Month: July 2025

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The Kola Superdeep Borehole

The Kola Superdeep Borehole

The Kola Superdeep Borehole is the deepest hole ever dug by humans. It’s located on the Kola Peninsula in northwest Russia, near the border with Norway. Russian scientists began drilling in 1970 to learn more about the Earth’s crust. They reached a depth of about 40,230 feet (12.2 km), deeper than Mount Everest is tall! But the hole is very narrow, only about 9 inches wide.
During the project, scientists made some surprising discoveries. They found extremely high temperatures (around 180°C), water trapped deep inside solid rock, and learned that the Earth’s crust is much more complex than they thought. They also found tiny fossil remains about 2 billion years old.
The drilling stopped in 1992 because the heat was too intense. The equipment at the time couldn’t go any deeper.
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Michael J Fox

Michael J Fox

Michael J. Fox was seated at a long table at the 2018 New York Comic Con, signing autographs for a line of enthusiastic fans. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as people held out “Back to the Future” posters, DVDs, and memorabilia, each eager to get a signature from the man who had brought Marty McFly to life. Fox, always gracious, smiled and exchanged a few words with each fan as he signed. Then, a woman approached, holding a well-worn “Back to the Future” poster.
She placed it in front of him, but instead of asking for a simple autograph, she hesitated. When Fox looked up, she took a deep breath and explained that the poster had belonged to her late father. He had been a lifelong fan of the film and had introduced her to it when she was a child. Watching “Back to the Future” together had been their tradition, something they did every year without fail. Even during his battle with a long illness, when he was too weak to do much else, they would sit side by side, rewatching their favorite movie. It had been their way of escaping reality, even for just a couple of hours.
Her voice wavered as she told Fox that her father had passed away a few months earlier. She had kept the poster as a reminder of their time together, and she wanted something more than just a signature. She asked if he could write a personal message for her father, something she could cherish forever.
Fox, who had been nodding as she spoke, fell silent for a moment. He gently ran his fingers over the creased edges of the poster, clearly moved by the weight of her words. His usual quick responses and lighthearted quips gave way to a deep moment of reflection.
Instead of simply signing his name, he carefully took the pen and wrote a heartfelt note: “To a father who made time travel real by sharing these moments with his daughter. With love, Michael J. Fox.”
When he handed the poster back, the woman looked down at his message and pressed a hand to her mouth. Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered a quiet thank you. Fox reached out and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, offering a warm smile before she walked away, still clutching the poster as if it were the most valuable thing she had ever owned.
Later, when asked about the encounter, Fox admitted that moments like these reminded him why his work mattered. It was never just about making movies or playing a beloved character it was about the connections people formed through those stories, the memories they built, and the emotions tied to them.
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Roof Tiles From Tyres

Tyre Shingles

My husband came home from work last Friday with a trailer full of old tires and announced he was fixing our leaky shed roof. I thought he meant he was going to buy actual roofing materials, not turn our backyard into a tire graveyard.
He spent the entire weekend arranging these things like giant black shingles, overlapping them in rows that somehow actually look intentional. When I asked where he got the idea, he just shrugged and said “free materials, good drainage, problem solved.” The man has an engineering degree but apparently thinks like a caveman when it comes to home improvement.
I posted photos in my upcycling group on the Tedooo app hoping someone would back me up that this looks ridiculous. Instead, half the people said it was genius and started asking for tutorials. One woman said her neighbor did something similar and it has lasted fifteen years without a single leak. Another person shared photos of tire roofs in developing countries that are built to withstand hurricanes.
The shed has not had a single drop of water inside since he finished, even after three days of heavy rain last week. The tires seem to channel water away perfectly, and I have to admit they are probably more durable than the cheap metal roofing we were going to buy. My neighbor stopped by yesterday and said it looks like modern art.
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Original Apple Pie

Original Apple Pie

The first ever recorded ‘apple pie’ recipe from 14th century England contained more pears than apples and was baked in a crust called a ‘coffyn’.
This recipe, recorded around the year 1381, gives us a look at what our ancestors truly ate.
It wasn’t just a simple apple dessert. The filling was a rich mixture of apples, pears, figs, and raisins. A far cry from what we see today.
The real show of wealth wasn’t the fruit, but the spices. Saffron, which was worth more than its weight in gold, was a key ingredient, giving the pie a golden color and a distinct flavor.
There was no refined sugar in the recipe. All the sweetness came naturally from the fruits and perhaps a bit of honey, not from the processed sugars we rely on now.
The word ‘coffyn’ didn’t mean what it means today. It came from an old word for a box or case, and in this context, it just meant a sturdy pastry shell.
This thick, hard crust wasn’t always eaten. Its main purpose was to act as a durable, edible container that could preserve the fruit filling inside for days, making it a portable meal.
So the original apple pie was less of a sweet dessert and more of a hearty, preserved meal for the wealthy, a world away from the classic American treat.
Sources: The Berkshire Edge, South Florida Reporter, The French Life, Splendry
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…even a man with nothing… can still give everything.

Skelton and Chaplin

In the 1950s, Red Skelton was performing to sold-out crowds in Los Angeles. One night after the show, an elderly, hunched man in tattered clothes appeared at the stage door—so unrecognizable that the staff assumed he was just another street performer and tried to send him away.

But the man quietly pleaded:
“Please… tell Mr. Skelton I’ve come to see Freddie the Freeloader.”

Red, still dressed as his beloved character Freddie, heard the commotion and peeked outside—only to be completely stunned.

It wasn’t just anyone.

It was Charlie Chaplin—the silent film legend himself.

Red immediately invited him in, offered him a seat, and the two comedians spent nearly two hours together, just the two of them. No reporters, no audience—just two kindred spirits sharing stories from the heart.

Chaplin told Red:
“Freddie the Freeloader… he’s a beautiful soul. He’s the closest I’ve seen to The Tramp since I retired him.”

For Red, this meant the world. Chaplin was his idol, and to have him recognize Freddie—not as a copy, but as a kindred soul—was the highest honor.

Before leaving, Chaplin embraced Red and whispered:
“Never stop playing that character. The world needs to remember that even a man with nothing… can still give everything.”

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Richard Norris Williams

Richard Norris Williams

Richard Norris Williams was an extraordinary figure whose legacy bridges one of history’s greatest disasters and remarkable athletic triumph. Born on January 29, 1891, in Geneva, Switzerland, Williams was aboard the RMS Titanic when it struck an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912. He survived the tragedy despite spending hours in the frigid waters of the North Atlantic. Doctors recommended amputation due to severe frostbite, but he refused—and that decision would soon define his resilience. Not only did he recover, but he also went on to dominate the tennis world. He won the U.S. Open singles title in 1914 and 1916, and in 1920, he captured the Wimbledon doubles championship, partnering with Chuck Garland. His powerful play and steadfast determination made him a standout in early American tennis.
Beyond his tennis victories, Williams’ life was a testament to perseverance. He represented the United States in the Davis Cup and earned a bronze medal in mixed doubles at the 1924 Paris Olympics. In 1957, his contributions to the sport were formally recognized when he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. His story is more than one of athletic prowess—it’s the arc of survival and triumph. The visual depiction of him playing tennis against the backdrop of the Titanic captures this duality perfectly: one man, shaped by catastrophe, yet undeterred in his pursuit of greatness. Williams remains a symbol of grit, endurance, and the indomitable human spirit.
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Norway Launches Robotic Fish That Eats Plastic Waste from Harbors

Plastic Eating Robot Fish

In Oslo, Norwegian marine engineers have released a fleet of biomimetic robotic fish that autonomously swim through polluted harbors, detecting and swallowing floating plastic without disturbing wildlife.
The robots, nicknamed “Cleanfins”, are about the size of a tuna and equipped with infrared cameras, sonar, and chemical sensors that identify microplastic clusters, wrappers, and bottle debris. Once detected, a soft internal vacuum gently pulls the plastic into a biodegradable holding chamber.
Powered by solar-charged batteries, they can operate for up to 48 hours per swim, filtering thousands of particles before returning to a floating dock for unloading and diagnostics. Their tail-fin propulsion mimics real fish, reducing noise pollution.
Field trials in Bergen and Oslofjord removed over 3,000 kilograms of plastic debris in just one month. AI swarms let them communicate and divide search zones to maximize coverage.
Norway is now producing them for use in coastal resorts, industrial ports, and fishery zones — a scalable solution for autonomous microplastic removal.