When people think about things that are smuggled, the first thing that comes to mind is usually drugs. Then, there are banned and controlled items, such as ivory and weapons. But the truth is that throughout history, all kinds of things have been smuggled. Basically, for as long as authorities have been taxing and controlling […]

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Human beings have thought about time from the very beginning of our existence. Since we first understood time, we’ve been trying to build accurate tools to measure it. In this list, we’ll focus on the most common tool that we use to measure time: the clock. Clocks come in many forms: physiological “clocks” within the […]

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Conventionally, spies are men; think of James Bond or Graeme Greene’s George Smiley. But in World War II’s desperate struggle with Nazi Germany, the Allies realized that women could bring particular qualities to dangerous undercover work in occupied territories. In her 2021 book about WWII women spies, Professor Juliette Pattinson points out that “several wartime […]

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Every song arises from a unique inspiration. Some are instant classics, while others find unexpected success or must overcome critics to reach an audience. Whether the song was written by someone else or the singer themselves, the inspiration is usually something personal. And many of us seek to learn what inspired the lyrics to some […]

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Lists of famous musical instruments often focus on who played the instrument. This list is different. Here, we’ll highlight ten musical instruments that have sold for the highest prices or that are considered to be the most valuable instruments in the world. The value of a musical instrument is always tied to the compelling story […]

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