes with a white sheet, lie beneath a bright, uniform light, and mute all sound with noise‑cancelling headphones for about twenty minutes. When you finally uncover your eyes, the brain fills the sensory void with its own vivid imagery.

7 Trick Your Brain Into Thinking A Rubber Arm Is Real

The classic phantom‑limb phenomenon shows that amputees can still feel a missing limb. Even more astonishing is that you can induce a similar illusion with a healthy arm. In a classic experiment, participants rested both hands on a table, tucked the right hand inside a box, and placed a lifelike rubber arm in front of them, aligning it perfectly with their shoulder.

When researchers simultaneously stroked both the real and fake hands, participants eventually reported feeling sensations in the rubber arm as if it were their own. Scientists attribute this to the brain’s heavy reliance on visual cues when constructing body ownership. Though you can’t use it to escape chores, it makes for a spooky party trick.

6 Stop Yourself From Choking By Singing

Ever been called to speak and felt your tongue tie itself in knots? That dreaded “brain‑freeze” isn’t just psychological; it’s a physiological response that can cripple performance. Scientists have uncovered a simple antidote: hum or sing a tune to yourself.

Singing diverts attention away from the panic center, allowing the brain to regulate breathing and calm the fight‑or‑flight response. If vocalizing isn’t socially feasible—say, during a board meeting—alternative tricks like counting backward or focusing on a neutral object can provide the same calming effect.

5 Listen To Classical Music To Improve Learning

Music shapes our mood, but its impact on cognition is especially noteworthy. While personal taste varies, one genre consistently boosts learning: classical music. In a controlled study, 249 students attended a lecture split into two groups—one with a subtle classical soundtrack playing in the background, the other in silence.

When the lecture ended and participants tackled a multiple‑choice test, the music‑enhanced cohort outperformed their silent peers, demonstrating that classical tunes can sharpen focus and foster deeper encoding of information.

4 Aroma Of Rosemary Improves Mental Ability

Essential oils often get a reputation for vague “well‑being” claims, but rosemary stands out with solid scientific backing. Researchers filled a room with rosemary aroma and asked participants to complete a series of subtraction and visual‑processing tasks.

Performance rose in direct proportion to the concentration of rosemary scent, indicating a clear cognitive boost. While the exact mechanism remains a mystery, the data suggest that inhaling rosemary can sharpen mental acuity—handy before exams or any demanding mental task.

3 Chew Gum To Reduce Anxiety And Depression

Beyond freshening breath, gum‑chewing offers a surprising mental perk. In a study tracking mood over two weeks, participants who chewed gum regularly reported significantly lower anxiety levels than non‑chewers. The calming effect grew stronger with continued use.

Moreover, gum‑chewers showed improved resilience against depression and fatigue, suggesting that the simple act of rhythmic mastication can modulate stress‑related neurotransmitters and lift overall mood.

2 Study In Spaced Intervals To Retain More Information

For ages, students have chased the “best” study formula, often defaulting to marathon cramming sessions. Yet neuroscience tells a different story: the brain thrives on breaks. Known as spaced repetition, this technique interleaves learning bouts with rest periods, allowing neural connections to consolidate.

Research demonstrates that cramming actually hampers retention, while strategically timed intervals boost long‑term memory formation. By giving the brain time to process, you turn fleeting knowledge into durable recall.

1 Smiling Can Trick Your Brain Into Thinking You’re Happy

We usually smile because we feel joy, but the reverse is equally true: forcing a grin can ignite happiness chemicals. Studies reveal that the simple act of smiling releases dopamine and serotonin, lowers cortisol, reduces blood pressure, and can even extend lifespan.

Crucially, this physiological cascade occurs whether the smile is genuine or feigned. So, even on a dreary day, pulling those corners upward can cheat your brain into a brighter mood.

10 cool facts about the legendary visual‑effects virtuoso Douglas Trumbull set the stage for some of cinema’s most iconic moments. From his early tinkering in a California garage to his groundbreaking work on space‑age epics, Trumbull’s career reads like a sci‑fi adventure of its own, and we’re here to explore every dazzling detail.

10 Cool Facts Overview

10 It Runs in the Family

Born on April 8, 1942, in Los Angeles, Douglas grew up with Hollywood’s glitter just a stone’s throw away—and a family tie that would later prove priceless. His father, Don Trumbull, an aerospace engineer, also dabbled in movie magic, contributing to the visual splendor of Star Wars (1977) and the classic The Wizard of Oz (1939).

Although Don didn’t earn another screen credit until after Douglas had already made his mark, the two eventually collaborated on projects like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Star Trekk: The Motion Picture. The Trumbull lineage clearly runs deep in the world of visual artistry.

9 Childhood Electronics and Building

As a youngster in sunny California, Douglas was irresistibly drawn to the inner workings of gadgets, even constructing his own crystal‑set radios—tiny receivers that harvest power directly from broadcast signals to produce sound. This hands‑on curiosity sparked an early fascination with mechanics and electricity.

His knack for building led him initially toward architecture, yet the pull of outer‑space imagination and sci‑fi storytelling eventually steered his talents toward a career that merged both passions in spectacular fashion.

8 Films for NASA and the Air Force

Before pursuing architecture, Douglas’s detailed sketches of planets and spacecraft caught the eye of Graphic Films, a boutique animation studio that serviced the U.S. government, notably NASA and the Air Force. At Graphic Films, he helped produce documentaries and conceptual pieces for these agencies.

Some of those productions were shot using Cinerama—a massive three‑projector widescreen format that wrapped around a curved screen, a precursor to modern IMAX. This immersive technology proved ideal for illustrating the vast ambitions of space exploration.

7 Ticket to the 1964 World’s Fair

One of Graphic Films’ Cinerama projects, To the Moon and Beyond, earned a coveted spot at New York’s 1964 World’s Fair, dazzling visitors at the Transportation and Travel Pavilion. The experience offered audiences a realistic glimpse of space travel five years before humans actually set foot on the Moon.

The film’s promotional poster urged viewers to brace themselves for “a fantastic, incredible voyage through billions of miles of space…from its utmost outer reaches…back to the Earth itself, and into the center of the minutest atom. All through the magic of Cinerama!”

6 A Call to Kubrick

Two notable fair‑goers, director Stanley Kubrick and author Arthur C. Clarke, were captivated by To the Moon and Beyond. Their enthusiasm led Kubrick to enlist Graphic Films as advisors and storyboard artists for the upcoming 2001: A Space Odyssey.

After Kubrick ended his formal ties with Graphic Films, Douglas seized the moment, cold‑calling the director to pitch his own ideas. That bold outreach secured a pivotal invitation: Kubrick contacted Trumbull’s boss, arranging for Douglas to travel to England and join the legendary production.

5 A Stargate Is Born

During the making of 2001, the crew wrestled with visualizing the iconic “Stargate” sequence, where astronaut Dave Bowman first encounters alien intelligence. The concept was vague—a tunnel on a Jovian moon leading to another universe—without a concrete plan for execution.

Inspired by avant‑garde animation, Douglas engineered a “slit‑scan” device that slid vivid artwork behind narrow slits while a camera pulled back, creating the hypnotic tunnel effect we see today. Kubrick approved the result, urging Trumbull to “keep shooting, keep shooting.”

4 The Birth of Familiar Droids

Riding the wave of success from 2001, Douglas soon directed his own feature, Silent Running, a future‑set tale of a botanist safeguarding Earth’s flora aboard a lone spaceship. He also designed the film’s petite maintenance robots, which bear a striking resemblance to the droids later popularized in Star Wars.

Star Wars art director Norman Reynolds recalled watching Silent Running specifically for its robots, noting similarities such as retractable arms, computer‑interfacing capabilities, built‑in tools, and the characteristic beeps and whistles that both sets of machines employ.

3 Directing the Shots

After devising the slit‑scan for the Stargate, Douglas personally operated the camera for much of that sequence at Kubrick’s behest. This hands‑on experience, combined with his directorial debut, earned him the trust of other filmmakers to helm their own visual‑effects shots.

One notable example is the 1979 Star Trek: The Motion Picture, where director Robert Wise tasked Trumbull with filming the Enterprise’s docking maneuver and Spock’s weightless spacewalk—both now celebrated as highlights of the film.

2 A Universal Back to the Future

When Universal Studios sought to bring the beloved Back to the Future franchise to a theme‑park ride, they turned to Berkshire Ridefilm—one of several companies Douglas founded, named after the Berkshire hills of Massachusetts where he lived. His expertise in motion and visual storytelling made him the perfect choice.

Douglas directed the four‑minute film segment that forms a core part of the ride, explaining on YouTube how he captured the sensation of speed and motion essential to the experience.

1 Saving the Planet

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster released roughly 3.19 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, prompting a massive environmental crisis. Ever the inventive mind, Douglas proposed a practical cleanup concept via social media, gaining notable attention for its straightforward logic.

Although no official agencies or BP pursued his proposal, the video of his pitch remains online, leaving viewers to wonder whether elements of his idea influenced later remediation efforts.

There’s something about an underground tunnel that I personally love. It’s dark, spooky, full of spiders and low-hanging pipes—and sometimes, there are dead people. It’s romantic and educational! (I was not the average thrill-seeker as a child, okay?)

When I think of crypts, catacombs, and underground cities, I jump to antiquity first. There are the necropolis under the Vatican Basilica and the burial crypts of ancient Egypt. Don’t forget the famous Catacombs in Paris and Palermo. By definition, a crypt is a “chamber, such as a vault, wholly or partly underground especially: a vault under the main floor of a church.” It makes sense we would associate crypts and underground cities of bones with our European counterparts and ancient ancestors. It’s not something we think could exist under our feet in cities in the U.S. like Boston, New York, or even Seattle.

So here’s a look at some of the American crypts and subterranean cities you can visit (and I recommend it) if you’re into winding tunnels, mystery, history, and sometimes just centuries-old dead guys. No judgment here.

Related: 10 Bone-Chilling Facts About the Catacombs of Paris

10 Seattle, WA

Believe it or not, Seattle, Washington, has an entire secret underground city that burned down in a large fire in 1889. The new city was simply rebuilt on top of the old ruins, which are still open to tours today. Between 1890 and 1907, the old ground floor continued to be used. Merchants either carried on business on the bottom floors that had managed to survive the fire or the new above-ground layer. Pedestrians then used the now-underground levels with sidewalks lit by the pavement lights above.

As you can imagine, the Underground level led to the seedier businesses. In 1907, the city condemned the Underground out of fear of the bubonic plague that was spreading along the West Coast at the time. Underground Seattle became abandoned and left to deteriorate and for use as storage. All the new abandoned space under the city became tempting accommodations for vagrants, illegal gambling, prostitution, opium dens, and speakeasies.

Today, you can visit the Seattle Underground on one of many tours. There are still artifacts and relics down there from decades past. It’s creepy and supposedly haunted, as most underground cities reportedly are.^[1]

9 New York, NY

If a more somber tour of a crypt is your thing, I would recommend popping over to New York City. Right off Mulberry Street, you’ll find St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral, with the only active Roman Catholic cemetery in Manhattan outside its doors. Some of the inhabitants are over 200 years old. The cathedral itself was the largest in the United States when it was completed in 1815, and it was the seat of the first Bishop of the Diocese of New York. Much of the wooden cathedral interior burned to the ground in 1866 in a fire set off by a kitchen stove.

Step inside today and walk down into the basement, however, and you can take a “candlelight” (It’s an LED flashlight, you know, because of the fire) tour of the crypt beneath the church. You won’t see any visible bones, but you will see lined hallways with ornate vaults and notable inhabitants. There’s Countess Annie Leary, the Delmonico family, and “Honest John” Kelly, to name a few. Oh, and upstairs, you’ll see where Francis Ford Coppola filmed the baptism scene in The Godfather.^[2]

8 Indianapolis, IN

Indiana is not a place where you’d think an underground catacomb tunnel network would exist, but it does. And it so happens that it’s very creepy to behold if you’re by yourself. Trust me on this one.

In 1886, the city of Indianapolis constructed two public buildings on Market Street designed by architect Dietrich Bohlen. These buildings were: City Market and Tomlinson Hall. City Market remains a thriving and beloved part of the downtown community of Indianapolis. Tomlinson Hall, however, disappeared from the cityscape in January 1958 when a fire ravaged the area. The city took down the remains later that year.

Today only its iconic arch and basement, known as the Catacombs, mark this once vibrant space. You can tour the catacombs as well! According to the city, the Catacombs qualify as both a ruin and a redevelopment opportunity, and they welcome visitors to explore the city’s past, present, and future. They have gone on record to say that Indianapolis’s Catacombs don’t contain bones or crypts (that they know of) but rather scores of brick barrel-vaulted arches. Nonetheless, it’s a cool space to visit if you get the chance. If you do find bones, high tail it out of there.^[3]

7 Atlanta, GA

Let’s talk about The Crypt of Civilization at Oglethorpe University. You’ve probably never heard about it unless you were really into the Guinness Book of World Records in the early ’90s or lived in Atlanta at some point. So, for background, I grew up in Atlanta and once went on a field trip to Oglethorpe University, where I saw The Crypt of Civilization. As a 10-year-old kid, I was intrigued and invested in opening this crypt and pretty much have been ever since.

There are no bodies (we think) inside this crypt. They also claim there are no valuables, gold, or jewelry inside this crypt. So, what is it? Very few facts exist about The Crypt itself. According to the University, “The Crypt of Civilization at Oglethorpe is the oldest millennial time capsule in conception and the largest in the world. In 1936, detailed plans were executed to build an extraordinary time capsule—one designed to store records for over 6,000 years, done on what could perhaps be described as an epic scale never before conceived. The visionary of this improbable quest was Oglethorpe University president Dr. Thornwell Jacobs, who has been called ‘the father of the modern time capsule.’” Jacobs was convinced that his generation could be the first to perform what he later called “our archaeological duty.” This was an obligation to provide for future historians “a thorough and accurate record, scientifically selected and preserved, of life in the twentieth century.” Some more facts to include:

• The Crypt of Civilization was sealed on May 28, 1940
• It is not to be opened until May 28, 8113
• No, you can not go inside; but you can visit the sealed stainless steel door

A lot has changed in the world since 1940. Oglethorpe has access to a lot of human archaeological archives. What’s in this crypt? Your guess is as good as mine. We’ll have to wait until National Treasure 3 or the end of the world to find this one out. I recommend going to look at the door if you’re in town. It’s as ominous and mysterious as you’d think.^[4]

6 Waterbury, CT

This is the only catacomb I’m truly scared of. Holy Land, USA is a religious “theme park” in Waterbury, CT, and nothing really says fun for the family like getting tetanus or succumbing to a deteriorating cave-in.

The park was originally opened in 1955 by John Baptist Greco, a totally normal lawyer, but it closed to the public in 1984 and was subsequently vandalized. It was also the site of the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in 2010. It was subsequently purchased by a local non-profit and reopened on September 14, 2014, with an inaugural Mass and access to ruins of the grounds. So, what’s the story about the catacombs here?

At the height of the park’s popularity, there was once an attraction called “Catacombs: A History of the Church.” But it now serves as a stark warning of the deterioration of the space. According to a local review: “Any foray into these ancient burial chambers would likely end with a slip down a hidden staircase with your forehead impaled on a plank of rusty nails.” Nope.

Originally, it ran about 200 feet along the old parking lot in a series of corridors. Viewed from the parking lot, it appears to be underground but is actually all above the surface. On the far end, a small entrance contains a sign: “The Pictorial Life of Christ—From the Cradle to the Cross.” Another crudely hand-lettered sign lists every pope up to 1978. The area is open to the public during daylight hours. I would not recommend tempting your fate and going after hours. There are plans to reopen the park in its former glory. ^[5]

5 Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati has a lot of old European architecture engrained into the heart of the city, from the restaurants to apartments and even down to where it buries its dead. It’s not often that a group of families comes together to request their long-dead relatives remain buried together. But that’s exactly what happened at Over-the-Rhine’s St. Francis Seraph Church. The original church was called Christ Church and was built in April of 1819 by the first Catholics of Cincinnati. In March 1822, Edward Fenwick, first bishop of Cincinnati, took possession of Christ Church as his cathedral. Later that year, the new bishop had Christ Church moved to a location downtown.

The cemetery remained while the city grew up around it. In November 1858, the cornerstone was laid for the present St. Francis Seraph Church. The remaining bodies were entombed in a crypt, Poets’ Corner–style , below the altar of the new church, which was consecrated on December 18, 1859.

There they stayed for more than 100 years, inaccessible to everyone except the inhabitants of the friary, which remained cloistered until the 1970s. Now, thanks to the American Legacy Queen City Underground Tour, you can see the crypt in person.^[6]

4 Newark, NJ

In 1937, Father Mateo Amoros was working as the assistant pastor at St. Joseph’s Church in Newark, New Jersey. Father Amoros reportedly took a trip to Montreal that same year, saw some catacombs, and decided that his church should also have them. The problem? The state of New Jersey generally frowned upon opening a new burial chamber beneath the church and told him no. However, Father Amoros had a much grander (and, honestly, creepier) vision in mind for his catacomb.

Instead of human remains, he would have wax corpses of saints and martyrs. By doing this, he opened America’s first wax museum, and you can still visit this “crypt” today. You can see some of the greatest hits, including St. Tarsicio, a 12-year-old altar boy who was beaten to death for refusing to surrender his Eucharist. Also, St. Genaro, who was “thrown into a lighted oven” and “thrown in with wild beasts” for choosing Christianity over paganism. Nearby lies St. Ines, “obedient girl and role model,” who refused to marry a Roman—she said she was already married to God. She then escaped vengeful murder because she was a virgin. So she was dragged to a brothel, deflowered, and then vengefully murdered.^[7]

By the way, this catacomb was also listed on a site as a top place to visit for Catholic field trips. Lovely!

3 Columbia, SC

You can’t buy a ticket to tour the Columbia catacombs, but if you’re brave enough, you can see the mysterious tunnels that all the residents know about. However, no one has an explanation for why they really exist.

“Elaborate brick arches. A two-century-old phenomenon. Cypress floors. Confederate gold. Beautifully crafted brickwork. Underground architectural wonder. Clandestine passageways for state officials. Part of the Underground Railroad.” These phrases include some of what Columbia residents use to describe and explain the tunnels. Built in the 1800s, their original purpose remains a mystery.

Chris Robinson, a professor at USC, has visited and written about the catacombs extensively. He’s even taken artifacts in hopes of finding answers as to why they’re there. So far, no bodies have been found, but the tunnels are miles long—as long as they are ornate. If you’re the adventuring type, go see for yourself and try to answer the centuries-old mystery.^[8]

2 Washington, DC

D.C. has a little bit of everything. You can drop by the White House and try to catch a glimpse of the sitting President, grab some food over at Ben’s Chili Bowl, and even visit the truly breathtaking catacombs and gardens at the Franciscan Monastery. Wait, what?

Built in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Franciscan Monastery served as a place for Americans to go when travel to the Holy Land was difficult. Exploring the catacombs makes visiting the monastery feel like a unique adventure, unlike a typical trip to a museum. The designers of the monastery even traveled to the Holy Land and consulted travelers to capture every detail. They wanted a visit to the Franciscan Monastery to feel as authentic as possible. And since the 1920s, the catacombs have been home to the bones of a young child, Saint Innocent, the martyr, that came from the Catacomb of St. Callistus.^[9]

1 Boston, MA

If you’ve been to Boston, you’ve probably stopped by the Old North Church. At the very least, you’ve heard the story of Paul Revere making his famous ride. It’s a rite of passage living in America, I think. What you probably didn’t know is that the Old North Church has a very elaborate crypt underneath it, and there’s plenty of space if you still want to be buried there today. It’s a lot cheaper than you’d think, and you don’t even need to kick out the dusty neighbors. (However, you would have to be cremated!)

Old North Church houses in its basement a crypt containing approximately 1,100 burials. From 1732 to 1860, the church interred congregants below its very floorboards. Since the church has plenty of space beneath and little space above ground, they decided to make the most of what they had to meet the burial demands of the congregation. In the basement, 37 separate brick vaults comprise the tombs in each of which 20 to 40 full coffins could be deposited.

The crypt tour is dark, dusty, and full of history, as you’d probably expect. If you’re tall, you’ll have to watch out for those low-hanging pipes. You’ll be able to see an open vault with an 18th-century coffin still intact. There might even be a ghost or two lingering around, but what else do you expect for the city where it started?^[10]