A woman in red lace lingerie sitting on the arm of a grey sofa in a white brick room
Photograph by pvstory
 
WHAT WE FOUND
A person holding an open book with a Van Gogh self portrait covering their face, in front of a purple background
The Woman Who Made Vincent van Gogh Famous
Everybody knows Vincent van Gogh for his artwork. But is that really why? There’s one person who pretty much made him the big name he is today. His sister-in-law. After his death, she ran what is described as the best branding campaign of the 19th century. But still to this day, nobody knows about her. Meet Jo. ›
An illustration of a lone figure walking across an empty plain at sunset, leaving a line of footprints behind
This Simple Walking Habit May Have Helped Humans Conquer the World
Humans and chimps walk very differently, as you would sort of expect. But there’s one slight difference in technique that we humans have adopted over the years to basically help us cover distances all over the globe. We can thank our ancestors for super strong bones too. With that, no wonder we conquered so much. It’s all in the landing. ›
 
MORE GOOD STUFF
A hundred dollar bill standing upright on a polished table
The Minimum Wage the Year You Were Born, From 1940 to 2010
Thirty cents an hour. That was the American minimum wage in 1940, and adjusted for inflation, the best year to be on it was 1968. Find your year. ›
Two drinks vending machines side by side on a Japanese street
From Holy Water to Frozen Meals: The Evolution of Vending Machines
The first vending machine sold holy water in a Roman Egyptian temple. English pubs were using them for snuff (tobacco you sniff) by 1615. And in 1931, one machine in England handed over a lit cigarette for a penny. How it all got started. ›
 
TOP SHELF
Here’s how the funny bone really got its name. Why Five Guys is so fussy about where its potatoes come from. What does the speed of light look like on Earth? Nicolas Cage’s pyramid tomb. And how to keep spiders out of your bedroom.
 
ONE TO FOLLOW
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@esc8pe.reality
Quirky account showcasing fun things around internet culture and tech.
 
LAST WORD
“Rest at the end, not in the middle.”
— KOBE BRYANT