InterestingShit

A hero can come in many shapes and sizes, and as we like to point out sometimes they might also bark and play fetch.

A tale of two inventors. One died rich and famous, the other broke and forgotten. Did the better inventor win? We all know the names Thomas Alva Edison and Nikola Tesla, but many would argue about their connection. Here's their story: We know Thomas Edison as the inventor of the lightbulb, the phonograph and the movie camera. But did you know that we have to thank Nikola Tesla for the advancements in alternating current (AC), X-Rays and the radio (remote) control? Edison and Tesla met on a disagreement about the current. Edison favored direct current electricity, while Tesla though that alternating current was way better. Tesla's alternating current electricity could be distributed more easily, without the need for multiple power plants across the cities. In an effort to throw him off the rails, Edison made a bet of $50.000 with Tesla that he couldn't make his machines more efficient on alternating current. Tesla managed to achieve significant progress, to which Edison reneged on the deal, telling Tesla “you don't understand our American humor” and offered him a $10 raise a week instead. This made Tesla quit. Tesla was more interested in inventing than in business. He built the first hydro-electric power plant on Niagara Falls. By 1896, General Electric was also using Tesla's AC. Edison would electrocute animals to prove that AC is dangerous, but still managed to make a fortune and die rich. Nikola Tesla died poor and alone in 1943.

We all hate it when bugs crash a good picnic, but actually insects are vital to our survival, and we should stop wiping them out. German researchers just released some shocking bug news. Since 1989 they have tracked insect growth in nature reserves. Recent data shows that flying insect populations are down by 80%. This is the latest statistic to prove that insects are in danger. Since 1990, the butterfly population in Europe has fallen by 50%. Honeybees in North America have dropped by 59% since WWII, and moth populations in the UK fell 30% each decade. <a href="https://rumble.com/v30rex-11-most-terrifying-bugs.html" target="_blank">Humans may not always love bugs</a>, but we can’t live without them. We rely on insects to pollinate 80% of the world’s plants, including most of the fruits and vegetables we eat daily. Bugs maintain the balance of nature by eating destructive crops, and they make our world cleaner by breaking down all sorts of waste. <a href="https://rumble.com/v3iqof-unique-and-mysterious-breed-of-bug-spotted-in-texas.html" target="_blank">A bug’s life</a> is quite connected to our own, but their numbers are dropping and we need to know why. Pollutants and pesticides are the usual suspects. Scientists agree that ecosystems are resilient, but nature won’t hold out forever. We have to act now. Share this and bug your friends about the importance of insects.

In an era when food was a luxury for most Americans, dance marathons could mean the difference between a decent meal or going to bed hungry.

Vietnam's Hang Son Doong is more than just a cave - it's a massively majestic world unto itself filled with jungles and a river.

A lot of people do not like bugs or creepy crawlies, especially worms! But now, it may be worms that may be saving the environment from our devastating impact! It not be much to look at, but the wax worm's unusual appetite may just save us! These little worms eat polythyrene which means they eat a key component found in plastic bags! Their astonishing appetite might help scientists find solutions to biodegrading plastic safer & quicker than current methods! Talk about absolutely amazing! This is an educational video that you do not want to miss! This video is absolutely crazy! Who would have thought that one of the environment's biggest issues could be solved with an enzyme found in these wax worms! These little creature could be the key to making our world a much healthier place to live in! So next time you think of killing a bug, think about how it can help the environment around it and let it go free! Plastic bags are really a nuisance on society and the world now a days and it makes you wonder, "why are they still being produced?" People are starting to use <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Home-Kitchen-Reusable-Grocery-Bags/zgbs/home-garden/1252210011?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=rumble07-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=9db44c11630d16b904c0892eafbee555&camp=1789&creative=9325">reusable bags from Amazon</a> more and more often! They are cheap and they help save the environment!

After decades of trade embargoes Cubans have gotten by building what they can't purchase out of re-purposed materials, whether it's industrial-grade machinery for a factory or a household fan.

We might love our fireworks in the USA and Canada, but at least we send ours up in the air! In the town of Tultepec in Mexico, there is a festival dedicated to John of God, the patron saint of fireworks makers. Every year, 100.000 people go to Tultepec, Mexico, to run and dance among the fireworks. Their National Pyrotechnic Festival is being held in honor of San Juan De Dios, the patron saint of fireworks. Isn’t that quaint? Unlike our celebration that includes fireworks, the explosions are not in the sky. Hell no, they release them on the ground, among the festival goers. Needless to say, it both a very magical and extremely dangerous event to participate in. Visitors compete in the event by building structures out of wood, reed, paper and fireworks. There are dozens of bull-shaped sculptures, loaded with fireworks and set off in the streets. Out of all the fireworks produced in Mexico, 50-80% are made in Tultepec. Even though it is very dangerous, in contributes greatly to the local economy. Each year, the festival accumulates up to 800.000 US dollars. The firework making business provides many jobs for the locals, as they are crucial part in many celebrations and festivals in the country.

The first woman to run for president wasn't applauded for her efforts, she became a maligned social outcast branded a 'witch.'

Today’s scientists just witnessed two stars collide 130 million years in the past. We have Albert Einstein to thank for showing us where to look.

Today, if your home phone is still plugged into the wall, you are being archaic. We live in a world of instant everything – food, calls, texts...Imagine what it must have been like to have to send a pigeon to deliver your message and wait for the reply? Pigeons have been used as messengers since 3000 B.C. The raven might have the thunder in Game of Thrones, but it is the pigeons who are the go to bird to deliver your message even today. How do they do it, you ask? They just fly home! Thanks to their abilities for magnetoreception, they instinctually align and orient themselves to the magnet fields of the Earth. The simplest example comes from the first Olympic games in 776 BC, when every athlete was to bring his own pigeon; if they won, he would release the pigeon, so that the bird might deliver the news of the victory to his village. Even the famed Genghis Khan was a huge fan of homing pigeons and used the birds to establish communications with Eastern Europe and Asia. These birds were a massive tactical advantage for his men. For the past few years, the police has caught carrier pigeons attempting to various contraband into prisons, like drugs, sim cards, even cell phones! Let us see you send a cell phone via email!

Amongst the many nasty things the Nazis did during WWII was steal a lot of art. Billions of dollar's worth, in fact. Thankfully, someone is on the trail.

Cancer took her life at a young age & she left behind a family who loved her, but Henrietta Lacks' death lead to advances in medicine that have saved millions of lives.

First impressions can be lasting ones, so when it comes to catching the eye of a prospective partner this pufferfish pulls out all the stops to create a mating masterpiece.

The Republic of Congo has very stylin' individuals who wear outlandish outfits worth more than the homes they live in.

Driving across California? You might witness dozens of zebras grazing by the side of the road, a living reminder of what money used to buy America's wealthy back in the day. It’s true: There are wild zebras in California, a reminder of a time when vastly wealthy families kept private menageries for their children and as a way to show off their good fortune.

Is society placing an unreasonable expectation on women to always have a smile on their face?

Some people might shrug it off as a fad; others take the path of self-righteousness and judgment. But gender identity and the concept of a person identifying as something other than “male” or “female” is an ancient question. And in some cultures, there are more than two options.

Before they were making movies in LA, the city was an oil town. In the 1920s, LA produced over one quarter of all the world's oil. Today you can still see signs of the petroleum industry, if you look close enough. The City of Angels sits on the third largest oil field within the United States. The LA Brea Tar Pits in the middle of the city have oozed tar and oil for thousands of years. Bones of animals were found trapped in the tar and preserved over the centuries. Back in the 20s, LA produced 25% of the world oil. From Santa Monica to Huntington Beach - the beaches that Los Angeles in famous for were covered with oil derricks. Today, there are over 3000 active oil wells in the Los Angeles Area. Seeing how oil production is an ugly business, the industry tries to hide it from the eye of the public. Fake buildings are erected on top of the drilling sites, there are fake tropical islands, there is one beside the stadium at Beverly Hills High School, even by the Beverly Hills Mall! Have you noticed it? Now, Los Angeles produces around 250.000 barrels of oil a day.

This is not a plotline from The Handmaid's Tale, but the very real story of Sri Lankan babies being farmed for international adoption.

Just because you work for biscuits doesn't mean your job is any less important. The rescue dogs on-site at the Twin Towers both during and immediately following 9/11 made sure their noses - and their personalities - were always there whenever a human needed either. Working dogs are trained to ignore loud noises when their owners are in need. When the Twin Towers were hit, two guide dogs by the names of Roselle and Salty ignored the sounds of the towers collapsing around them, as they led their blind owners to safety. Because it was their job. The two Golden Retrievers took their owners down 70 flight of stairs engulfed in fire and smoke, letting the firefighters who climbed up to pet them. The two canine heroes shared the Dickin Medal from the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals in 2002. Over 100 search and rescue dogs worked tirelessly on Ground 0 during and after the devastating event. When they weren’t working, the dogs offered comfort to those who were in pain or have suffered a loss. These dogs breathed smoke and dust while searching for survivors, while their paws would get bruised or cut, so veterinarians were on the site to provide comfort for the furry heroes as well. The last surviving 9/11 rescue dog, Bretagne, died in 2016 and received a hero’s funeral in her hometown of Cyprus, Texas

It’s never fun when someone else’s mistake (looking at you, America) results in having four ornery thermonuclear bombs in your backyard.

Dispatch: IS's Bob Thissen explores this abandoned Richmond Generating Station built in 1925. The historical structure is being looted for its metal by scavengers.

An American company has invented an industry-changing, fashion-friendly leather product that will definitely have cows breathing easier.

Looking for a thrill? Try slipping into a garment that will make you look like a neon flying squirrel and then dive off the tallest cliff you can find. The modern wingsuit is an engineering marvel, but many lessons in its development were learned the very hard way.