websites for interesting articles

Sign up for our daily newsletter

• Privacy Policy
• Advertise with Us

13 Interesting and Intellectual Websites to Feed Your Brain

Whether you’re looking to learn something new or see something from a new perspective, there is a wide variety of interesting websites filled with thought-provoking content. Pick your favorites and add them to your favorite RSS reader or subscribe to their email newsletters.

1. Farnam Street

2. the marginalian (formerly brain pickings), 3. ted talks.

• 4. Harper's Magazine

7. Wait But Why

8. open culture, 9. thoughtco., 10. nautilus, 11. information is beautiful, 12. longreads, 13. jstor daily, frequently asked questions.

Also read: 5 of the Best Websites to Learn Morse Code Online for Free

Helping you make the most out of your brain to learn faster and smarter.

• Articles are organized by topic for quick access
• Subscribe to a free weekly newsletter
• Has an interesting podcast as well
• Some content and features are only for paying members
• Site itself is very minimal design-wise

Farnam Street is well-known for content designed to help you learn faster, think better, improve decision making, and teach you how to use your brain better. For instance, learn from some of the biggest intellectual giants, such as Richard Feynman or Peter Bevelin . You can also pick up how to learn and recall things faster and easier than before or how to get more out of every reading session.

Make sure you don’t miss The Knowledge Podcast with incredible interviews, lessons, and amazing insights. You can get early episodes, no ads, extra content, book summaries, and more by becoming a member for $20/month or $100/year.

Also read: 7 of the Best Apps to Learn New Languages

Insightful content designed to give you a deeper meaning of life.

• Long-form content on a variety of insightful topics
• Completely ad-free
• Two different newsletters (weekly digest and random archive posts)
• Topics may sometimes feel random (though they do fit the overall theme of broadening the mind and heart)

The Marginalian , formerly known as “Brain Pickings,” is the brain child of Maria Popova. Since the site began in 2006, Popova has written millions of pages worth of content examining art, science, philosophy, history, and much more. Gain inspiration through the stories of others, such as Resolutions for a Life Worth Living , or understand how witchcraft, our universe, and science fiction relate in How Kepler Invented Science Fiction and Defended His Mother in a Witchcraft Trial While Revolutionizing Our Understanding of the Universe .

Since the site is ad-free, Popova does kindly ask that you consider donating once or even monthly to help offset the costs of running the site, but it’s not required.

Learn from thought-leaders on almost any topic through engaging talks.

• Talks are from experts and thought leaders in their fields
• Content is always engaging and sometimes even entertaining
• Each talk is designed to educate or help broaden your mind
• Some content is only for members ($5/month or $50/year)

TED Talks is one of the most interesting websites to visit. There are numerous topics, such as ancient worlds, encryption, language, music, philosophy, vulnerability, and everything in between. Talks are usually less than 20 minutes, making them ideal to listen to on the way to work. There are also transcripts available.

You can also check out podcasts via the TED Audio Collective or read the insightful Ideas blog . While you can search by topic or get recommendations, a few great talks to get you started include Tim Urban: Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator , Jon Ronson: When Online Shaming Goes Too Far , and Andrew Solomon: Depression, the Secret We Share.

Also read: 7 of the Best Android Apps for Mental Health Improvement

4. Harper’s Magazine

Long-form journalism at its best as the magazine examines culture, politics, society, and the environment.

• Founded in 1850 and even featured Theodore Roosevelt, Tom Wolfe and Winston Churchill
• Original and innovative thinking is the premise
• Covers politics, society, the environment, and more through a thorough journalistic approach, along with fiction and engaging essays
• Some content is only for print/digital subscribers ($23.99 for one year or $33.99 for two years)

Harper’s Magazine started in print in 1850 to encourage new and well-known voices to talk about the issues of the day. It’s still going strong today. If you prize well-researched long-form content with interviews, facts, and new perspectives, this might just be one of the most intellectual sites to visit.

Find the month’s latest statistics in the Harper’s Magazine Index or thoughtful articles on current issues, such as February’s feature Free Country on extremist gun rights. While some posts are behind a paywall, subscriptions give you access to Harper’s Magazine’s full 171-year archive. Or you could try to bypass the paywall at your own risk.

The ad-free place for serious thinkers; discover the world from new perspectives.

• Completely ad-free and no paywall (donations are welcome)
• Covers a wide range of topics from history to technology
• Includes text and video content, including an entire section specifically from experts
• May feel too psychological for some readers

Aeon is a unique place on the Internet filled with thought-provoking ideas from a wide range of voices. The site includes essays, videos, and audio content on philosophy, science, psychology, society, and culture. You’ll find interesting essays about animals, such as Becoming a Centaur , and details about ancient worlds, such as this piece on Uncovering Sparta .

The Ideas section of the site provides in-depth content created by experts in their fields. Psychologists, philosophers, and more come together to explain human nature. Subscribe to the free newsletter so that you never miss a thing. Also check out Aeon’s partner site, Psyche , for more about the human condition.

Also read: Top 11 Mental Health Podcasts to Add to Your Playlist

Read and even write about any topic imaginable, helping you learn something new every day.

• Almost any topic imaginable is available on Medium
• Editors hand-pick front page content in each category
• You can contribute your own thought-provoking content
• Anyone can contribute, which means some content won’t be as great as others
• Only some content is free, with the rest requiring a $5/month subscription to help pay writers

Medium is a unique entry on this list, but it’s equally one of the most interesting and weird websites to feed your brain. Since it’s a blogging platform, you never know what you might find. However, that’s part of the appeal. Long-form, well-written content typically rises to the top. To make it easier to find the best content, editors hand-pick what to feature.

You can also find individual publications on specific topics, where content is carefully chosen. For instance, Personal Growth and Better Humans both help you learn how to live better, while Start It Up helps you grow your ideas.

Answering the world’s most burning questions with some light-hearted humor and visuals.

• Looks like a comic site, but you’ll always leave with new knowledge
• Explains complex topics in layman’s terms with plenty of visuals
• Learn and laugh at the same time
• Content is uploaded very sporadically
• Might feel too cartoony for some (but that’s also what makes it great)

Wait But Why is easily one of the most interesting websites to visit to learn something new or just to procrastinate when you’re bored. Think of it as a mix between webcomics and a deep dive into human nature, science, and even culture. It may seem weird at first, then you realize it’s just a cool website that really can do it all.

Mailbag posts are some of the best, as Tim Urban tries to answer reader questions with a mix of humor and well-researched facts. You’ll even find the occasional series about society in general.

Also read: 12 of the Best Websites to Read Manga Online

Culture and education blend into a platform filled with free brain food resources.

• Free educational resources, including courses, audiobooks, textbooks, and more
• Long-form cultural content, both text and video
• Content on numerous topics
• All the resource lists can feel overwhelming

Open Culture is the place to go if you’re looking for educational resources, such as academic courses, free textbooks, and language lessons. You’ll also find lists of movies, lectures, favorite books of famous individuals, and more. In addition to all the free resources, there are also regular posts on a variety of topics, such as The Amazing Engineering of the James Webb Telescope (astronomy), Sci-Fi Pioneer Hugo Gernsback Predicts Telemedicine in 1925 (health), and Behold the Photographs of John Thomson, the First Western Photographer to Travel Widely Through China (1870s) (travel & history).

Easily find content by filtering by topic. Otherwise, just scroll and enjoy the latest posts.

Thoughtful and educational content designed to further your learning throughout your life.

• All content written by experts in their fields
• Focused on expanding your education no matter your age
• Includes language-learning resources (including ESL)
• Doesn’t feature any opinion or perspective-style pieces
• Content doesn’t have much personality

ThoughtCo. is a premiere educational resource for both kids and adults. It focuses heavily on science, technology, and math, but also includes humanities and languages. All writers have degrees and a professional background in the fields they write about.

For adult learners, there’s guidance on how to continue your education and potential paths in different fields. Or anyone of any age can just browse and learn something new every day. Find out more about Martin Luther King, Jr. , learn why math is considered a language , or discover the relationship between culture and nature .

Also read: 10 Useful YouTube Channels That Teach You How to Code

Learning how science connects the world with deep dives and engaging content.

• Deep dives into various science topics
• Features different themes monthly
• Offers narrated stories to listen to
• Only focuses on science
• Must subscribe for some content (offers three different plans)

Nautilus is a popular print science magazine that’s also available online. You can read most of the current issue’s content for free on the website, but there are ads. Each month, there’s a new theme that uses science to explain how the world’s connected, including combining science with culture, humanity, and nature.

A subscription to the print magazine or a Nautilus Prime subscription gives you full access to the current issue ad-free, along with past editions.

A beautifully visual look into the most important news and statistics in the world.

• Absorb content quickly with graphics
• Ideal for brain food snacks
• Covers a variety of topics
• No long-form content
• Content is random

Information Is Beautiful is unlike any other site on this list. Still, it’s one of the most interesting websites and incredibly fun to use. Instead of long-form content, everything is presented in graphical form, such as charts, mind-maps, and infographics. You’ll find everything from COVID-19 stats to rhetological fallacies .

If you’re on the search for brain food, consider this site the appetizer or a quick snack when you have a few free minutes. However, the amount of facts you can learn is immense, making it a worthy addition to this list.

Also read: 10 of the Best Mobile Apps to Help You Stay Healthy

Discover new perspectives on culture, business, current events, and much more with long-form journalism and essays.

• Long-form content on science, business, art, books, and more
• Get unique perspectives through personal essays
• Find must-read books designed to feed your brain
• Much of the content is curated or submitted from other sites but still carefully chosen by editors to fit the site
• Supported by ads unless you buy a membership (one-time contribution, $5/month, or $50/year)

Longreads helps fund voices eager to share their thoughts, research, and investigative reporting. All content is long-form, giving you far more detail and depth to stories about local businesses, current events, cultural issues, and even the best food. Learn more about well-known lesser known figures changing the world through Longreads profiles. Try the 2021 best-of roundup to get started.

Personal essays are designed to inform, inspire, and educate, such as Debt Demands a Body . You’ll also find voices from unapologetic women, such as in the piece Inking Against Invisibility .

Also read: 10 of the Best Brain-Training Apps for Android and iOS

The place where scholars provide in-depth background on how today’s events came to be.

• All content is backed by linked research
• Content is provided by scholars and experts
• Access to academic journals, images, books, and other research materials in 75 disciplines
• Some content and resources are only for educational institutions and research organizations
• Free researcher accounts are limited to six premium posts/resources per month (premium accounts cost $19.50/month or $199/year)

JSTOR Daily takes a different approach to the news. Instead of just reporting what’s going on, scholars and experts look to the past to explain how things are different and the history of what led to today. For instance, Politics and Power in the United States looks at what led to the January 6th, 2021 insurrection. The Gruesome Truth at the Heart of Squid Game analyzes the dark undertones behind the popular series.

Topics include business, politics, culture, history, education, and more. All content is backed by research from supporting academic and/or scientific journals, which are linked to and free to read for any user. Research groups, including educational institutions, can subscribe (fees vary by type of membership and organization) to access the same research materials that JSTOR Daily writers use.

Also read: 10 of the Best Ebook Readers for Windows, macOS, and Mobile

1. Do I have to pay to use these sites?

Many of the sites above do have some sort of premium model in addition to free content. However, you can choose to only read the free content and still have more than enough brain food to keep you full of thought-provoking content.

Premium models, including donation-only models, are there to help support the hard work of the writers, marketing, and the cost of running the site itself.

2. How can I get content from all these sites in one place?

The easiest way is to use an RSS reader. These gather posts into one feed or allows you to organize content into different feeds/topics. Then, instead of having to visit each site every day or week, you just open your RSS reader.

Web-based RSS readers tend to be the easiest to use since you can log in from anywhere. However, there are also RSS readers for macOS and Windows .

3. Is all the content on the above sites completely factual?

This depends solely on the website. These are all interesting websites, but there are no guarantees that all content is factually accurate. This is especially true of any opinion and essay content. If you doubt any of the content, consider performing additional research.

Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox

Crystal Crowder has spent over 15 years working in the tech industry, first as an IT technician and then as a writer. She works to help teach others how to get the most from their devices, systems, and apps. She stays on top of the latest trends and is always finding solutions to common tech problems.

Every print subscription comes with full digital access

Science News

Astronomers watch a supermassive black hole turn on for the first time

A galaxy transitioned from being dim and quiet to bright and active, giving astronomers insight into active galactic nuclei.

‘After 1177 B.C.’ describes how societies fared when the Bronze Age ended

50 years ago, the sun’s influence on Earth’s lightning was revealed

AI could take medical imaging to the next level 

This tentacled, parasitic ‘fairy lantern’ plant is new to science

Early ants may have had complex social lives, fossil data suggests

Physicists measured Earth’s rotation using quantum entanglement

Trending stories.

A new look at Ötzi the Iceman’s DNA reveals new ancestry and other surprises

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope could help solve these 5 exoplanet puzzles

Geoscientists found the most dangerous part of a famous West Coast fault

A malaria drug could be used to treat PCOS, a common hormone disorder

Spotlight on health.

Artemisinin is known to be effective against malaria, lupus, cancer and now possibly polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Can humans get chronic wasting disease from deer?

Gen x has higher cancer rates than their baby boomer parents, from the archives.

Human Behavior: Do Animals Have the Answer

April 27, 1974 Vol. 105 No. #17

Science News Magazine

June 1, 2024 Vol. 205 No. 10

Scientists are fixing flawed forensics that can lead to wrongful convictions

A new method of making diamonds doesn’t require extreme pressure .

Featured Media

Reinforcement learning AI might bring humanoid robots to the real world

Reinforcement learning techniques could be the keys to integrating robots — who use machine learning to output more than words — into the real world.

Sumatran orangutans start crafting their engineering skills as infants

Tiger beetles may weaponize ultrasound against bats

Belugas may communicate by warping a blob of forehead fat

Three reasons why the ocean’s record-breaking hot streak is devastating

Follow Science News

• Follow Science News on X
• Follow Science News on Facebook
• Follow Science News on Instagram

More Stories

This protist unfolds its ‘neck’ up to 30 times its body length to scout prey

The largest known genome belongs to a tiny fern, it’s a big year for cicadas. here’s what to know about this year’s emergence.

Rain Bosworth studies how deaf children experience the world

These are the chemicals that give teens pungent body odor, here’s why covid-19 isn’t seasonal so far.

The Arctic is warming rapidly. These clouds may hold clues as to why

Warm water is sneaking underneath the thwaites glacier — and rapidly melting it, as the arctic tundra warms, soil microbes likely will ramp up co 2 production.

How a 19th century astronomer can help you watch the total solar eclipse

Jwst spies hints of a neutron star left behind by supernova 1987a, astronomers are puzzled over an enigmatic companion to a pulsar.

The second law of thermodynamics underlies nearly everything. But is it inviolable?

Here’s how ice may get so slippery , newfound ‘altermagnets’ shatter the magnetic status quo , health & medicine.

Long COVID finally gets a universal definition

Wildfire smoke may cause tens of thousands of premature deaths, bird flu can infect cats. what does that mean for their people, in 2018, hawaii’s kilauea volcano erupted like a stomp rocket, freshwater first appeared on earth 4 billion years ago, ancient crystals hint, science & society.

Language models may miss signs of depression in Black people’s Facebook posts

In ‘get the picture,’ science helps explore the meaning of art.

Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.

Not a subscriber? Become one now .

Subscribe to our newsletter

150 great articles & essays: interesting articles to read online, life & death, attitude by margaret atwood, this is water by david foster wallace, why go out by sheila heti, after life by joan didion, when things go missing by kathryn schulz, 50 more great articles about life, 25 more great articles about death.

Travel & Adventure

The book by patrick symmes, shipping out by david foster wallace, death of an innocent by jon krakauer, the place to disappear by susan orlean, trapped by aron ralston, 75 more great travel articles, words and writing, on keeping a notebook by joan didion, autobiographical notes by james baldwin, how to talk about books you haven't read by pierre bayard, where do you get your ideas by neil gaiman, everything you need to know about writing by stephen king, 20 more great essays about writing, short memoirs, goodbye to all that by joan didion, seeing by annie dillard, explicit violence by lidia yuknavitch, these precious days by ann patchett, 100 more short memoirs, tennis, trigonometry, tornadoes by david foster wallace, losing religion and finding ecstasy in houston by jia tolentino, a brief history of forever by tavi gevinson, 50 more great articles about growing up, the female body by margaret atwood, the tyranny of the ideal woman by jia tolentino, grand unified theory of female pain by leslie jamison, 50 more great articles about women, revelations about sex by alain de botton, safe-sex lies by meghan daum, my life as a sex object by jessica valenti, sex is a coping mechanism by jill neimark, 50 more great articles about sex.

The Women's Movement by Joan Didion

Bad feminist by roxane gay, what the hell am i (and who the hell cares) by neko case, 10 more great articles about feminism, men explain things to me by rebecca solnit, the end of men by hanna rosin, 10 more great articles about men, linguistics/language, who decides what words mean by lane greene, the world’s most efficient languages by john mcwhorter, tense present by david foster wallace, 40 more great articles about linguistics, pigeon wars by jon mooallem, violence of the lambs by john j. sullivan, 25 more great articles about animals, quitting the paint factory by mark slouka, nickel and dimed by barbara ehrenreich, shop class as soul craft by matthew b. crawford, 40 more great articles about work, to have is to owe by david graeber, why does it feel like everyone has more money than you by jen doll, the austerity delusion by paul krugman, the blind side by michael lewis, 25 more great articles about money, science & technology, how life (and death) spring from disorder by philip ball, a compassionate substance by philip ball, your handy postcard-sized guide to statistics by tim harford, on being the right size by j. b. s. haldane, 100 more great science & tech. articles, the environment, the fate of earth by elizabeth kolbert, state of the species by charles c. mann, the real reason humans are the dominant species by justin rowlatt and laurence knight, 30 more great reads about the environment, climate change, losing earth by nathaniel rich, sixty years of climate change warnings by alice bell, beyond catastrophe by david wallace wells, we should fix climate change — but we should not regret it by thomas r. wells, 35 more great climate change articles, the tinkering of robert noyce by tom wolfe, creation myth by malcolm gladwell, mother earth mother board by neal stephenson, i saw the face of god in a semiconductor factory by virginia heffernan, 50 more great articles about computers, the internet, forty years of the internet by oliver burkeman, escape the matrix by virginia heffernan, you are the product by john lanchester, a nation of echo chambers by will leitch, the long tail by chris anderson, 50 more articles about the internet.

Social Media

The machine always wins by richard seymour, my instagram by dayna tortorici, why the past 10 years of american life have been uniquely stupid by jonathan haidt, 15 more articles about social media, m by john sack, blackhawk down by mark bowden, hiroshima by john hersey, the ai-powered, totally autonomous future of war is here by will knight, 35 more great articles about war, the hinge of history by joan didion, how america lost its mind by kurt andersen, the problem with facts by tim harford, constant anxiety won't save the world by julie beck, 75 more great articles about politics, crime & punishment, the caging of america by adam gopnik, the crooked ladder by malcolm gladwell, cruel and unusual punishment by matt taibbi, 20 more great articles about crime, the body in room 348 by mark bowden, the art of the steal by joshua bearman, true crime by david grann, the crypto trap by andy greenberg, 35 more great true crime stories, does it help to know history by adam gopnik, 1491 by charles c. mann, a history of violence by steven pinker, the worst mistake in history by j. diamond, 25 more great articles about history, notes of a native son by james baldwin, how to slowly kill yourself and others in america by kiese laymon, magic actions by tobi haslett, 30 more great essays about race, cities and ambition by paul graham, here is new york by e. b. white, 25 more great articles about cities, we are all confident idiots by david dunning, fantastic beasts and how to rank them by kathryn schulz, the problem with p-values by david colquhoun, what is the monkeysphere by david wong, 100 more great psychology articles, love & relationships, love by lauren slater, masters of love by emily esfahani smith, this is emo by chuck klosterman, 50 more great articles about relationships, what makes us happy by joshua shenk, social connection makes a better brain by emily esfahani smith, the real roots of midlife crisis by jonathan rauch, 20 more great articles about happiness, success & failure, you can do it, baby by leslie garrett, what drives success by amy chua and jed rubenfeld, the fringe benefits of failure, and the importance of imagination by j.k. rowling, 10 more great articles about success, health & medicine, somewhere worse by jia tolentino, race to the vaccine by david heath and gus garcia-roberts, an epidemic of fear by amy wallace the score by atul gawande, 50 more great articles about health, mental health, darkness visible by william styron, the epidemic of mental illness by marcia angell, surviving anxiety by scott stossel, 50 more great articles about mental health, the moral instinct by steven pinker, not nothing by stephen cave, the greatest good by derek thompson, 15 more great articles about ethics, getting in by malcolm gladwell, learning by degrees by rebecca mead, the end of the english major by nathan heller, 20 more great articles about education, the string theory by david foster wallace, the istanbul derby by spencer hall, the kentucky derby is decadent and depraved by hunter s. thompson, 50 more great sports articles, why does music make us feel good by philip ball, one more time by elizabeth margulis, how to be a rock critic by lester bangs, 50 more great music articles, the arts & culture, inhaling the spore by lawrence weschler, death by harry potter by chuck klosterman, a one-man art market by bryan aappleyard, welcome to airspace by kyle chayka, 35 more great articles about the arts, fx porn by david foster wallace, flick chicks by mindy kaling, the movie set that ate itself by michael idov, 15 more great articles about movies, the last meal by michael paterniti, if you knew sushi by nick tosches, consider the lobster by david foster wallace, 50 more great articles about food.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson

The last american hero is junior johnson. yes by tom wolfe, masters of the universe go to camp by philip weiss, what is glitter by caity weaver.

About The Electric Typewriter We search the net to bring you the best nonfiction, articles, essays and journalism

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts

Browse Articles

Publisher correction: sex differences orchestrated by androgens at single-cell resolution.

• Xudong Xing

Author Correction: Discovery of SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drugs through large-scale compound repurposing

• Shuofeng Yuan
• Sumit K. Chanda

Author Correction: Capturing electron-driven chiral dynamics in UV-excited molecules

• Vincent Wanie
• Etienne Bloch
• Francesca Calegari

Earth-surface monitoring is at risk — more imaging tools are urgently needed

• Etienne Berthier
• Jeffrey S. Kargel
• Michael Zemp

I was prevented from attending my own conference: visa processes need urgent reform

• Felix Moronta-Barrios

Boycotting academics in Israel is counterproductive

• Simone Shamay-Tsoory
• Mouna Maroun

James Clerk Maxwell’s ode to bubble blowing

Curious volcanic activity confounds tourists near Naples, and Maxwell reviews a textbook on bubbles, in the weekly dip into Nature ’s archive.

The global refugee crisis is above all a human tragedy — but it affects wildlife, too

• Andrew D. Walde
• Gift S. Demaya
• Luca Luiselli

Author Correction: TDP-43 loss and ALS-risk SNPs drive mis-splicing and depletion of UNC13A

• Anna-Leigh Brown
• Oscar G. Wilkins
• Pietro Fratta

Misinformation might sway elections — but not in the way that you think

Rampant deepfakes and false news are often blamed for swaying votes. Research suggests it’s hard to change people’s political opinions, but easier to nudge their behaviour.

Why museums should repatriate fossils

The legacy of a palaeontology expedition into Native American lands 150 years ago should prompt a rethink of where and how fossil collections are curated.

• Lukas Rieppel

How climate change is hitting Europe: three graphics reveal health impacts

A growing body of research reveals the deaths and diseases linked to rising temperatures across the continent.

• Carissa Wong

We can make the UK a science superpower — with a radical political manifesto

As the election campaign in the United Kingdom marches on, politicians are hardly discussing the country’s global standing in science. Here’s why that needs to change.

Lack of an immune receptor might prevent cancers associated with Epstein–Barr virus

A molecule called IL-27 is involved in several immune responses. Congenital alterations in the gene encoding a subunit of the IL-27 receptor result in susceptibility to severe infections with the Epstein–Barr virus. However, IL-27 is also required for the proliferation of virus-infected B cells that become cancerous, so deficiency in the receptor might have a protective role against cancers associated with Epstein–Barr virus.

Built-up sleep pressure drives the loss of neuronal connections during slumber

Imaging of all synaptic connections of individual neurons in larval zebrafish across several days and nights indicates that sleep is necessary, but not sufficient, for the sleep-associated loss of synapses. Both the need to sleep accumulated during wake — known as sleep pressure — and the sleep state itself are required for synapse removal.

Catalytic Glycosylation for Minimally Protected Donors and Acceptors

• Qiu-Di Dang
• Yi-Hui Deng

Retraction Note: Pluripotency of mesenchymal stem cells derived from adult marrow

• Yuehua Jiang
• Balkrishna N. Jahagirdar
• Catherine M. Verfaillie

Hydroamination of alkenes with dinitrogen and titanium polyhydrides

• Takanori Shima
• Qingde Zhuo
• Zhaomin Hou

Harnessing landrace diversity empowers wheat breeding

• Shifeng Cheng
• Simon Griffiths

How I’ve helped to discover nearly 40 species in the Amazon

Rodolfo Salas-Gismondi conducts palaeontology on a riverbank.

• Virginia Gewin

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

5 Curators to Find the Best Articles Worth Reading on the Internet

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Llama 3 vs. GPT-4: Which Is Better?

5 ways to access gpt-4 for free, gpt-4 vs. gpt-4 turbo vs. gpt-4o: what's the difference.

When anyone and everyone is a publisher, it isn't easy to figure out what is worth your time. These link curators find the best articles worth reading on the internet.

There are so many articles written and shared, a regular person can't sift through them. This has led to the rise of curators who will recommend only good articles to save you time and energy. There's something for every type of reader out there, so it's all about finding someone whose tastes meet yours.

1. 3 Quarks Daily (Web): Smartest Curated Articles on the Internet

3 Quarks Daily (3QD) is one of the most intelligent sites to boost your brain . Among its admirers are Nassim Nicholas Taleb, William Dalrymple, Horst Ludwig Stormer, Annie Dillard, and other accomplished intellectuals. And hopefully, you too. Visit the website regularly or subscribe to the newsletter; it's worth your while either way.

The website has two parts. First is the curated articles, where the editors of 3QD pick eight to twelve thought-provoking articles daily from Tuesday to Sunday, including a poem. Each article is presented with an excerpt of its best part and a link to the full piece. There is a tremendous range to the types of reads, but the common purpose is to give you an "intellectual surfing experience," as the site puts it.

On Monday, 3QD publishes original writing from its staff and guest contributors. This Monday Magazine also includes poetry and cartoons, and is completely free.

If there's one problem with 3QD, it's the inability to surf its archives easily. The site has been active since 2004, making it one of the greatest human-picked collections of writing on the internet. But with no way to see top posts or categories and tags, those archives are only for those willing to go chronologically through every back issue.

2. The Electric Typewriter (Web): Easiest Way to Find Great Articles to Read

The Electric Typewriter (TETW) isn't updated regularly anymore. But its archives are full of engrossing reads, and meticulously categorized at that. In fact, this site might just be the best way to find articles worth reading through its several lists.

For example, take the section on Women . It has a range of topics like Women, Growing up Female, Reproduction, Feminism, Women and Work, etc. Each of these topics includes multiple articles in the form of a headline and a short descriptive blurb. It's this extensive sub-listing that sets the site apart.

Like Women, there are other categories such as life, death, love, happiness, politics, race, tech, psychology, the internet, etc. You can quickly find the 150 best articles on TETW through a shortlist or filter by subjects and authors. Fans of true crime and unsolved mysteries shouldn't miss the true crime section.

3. Library of Scroll (Web): Handpicked Collection of Longform Articles

Library of Scroll is an eclectic collection of longreads handpicked by two women curators, Nilambari and Akshata. Each week, LoS features three articles worth reading, released every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

It's a lovely three-tile design format that showcases the headline with a lead image and a one-sentence description of what you're in for. Each tile also notes the average reading time for the article. For more detailed descriptions, go to the archives which have a longer blurb for each article.

Broadly, the articles on LoS fall in 10 categories you can browse by: learning and careers, self-love and relationships, money matters, fantastic people, human behavior, building start-ups, whimsical and curious reads, the fast-growing internet, and the perils of the web. With the wide variety of publications that the creator duo chooses from, you'll find plenty of reading material on every topic.

4. The Sunday Long Read (Web): Weekly Collection of the Best Articles and Links to Read

The Sunday Long Read is a weekly newsletter featuring the best articles picked by two journalists, Jacob Feldman and prize-winning veteran Don Van Natta Jr. The stories they pick are all about information and entertainment, and don't go into hot takes or opinions.

The email newsletter is packed with a shocking amount of links, probably enough to fill any voracious reader's Sunday. The team also sometimes throws in original articles, but it's the curation that's the real meat here. You can check their last 10 newsletters in the archives and subscribe to receive every new issue.

Every newsletter has a single clear favorite by Don and Jacob so that you can avoid being overwhelmed by choice. You'll also find a few recurring picks in each issue, like the Sunday Q&A interview, the Sunday Oral History revisiting popular culture and events, the Sunday Fiction, the Sunday Still photograph, the #SundayLR list, and The Last Laugh for humorous articles.

5. Bookshlf (Web): A Social Network of Curated Links and Shared Articles

Bookshlf is a social network for sharing links worth reading. The app also helpfully calculates the average reading time for any article shared. The democratization of curation is interesting as you get a more diverse set of links, but that also means there is no guarantee of quality.

The app seeks to solve this problem by setting some users as top sharers based on their frequency of shared links and followers on the Bookshlf platform. The Bookshlf Top 50 is a good place to start and discover the best articles shared today, or you can dive into recommended "shelves" or categories about any topic.

Bookshlf doesn't restrict itself to articles on websites alone. It also includes YouTube links and social media like Facebook posts. While you might not be looking for videos, the inclusion of posts gives it a different depth that other curators lack. After all, many users tend to write long articles on Facebook, LinkedIn, and other networks, so why should you miss out on good reads there?

Also, Consider…

Some of the most popular article curators are too famous for listing here, but in case you didn't know about them, you're in for a treat.

• The Browser
• Arts & Letters Daily
• Pocket Hits

And check out our previous list of article curators .

Of Paywalls and Paid Newsletters

While these article curators make it much easier for you to find stuff to read, there is the question of money. How long are they going to keep doing it? Some have resorted to making paid newsletters, while others use advertising to sustain.

And then there is the inevitable issue of paywalls by big media publications. While plenty of the material in these newsletters is free, some links are behind paywalls. Hey, good writing isn't always going to be free. In the quest to save yourself time, you might want to consider how much that time is worth and support a few of these curators and publications.

• Cool Web Apps

25 Websites That Will Make You Smarter

Rather than waste your life on Facebook and Instagram , put your daily interneting to good use.

Here's a list of websites that will actually make you smarter:

CodeAcademy — Learn programming languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript  with this free, interactive resource. 

Coursera — With more than 800 free courses on topics that range from internet history to financial engineering, the education platform helps you deepen your knowledge across a range of subjects.

Digital Photography School  —  Read through this goldmine of articles to improve your photography skills; they're helpful even if you're a complete beginner. There's also an active forum where you can find a community of other photographers to connect with.

Duolingo  —  Sharpen your language skills with this fun, addictive game. It's a college-quality education without the price tag. If you're looking for more free language-learning materials, you can also try  BBC Languages .

edX — From classes like The Science of Happiness to Responsible Innovation , edX offers tons of MOOCs from many of the world's top universities.

 —  Did you know the horned lizard can shoot blood out of its tear ducts? Keep clicking through this site to find unusual historical and scientific facts, along with links to sources. Another great site for fun facts is  Today I Found Out.

Fast Company's 30-Second MBA   —   In short video clips from from accomplished corporate executives, you'll learn great business advice and life lessons, really fast.

Freerice  —  Expand your vocabulary while feeding the hungry. It's the best way to feel good about yourself and learn words you can use for the rest of your life.

Gibbon  —  This is the ultimate playlist for learning. Users collect articles and videos to help you learn things from iOS programming to effective storytelling.

Instructables  —  Through fun videos and simple instructions, you can learn how to make anything from a tennis ball launcher to a backyard fort. You can also submit your own creations and share what you make with the rest of the world. Still wanting to learn more? You can visit  eHow  and gain a wide range of skills, such as how to cook, decorate, fix, plan, garden, or even make a budget.

Investopedia  —  Learn everything you need to know about the world of investing, markets, and personal finance.

Khan Academy  — Not only will you learn a wide variety of subjects through immensely helpful videos, but you'll get a chance to practice them and keep track of your learning statistics, too. It's a great way to further your understanding of subjects you've already taken or to learn something new.

Related stories

LearnVest — The personal finance site offers news, classes, and resources to help you learn the basics of managing your money.

Lifehacker  —  On this highly useful site, you'll find an assortment of tips, tricks, and downloads for getting things done.

Lumosity  —  Train your brain with these fun, scientifically designed games. You can build your own Personalized Training Program to improve your memory and attention and track your progress.

MIT Open Courseware — Want to be as smart as an MIT student? Check out classes and course materials from the institute here.

Powersearching with Google  —  Learn how to find anything you ever wanted by mastering your Google search skills. Also, read this article on  100 Google tricks that will save you time in school .

Quora  — Get your questions answered by other smart people, or read through the questions other people have asked. You can learn anything from productivity hacks to the best foods of all time.

Recipe Puppy  —  Enter in all the ingredients you can find in your kitchen, and this wonderful search engine will give you a list of all the recipes you can make with what you have. It's a great way to learn how to cook without the hassle of buying everything beforehand. For a more extensive list of recipes, try  AllRecipes .

Spreeder   —   This free, online speed-reading software will improve your reading speed and comprehension. Just paste the text you'd like to read, and it'll take care of the rest.

StackOverflow  — It's a question and answer site for programmers — basically a coder's best friend. Other great sources to learn code are  Learn X in Y Minutes  and  W3Schools .

TED-Ed —  This is a new initiative launched by TED with the idea of "lessons worth sharing." It is meant to spark the curiosity of learners around the world by creating a library of award-winning, animated lessons created by expert educators, screenwriters, and animators. You can create your own customized lesson to distribute around the world by adding  questions, discussion topics, and other supplementary materials to any educational video on YouTube.

Udemy — Feed your brain with online courses on everything from web development to playing the guitar. You can also teach your own classes through the platform. 

Unplug The TV  —  A fun website that suggests informative videos for you to watch instead of TV. Topics range from space mining to "How Containerization Shaped the Modern World."

VSauce   —   This Youtube Channel provides mind-blowing facts and the best of the internet, which will make you realize how amazing our world is. What would happen if the world stopped spinning? Why do we get bored? How many things are there? Watch the videos and find out. 

This is an update of an article originally written by Maggie Zhang.

NOW WATCH:  Psychologists Discovered How To Make People Like You

• Main content

Where To Read Good Articles Online: Top 10 Online Publishers

In today’s digital age, it’s easier than ever to access exciting articles . Discover where to read good articles in this article .

If you’re like most Americans, you start every day by picking up your phone and taking a look at short articles that give you a clue into what’s going on in the world, provide you with life hacks to make your life easier, and give life lessons for your to consider.

In a day and age where social media reigns king, it makes sense that many people are more interested in free content that’s educational, engaging, and kicks your day off on a positive note. So when you choose to read vetted articles instead of random viral social media posts, you’ll know you’re getting proven information that you can put to good use in your daily life.

Whether you’re looking for self-improvement advice, personal finance information, an unbiased news source, or life hacks that make it easier to get through the day, it can be tough to know what’s worth reading–and what’s not. So here, we’ve compiled the top places to go when you want to read the best articles to clue you into what’s happening in the world around you.

1. The New Yorker

2. the huffington post, 3. the new york times, 5. lifehacker, 6. business insider, 9. national geographic, 10. psychology today.

Known as one of the top names in American journalism for nearly a century, The New Yorker is a highly respected weekly magazine known for its essays, fiction, cartoons, poetry, journalism , satire, and social commentary. The magazine is known in the literary world as one of the best places for readers to enjoy in-depth reporting. 

The New Yorker is known for taking the news and pop culture topics and covering them in new and unusual ways. While some of the magazine’s in-depth pieces require a time commitment to read, others are quick and punchy, perfect for a fast morning brief. In addition to current events, The New Yorker also publishes deep, moving stories about love, life, family, aging, and more.

Founded in 2005 by political activist Arianna Huffington, The Huffington Post is left-leaning news, opinion, and essay site that partners with companies and writers to provide readers with an overarching view of what’s happening in America–and around the world.  HuffPost publishes news and think pieces and can provide readers with a place to get quick news and dive deep into interesting topics.

With a heavy focus on the U.S and world news, The New York Times is regarded as one of the most reliable sources in journalism today. While The Times publishes satire, essays, and opinion pieces, it is best known for its to-the-minute coverage of happenings worldwide.  The Times started in the mid-1800s and was established as a trustworthy news source , different from the popular sensationalist magazines and newspapers many readers enjoyed during that time. By the early 1900s, The Times  was regarded as one of the best publications in the world due in part to its extensive coverage of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

Not a news site, not a social media site– Quora is something in between the two. The platform allows users to ask and answer questions, connecting people worldwide by providing a space to share real-life experiences and advice.

Questions asked and answered on Quora range from the humorous (users asking parents about the worst their child has ever behaved in public) to the serious (users asking others about what seemingly minor health symptoms they’ve experienced are indicative of a severe problem). While any user can answer a question on Quora, some users have profiles that share their expertise with others.

Interested in doing everything better? Lifehacker provides the tools and tips you need to be a little better in every aspect of life, from relationships to cooking to decorating your home. The articles from writers at Lifehacker won’t just help you boost your knowledge of both popular and everyday topics–they’ll also make you laugh with their witty senses of humor and ability to make any topic interesting.

Looking for ideas on the ways to get the most bang for your buck when you’re grocery shopping? Check out product reviews to learn more about what to add to your Christmas list. Looking to stay up to date on the latest financial and tech news? Business Insider has you covered. The website provides unbiased coverage of interesting day-to-day life topics and world news. Setting Business Insider to your home page on your laptop can be an intelligent way to stay up to date on what’s happening in the world (and to browse fun articles when you’re stuck on a never-ending conference call).

Looking for dynamic new ideas from a variety of perspectives? You’ll love the unique takes that Medium has to offer. The website collects ideas, essays, and articles from people with varying perspectives, providing readers with a place where they can read material that helps them learn to see the world in a different light. When you’re reading Medium, it’s essential to know that anyone can submit writing to the site, and you’ll want to double-check author credentials if you’re using the site for factual information.

Whether you’re a business owner or want to know how the economy will affect your life, Forbes is the place to go for business and financial news. While Forbes is known for its financial coverage, it’s also a great source of world news, lifestyle articles , and more.

If you’re one of the millions of Americans with federal student loans, you’ll want to keep an eye on what Forbes says about the changes the government is currently making to your repayment options. Forbes is widely regarded as a trusted financial news source, so if you’re writing a paper or citing a source to inform business decisions, it’s wise to check out what Forbes says before moving forward.

Ready to travel the world without leaving your town (or your home)? You’ll want to be sure to add National Geographic to your favorite article sources list. National Geographic’s journalism style is immersive and helps you feel transported to new areas of the world. Whether you’re looking to learn more about current crises in the world or want to get to know the culture of another country, National Geographic can take you where you want to go. While the magazine is known for its articles , the website also offers documentaries and other videos, helping you learn more about animals, culture, and more.

Wondering why your parents do that thing they do? Not sure how to get a handle on your anxiety at work? Psychology Today offers in-depth research and simple tips to help you live a happier, healthier life. If you’re not a psychology buff, no worries. The articles on the site break down complicated psychological concepts into simple terms and tips that you can use to boost your relationships, both with others and with yourself. Articles from Psychology Today can also help navigate challenging situations, like figuring out what to say to a friend or coworker following the passing of a loved one.

Are you interested in learning more? Check out our round-up of the 3 types of magazines !

Science News

8 stone catapult shots linked to King Henry III discovered at besieged British castle

By Jennifer Nalewicki published 18 June 24

Eight stone catapult shots used during the siege of Kenilworth Castle, which lasted 172 days in the 13th century, were unearthed in "perfect" condition.

Ming dynasty shipwrecks hide a treasure trove of artifacts in the South China Sea, excavation reveals

Researchers have retrieved hundreds of artifacts, including porcelain items, copper coins and ornate pieces of pottery.

What happens to cancer cells when they die?

By Sarah Moore last updated 18 June 24

Cancer treatments aim to kill tumor cells, and the immune system is tasked with getting rid of the resulting cellular corpses.

Huge earthquake 2,500 years ago rerouted the Ganges River, study suggests

By Sascha Pare published 18 June 24

A new study suggests an earthquake of estimated magnitude 7.5 or 8 shook the Indian subcontinent 2,500 years ago, changing the course of the Ganges.

James Webb telescope reveals long-studied baby star is actually 'twins' — and they're throwing identical tantrums

By Harry Baker published 18 June 24

New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope revealed that a distant protostar is actually a pair of baby binary stars that are spitting out parallel energy jets as they gobble up giant disks of gas and dust.

Gigantic sunfish that washed up on Oregon beach could be the largest of its species ever found

By Elise Poore published 18 June 24

A rare giant hoodwinker sunfish that washed ashore Gearhart beach in Oregon could be the largest of its species ever sampled.

Newly deciphered papyrus describes 'miracle' performed by 5-year-old Jesus

By Owen Jarus published 18 June 24

A manuscript written in the fourth or fifth century describes how Jesus brought clay birds to life as a child.

Scientists may finally be close to explaining strange radio signals from beyond the Milky Way

By Robert Lea published 18 June 24

Fast radio bursts erupt in the sky around 10,000 times a day, but scientists still struggle to explain them. New research could put astronomers one step closer to a solution.

Orcas are eating sharks in the Gulf of California — and it may be happening more than we think, experts say

By Melissa Hobson published 18 June 24

Records of orcas hunting sharks in the Gulf of California are on the rise, as experts say we may have underestimated how much this happens.

Strawberry Moon 2024: See summer's first full moon rise a day after solstice

By Jamie Carter published 17 June 24

June's full "Strawberry Moon" rises one day after the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. This will be the lowest full moon of the year.

1,700-year-old 'emergency hoard' of coins dates to last revolt of Jews against Roman rule

By Jennifer Nalewicki published 17 June 24

Many of the silver and bronze coins were minted during the Gallus Revolt during the Roman era.

Rare video shows elusive deep-sea squid cradling her gigantic, translucent eggs

By Kristel Tjandra published 17 June 24

While navigating a remotely operated vehicle in the Gulf of California, scientists spotted a brooding squid cradling translucent eggs.

NASA engineers finally fix Voyager 1 spacecraft — from 15 billion miles away

By Sascha Pare published 17 June 24

The Voyager I spacecraft went haywire last year, but NASA engineers say they have finally fixed its data transmission systems and are receiving usable signals from all four science instruments.

Y chromosome is evolving faster than the X, primate study reveals

By Nicola Williams published 17 June 24

The male Y chromosome in humans is evolving faster than the X. Scientists have now discovered the same trend in six species of primate.

Three bright stars mark the beginning of summer. Here's how to spot the 'Summer Triangle' this week.

The appearance this week of the three bright Summer Triangle stars — Vega, Deneb and Altair — marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Here's how to spot them.

X-ray vision chip gives phones 'Superman' power to view objects through walls

By Owen Hughes published 17 June 24

Researchers have developed an imaging chip for mobile devices that uses high-frequency radio waves to ‘see’ through objects.

The sun's magnetic field is about to flip. Here's what to expect.

By Daisy Dobrijevic published 17 June 24

When the sun reaches its period of peak activity, known as solar maximum, our star's magentic field will suddenly reverse. But why does it happen, and will it impact Earth?

Track workouts for less: Garmin Enduro 2 is at its lowest price before Amazon Prime Day

By Lloyd Coombes published 17 June 24

Deal Save $300 with this Garmin Enduro 2 fitness tracker deal at Amazon right now and bag one of the best fitness smartwatches for less.

Does gum really take 7 years to digest?

By Tyler Santora published 17 June 24

Gum is full of non-food items, like resins, emulsifiers and softeners. So what happens when we swallow a piece?

Earth from space: Trio of ringed ice caps look otherworldly on Russian Arctic islands

By Harry Baker published 17 June 24

This 2018 satellite photo of ice caps on the Arctic islands of Russia's Severnaya Zemlya archipelago highlights the beautiful concentric rings of color in the ice, which stand out against the islands' barren landscape.

• View Archive

Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now

Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.

• 2 Mysterious 4,000-year-old 'palace' with maze-like walls found on Greek island of Crete
• 3 NASA will put a 'new star' in the sky by the end of the decade in 1st-of-its-kind mission
• 4 How long would it take to reach Planet 9, if we ever find it?
• 5 Planet Nine: Is the search for this elusive world nearly over?
• 2 Gilgamesh flood tablet: A 2,600-year-old text that's eerily similar to the story of Noah's Ark
• 3 The sun's magnetic field is about to flip. Here's what to expect.
• 4 Y chromosome is evolving faster than the X, primate study reveals
• 5 X-ray vision chip gives phones 'Superman' power to view objects through walls

• June 18, 2024 | “Astonishing” Discovery – 34,000-Year-Old Inhabited Termite Mounds Discovered in South Africa
• June 18, 2024 | Weather Forecasting Will Never Be the Same: NOAA GOES-U Satellite Ready to Launch
• June 18, 2024 | New Findings: Air Pollution’s Surprising Effect on Heart Risk for Cancer Patients
• June 18, 2024 | Earthquake Eyes: Volcano-Monitoring Gyroscope Unlocks Seismic Secrets
• June 18, 2024 | Tiny Antennae, Big Discoveries: How Fruit Flies Use Less to Sense More

Technology News

Read the latest technology news on SciTechDaily, your comprehensive source for the latest breakthroughs, trends, and innovations shaping the world of technology. We bring you up-to-date insights on a wide array of topics, from cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics to the latest in green technologies, telecommunications, and more.

Our expertly curated content showcases the pioneering minds, revolutionary ideas, and transformative solutions that are driving the future of technology and its impact on our daily lives. Stay informed about the rapid evolution of the tech landscape, and join us as we explore the endless possibilities of the digital age.

Discover recent technology news articles on topics such as Nanotechnology ,  Artificial Intelligence , Biotechnology ,  Graphene , Green Tech , Battery Tech , Computer Tech , Engineering , and Fuel-cell Tech featuring research out of MIT , Cal Tech , Yale , Georgia Tech , Karlsruhe Tech , Vienna Tech , and Michigan Technological University . Discover the future of technology with SciTechDaily.

Technology June 18, 2024

Earthquake Eyes: Volcano-Monitoring Gyroscope Unlocks Seismic Secrets

Researchers have developed a fiber optic gyroscope prototype to monitor ground rotations during earthquakes in Campi Flegrei, Naples. This advanced sensor system, capturing rotational and…

Scientists Forge the World’s Thinnest Metallic Wire From Copper and Carbon Atoms

Stanford Unveils Game-Changing Liquid Fuel Technology for Grid Energy Storage

AI and Exoskeletons Team Up to Transform Human Performance on Earth and in Space

Femtosecond Lasers Spearhead the Quantum Computing Revolution

From Near Death to High-Tech: Taming the Beast of Electricity

Better Qubits: Quantum Breakthroughs Powered by Silicon Carbide

AI Unleashed: Revolutionizing Autonomous Drone Navigation

Ultrafast Photonic Chip Transforms Machine Vision and Edge Intelligence

Technology June 13, 2024

Sharper, Smaller, Smarter: Scientists Develop Groundbreaking Miniature Fiber Laser

EPFL researchers have developed a compact, high-performance chip-scale erbium-doped laser, broadening potential applications in technology and medicine. Lasers have transformed the world since the 1960s…

Technology June 12, 2024

1200V and Rising: Scientists Push the Limits of High-Performance GaN Semiconductors

Scientists have developed GaN semiconductors to boost efficiency and reduce costs in electric vehicles and renewable energy, aiding the energy transition. Key technologies crucial for…

AI Magic: Robotic Suits That Help You Run Easier and Faster

A new training method for robotic exoskeletons using AI and simulations has been shown to decrease energy expenditure in walking, running, and climbing stairs. North…

Technology June 11, 2024

Scientists Achieve Million-Fold Energy Enhancement in Diamond Optical Antennas

Theory has become practice as new work from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering taps diamond defects’ remarkable ability to concentrate optical…

Iron Power: Revolutionizing Batteries With Earth’s Most Abundant Metal

New research introduces an iron-based cathode for lithium-ion batteries, offering lower costs and higher safety compared to traditional materials. A collaborative initiative co-led by Oregon…

Technology June 10, 2024

Groundbreaking Research Achieves Unprecedented Data Transmission Rates

Researchers have combined nonlinear pre-distortion with digital resolution enhancement to address challenges associated with digital-to-analog converters (DACs). Data centers are the backbone of today’s information…

Technology June 9, 2024

The Future of AI and 5G: Scientists Develop the First Universal, Programmable, and Multifunctional Photonic Chip

A collaborative team from UPV and iPRONICS has developed the market’s first universal, programmable, and multifunctional photonic chip. Researchers from the Photonics Research Laboratory (PRL)-iTEAM…

Spin Secrets Unlocked: New Milestone in Spintronics Could Revolutionize Electronics

Recent advancements in spintronics have enabled better prediction and control of spin currents by studying the magnetic properties and temperature effects on materials. Spintronics is…

Technology June 6, 2024

NASA’s X-59 Quesst: Overturning the 50-Year-Old Supersonic Speed Limit

NASA is addressing the longstanding ban on civilian supersonic flights over land by developing the X-59 aircraft, which aims to minimize sonic booms to mere…

• Newsletters
• Best Industries
• Business Plans
• Home-Based Business
• The UPS Store
• Customer Service
• Black in Business
• Your Next Move
• Female Founders
• Best Workplaces
• Company Culture
• Public Speaking
• HR/Benefits
• Productivity
• All the Hats
• Digital Transformation
• Artificial Intelligence
• Bringing Innovation to Market
• Cloud Computing
• Social Media
• Data Detectives
• Exit Interview
• Bootstrapping
• Crowdfunding
• Venture Capital
• Business Models
• Personal Finance
• Founder-Friendly Investors
• Upcoming Events
• Inc. 5000 Vision Conference
• Become a Sponsor
• Cox Business
• Verizon Business
• Branded Content
• Apply Inc. 5000 US

Inc. Premium

30 Websites That Will Make You Unbelievably Smarter

Discover a wealth of websites where you can expand your mind and grow your business..

Most of us spend some amount of time--sometimes a lot!--online. Instead of chasing after provocative headlines and weird old tricks, why not spend time on sites that will make you smarter in life, shrewder in business, and wiser in leadership?

Here are 30 of the best sites for professional and personal development. Learn as an individual or connect your team.

1. TED Talks  TED's tagline is "ideas worth spreading." TED Talks is a video collection in the form of short, powerful speeches on every subject imaginable (18 minutes or less).

2. Brain Pickings Brain Pickings has interesting posts drawn from art, science, design, history, and philosophy.

3. 99U 99U's actionable insights on productivity, organization, and leadership help creative people push ideas forward.

4. Lynda Lynda has thousands of video tutorials covering technical, creative, and business skills, all taught by industry experts.

5. University of the People  University of the People is a nonprofit, tuition-free online university based in California and committed to educational access and inclusion.

6. Learnist  Learnist is a collaborative knowledge-sharing site where users create and curate "learning boards" composed of text, images, video, and audio.

7. Alison Alison offers free online courses with certification and diploma options.

8. Mental Floss  Mental Floss tests your knowledge through quizzes, brainteasers, and games.

9. Brain Pump  Brain Pump lets you learn something new and feeds your curiosity, through a vast library of entertaining videos on topics ranging from chemistry to physics to history.

10. Peer 2 Peer University Peer 2 Peer University is an open education project in which learners gather in lightly organized circles that meet at public libraries and other accessible sites.

11. Platzi Platzi offers live-streamed courses--many free--on topics including web and app development, online marketing, interface design, and server administration. 

12. edX EdX, a collaborative project of Harvard University and MIT, provides free online courses and classes from the world's best universities and other institutions.

13. OpenSesame OpenSesame is a marketplace for business-oriented online training.

14. Udacity At Udacity, find free online courses, self-paced with code reviews, when you want to make a career change or get a new job. 

15. Coursmos Coursmos is a micro-course platform with short video lessons on topics ranging from business to lifestyle.

16. Highbrow Highbrow lets you choose one course and receive new knowledge every morning. Super-brief lessons are delivered to your inbox. Learn, grow, repeat ... in all subjects: art, health, history, literature, logic, nature, philosophy, productivity.

17. Coursera Coursera is a platform where anyone can take free online classes from 120-plus top universities--including Stanford, Yale, and Princeton--and educational organizations. 

18.  University Webinars On University Webinars and Videos for Blended Learning, top college faculty, staff, and experts in their field share knowledge from their courses and programs, targeted for higher education professionals.

19.DataCamp DataCamp is the most engaging way to learn R and data science. Learn in the comfort of your own browser via tutorials and coding challenges. A monthly or annual fee provides access to all courses.

20. CreativeLive  At CreativeLive, take free live online classes taught by the world's most inspiring instructors. Choose from video workshops in photography, video, design, business, audio, music, crafting, and software training.

21. Investopedia  Investopedia is a premiere resource for investing and personal finance education, market analysis, and trading simulators. Access free educational content and tools. 

22. Gibbon Gibbon is a peer-to-peer learning network that connects users who want to teach one another and learn about anything. An enterprise knowledge portal for employee development and learning, individually accessible courses are also available.

23. BBC Languages BBC Languages provides free online language learning--via courses, audio, video, and games--that includes the alphabet, phrases, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, activities, and tests. Free interactive tutorials come in 40 languages.

24. Future Learn Future Learn has free courses in subjects including law, psychology, and teaching, offered in partnership with top universities and specialist organizations in the U.K. and around the world. 

25 . MIT OpenCourseWare MIT OpenCourseWare is a web-based publication, open and accessible, of virtually all MIT course content.

26. Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg is a digital library of more than 50,000 free e-books to read online or download. Included are book listings, a search engine, a newsletter, articles, and information on how users can help create more free e-books.

27. Quora Quora: the best answer to any question. On Quora, ask a question on any topic or subject and receive an answer from an expert.

28. Udemy Udemy is an online education marketplace with limitless variety: more than 30,000 courses, developed by subject-matter experts.

29. Skillshare   Skillshare is a learning community for creators. Anyone can take an online class, watch video lessons, create projects, and even teach a class.

30. Inc.com Inc.com is all about advice, news, tools, and services to help small businesses grow. Everything you read on Inc.com will make you a smarter leader and entrepreneur--especially articles like this one.

Which websites do you visit that make you smarter?

A refreshed look at leadership from the desk of CEO and chief content officer Stephanie Mehta

Privacy Policy

Awesome Articles for Students: Websites and Other Resources

All of these sites are free.

In today’s digital world, we seem to be surrounded by news. Clickbait, anyone? Yet the pervasive and often intrusive nature of internet news articles belies the fact that many of these sites are behind a paywall, biased, or feature low-quality reporting.

Still, online articles are a great starting point for all kinds of learning assignments across the curriculum. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best free article websites for students. Many of these sites offer not only high-quality topical articles on every subject, but also ideas for lessons, such as questions, quizzes, and discussion prompts.

Student Article Websites

                  Get the latest edtech news delivered to your inbox here:

CommonLit With thousands of high-quality, Common Core-aligned reading passages for grades 3-12, this easy-to-use literacy site is a rich source of English and Spanish texts and lessons. Search by theme, grade, Lexile score, genre, and even literary devices such as alliteration or foreshadowing. Texts are accompanied by teacher guides, paired texts activities, and assessments. Teachers can share lessons and track student progress with a free account. 

DOGOnews News articles featuring current events, science, social studies, world events, civics, environment, sports, weird/fun news, and more. Free access to all articles. Premium accounts offer extras such as simplified and audio versions, quizzes, and critical thinking challenges. 

CNN10 Replacing the popular CNN Student News, CNN 10 provides 10-minute video news stories on current events of international importance, explaining how the event fits into the broader news narrative. 

KiwiKids News Created by a New Zealand primary school educator, Kiwi Kids News features free articles about health, science, politics (including U.S. political topics), animals, and the Olympics. Kids will love the “Odd Stuff” articles, which focus on unusual news, from the world’s biggest potato to centenarian athletes. 

Tech & Learning Newsletter

Tools and ideas to transform education. Sign up below.

PBS NewsHour Daily News Lessons Daily articles covering current events in video format. Each lesson includes a full transcript, fact list, summary, and focus questions. 

NYT Daily Lessons/Article of the Day The New York Times Daily Lessons builds a classroom lesson around a new article each day, offering thoughtful questions for writing and discussion, as well as related ideas for further study. Perfect for practicing critical thinking and literacy skills for middle and high school students, it’s a part of the larger NYT Learning Network , which provides an abundance of activities for students and resources for teachers.

The Learning Network Current event articles, student opinion essays, movie reviews, students review contests, and more. The educator resource section offers top-notch teaching and professional development resources. 

News For Kids With the motto “Real News, Told Simply,” News for Kids strives to present the latest topics in U.S. and world news, science, sports, and the arts in a way that’s accessible to most readers. Features a coronavirus update page .

ReadWorks A fully free research-based platform, Readworks provides thousands of nonfiction and fiction passages searchable by topic, activity type, grade, and Lexile level. Educator guides cover differentiation, hybrid and remote learning, and free professional development. Great resource for teachers.

Science News for Students Winner of multiple awards for journalism, Science News for Students publishes original science, technology, and health features for readers ages 9-14. Stories are accompanied by citations, recommended readings, glossaries, readability scores, and classroom extras. Be sure to check out Top 10 tips to stay safe during an epidemic . 

Teaching Kids News A terrific site that publishes readable and teachable articles on news, art, science, politics, and more for students grades 2-8. Bonus: The Fake News resource section links to online games about fake news and images. A must for any digital citizen.

Smithsonian Tween Tribune An excellent resource for articles on a wide range of topics, including animals, national/world news, sports, science, and much more. Searchable by topic, grade, and Lexile reading score. Lesson plans offer great ideas for the classroom and simple, usable frameworks for implementing these in any grade. 

Wonderopolis Have you ever wondered if llamas really spit or if animals like art? Every day, the award-winning Wonderopolis posts a new standard-based article exploring intriguing questions such as these. Students may submit their own questions and vote for their favorites. Be sure to check out “Wonders with Charlie,” featuring acclaimed writer, producer, and director Charlie Engelman.

Youngzine A unique news site for young people that focuses on climate science, solutions, and policies to address the myriad effects of global warming. Kids have an opportunity to express their views and literary creativity by submitting poetry or essays. 

Scholastic Kids Press A multinational group of young journalists ages 10-14 report the latest news and fascinating stories about the natural world. Features sections dedicated to coronavirus and civics.

National Geographic Kids A fine library of articles about animals, history, science, space, and—of course—geography. Students will enjoy the “Weird But True” short videos, featuring fun animations about oddball topics.  

• Best Tools for Teachers
• New Teacher Starter Kit

To share your feedback and ideas on this article, consider joining our Tech & Learning online community . 

Diana has been Tech & Learning's web editor and contributor since 2010, dedicated to ferreting out the best free tech tools for teachers.

5 Reasons The OpenAI and Apple Partnership Intrigues Me As An Educator

Best Sites for Online Tutoring and Teaching

Educator Edtech Review: BenQ Board Pro RP04

Most Popular

• Data, AI, & Machine Learning
• Managing Technology
• Social Responsibility
• Workplace, Teams, & Culture
• AI & Machine Learning
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Big ideas Research Projects
• Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy
• Responsible AI
• Future of the Workforce
• Future of Leadership
• All Research Projects
• AI in Action
• Most Popular
• The Truth Behind the Nursing Crisis
• Coaching for the Future-Forward Leader
• Measuring Culture
• Pride Month

Our summer 2024 issue highlights ways to better support customers, partners, and employees, while our special report shows how organizations can advance their AI practice.

• Past Issues
• Upcoming Events
• Video Archive
• Me, Myself, and AI
• Three Big Points

The 10 Most Popular Articles in 2022 (So Far)

Managers are seeking ways to improve employee well-being and build a strong workplace culture..

• Workplace, Teams, & Culture
• Talent Management
• Organizational Behavior

Year three of a global pandemic. A war in Ukraine. Inflation in the U.S. at a 40-year high. Small talk around the watercooler (mainly the virtual one, nowadays) certainly feels heavier than it used to.

Recent Gallup data indicates that in 2022, companies and managers remain challenged by the task of raising employee engagement to pre-pandemic levels. Nearly half of global workers (44%) surveyed reported feeling “a lot” of stress in the previous day. The Great Resignation has demonstrated the power of employees to vote with their feet, and a resurgence of the labor movement in the U.S. has put pressure on even top-tier companies to improve working conditions.

Get Updates on Transformative Leadership

Evidence-based resources that can help you lead your team more effectively, delivered to your inbox monthly.

Please enter a valid email address

Thank you for signing up

Privacy Policy

Companies that have thrived amid the pandemic and worker reshuffling have focused on worker well-being from the start. Unfortunately, for many employees across the globe, this may be the exception rather than the norm. As Gallup’s Jon Clifton put it, “Improving life at work isn’t rocket science, but the world is closer to colonizing Mars than it is to fixing the world’s broken workplaces.”

To begin to fix these issues, managers must focus on two areas in particular: leadership and culture. In the first months of the year, many MIT SMR readers turned their attention to articles focused on workplace culture, talent management, and employee retention.

With many companies now adopting permanent remote and hybrid work policies, other popular articles include data-driven approaches to managing well-being on virtual teams — from scheduling meeting-free days to creating systems for supporting mental health.

The following are the 10 most popular articles of the year so far. We hope they will continue to help managers who are looking to support employee engagement and build thriving workplaces.

#1 Toxic Culture Is Driving the Great Resignation

Donald sull, charles sull, and ben zweig.

In this article, the authors discuss the top five predictors of employee turnover uncovered by their analysis of attrition data during the Great Resignation and share four actions that managers can take in the short term to improve employee satisfaction.

#2 Top Performers Have a Superpower: Happiness

Paul b. lester, ed diener, and martin seligman.

Research has found that happiness, a sense of well-being, and an optimistic outlook are powerful predictors of how well an employee will perform. Managers who consciously promote employee well-being and take steps to eliminate toxic leadership in their business units will reap the benefits.

#3 The Surprising Impact of Meeting-Free Days

Ben laker, vijay pereira, pawan budhwar, and ashish malik.

Spending too much time in meetings can detract from effective collaboration, derail workers during their most productive hours, and interrupt people’s train of thought. No-meeting policies permit team members to excel without breaking their momentum, but specific plans must be tailored to each unique organizational context to maximize the benefits. The authors suggest several ways to deploy a no-meeting policy or adjust an existing one.

#4 Orchestrating Workforce Ecosystems

Elizabeth j. altman, david kiron, robin jones, and jeff schwartz.

Research conducted by MIT SMR and Deloitte examines the challenges companies and managers face in leading and coordinating workforces that increasingly rely on external contributors.

#5 Why Every Leader Needs to Worry About Toxic Culture

Donald sull, charles sull, william cipolli, and caio brighenti.

According to research, the five most common elements of toxic workplace cultures — being disrespectful, noninclusive, unethical, cutthroat, and abusive — contribute the most to employee attrition and can damage company reputation. Being aware of these elements and understanding how they spread can help employers prevent and address them.

#6 Building the Cognitive Budget for Your Most Effective Mind

Jordan birnbaum.

There’s a limit to how much mental energy is available to us on any given day, so it’s essential that we spend it deliberately and thoughtfully. This article details the process of creating a cognitive budget, using techniques from positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, and behavioral economics.

#7 Stop Telling Employees to Be Resilient

Liz fosslien and mollie west duffy.

When it comes to leadership, there’s a difference between demanding that employees be mentally tough and actually helping them take care of their mental health. The authors suggest five actions leaders can take to create a workplace that supports employees and fosters resilience.

#8 Effective Leaders Decide About Deciding

Nancy duarte.

Categorizing decisions by riskiness and urgency helps clarify when employees should move autonomously and when they should pull leaders into decision-making.

Related Articles

#9 leading change means changing how you lead, b. tom hunsaker and jonathan knowles.

Adapting your leadership approach is necessary for achieving the change your organization requires. The authors discuss three tasks — drawing the map, establishing the mindset, and communicating the message — that are essential to becoming a contextually effective leader.

#10 How Well-Designed Work Makes Us Smarter

Sharon k. parker and gwenith g. fisher.

Work that permits autonomy and demands problem-solving can bolster employees’ cognitive skills and ongoing learning. This article looks at how organizations and managers can use good work design to strengthen their workforce’s ability to adapt to new processes, tools, and roles.

About the Author

Ally MacDonald ( @allymacdonald ) is senior editor at MIT Sloan Management Review .

More Like This

Add a comment cancel reply.

You must sign in to post a comment. First time here? Sign up for a free account : Comment on articles and get access to many more articles.

Comment (1)

Peter bheda.

The 20 Best All That Is Interesting Articles That You Should Read

Yes, we have a lot of fascinating content; don't be overwhelmed. with these all that is interesting articles that you haven't read, we'll let you catch up..

We’ve been bringing you everything from the bizarre to the beautiful for over three years now–and often writing at length about some of our more fascinating findings all the while. And just in case you’ve missed some of them, here’s a quick way to catch up! Without further ado, here are the best All That Is Interesting articles that you haven’t read yet:

Viewing note: clicking on a post title or image will open a new window to the article.

The World’s Most Remote Places

Internet surfing can serve many purposes, ranging from informing yourself of current events to stalking your ex to scouring for a Portuguese dish to make for a pretentious dinner party. Each of these activities are united by one thing, though: you are absolutely alone while you do them. But if that cyber solitude isn’t enough to get your introvert on, you might peruse our list of the world’s most remote places and jet off to an uninhabited archipelago smack between South Africa and South America or a scenic roadless province in Tibet. Or, at the very least, daydream about it.

Interesting Articles: Incredible Natural Phenomena

If you’re anything like us, the enjoyment of nature is often translated as “admiring its beauty from the insect-free comforts of your computer screen”. That rings especially true in the case of natural phenomena, which when they’re not found at a prohibitively far distance from your home are potentially quite dangerous. For those of you with a naturalist’s heart but an agoraphobic’s mind, check out the world’s most mind-blowing natural phenomena .

99 Interesting Facts About The World To Blow Your Mind

When Twister was first introduced, many referred to it as sex in a box. Otters sleep holding hands. Twenty percent of coffee mugs contain fecal matter (gross). If you’re on the prowl for awesome party trivia, look no further than this handy list of interesting facts that we’ve compiled for you. Great news: we’ve got 99 of ’em.

The Astounding Origins Of English Idioms

Given our familiarity with the language, it’s quite easy for us to assume that the English language, much unlike its more “exotic” and “colorful” linguistic counterparts, lacks rich and imaginative idioms. If you’re one of those who thinks that your mother tongue is rather bland, fear not! We’re here to remind you of seven idioms with bizarre–and fascinating–origins .

42 Staggering Photos Of Abandoned Detroit

The Motor City has certainly seen some brighter days. Declaring bankruptcy in 2011, Detroit is one of the many–yet most visibly–suffering cities in the wake of the Great Recession. The industrial metropolis once served as home to around two million people, but today the numbers hang just over 700,000. Truly a dying city, these photos of an abandoned Detroit are incredibly sobering.

Fascinating Photos of 1960s Afghanistan

In 1967, Arizona State University professor Bill Podlich and his family swapped the United States for the unfamiliar environs of Kabul, Afghanistan. When not working at the Higher Teachers College of Kabul, Podlich made great use of his Kodachrome camera to document an Afghanistan that many of us would simply not recognize anymore. These images just go to show our incredible capacity to change–for better and for worse.

The Most Insanely Bizarre Human Records

A word of advice: while this list is quite the potpourri of “talents” and feats , it is best not to delve too deeply into it if you’re planning on eating any time soon. From an Indian man whose ears contain more hair than anyone else’s in the world to an Australian with eyelids capable of moving 907 pounds, you’ll quickly be reminded–and perhaps uncomfortably so–of the curiosities of the human race.

Interesting Articles: The Hamster Hotel

In Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”, readers are quickly introduced to protagonist Gregor Samsa, whose crippling sense of alienation proves so dehumanizing that one morning he awakes as a giant bug. While the Kafka classic is more in the vein of modern tragedy, the owners of this French hamster hotel view this out-of-body experience in a somewhat different, good-humored light. Tucked away in the small corners of Nantes, this hotel offers patrons seeking an escape from the confines of modern society the chance to spend the night as a hamster would. Don’t worry, though; you’ll still be able to let your friends know what you’re doing: the hotel also has WiFi.

An Eerie Town Where Everyone Wears Gas Masks

If the environmental features in your hometown greatly increased your chances of inhaling potentially fatal toxins, would you leave? Faced with a similar predicament in light of ceaseless volcanic activity, the inhabitants of the small Japanese island known as Miyakejima couldn’t bring themselves to leave their home…even if it killed them. Instead, many of the island’s denizens decided to “suck it up” and don gas masks to combat the poisonous air. It was a pretty good business move, too. Today, the island receives all sorts of visitors who cite the bevy of gas mask-clad citizens as their reason for visiting. Read more about the gaskmask town here .

Fly Geyser, Nevada’s Coolest (And Least Known) Attraction

Sure, you’ve got Vegas. Area 51. The breathtaking desert views. But what about a technicolor geyser formed by a 20th century well? That’s Nevada’s own Fly Geyser , and it’s got all the razzle dazzle of the Las Vegas strip but none of the ensuing guilt.

What The Future Looked Like In 1900

Humanity has long sought the ability to predict the future, and to a handful of candy connoisseurs in the height of the Second Industrial Revolution, it never looked brighter. On the cusp of a new century, Hildebrand’s, a then-leading German chocolate company, produced a set of cards depicting the “sweet” life that awaited us in the year 2000. Trains could also serve as transatlantic ocean liners, cities would be mobile thanks to the fact that they’d be built on trains, and flying machines would nix the need for stuffy carriages altogether.

Interesting Articles: The Haunting Faces Of Afghanistan

We may have just averted another war in Syria, but that doesn’t mean that the consequences and lessons of war should recede into oblivion. In Lalage Snow’s “We Are The Not Dead” series , she takes these ideas–oft-translated into a few paragraphs in history textbooks or newspaper statistics–and uses the human face as the medium in which she expresses them. Once doe-eyed and downy-cheeked, the soldiers featured in the series have assumed a starkly different identity, reminding us of the visceral effects of boardroom policy-making.

The Man Who Refused To Salute Hitler

You might need a tissue for this one. August Landmesser’s tale is not one without sadness. A modern internet icon of nonconformity at an ostensibly deadly juncture in world history, Landmesser originally joined the Nazi Party as a means for some job stability but soon found himself unable to participate in the most basic manifestation of solidarity: a salute to Adolf Hitler. Why? He fell in love with a Jewish woman. From this point on, Landmesser’s story grows much more complex and drenched in struggle, but it is certainly one worth reading. Read it here .

Interesting Articles: How The Internet Is Destroying Your Brain

As if you really wanted to know this approaching the bottom of this list, but the internet is taking a sledgehammer to your cognitive capacities the more and more you utilize it. You’d think that the dawn of a device made for rapid collection of knowledge–and sharing it–would lead to a hyper-informed and intelligent society, but it has resulted more often than not in the opposite. And beyond that, it can ruin your relationships. We’ve written about it at some length , and it’s yours for the taking…if you dare.

The World’s Most Amazing Trees

Given the size of their roots, many associate trees as rather static natural objects, lacking the dynamism that Mother Nature affords her more mobile denizens. We took that notion to task in our article on amazing trees , and are pretty sure you’ll come to appreciate how diverse–and fascinating–our tall, immobile neighbors truly are.

The Most Iconic Photos Of The 1940s

The holocaust, a second world war, the atom bomb and the world’s first computer. The 1940s was a decade jam-packed with tumult, triumph and tragedy. What better way to embody that than with compelling photography?

The Most Frighteningly Bizarre Ocean Creatures

To find the most fascinating–if not entirely terrifying–creatures Earth has to offer, it’s often the case that we need to look deep within it. With prehistoric sharks so ugly that their appearance–not their teeth–will cut you to the core, or female angler fish who reduce their male counterparts to just their gonads, these bizarre ocean creatures are bound to shock you.

Interesting Articles: The Best Insults In History

Gandhi, Lincoln, Churchill. All were brilliant statesmen; all were known for their biting quips. For the more argumentative among us, you’ll delight in our list of the best insults in history . Fear not, even the world’s best and brightest leaders could be incredibly bitchy.

How Fans Emulate Their Idols

Photographer James Mollison has an interesting theory: the more dedicated you are to a specific musician or band, the more likely you are to dress like them when you see them in concert. Regardless of their reasons for doing so (perhaps as a subconscious attempt to establish intimacy or reduce the barrier between musician and music lover), Mollison has traveled to concerts the world over in an attempt to convey the bizarrely tribal elements at play within music halls. Rod Stewartians can be recognized by their frayed hair and likely leather-loaded looks. Meanwhile, members of the Madonna tribe fashion themselves with bustiers and lace. Check out the rest here .

4 Crazy Conspiracies That Were Actually True

Contrary to popular belief, America isn’t a fascist state. But at one point early on in the 20th century, it very well could have been. Oh, and the United States totally saved the lives of Nazi Party members during World War II. Doesn’t sound true? Maybe that’s because you don’t want to believe it. As much as we like to distance ourselves from the kooks who spend their waking hours incessantly researching conspiracy theories, we’ve found four of ’em that are totally true.

And if you enjoyed reading the best All That Is Interesting articles, check out our other posts on the most popular All That Is Interesting pictures and interesting quotes that will tickle your brain !

PO Box 24091 Brooklyn, NY 11202-4091

• GOOD DIRECTORY
•         -->         -->

• Personal Growth
• Spirituality
• Love & Relationships
• Environment
• Wildlife & Animals
• Sustainability
• Organizations
• Volunteering
• Crowdfunding
• Good Deeds Day
• Good Gallery
• Infographics
• Good Directory

7 Websites that Will Spark Your Intelligence

Give your brain a boost.

(Serhii Bobyk / shutterstock.com)

If you are feeling a bit dull around the edges and need a bit of an intellectual boost, look no further; we have compiled a list of seven fantastic websites that will give you that brainy lift that you are seeking! The diverse selection of sites provides an array of intellectual stimulation from educational and cultural content to science experiments and fun quizzes to keep you sharp. READ ON: 5 of the Best Brain Training Apps to Make You Smarter So what are you waiting for? Get your smart on! Please send us your suggestions for more intellectually stimulating websites to add to the list. 

1.  OPEN CULTURE

WHAT A free website of curated educational and cultural content. IN DETAIL Founded in 2006, Open Culture will feed your curiosity with fascinating material that is culled from quality sources all over the web.  In addition to the daily content feed, Open Culture facilitates free learning and entertainment with online courses from leading universities, movies , audio books , eBooks and free language lessons . BRAIN LIFT New Jazz Archive Features Rare Audio of Louis Armstrong & Other Legends Playing in San Francisco

2.  TED-ED

WHAT A website for teachers and learners alike with animated educational videos under ten minutes long. IN DETAIL TED-Ed is an offshoot of the successful TED enterprise but with a bit of a twist. TED-Ed merges engaging lesson plans, narrated by the educators who create them, with artful animation to give the lessons a visual impact. The video lessons go a step further, offering supplemental materials such as quizzes, discussion questions and extra resources to get your brain working. BRAIN LIFT Inside OKCupid: The math of online dating  

3.  ZOONIVERSE

WHAT  An online platform for the contribution and participation in diverse citizen science projects. IN DETAIL Zooniverse allows you to be an integral part of scientific discoveries by working on a range of projects that can be done straight from your computer. If you aren’t particularly science oriented don’t fret, it’s not the only field to sink your teeth into; the site offers projects in nature, biology and the humanities. One stand out example is Planet Four , an endeavor that requires the identification and measurements of features on the surface of Mars, with the objective of assisting planetary scientists gain a greater understanding of the red planet. BRAIN LIFT Will we find life on another planet?

4.  HOW STUFF WORKS

WHAT A comprehensive website covering a myriad of topics, breaking down how things actually work into easy to read articles. IN DETAIL For every curious question you might have, or didn’t even think you might have, HowStuffWorks is your destination. The site takes on subjects as common as car repair and household appliances to as complex as geophysics and chemical engineering. Aside from the informational articles, HowStuffWorks also offers original videos , quizzes , blogs , games and podcasts to pique your curiosity and challenge your mind. BRAIN LIFT Can carbon fiber solve the oil crisis?

5.  UNPLUG THE TV

WHAT A site that offers a selection of entertaining and educational videos. IN DETAIL Unplug the TV is intent on curbing the incessant flow of mind-numbing television by providing a site filled with quality videos that will broaden your horizons.  Videos are selected from a variety of sites such as TED, PBS and Khan Academy. The simple format allows you to switch to a new video with a simple click or browse through the archives .   BRAIN LIFT Why do we kiss?

6.  THIS AMERICAN LIFE

WHAT A weekly public radio show centered around a specific theme in which everyday people share their personal  stories. IN DETAIL Hosted by Ira Glass, This American Life tackles all different types of subjects with a mix of humor, depth, intelligence and heart. Expertly edited, a mix of individuals and This American Life staffers relate fascinating stories and personal experiences ranging from being switched at birth to adventures in babysitting . This American Life can be listened to via stream , podcast , mobile apps or the old fashioned way, on the radio . BRAIN LIFT Little War on the Prairie

7.  FREE RICE

WHAT A nonprofit website that donates grains of rice for correctly answered educational multiple choice questions. IN DETAIL Free Rice is an initiative of the United Nations World Food Programme and combines education with fighting hunger.  The site offers a wide range of subjects in which to test your knowledge, from math and humanities to science and SAT prep. For each correct answer, Free Rice donates 10 grains of rice, whether you are playing individually or for a group . BRAIN LIFT Nicosia is the capital of what country?  

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 

How Do You Unleash Your Creativity? Where Do Good Ideas Come From? The Truth about Brainstorming

Most Read Now:

7 Surprising Banana Peel Uses

This New Guinea Dog is Singing a New Tune

11-Year-Old Nigerian Boy Leaps to Fame

GOOD FOR you!

Thank you for signing up. Expect to hear from us very soon.

• The Best Tech Deals Right Now
• Is Spotify Premium Worth It?

19 Cool Websites to Look at When Bored

Stimulate your mind with these funny, geeky and weird web sites

• University of Ontario
• George Brown College
• Cloud Services
• Error Messages
• Family Tech
• Home Networking
• Around the Web

Your boredom stops here. Below are some of the coolest websites to visit when you need some internet caffeine.

Whether you need to kill some time or you're in the mood to laugh, learn, or be inspired, this list of cool sites is all you need. Add them to your bookmarks and visit often for fresh content.

Bored Panda

Wide range of content topics.

Easy to use.

Not all content is factual.

Could the name of this website be any more appropriate? Bored Panda is the place you want to be when you want to discover interesting and visually appealing content.

It's a blog that publishes regular updates on the coolest finds in travel, photography, illustration, animals, DIY, technology, design and all sorts of other great categories. You can also create an account to vote posts up or down.

Brain Pickings

Loads of content related to art, literature, and science.

Content curated from multiple sources.

Lots of text.

Somewhat cluttered appearance.

Boredom doesn't mean you should distract yourself with the simplest and most mind-numbing content out there on the web. Try expanding your knowledge by diving deep into the incredibly useful and thought-provoking blog posts on Brain Pickings, which is a popular blog run by MIT Fellow Maria Popova . She's the one who does all the research and writing for each post.

You can probably expect to find a few good books to add to your reading list just by subscribing to this blog.

Cutting edge information.

Lectures on an array of topics.

Video format not always suitable.

Unusual rating system.

TED has become a powerful organization in spreading ideas and knowledge. The nonprofit organization hosts conferences around the world where people of all walks of life share their amazing ideas and experiences through short speaking gigs.

If you have a pair of headphones handy, you should definitely check out this site. You can find video talks on practically any subject you're interested in.

Laughing Squid

Content focused on unique art, culture, and technology finds.

Daily email available.

Actually the blog of a web-hosting service.

Basic appearance.

Laughing Squid should be a favorite blog to check out just for all the wacky, inspiring and unbelievable stuff you can find there. You can find all sorts of highly visual posts about art, culture, and technology on this site, most of which are photos and videos.

It's updated with several new posts a day featuring the newest, freshest content. Posts are kept pretty short too, making it perfect for browsing casually.

Makes learning fun.

Family-friendly.

Video format not optimal for work or similar situations.

Some complex topics.

The Vsauce YouTube channel is an incredibly popular and successful channel (with several spinoff channels) that has attracted over 15 million subscribers. Videos focus on interesting educational content where channel creator Michael Stevens teaches viewers about all sorts of amazing topics, almost resembling a modern-day Bill Nye the Science Guy.

On the Vsauce website, you can browse through and watch videos across all Vsauce channels. 

Lots of unusual content.

Articles cite sources.

Some external links questionable.

Love weird stuff? Then you need to check out Oddee, one of the web's largest and most popular blogs featuring the craziest, strangest and most bizarre content you probably won't find anywhere else.

Most posts are numbered lists, complete with lots of photos and videos for you to look at. Categories include art, signs, places, objects, ads, science, medicine, home design, names, people, gifts, stories, tech and more.

Mental Floss

Reliable source of interesting news.

Newsletter available.

Ads can be distracting.

Cluttered appearance.

Mental Floss will leave you feeling like you actually learned something during the time you wanted to pass while browsing the web. Describing itself as "the encyclopedia of everything," the site offers content on some of life's most interesting questions.

You can read articles, view lists, watch videos, take quizzes and even brush up on some smart facts with Mental Floss on everything from science to pop culture. So go ahead and expand your knowledge with this one! 

The Useless Web

Funny and simple.

Very basic.

Hit or miss results.

Need a little something more entertaining? The Useless Web is a website that's somewhat similar, except that its only goal is to show you the most pointless websites that exist on the internet. Just click the big pink button to discover one, and it will automatically open in a new tab.

You can even submit one of your own using the link at the bottom if you want.

Thousands of GIFs.

Easy to find trending and new images.

Search can be glitchy.

Do you like animated GIFs? You know, those images without sound that move for a few seconds and then start all over again? If you do, you'll love Giphy.

Giphy is the Internet's search engine for GIFs. Even if you have nothing to search for, you can just look at what's trending on the front page or spend some time browsing through the categories.

The Oatmeal

Engaging quizzes and comics.

Quirky content.

Not all content is family-friendly.

Some content is repetitive.

Created by Matthew Inman a.k.a. “The Oatmeal,” his popular humor website caters to the avid comic lover and quiz taker. His wacky drawings are mainly based on relatable life situations, education, and crazy stories that would never be possible in real life.

Some of the jokes are a little harsh but all are pretty darn funny.

Fun way to pass time.

Shareable content.

Often considered click-bait.

Lots of similar listicles to sift through.

Surely you've heard of BuzzFeed by now. It's only one of the most popular sites online for everything that's viral, newsworthy and even pointless.

You can find everything from fun quizzes and listicles made of GIFs, to breaking news and long-form journalism. If you need some major distraction, BuzzFeed is the place to go.

Unique comics.

Fun comic generator.

Limited content.

If webcomics are your thing, then you have to be familiar with Cyanide and Happiness—one of the most popular and funniest webcomics out there.

There's a new webcomic every day, but you can also head on over to the website and press the question mark button over and over again to view random comics.

Keep in mind there's a lot of adult content.

"Subreddits" for nearly every topic.

Topical and trending content.

Some content not suitable for work.

Learning curve involved.

Reddit is referred to as "the front page of the internet." It's a community board split up into sections of categories or interests. Users submit links to articles, photos or videos they think are worth sharing, and anyone can upvote them or downvote them .

The most upvoted links get pushed to the top. If StumbleUpon wasn't your thing, Reddit may be a good alternative.

Easy to browse.

Comments can be rude.

Can be buggy.

9GAG is sort of like a visual version of Reddit. It's a community-driven hub for visual content where members of the community upvote and downvote posts so that the best content gets pushed to the top.

Explore the different sections on this site and prepare to have your mind blown! You can also create your own account and start engaging with the community but upvoting what you like, downvoting what you don't like, commenting on posts and even uploading your own content.

Hyperbole and a Half

Engaging appearance.

New content no longer added.

Some content is lengthy.

Hyperbole and a Half is a Blogger blog that was created by Allie Brosh, a young woman with a talent for telling her left story through detailed Microsoft Paint drawings. She says her blog is not really a webcomic, but it’s not really a blog either.

Whatever it is, it’s a wonderfully colorful and comedic site to browse through. If you love whimsical drawings of dogs, rainbows and other things, then you're bound to really fall in love with this one.

Funny and informative

New, timely content added often.

Great deal of political content.

Some content isn't safe for work or children.

According to the site's slogan, Cracked is “America’s Only Humor Site Since 1958.” Cracked is famous for its timeless list posts. Columnists and contributing writers craft witty, funny articles on topics ranging from history to TV & movies to internet tech.

It has a hilariously creative video section as well. Although it's a bit less reliant on visual content compared to some of the other sites on this list, the articles on Cracked are well worth reading and sharing again and again.

Mostly harmless fun.

Great deal of unique content.

Can be difficult to navigate.

The FAIL blog has been around for much longer than a lot of these other sites have, and thanks to its great content, it's still going strong. Part of the I Can Has Cheezburger network, Fail Blog is a site that is most known for its humorous pictures depicting disastrous and often stupid situations.

All photos have the caption “FAIL” included somewhere on the photo. Fail Blog incorporates video into their site in addition to photos.

Autocorrect Fail

Funny fails.

No longer adding new content.

Some content not family-friendly.

If you own a smartphone, you’ve probably had to deal with an extra text or two explaining an accidental word change as a result of your phone’s auto correction.

Autocorrect Fail features tons of funny texts between people who experience all the communication problems that come with auto correct on a mobile device. You might be surprised to discover what kinds of words accidentally pop up after you turn on autocorrect on your mobile device .

Awkward Family Photos

Cringe-worthy humor.

Suitable for work or family.

No way to tell when content was posted.

Clunky navigation.

Almost everyone has an old photo from back in the day that is just too embarrassing to look at now. It seems as though families all over the world are all flocking to Awkward Family Photos to submit their hilarious and retro photos there.

From terrible hairdos and outfits to costume-themed family portraits, it’s no surprise that this site is such a huge hit on the internet. Submit your own awkward family photo and see if it pops on the site eventually!

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• 6 of the Best Sites to Track Recent Celebrity News
• The 8 Best Search Engines of 2024
• The 20 Best Free Learning Websites for Kids in 2024
• 22 Best Places to Get Free Kindle Books in 2024
• Hottest Social App Trends for Teens
• Free TV Streaming: 10 Ways to Watch TV Shows Online Free in 2024
• 8 Alternatives to iGoogle Homepage
• 13 Best Sites for Free Documentaries
• The 10 Best Bookmarking Tools for the Web
• The 22 Most Addictive Websites
• The Top 10 Video and Photo Sharing Websites and Apps
• The Top Social News Sites to Check Out
• The 9 Best X (Formerly Twitter) Alternatives in 2024
• How to Use GIFs on Facebook
• 8 Best Websites for Playing Free Online Games
• Websites That Make You Smarter

30 Fun & Unique Time Pass Websites to Visit When Bored

• We uncovered a collection of over 30 unique and engaging websites perfect for dispelling boredom, encompassing a variety of interactive games, educational resources, and creative platforms.
• Intriguing sites such as 'Find the Invisible Cow', '100,000 Stars', and 'Little Alchemy 2', each offering a distinct and captivating experience ranging from audio puzzles to cosmic exploration and interactive learning.
• Diverse activities provided by 'Neal.fun', experienced the gravitational allure of 'Gravity Points', and tracked marine life in real-time with 'OCEARCH Shark Tracker', enriching my knowledge and entertainment options.

From productivity tips to DIY hacks to everyday shortcuts, the Internet can be a goldmine of knowledge. But what about times when you’re bored? Well, turns out it also happens to be one of the best places to find cool and interesting websites to kill time. In this article, we will go over 30+ websites you can visit to get rid of the boredom that’s haunting you.

Table of Contents

1. find the invisible cow, 2. 100,000 stars, 4. neal.fun, 5. little alchemy 2, 6. wait but why, 7. gravity points, 8. the oatmeal, 9. pointer pointer, 10. the useless web, 11. hacker typer, 12. paper toilet, 13. mapcrunch, 15. scream into the void, 16. wayback machine, 17. don’t even reply, 18. zoomquilt, 19. freerice, 20. radio garden, 22. animate your drawings, 23. patatap, 25. forgotify, 26. i waste so much time, 27. openpuppies, 28. pixel thoughts, 29. supercook, 30. ocearch shark tracker, wrapping up, 30 time pass website to kill your boredom.

Listening to music, watching YouTube , or playing video games are often some of the most common ways to have fun on the Internet. However, if you are looking for something new and exciting, our list explores that side of the internet that you might not even know exists.

Starting this list off we have Find the Invisible Cow which you guessed it is a puzzle game where you have to find an invisible cow. How? Well, that’s the best part. With the help of an audio that changes in levels depending on how close your cursor is to the invisible cow, you find the cow

As you level up, the game progresses to newer animals with over 25 million animals recorded around the globe. However, it can get a bit annoying listening to a guy screaming “ COW COW ” in different volumes so keep that in mind if you plan on sticking there for long.

READ MORE: How To Change Your Xbox Gamertag on Any Console in 2024 ➜

This one is a whole experience. 100,000 Stars is a phenomenal website that takes you on a space journey, exploring the different stars around us. You can zoom in or zoom out to see the stars up close or get a handful of insights about them. On top of that, you can also take a short tour that will surely make you wonder, are we alone?

2048 is another classic online game that you should give a try at least once. The rules are simple, you have a 4×4 box and you have to move the tiles inside the box to add up the same numbers . The game gets challenging as you start to fill in the tiles making the end goal of reaching a score of 2048.

READ MORE: Antiwordle – How to Play the Unique Wordle Game in 2024 ➜

Neal.fun is not just a single-purpose website, it’s a collection of different games and fun activities that will keep you entertained for a long. It has almost 32 different experiences including our favorites like the “ Design the Next iPhone ” which as it says is your chance to show Tim Cook a new breakthrough. Similarly, Dark Patterns helps you learn about the dark side of online surfing and shopping.

Little Alchemy 2 is a website that beautifully sums up the idea of interactive learning . On this website, your purpose is to create different items by combining them into one another. You have over 720 items to discover and along the way, you can also learn about them through the encyclopedia section. We could only figure out 10 combinations, but let us know how many you can do!

READ MORE: What are Repack Games & Best Places to Get Them in 2024 ➜

Wait But Why is a blog website where the author Tim Urban expresses his thoughts in a comedic manner by using stick figure drawings and a bit of humor in his writing. You will find different posts varying from current trends to random thoughts. The website has several different sections to explore along with a store page featuring their merchandise.

If you are a fan of physics or love to play and interact with oddly satisfying fidgets, this website features a circular body with a gravitational field that pulls the particles towards it. You can use your cursor to move the body around, create multiple points, and even manipulate the way the particles move around in different orbits and trajectories.

READ MORE: Who is John Pork & What is the John Pork Calling Meme? ➜

Oatmeal is a website by Matthew Inam — a cartoonist publishing comics on the website since 2009 —that’s based around hand-drawn graphics. The website features a comic section where you can read short and fun comics, an “ Animations ” section where you can watch animated cartoon TikToks , and a games section to play mobile and browser games.

Next on our list, we have Pointer Pointer where you move your cursor around the screen and stop it at a specific spot. Once your cursor is Static , that’s when the magic happens. You will be presented with a random picture on your screen with a finger pointing directly at your cursor.

While the idea might sound silly, it’s the science behind it that makes it such an interesting website to visit as the studio Moniker made the website back in 2012 without the help of any AI. This means that each image was selected by hand to correspond to the exact placement of the cursor pixel to pixel.

READ MORE: 20 Creative & Fun Building Ideas for Minecraft in 2024 ➜

Another time-wasting website that you will not get enough of is “ The Useless Web ” which takes you to different “ useless ” websites on the web. As you hit the Please button , your mystery game or activity will open up in a new tab ranging from puzzles to making drawings to different fidgeting toys, the options are pretty much endless.

Hacking is often portrayed in movies with someone mashing up keys on their keyboard and getting their way into pretty much everywhere. With Hacker Typer , you can also smash your keyboard , and lines of codes will start to appear in green on a black background just like how it’s done in the movies. You also have the Acesses Granted or Acessed Denied screen that can make things look even more suspenseful.

READ MORE: What is the Spider-Verse Whopper & Can You Still Get It? ➜

Another oddly satisfying and stress-release website on our list is the “ Paper Toilet .” With the help of your cursor, your job is to finish an entire roll of toilet paper and see how long it takes you to reach the end. During our test, we found that you can also roll the toilet paper back to bring it back to life. It’s a weird yet addicting game that will surely cut a few minutes of your time.

For all you explorers, MapCrunch is a great way to take a tour of random places around the world. Using Google Street View , the website puts you in a random location that you can explore and find more about. You can also choose specific countries to explore and even share your street view with your friends.

READ MORE: How to Use Google Street View in 2024 – Explained in Easy Steps ➜

Giphy is the go-to for all your GIF needs. With millions to choose from, you can spend hours finding funny and relatable animations . Plus, you can easily make your GIFs with their simple tools.

Screaming is often the best way to get rid of stress and anxiety but if your neighbors are tired of your screams, you can check out “ Scream Into the Void .” This website allows you to type in your feelings and throw them into the void by pressing the Scream button which activates a scream noise that is sucked with everything else.

READ MORE: How to Comment GIFs on Instagram Posts in 4 Easy Steps ➜

If you are a 90s kid and want to take a trip down memory lane, Wayback Machine can help you experience what the Internet looked like decades ago. It’s not just a website; it’s a search engine that features old versions of more than 886 billion web pages so you can see how much websites have changed over time.

Don’t Even Reply is a collection of email exchanges between the author and the seller where he messes with them and tries to get them angry. It’s a great way to kill time while also getting a good laugh.

READ MORE: The ColecoVision – A Forgotten Relic of Console History ➜

Zoomquilt is a collaborative project by Nikolaus Baumgarten created in 2004 that features different infinitely zooming paintings. You can use the arrow keys to go forward or backward in the loop or simply sit and watch the mesmerizing loop unfold right in front of you.

Freerice offers enjoyable quizzes that not only entertain but also make a positive impact. With each correct answer, 10 grains of rice are donated to combat hunger through the United Nations World Food Program . It’s a simple yet powerful way to play, learn, and contribute to a meaningful cause.

READ MORE: Jeff Bezos Intends to Donate Majority of His Wealth to Charity Before Passing ➜

With streaming services like Spotify , Apple Music , and YouTube Music , taking over the Internet, radio may seem like a thing of the past. However, Radio Garden proves how fun it can be to explore music and culture through live stations from all over the globe. All you have to do is either place the mark on the globe or search for a place and a list of radio stations will open up.

If you are a fan of Nebulas , the NeonFlames tool of 29a.ch allows you to come up with your Nebula using different colors. You have a black canvas that represents space along with a bunch of different colors and settings to tweak when drawing the cosmos. This website is a perfect blend of art and science allowing you to play and paint around.

READ MORE: How to Check What Color is Your Name with Synesthesia [2024] ➜

Animate Your Drawing is a fun little website where you can convert your still drawings into animated ones. When you open up the website, you are first supposed to upload a picture of your drawing and after a short process, your drawing will now be able to dance, jump, walk, and a lot more.

A lot of times listening to music is a great way to kill time when you are bored. However, if you are bored of listening to them you can start making your tunes with Patatap . This website plays sounds and animations based on the keys you press allowing you to dive into the world of music at your own pace.

READ MORE: Suzume no Tojimari: Shinkai’s Animated Masterpiece ➜

Drench is a unique and interesting browser game that will keep you entertained for hours. In Drench, you get a board full of different colors and your task is to well “drench” it in one single color. It might sound easy but with a limited number of moves, you’ll need to think about how to use them carefully to finish the game .

Another music-related website is Forgotify which randomly gives you a song from Spotify that you must have forgotten about. With the press of a single button, you’ll get a random link to an old Spotify song that you can listen to for either the first time or catch up to your old music taste.

READ MORE: Frinkiac: How to Use the Ultimate Simpsons Meme Maker!

This website is designed to literally waste your time. There are no games, activities, or long articles, instead, you get memes and funny pictures with captions that will keep you hooked for long.

OpenPuppies shows you GIFs and pictures of adorable puppies and dogs you can sit and just admire. All the content is shown in high-resolution graphics and you can also download your favorite ones with just a single click.

Pixel Thoughts is a 60-second meditation tool that allows you to clear your thoughts by comparing them to how minuscule even your biggest worries are in perspective. The website gives you calming statements with beautiful music in the background to make you feel less stressed and anxious.

READ MORE: How To Watch Cartoons Online For Free in HD (No Piracy) ➜

Midnight cravings can be tough to deal with especially when you have limited ingredients that don’t seem to make up anything. That’s where SuperCook comes in, a website that allows you to simply select whatever ingredients you have and get recipes according to them. Whether you have fruits, vegetables, cheeses, or even seeds SuperCook has a recipe that you can start working on.

OCEARCH Shark Tracker is a fun way to follow sharks as they roam the ocean. Developed by the Marine Research Group OCEARCH , this website lets you track tagged sharks, each with its own name, in real time. You can see where they’ve been swimming and traveling over the past year by zooming in on specific locations. It’s a cool way to learn about these fascinating creatures and pass the time online.

READ MORE: 9 of the Most Fun Websites to Cure Boredom & Kill Time! ➜

From solving puzzles to making colorful nebulas, our list of 30 fun and interesting websites will surely help you get rid of boredom. Explore each one on your own and let us know in the comments down below your favorite ones!

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization focused on hunger and food security. It provides food assistance to millions of people in crisis situations, including conflict zones and natural disasters, and works to improve nutrition and build resilience in vulnerable communities around the globe.

The pronunciation of “GIF” has been a subject of debate for years. The creator of the format, Steve Wilhite, has said that it should be pronounced like “jif” with a soft “G.” However, many people still pronounce it with a hard “G” sound, like “gif.” Ultimately, both pronunciations are widely accepted, and it really comes down to personal preference.

2048 is a strategic puzzle game where players merge numbered tiles on a grid by swiping in four directions. When two tiles with the same number collide, they combine to form a new tile with the sum of their numbers. The goal is to create a tile numbered “2048” by merging tiles efficiently while strategically planning moves to avoid gridlock. The game continues until there are no more possible moves or the player achieves the 2048 tile.

Hamid Murtaza

• Multi-Niche Writer |

Related Articles

How to Fix a Duolingo App That Looks Old & Sad in 2024

What is Google Bubble Level & How Does It Work [2024]

How To Use Redo Shortcut on Windows, Mac & Mobile [2024]

What is Bionic Reading & Does It Actually Help You? [2024]

What is an IP Grabber, How They Work & How to Use One? [2024]

How to Delete a Page in Word on Mobile & Desktop [2024]

Advertisement

Test Yourself: Which Faces Were Made by A.I.?

By Stuart A. Thompson Jan. 19, 2024

Tools powered by artificial intelligence can create lifelike images of people who do not exist.

See if you can identify which of these images are real people and which are A.I.-generated.

Was this made by A.I.? 1 / 10

How did you do?

Were you surprised by your results? You guessed 0 times and got 0 correct.

Ever since the public release of tools like Dall-E and Midjourney in the past couple of years, the A.I.-generated images they’ve produced have stoked confusion about breaking news , fashion trends and Taylor Swift .

Distinguishing between a real versus an A.I.-generated face has proved especially confounding.

Research published across multiple studies found that faces of white people created by A.I. systems were perceived as more realistic than genuine photographs of white people, a phenomenon called hyper-realism.

Researchers believe A.I. tools excel at producing hyper-realistic faces because they were trained on tens of thousands of images of real people. Those training datasets contained images of mostly white people, resulting in hyper-realistic white faces. (The over-reliance on images of white people to train A.I. is a known problem in the tech industry.)

The confusion among participants was less apparent among nonwhite faces, researchers found.

Participants were also asked to indicate how sure they were in their selections, and researchers found that higher confidence correlated with a higher chance of being wrong.

“We were very surprised to see the level of over-confidence that was coming through,” said Dr. Amy Dawel, an associate professor at Australian National University, who was an author on two of the studies.

“It points to the thinking styles that make us more vulnerable on the internet and more vulnerable to misinformation,” she added.

Top photos identified as “real” in the study

Top photos identified as “A.I.” in the study

The idea that A.I.-generated faces could be deemed more authentic than actual people startled experts like Dr. Dawel, who fear that digital fakes could help the spread of false and misleading messages online.

A.I. systems had been capable of producing photorealistic faces for years, though there were typically telltale signs that the images were not real. A.I. systems struggled to create ears that looked like mirror images of each other, for example, or eyes that looked in the same direction.

But as the systems have advanced, the tools have become better at creating faces.

The hyper-realistic faces used in the studies tended to be less distinctive, researchers said, and hewed so closely to average proportions that they failed to arouse suspicion among the participants. And when participants looked at real pictures of people, they seemed to fixate on features that drifted from average proportions — such as a misshapen ear or larger-than-average nose — considering them a sign of A.I. involvement.

The images in the study came from StyleGAN2 , an image model trained on a public repository of photographs containing 69 percent white faces.

Study participants said they relied on a few features to make their decisions, including how proportional the faces were, the appearance of skin, wrinkles, and facial features like eyes.

• Share full article

The 11 best things to do in Madrid in 2024

Feb 10, 2024 • 7 min read

From traditional tapas bars to frenzied flamenco shows, Madrid has so much to offer © RgStudio / Getty Images © © RgStudio / Getty Images

The Spanish capital is a cultural and social behemoth that attracts visitors from around the world and they keep coming back for more. Madrid has something to tempt every traveler and will have many of them dancing until sunrise thanks to its thriving nightlife.

With architectural wonders, world-class gastronomy, famed art museums and even an Egyptian temple within the city limits, Madrid offers sights and attractions to satisfy all visitors. Here are 11 experiences not to be missed when you get there.

1. Visit the Golden Triangle of Art

Madrid’s "Golden Triangle of Art" consists of three renowned museums, the Museo del Prado, Reina Sofía and the Thyssen-Bornemisza, which are home to some of the world’s most valuable art collections. Even if you’re not typically the gallery type, a stop at one of these venues is an essential Madrid experience.

The Prado houses several masterpieces by Spanish artists Diego Velázquez, Francisco Goya and Francisco Zurbarán. Arguably the most famous work people flock to see is Velázquez’s Las Meninas , an oil on canvas considered among the most important paintings in Western art.

The Reina Sofía is the Spanish national museum dedicated to 20th-century art, exhibiting impressive collections of Surrealist and Cubist masters Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso, including Picasso’s huge anti-war oil painting Guernica .

Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza , once the private art collection of Baron Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza and his son Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza, showcases nearly 1000 paintings of the world’s most celebrated European and American artists from the 13th to the 20th centuries. It’s a real feast for art fans.

2. Get a taste of Spain on a traditional tapas crawl

Tapas hopping, or ir de tapas , is a national pastime and a satisfying prelude to dinner, which in Spain is typically eaten between 9pm and midnight. A tapa is a small plate of food usually paired with a glass of wine, caña  (a small glass of beer) or vermút , Madrid’s popular aperitif. 

You can join locals after work any day of the week, hopping from one tapas bar to the next to sample a selection of Iberian hams, charcuterie and cheeses.

Planning tip: Sunday afternoons are the best time to visit Cava Baja, a popular street in the historic La Latina neighborhood with vibrant little bars, taverns and restaurants that are perfect for a laid-back tapas crawl.

3. Shop at El Rastro flea market 

Every Sunday and on public holidays, you can take part in a 400-year-old shopping tradition at  El Rastro flea market . Open from 9am to 3pm, El Rastro stretches along the La Latina neighborhood’s Plaza de Cascorro, La Ribera de Curtidores and Ronda de Toledo and features a labyrinth of open-air stalls peddling clothes, souvenirs, handicrafts, antiques and all the bric-a-brac you can imagine. 

Planning tip: Many of the vendors only accept efectivo  (cash). Get some cash out before heading to the market or you’ll be left hunting for an elusive ATM.

4. Follow Hemingway’s footsteps

"Hemingway did not drink here" is a popular joke written on signs hanging in some Madrid establishments. It’s no secret that the American literary giant, fondly called "Don Ernesto," was Madrid’s adopted sybarite who loved to drink, eat, write and watch bullfights while he was covering the Spanish Civil War as a foreign journalist. 

Fans of Hemingway can retrace his footsteps and enjoy some of his favorite haunts that still exist today, including Restaurante Botín , the world’s oldest restaurant, which houses a 16th-century cellar cradling dust-covered wine bottles.

Hemingway also used to frequent La Venencia , a dimly lit sherry bar that is virtually frozen in time with its massive molasses-stained wooden barrels, antique cash register and fading sepia-hued posters.

Planning tip: Don’t bother whipping out your phone to take some pictures at La Venencia – snapping photos is still strictly prohibited, just as it was in the 1930s when the bar was wary of fascist spies.

5. Watch a flamenco show

While Andalucía in southern Spain is the birthplace of flamenco, you don’t need to venture far from Madrid to watch live shows of the Spanish dance. Dinner, tapas and drinks are usually served during the performance, providing a full evening’s entertainment.

You can watch the frenetic spectacle in big touristy venues such as Cardamomo and Teatro Flamenco or smaller cozy venues like Las Tablas , which make up for their size with the big flamenco artists they attract.

Planning tip: For a truly luxurious experience, the Corral de la Moreria is an intimate space that also features a Michelin-starred restaurant.

6. Explore Retiro Park

Parque del Buen Retiro , Madrid’s most famous park, is an expansive 118-hectare (292-acre) area that was once reserved for Spanish royalty and aristocracy until it was opened to the public at the end of the 19th century. "El Retiro" is adorned with ornate fountains, statues of Spanish writers and heroes, gazebos and open-air cafes.

Different areas of the park reveal various landscaping styles, from French-inspired manicured lawns to craggy tree-lined pathways and the romantic La Rosaleda  rose garden with more than 4000 roses that are in full bloom in May and June.

The park's grounds have several landmarks, including the grand Monument to Alfonso XII depicting the former Spanish king atop his horse, the  "Fallen Angel" statue  (one of the only public statues of Lucifer in the world) and the oldest tree in Madrid, planted in 1633.

Planning tip: Don’t miss Palacio de Cristal , an architectural marvel of iron and glass that occasionally hosts events and reflects magnificently on the waters of the surrounding lake.

7. Stand in the center of Spain

Translated to "Gate of the Sun," Puerta del Sol  is Madrid’s busy central public square and main crossroads. A clock sits atop the plaza’s main building, the old Casa de Correos  – now the headquarters of the Madrid regional government – and every New Year’s Eve, thousands of revelers gather here to eat the traditional 12 grapes right before the clock strikes midnight. 

All roads (quite literally) lead to Sol, as it is the symbolic center of Spain, marked by the Kilometer Zero plaque at the footstep of the Casa de Correos. At the plaza’s center is the equestrian statue of King Charles III, though his popularity is overshadowed by a more famous character on the east side of the square – the Bear by the Madroño tree sculpture that represents Madrid’s coat of arms.

8. Tour Madrid’s iconic soccer stadiums

Spain is a soccer powerhouse, with its international teams winning both the World Cup and European Championships and its regional teams dominating European football.

Madrid has two teams, and soccer fans can enjoy a tour around both world-renowned stadiums – the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu  for Real Madrid and the Wanda Metropolitano for Atlético de Madrid. Guided tours of the museums display the teams’ trophies, jerseys throughout the years and memorabilia narrating their long, illustrious histories.

9. Pull up a chair in Plaza Mayor

At the heart of old Madrid, the beautiful, expansive Plaza Mayor  has been the stage for everything from royal crowning ceremonies and soccer games to outdoor markets, bullfights and public executions during the Spanish Inquisition. 

Today, 237 balconies peer out from a three-story residential compound embracing the plaza. While it’s easy to get distracted by the buskers, it’s worth taking a seat at one of the buzzing (albeit overpriced) cafes and taking time to admire the magnificent frescoes painted between the balconies.

Planning tip: The square also plays host to the city’s annual Christmas market, which has taken place since 1860.

10. Wander through an Egyptian temple 

Few people know that Madrid is home to an ancient Egyptian temple from the 2nd century BCE. Dedicated to the goddess Isis and the god Amun,  Templo de Debod was the Egyptian government’s token of gratitude to Spain for helping restore the temples of Abu Simbel in southern Egypt. Templo de Debod was transported and rebuilt stone by stone, opening to the public in 1972 in Madrid’s Cuartel de la Montaña Park, near Plaza España . 

Planning tip: The temple boasts some of the best panoramic views of western Madrid, particularly at sunset when the walls reflect off the surrounding pools, making for incredible photos.

11. See the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace of Madrid

Although you won’t find the Spanish king and queen living in  Palacio Real  anymore, it is still the official residence of the Spanish monarchy. Inspired by the Italian sculptor Bernini’s sketches for the construction of the Louvre in Paris, the palace faces a large central courtyard and contains 3418 rooms, making it the largest functioning royal palace in Europe. 

The biweekly changing of the guard happens every Wednesday and Saturday, but the grander spectacle is the Solemn Changing of the Guard that takes place every first Wednesday of the month, showcasing a parade of horses and the Spanish Royal Guard, as performed during the time of King Alfonso XII.

This article was first published Mar 2, 2020 and updated Feb 10, 2024.

Explore related stories

Mar 7, 2024 • 10 min read

There are so many incredible experiences awaiting you in Spain. Here are some of the very best.

Sep 22, 2023 • 11 min read

Jul 21, 2022 • 9 min read

Jun 24, 2022 • 6 min read

Apr 7, 2022 • 6 min read

Apr 19, 2021 • 7 min read

Jul 9, 2020 • 2 min read

Sep 2, 2019 • 4 min read

May 16, 2019 • 4 min read

Oct 17, 2016 • 5 min read

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

4,000-year-old Greek hilltop site mystifies archaeologists. It could spell trouble for new airport

In this undated photo provided by the Greek Culture Ministry on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the ruins of a 4,000-year-old hilltop building newly discovered on the island of Crete are seen from above. The wheel-shaped structure is puzzling archaeologists and threatening to disrupt a major airport project on the tourism-reliant island. Greece’s Culture Ministry said Tuesday that it’s a “unique and extremely interesting find” from Crete’s Minoan civilisation, famous for its sumptuous palaces, flamboyant art and enigmatic writing system. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP)

In this undated photo provided by the Greek Culture Ministry on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the ruins of a 4,000-year-old hilltop building newly discovered on the island of Crete are seen from above. The wheel-shaped structure is puzzling archaeologists and threatening to disrupt a major airport project on the tourism-reliant island. Greece’s Culture Ministry said Tuesday that it’s a “unique and extremely interesting find” from Crete’s Minoan civilization, famous for its sumptuous palaces, flamboyant art and enigmatic writing system. (Greek Culture Ministry via AP)

• Copy Link copied

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A big, round, 4,000-year-old stone building discovered on a Cretan hilltop is puzzling archaeologists and threatening to disrupt a major airport project on the Greek tourist island.

Greece’s Culture Ministry said Tuesday that the structure is a “unique and extremely interesting find” from Crete’s Minoan civilization, famous for its sumptuous palaces, flamboyant art and enigmatic writing system. Resembling a huge car wheel from above, the ruins of the labyrinthine, 1,800-square-meter (19,000-square-foot) building came to light during a recent dig by archaeologists.

The site was earmarked for a radar station to serve a new airport under construction near the town of Kastelli. Set to open in 2027, it’s projected to replace Greece’s second-biggest airport at Heraklion, and designed to handle up to 18 million travelers annually.

Archaeologists don’t yet know what the hilltop structure was for. It’s still under excavation and has no known Minoan parallels. So for the time being, experts speculate it could have been used for a ritual or religious function.

Ringed by eight stepped stone walls up to 1.7 meters (5.6 feet) high, the inner structure was split into smaller, interconnecting spaces and may have had a shallow conical roof.

The ministry’s statement said it didn’t appear to have been a dwelling, and the finds from inside it included a large quantity of animal bones.

“It may have been periodically used for possibly ritual ceremonies involving consumption of food, wine, and perhaps offerings,” the statement said.

“Its size, architectural layout and careful construction required considerable labor, specialized know-how and a robust central administration,” it said, adding it was certainly some kind of communal building that stood out in the entire area.

Culture Minister Lina Mendoni, an archaeologist, pledged that the find would be preserved while a different location would be sought for the radar station.

“We all understand the value and importance of cultural heritage ... as well as the growth potential” of the new airport project, she said. “It’s possible to go ahead with the airport while granting the antiquities the protection they merit.”

The ministry said the building was mainly used between 2000-1700 B.C, and was founded around the time Crete’s first palaces were being built — including at Knossos and Phaistos.

It said some of its features were comparable with early Minoan beehive tombs that were surmounted by stepped conical roofs and burial mounds in other parts of Greece.

Greece’s rich cultural heritage often results in conflicts of interest during construction projects.

At the end of the last century, an entire hilltop fortified settlement from the 3rd millennium B.C. was excavated and then destroyed during construction work for Athens International Airport.

So far, at least another 35 archaeological sites have been uncovered during work on the new Kastelli airport and its road connections, the ministry said.

HOUSE OF THE DRAGON Made Alicent and Criston Cole’s Relationship More Interesting

House of the Dragon has a big creative advantage over most adaptations. George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood is not a definitive account of events . It’s a history of House Targaryen “written” by a maester that is incomplete or even wrong in certain places. (Though we can’t always know how or where). That’s especially true of the time period the HBO’s prequel series is retelling. That section is based on three biased sources that frequently conflict with one another, often because none of the chroniclers actually witnessed the events they wrote about. Their blindspots and distortions provide House of the Dragon narrative freedom. It also lets the show fill in huge gaps never mentioned. And House the Dragon ‘s season two premiere used that storytelling advantage to make Queen Alicent and Ser Criston Cole’s relationship far more troubling, complex, and interesting.

In Fire & Blood , Kingsguard member Criston Cole goes from being the sworn sword of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen to the personal protector of her enemy, Alicent Hightower. No one in Westeros ever hated Rhaenyra more than the man who crowned her brother Aegon king. The Targaryen history provides a very personal reason for the enmity between the two formerly close duo: their relationship turned sexual.

In Fire & Blood , one source claims Cole asked Rhaenyra to run across the Narrow Sea with her, giving up her claim to the Iron Throne. Another says it was Rhaenyra who asked him to forsake his vows to the Kingsguard. What every historian agrees on is that, after that moment, the two despised one another. Criston Cole didn’t just turn his back on her, he worked to destroy her.

House of the Dragon ‘s first season provided a definitive answer as to what happened between them. It’s the one that always made the most sense based on what we knew about each. It was Criston Cole, the worst person ever, who begged Rhaenyra to leave Westeros behind with him . The HBO series also gave us a reason for his request. It wasn’t one driven by love or even lust. Cole felt guilt for having broken his sacred vows in the first place and he wanted Rhaenyra to give up everything to make him feel better about himself. When she refused in House of the Dragon season one, Criston Cole abandoned her and went into the service of Queen Alicent instead.

For everything Fire & Blood says/suggests about Cole and Rhaenyra’s relationship, both explicitly and in subtext, it says almost nothing of his relationship with Alicent. Criston Cole becomes Alicent’s sworn sword and protector, but none of the book’s sources raise even a hint of impropriety between the two. But that doesn’t mean the show created a physical relationship out of thin air, either.

Westeros remembers Criston Cole for the unethical punk he was. It also knows he almost certainly broke his vows and slept with Rhaenyra. (Who was a drunk teenager the first time they slept together on the show). It’s not a stretch, in any way, to imagine Cole also went on to violate his oaths with a young, beautiful widow like Alicent. Nor it is absurd to think that a woman whose entire life was defined/bound by duty until that point took her handsome knight to bed when she was under the most stress she’d ever know.

While their physical relationship contributed to the show botching Fire & Blood ‘s most shocking moment (the other side of the adaptation freedom coin), this expansion of their story is ultimately a good thing for the show. It makes all of their interactions more fraught. Their advice to Aegon, whether they agree or not, is also harder to trust. Alicent and Criston Cole have entangled themselves in a way that has often doomed other duos because personal relationships have a tendency to undermine duty and rational thinking.

Each character is also more interesting on their own now, too. This evolution of the relationship makes Alicent more complex and, therefore, more compelling. She’s not as “perfect” as she thought. Maybe now she fears/knows Rhaenyra was right about her true nature, especially since Alicent did the very thing she held against Rhaenyra. It’s even possible jealousy of how Rhaenyra got to live her life drove Alicent into Criston Cole’s arms in House of the Dragon season two. And while Alicent’s hypocrisy makes her less righteous, calling her piety into question, it makes her more human and, therefore, possibly more sympathetic. She’s as vulnerable and flawed as anyone. She gave in to her basest desires just like any other human might.

While this relationship twist makes Alicent more dynamic, it also makes Lord Commander Ser Criston Cole an even greater villain. He’s less a knight and more a walking fraud who speaks with a forked tongue. Every awful thing he says about Rhaenyra is projection. He can’t truly protect the King and his family because he’s compromised himself. He’s the amoral, unethical center at the Dance of the Dragons.

He’s what the show needs just as Game of Thrones needed characters like Joffrey, Ramsay, and Baelish. The handsome Kingsguard member who began his story so nobly and with so much promise is like a reverse Jaime Lannister, someone we hated but grew to love.

No one will ever love Criston Cole… Except apparently Alicent Hightower. And House of the Dragon is better for it.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and the original Criston Cole hater. You can follow him on  Twitter  and  Bluesky at @burgermike . And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE...

• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Information Opens in new tab

v2.08 – © Nerdist All Rights Reserved