Almost True: blog.

Imagine a world where the most dangerous thing about your dinner wasn’t the cholesterol, but the literal poison lurking within its vibrant skin. Welcome to the peculiar history of the tomato – a fruit once feared and reviled, now a staple in kitchens worldwide. The Tomato’s Trepidatious Travels The story begins in South America, the…

The Great Molasses Flood: A Sticky Disaster Imagine a wave of molasses, thicker than any syrup you’ve ever encountered, surging through the streets of a bustling city. This isn’t a scene from a bizarre dream; it’s what actually happened in Boston on January 15, 1919, in an event now known as the Great Molasses Flood.…

Introduction: The Accidental Discovery of Penicillin Imagine a world without antibiotics, where a simple cut could turn deadly. Before 1928, this was the reality. Then came Alexander Fleming, a Scottish bacteriologist whose messy lab habits inadvertently changed the course of medicine. His accidental discovery of penicillin not only revolutionized healthcare but also highlighted the importance…

Introduction Imagine a world where your trash becomes treasure, not through recycling, but by literally transforming into energy. That’s the promise of waste-to-energy (WtE) technology, a process that’s been around for decades but is now gaining renewed attention as a sustainable solution to our growing waste problem. The Problem: Mountains of Waste Our modern lives…

Have you ever stopped to consider how something as commonplace as the equals sign (=) came to be? It’s a symbol we use daily in mathematics and even in casual writing, but its origin is surprisingly interesting and not at all obvious. The Accidental Invention of the Equals Sign The equals sign wasn’t always around.…

Introduction Imagine a world where your cup of tea could predict the future or reveal secrets about your personality. Welcome to the captivating realm of tasseography, the art of tea leaf reading. More than just a quirky pastime, tasseography boasts a rich history and a devoted following, offering a unique blend of divination and cultural…

Introduction: The Case of the Disappearing Islands Imagine islands vanishing before your very eyes, not due to rising sea levels, but because of cartographic errors. Phantom islands, also known as ghost islands, are landmasses that appeared on maps for extended periods, only to be proven nonexistent. Their stories are a mix of exploration, misidentification, wishful…

Introduction: The Whispering Plague Imagine a silent epidemic, one that spreads not through germs but through shared knowledge and social influence. This is the bizarre tale of the ‘Dancing Plague’ of 1518, an event that saw hundreds of people in Strasbourg, Alsace (then part of the Holy Roman Empire), inexplicably dance for days on end,…

Have you ever stopped to consider the silent guardians of our historical memory? These aren’t people, but rather…books. More specifically, the surprising phenomenon of books bound in human skin, known as anthropodermic bibliopegy. While it sounds like something straight out of a horror novel, it’s a documented practice that, while rare, occurred for centuries. The…

The Curious Case of Exploding Head Syndrome Imagine waking up to a sudden, loud noise in your head – a bang, a crash, or even the sound of an explosion. But there’s no actual explosion, no external source, just a terrifying sound seemingly originating from within. This is the reality for people who experience Exploding…

Have you ever wondered why we call it “gut feeling” when we have a strong intuition? Turns out, there’s a good reason: your gut and your brain are deeply connected. It’s more than just butterflies when you’re nervous; it’s a complex communication system that scientists are only beginning to fully understand. This fascinating link is…

The Curious Case of Exploding Pants: How Victorian Fashion Met Unforeseen Danger Imagine a world where your trousers could spontaneously combust. Sounds like a scene from a slapstick comedy, right? But in the Victorian era, this was a genuine, albeit rare, concern. The culprit? A chemical compound called picric acid, and its surprising use in…

Have you ever wondered about the seemingly endless variety of dog breeds, from the tiny Chihuahua to the massive Great Dane? Their differences in size, shape, and temperament are astounding, but what’s even more remarkable is how quickly this diversity arose. All domestic dogs, despite their vast differences, descend from the gray wolf, and the…

Introduction: The Case of the Exploding Pants Imagine a world where your trousers could spontaneously combust. Sounds like a far-fetched movie plot, right? But during the 19th century, this was a genuine concern, particularly among those who worked or lived around newly developed chemical industries. The culprit? A compound called calcium sulfide, and a rather…

The Curious Case of Exploding Lakes Imagine a serene lake, its waters reflecting the clear sky above. Now, picture that same lake suddenly erupting, releasing a massive cloud of deadly gas. This isn’t a scene from a science fiction movie; it’s a real phenomenon known as a limnic eruption, and it has happened with devastating…

Have you ever stopped to wonder why traffic lights use red, yellow, and green? The choice wasn’t arbitrary. It was carefully selected based on existing signals in the railroad industry. Let’s dive into the history and logic behind these colorful cues that govern our roads. The Railroad Roots Before cars clogged city streets, trains ruled…

Have you ever wondered why the color of the sky is blue? It seems like such a simple question, but the answer involves some fascinating physics and a touch of historical scientific debate. The story of how we came to understand the blueness of the sky is a testament to human curiosity and the power…

The Unexpected Origins of Bubble Wrap Bubble wrap, that ubiquitous packing material beloved for its stress-relieving popping capabilities, has a surprising origin story. It wasn’t initially designed to protect fragile items during shipping. Instead, it was envisioned as textured wallpaper. From Wallpaper to Packaging Marvel In 1957, engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes were experimenting…