Pavel Sokolovsky

fun facts

fun facts · Mar 2018

Diamonds and gold rain over Russia. 

A Russian plane’s door broke, littering the runway and surrounding areas with diamonds and gold. People were told to stay out of the area. Instead, they went treasure hunting! | learn more

fun facts · Mar 2018

The chickens of Silicon Valley. 

“Their pampered birds wear diapers and have personal chefs — but lay the finest eggs tech money can buy.” |learn more

fun facts · Mar 2018

Thermal comfort. 

49 weeks into this newsletter and I finally get to write about air conditioning! 99% Invisible tells a wonderful story here, complete with pictures, videos, and historical context. I read the article, though a podcast version is also available. | learn more

fun facts · Mar 2018

Female librarians on horseback delivering books. 

“In the 1930s, many people living in isolated communities had very little access to jobs, let alone a good education for their children. In Kentucky, they had isolated mountain communities which could only get their books and reading material from one source… librarians on horseback.” | learn more

fun facts · Feb 2018

A brief history of shipping. 

The WSJ has produced a neat set of informational videos across some interesting topics. This one shares the history of shipping, including the invention of the ubiquitous shipping container. | learn more

fun facts · Feb 2018

Saudi Arabia has an annual camel competition. 

Even more interesting: “A dozen beasts have been disqualified from this year’s Saudi “camel beauty contest” because their handlers used Botox to make them more handsome.” | learn more

fun facts · Feb 2018

Court case over oxford comma finally settled. 

Last year a court case went to appeal over whether a group of delivery-truck drivers were due unpaid overtime. The case hinged on the reading of a law that lacked an oxford comma. Now it’s settled for $5 million. The details are interesting in that pedantic sort of way. | learn more