Interesting Thing of the Day

This fascinating tropical plant, not really a palm at all, tells travelers what direction they're facing and stores enough water in its hollow trunk to quench their thirst.

This traditional Italian bowl lends itself to a friendship ritual that involves drinking a mixture of coffee and grappa. It may also have been inspired by the Holy Grail.

All over Costa Rica, you can find stone spheres of various sizes. They're old, but no one seems to know who made them, when, why, or how.

The famous hot sauce from Avery Island, Louisiana, has a great deal in common with wine, and a history that's intertwined with that of a salt mining operation.

An Icelandic myth tells the story of Thor's encounter with the hard-headed giant Hymir, and illustrates the lengths some people (or gods) will go to for a good supply of mead.

The best way to seal a bottle of wine is a matter of debate, more because of aesthetics than function. Corks have the historical edge, but plastic stoppers and even screw caps are making inroads.

The most popular attraction in the entire province of British Columbia is, of all things, a footbridge over a scenic canyon. But what a bridge!

Meditation is a great way to relieve stress, but it need not involve sitting still. One increasingly popular form of meditation involves walking along a twisty path known as a labyrinth.

On certain trees in Patagonia, large, otherworldly orange fungus globules grow. If you can get past the "yuck" factor, they actually make a tasty treat.

The world's first electronic musical instrument didn't have a keyboard or strings. Its user interface consisted of two antennas, and you played it by waving your hands.

The division of days into 24 hours and hours into 60 minutes is arbitrary and makes calculation awkward. Why not use a system based on units of 10 and 100? Some people have tried, with lackluster results.

It may sound like a joke, but a type of hockey played on the bottom of a swimming pool is becoming a serious international sport.

Everyone agrees that English spelling is far too complicated and difficult to learn. But the barriers to solving those problems are unthinkably high.

If you love a book, set it free. That's the idea behind a service that aims to turn the entire world into a library by recirculating good, used books in public places.

A severely endangered species, this highly unusual flightless bird in New Zealand evolved with virtually no means of defense against predators. After driving them to the brink of extinction, humans are now their best hope for survival.