January 3, 2014
By The Morning News
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- Indonesian miners' use of mercury to expedite gold production takes a devastating environmental, human toll.
- Cocaine trafficking has claimed more lives than the Spanish Inquisition—ongoing deaths are equal to Nazi Germany.
- Developing countries' obesity rates far exceed industrial nations'; China and Mexico's figures have doubled since 1980.
- In post-Mubarak Egypt, urban slums' graffiti and music, considered vulgar three years ago, now dominate pop culture.
- Urban legends have evolved—or devolved—into "Creepypasta."
- Delhi's first gourmet grocer has responded to India's evolving food tastes for the past 50 years—and never sold beef.
- Researchers hope to end organ donor waiting lists on a massive scale by growing replacement parts inside pigs.
- Chinese diplomat criticizes glorification of WWII memorial in Tokyo, compares President Abe to Lord Voldemort.
- The Australian aboriginal language favors compass points over "left" and "right"; i.e., "That girl to the east of you is my sister."
- Southern Manitoba's current -24°F cold snap makes it as cold as Mars.
- A regional slang quiz.
- George W. Bush, Muhammad, and WWE employees are among 2013's most edited Wikipedia pages.
- Margaret Thatcher had 120 hair appointments in 1984, an average of once every three days.
- The London Underground's twisted, disorderly path is due in part to impassable masses of dead bodies.
- The fight over Richard III's bones is just another incident in the larger, longer battle to make the past into what we want it to have been.
- Popular on Reddit: hypnotic gif of Pop-Tarts being folded in a factory.
