Culture

Aloha Wanderwell, the World’s Most Widely-Traveled Woman

If Indiana Jones was real, he’d be a woman. More specifically, he’d be this woman: Aloha Wanderwell. Aloha was quite unlike anyone else of her time. An explorer, vaudevillian, filmmaker, wife, and mother, she...

Sarah Simonovich

June 12, 2018

Culture

What is horsepower?

Even if you’ve never so much as looked at a horse in your entire life, you’ve probably heard the term horsepower plenty of times. Whether it’s a car commercial or your friend talking about his fancy new...

Sarah Simonovich

June 5, 2018

Culture

Strike a Pose: Food Photography and Styling

In a world of social media and advertising, looks are everything—and I’m not just talking about people here. The way our food looks is super important. If it doesn’t appear fresh, we’re probably not...

Kayleigh DeMace

May 30, 2018

Category - Culture

Looking for some fun facts, interesting histories, or incredible stories? Humans and human stories are fascinating. Join us as we explore mankind’s earliest relationships with petroleum, industry, technology, and everything in-between.

ketchup, heinz ketchup, tomato ketchup, viscosity, ketchup viscosity

Culture

How Understanding Viscosity Can Help You Enjoy Ketchup More

So, say you’re at a nice restaurant. Maybe you’re on a date or having an important business lunch. You order a burger and, while it’s a lovely sandwich, cooked perfectly medium, all it’s missing is that sweet, acidic...

Sarah Simonovich

August 28, 2017

Culture

What in Tarnation are the La Brea Tar Pits?

Where else can you find a Dire Wolf outside of Westeros? California, of course. If you ever find yourself cruising around Hancock Park in Los Angeles, California, you might find yourself very close to some fascinating...

Sarah Simonovich

August 7, 2017

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Culture

Oh My Gears: Understanding the Ancient Antikythera Mechanism

If a ship sinks more than 2,000 years ago and no one’s around to witness it, does it make a splash in history? The answer is yes—it just might take a while. In 1900, a storm blew a team of Greek sponge divers off course...

Sarah Simonovich

August 4, 2017

Autos Culture

Auto Show Models Through the Ages

Classic cars and beautiful women are instantly paired in the minds of many. There’s just something about the combination that is timeless, and it’s something that has stuck around for quite some time. And the job...

Kayleigh DeMace

August 2, 2017

Culture

Lubricants and Their Role in Roller Skating

Some of my favorite birthday parties to attend when I was younger were the ones held at local skating rinks. As we grew up, fewer parties were held there and my friends all kind of shifted away from skating, for some...

Kayleigh DeMace

July 24, 2017

Culture

Oil: Bowling’s Slick, Invisible Superhero

Bowling Lanes and Oil Go Hand-in-Hand. The first time you went bowling, you may have noticed the ball slide down the lane without spinning. As a child, you may have thought—Wow I’m pretty good, I can easily bowl a...

Kendra Kuhar

July 17, 2017

kurt vonnegut, cloud seeding, ice-nine, cat's cradle, bernard vonnegut, bernie vonnegut, vonnegut brothers, general electric, GE

Culture

Kurt Vonnegut, Cloud Seeding, and the Power of the Weather

Q: What does a novel, GE, and governmental control of the weather have in common? A: At least one Vonnegut. My first introduction to Kurt Vonnegut was his 1963 novel, Cat’s Cradle. Shortly after that I also devoured...

Sarah Simonovich

July 5, 2017

Autos Culture

Supernatural’s 1967 Chevrolet Impala

Imagine walking into a warehouse full of ’67 Impala cars and car parts. Well, that exists, and it’s all for the television show, Supernatural. The Season 11 episode “Baby” played right into the fan’s love of the show’s...

Kayleigh DeMace

July 3, 2017

Culture Tech

Could a Nylon Parachute Deliver Your Amazon Order?

What do parachutist Adeline Gray and Amazon have in common? Well, you’d be surprised. 75 years ago, on June 6, 1942, Adeline Gray made the first human jump with a nylon parachute. It took place at Brainard Field...

Kendra Kuhar

June 21, 2017

Autos Culture

Of Ships and Sea Monsters: What’s the Connection?

Ships are the reason a lot of us live where we live today. Early world explorers and settlers traveled for weeks and even months on boats looking for a new world. Looking for a place to start a new life. These vessels...

Kayleigh DeMace

June 19, 2017