5 Modern Secret Room Dreams (and Nightmares): From Creative Hideouts to Dreadful Spaces

Hidden passages have a long history of appearing in fictional novels and films but an even richer past in reality dating back to Egyptian tombs passages for Christians to worship in hiding from Romans. Over the years hidden passages have been used to arrest kings and evacuate popes, hide shogun warriors, facilitate guerrilla fighters, enable drug smugglers and conceal serial killers. In recent times, however, many more modest individuals have created (or discovered) secret passages in ordinary everyday households and there are even companies dedicated to designing secret doors, rooms and passages in middle-class houses. In some cases the discovery of a secret room is a wonderful find but it can also be a twisted nightmare.

Sahara made slow transition from green to desert

A picture taken by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASAs Terra satelliteon shows dust blowing northward out of the Sahara Desert and over the Mediterranean Sea. The Sahara became the world's biggest hot desert some 2,700 years ago after a very slow fade from green, according to a new study which clashes with the theory that desertification came abruptly.

The World's Spookiest Weapons

Cyborg animals, psychotropics and flying lasers are just some of the terrifying weapons government labs have cooked up over the years

Busted! What Should I Do Now?

We talked to seven state troopers from across the country—Florida, New Jersey, Kentucky, Louisiana, Illinois, Oregon, and New Mexico—and asked, “What are the five best things a motorist can do when pulled over, and what are the five worst?” We wanted to know which procedures would render a traffic stop as painless as possible for both parties. There wasn’t a perfect consensus, but the answers went pretty much like this:

The Idiocy of Banning Books

Books have probably been banned since the first one was written - and it's something that is still done today in some countries.

Millionaire birthday boy parties with homeless

Most of us consider our birthdays as a time to receive, not to give. So why would this guy celebrate his by feeding the homeless?

It's all about karma, he says.

"If you are blessed to have the things that you have, then you should share them with others."

As Shuttle Lifts Off, NASA Will Man Destruct Switch—Just in Case

Each time the space shuttle rises from its launchpad at Cape Canaveral, Fla., an Air Force officer waits anxiously for the first 2 minutes to pass safely. If the spaceship were to veer off course and endanger a populated area, this range safety officer would bear the terrible responsibility of flipping a pair of switches under a stenciled panel reading “Flight Termination.” The first switch arms explosives on the shuttle’s two solid rocket boosters. Flipping the second switch would detonate them, destroying the shuttle and crew.

Why $120 oil is good

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- With $120 oil not seeming to follow the fundamental law of supply and demand many are wondering if the market is broken.

But to many, all the financial voodoo is merely a distraction. The fundamental reality of oil - and the thing that makes it so attractive to investors in the first place - is that we are using ever more and finding ever less. High prices are necessary if we are to reduce demand, find new oil, and develop alternative technologies.

Stuff-onomics: Hidden Side of What You Own

I’ve learned so many life lessons in the past few months, and I’ll start to share them with you over time. But the biggest lesson I’ve learned is how little we actually need. How little we need in order to be happy.

After traveling for several months in one bag: two pairs of pants, a few shirts, a jacket, several books, and my iPod (which I used once)…. Coming home to 50 boxes full of Stuff, it felt like my world was once again being weighed down by things I didn’t need. It felt as if the things will consume more of me than I will ever consume of it. Thus, my new project: to simplify my life… starting with Stuff.

Double Suicide

I love this picture!

Firm Handshakes Help Land Jobs

If you're seeking employment, get a grip. A firm handshake is key to landing a job.

In a new study, scientists put 98 students through mock job interviews with businesspeople. The students also met with trained handshake raters who, unbeknownst to the students, rated their grips. Separately, the businesspeople graded each student's overall performance and hireability. The two group's scores were then compared.

The 75 Skills Every Man Should Master

A man can be expert in nothing, but he must be practiced in many things. Skills. You don't have to master them all at once. You simply have to collect and develop a certain number of skills as the years tick by. People count on you to come through. That's why you need these, to start.

Top 10 Wired.com Reader Transportation Photos, Decided by You

At first we were concerned what kind of images we would get for our transportation photo contest, but we needn't have worried. Over the past two weeks of voting we've received many truly excellent submissions, with these 10 superb photos gaining top ranking among voters.

The Wii Pole Dancing Game is Really Coming

At first we thought this Wii Pole Dancing game was a joke—how could something so sexy come to such a "family-friendly" and casual console like the Wii? Turns out it's not a joke.

Why are Broken Bones Lethal to Horses?

After a four-race winning streak, Eight Belles galloped past the Kentucky Derby's finish line to snag second place. The glory was shattered as the racehorse collapsed on the track. She had broken bones in both front ankles — a lethal injury for a horse.

7 Things You Need to Know about the Torah

1. The word Torah means teaching or instruction in Hebrew. The Torah itself is a scrolled parchment that contains the following 5 books from the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Via: Mentalfloss

How I Spent My Stimulus

See how Americans report spending their economic stimulus checks, and submit your own report at the blog How I Spent My Stimulus.

"I needed a nice fence around my house. So, I hired some Mexicans to do the job. Now I have a new fence and $400 left of my stimulus check."

Matt G, 25
Houma, LA

Chinese Companies are Finding US to be a Bargain!

After decades of US investments in China, it seems that the pendulum is swinging back. Today, many Chinese firms are pleasantly surprised to find that land, energy, and operating costs are actually cheaper in the United States as compared to China

Only the Creepiest Photos Ever Taken

The fact is, postmortem photographs like this were taken more than any other kind of photograph in the Victorian era — especially in the U.S. — and in many cases these carefully-arranged, meticulously staged pictures were the only ones ever taken of their subjects. From Stanley Burns’ book Sleeping Beauty: Memorial Photography in America:

In Pellicano Case, Lessons in Wiretapping Skills

Wiretapping is really, really easy. And not just for the government. Anyone sitting in on the Pellicano trial (and staying awake during the telecom testimony) could walk away ready to intercept phone calls after a quick stop at RadioShack for less than $50 in equipment.

"Family Guy" Creator Signs Record Megadeal

From wunderkind to TV mogul: After 2 1/2 years of negotiations, "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane has inked a new overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV that would make him the highest-paid writer-producer working in television.

Cleanest Car on Earth: Honda Civic GX Natural Gas Vehicle

Clean Burning Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) are hot commodities in some parts of the country, where fuel can sell for as low as $0.63 per gallon.
Unlike the world’s most fuel efficient car (VW’s 285 MPG bullet), the Honda Civic GX looks like a standard passenger vehicle. What makes it special is what you don’t see: tailpipe emissions that are often cleaner than ambient air.

Folding your arms can help your brain: study

The mere act of folding your arms increases perseverance and activates an unconscious desire to succeed, new research shows.

Gephyrophobiacs: look away now

Gephyrophobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of crossing bridges. Sufferers of this phobia experience undue anxiety even though they realize their fear is irrational.

Relative Dog Motion

This a great article explaining the Theory of Relativity. Brillantly explained by a man having a conversation with his dog.

FOXSexpert: The Ins and Outs of All-Over Shaving

Are you bare there? With summer just around the corner, you may now be thinking about joining the ranks of the totally shaven.

By the age of 29

Want to feel like an underacheiver? This article was written by Mangesh from Mental Floss. He celebrating his 29th birthday. A great read.

Ex-Boyfriend Jewelry

Sell your bad memories or pick up someone else's bargains at Ex Boyfriend Jewelry. And you can read some of the stories behind the sales.

The survey on the home page shows that 39.2% of Ex-girlfriends are very bitter.

8 Reasons Why People Drink Soda & 16 Reasons To Give Up Soda Drinking

Most of us drink soda. Some drink more than others. And probably many regular soda drinkers are aware that soft drinks are bad for the health. At the same time, United States ranks first among countries in soft drink consumption.

6 Porn Sites Actually Safe for Work

If the "Porn" is safe for work, I don't think I have any interest in visiting. It is an interesting article none the less.

Misbehaving Army Recruits Promoted Faster

Recruits With History Of Misconduct Also Go AWOL More

WASHINGTON -- Soldiers who need special waivers to get into the Army because of bad behavior go AWOL more often and face more courts-martial.

But they also get promoted faster and re-enlist at a higher rate, according to an internal military study obtained by The Associated Press.

Global warming may 'stop', scientists predict

Global warming will stop until at least 2015 because of natural variations in the climate, scientists have said.

Researchers studying long-term changes in sea temperatures said they now expect a "lull" for up to a decade while natural variations in climate cancel out the increases caused by man-made greenhouse gas emissions.

Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection

The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.

The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.

Supersize Sea Monsters

The biggest monsters of the deep. You can begin to see how legends of Sea Monsters began. 8 pictures

8 Essential Gadgets For a Secret Agent

Here are eight really cool gadgets that any aspiring secret agents or James Bond admirers should check out. With this gear, you can actually turn yourself into a real spy.

Sorry, Absinthe Trippers: Scientists Say You're Just Really Drunk

The long-cherished idea that absinthe, an anise-flavored alcoholic beverage with a history of use by artists like Van Gogh and Picasso, is or ever was hallucinogenic might have met its death by data today.

German scientists put old bottles of the substance to the test and found that the liquid is 70 percent alcohol (140 proof) and 0 percent hallucination.

15 Historical Events That Fascinate Us

Many people are fascinated by the idea of buried treasure, ancient Egyptian secrets, lost cities, or other unexplained phenomena throughout our world’s history. Since the time of the ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago, there have been many secrets that we today are just beginning to learn about, or that we still don’t have answers for. The secrets of the Great Pyramids, famous shipwrecks, the lost city of Babylon, hidden treasures of the Incas, lost jewels, the secrets of the Vatican, and many more mysteries of our history continue to fascinate people from around the world. Here is a list of some of the greatest hidden secrets of the ancient world, as well as some tales of lost treasure, shipwrecks, and hidden riches from more recent times.

NFL draft a swap meet with a record 33 trades

NEW YORK (AP) — One thing about an NFL draft with this many trades: There were that many players that teams just simply had to have.

This year, more than ever, teams were willing to make aggressive moves to jump the line and snag the player they really wanted. A record 33 trades were made Saturday and Sunday as NFL teams tried to assemble winning rosters for the 2008 season and beyond.

Seven Reasons Why I’m Becoming a Polygamist’s Wife

I want to become the wife of a polygamist. After the high-profile raid in Texas cast a disapproving light on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), everybody’s got a bone to pick with the polygamists. I, on the other hand, am jealous of their rustic and charming lifestyle. I yearn to live au naturale clad in a strapping turquoise dress with a hand-braided up-do. It’s official—I’m going to join the commune and live a life that’s back to the basics.

By: Shyla Batliwalla

(Really) Stunning Pictures and Photos

Photography is a very powerful medium and a very difficult craft. Excellent photos don’t only display some facts — they tell stories, awake feelings and manage to share with the audience the emotions a photographer experienced when clicking the shot button. Taking excellent pictures is damn hard as you need to find a perfect perspective and consider the perfect timing. To achieve brilliant photography you need practice and patience. However, it is worth it: the results can be truly stunning.

Below you’ll find 50 brilliant photos and stunning pictures — some pictures tell stories, some are incredibly beautiful, some are funny and some are very sad.

All pictures are copyright of their respective owners. Please explore the further work of the photographers by browsing through their work. We’ve tried to cover different themes so that everybody will find something interesting and spectacular for himself / herself. All screenshots are linked und lead to the pages from which they’ve been taken.

Angry Kid Playing Chess

This reminds me of myself playing Chess. His next move will probably be 'Sore Loser's Fist to Queen Killer's Face'

Smarter ladies have worse sex

BRAINY babes find it harder to have an orgasm – because they are too busy thinking, a study claims.

Top ten greatest experiments

George Johnson celebrates the great thinkers whose home-brewed experiments transformed our world

The Billy Letters

What better mentor for a 10-year-old than Charles Manson? Little Billy seeks life advice, and America's most notorious killers are happy to oblige

Everything I know about women . . .

As a single man in my mid-thirties, I’ve spent 20 years trying to understand women, with mixed results. It wasn’t until six months ago, however, that I was given a clear insight into how the female mind works.

What’s So Wrong About Porn?

Just because someone likes looking at naked bodies exchanging bodily fluids does not make him a pervert, disrespectful, an infidel, disinterested in his lover or dissatisfied with his lover. It makes him human. It’s about fantasy, imagination, desire, lust. And what, please tell me, is wrong with that?

Simple Manifesto: Break Free from the Tyranny of the Clock

I have a solution, and it’s not original I’m sure but it surely isn’t as common as it should be: break free from the clock. Get in touch with the rhythms of life, of your body and of nature. Be more relaxed and reject the notion that time rules us.

What's Inside: For a Refreshing Hint of Tear Gas, Light Up a Cigarette

How can anyone not pickup a smoking habit, especially with all of these delicious ingredients? I mean look at all these chemicals. Yummy.

8 Irrelevant Facts About the NFL’s Last Draft Pick

With the Miami Dolphins prepared to take Michigan’s Jake Long with the No. 1 pick in this weekend’s NFL draft—the team has already signed the offensive tackle to a five-year, $30 million deal—speculation has turned to who St. Louis will select with the second pick. But the more intriguing question might be who the Rams will take with the last pick of this year’s draft, the player who since 1976 has been referred to as Mr. Irrelevant.

10 Sports Heroes You Won’t Find on a Wheaties Box

It’s time Wheaties started thinking outside the box. At least about the outside of their box. And that’s why we’re asking for America’s support.

8 Fictional Cities You Wouldn't Want to Live in

Creators of fiction are always coming up with new and exciting places for their characters to dwell in, but not all of them can be utopias. In fact, some are cities and towns that would make you wish you were back in your boring old suburb again. Let's take a look, shall we?

The world’s biggest balls

What compels people to make their balls so big? We may never know — we can only admire them, and pay homage. Which is just what this list intends to do. So without further ado, here are the world’s biggest balls

How To: Change Your Child’s DNA

When Willie Nelson admonished mamas everywhere to not let their babies grow up to be cowboys, he had no idea how accurate his assessment of a mother’s power really was. Turns out, moms have a lot of control over what their babies become, both before and after birth.

The Amen Break and the Golden Ratio

A student recently asked if I had any insights into why the "Amen Break" is so popular in some modern music. "What's that?" I had to admit that I hadn't heard of it. But when we listened to it, a drum break beat, I recognized the rhythm right away. I'd heard it in television commercials and the music of James Brown, and elsewhere. You probably have too. I became intrigued when I saw an image of the audio waves themselves because I immediately recognized the Golden Ratio in the structure of its timing. And I was surprised to find an even deeper relationship to the structure of the human body.

Study discovers how cancer cells spread

MONTREAL, April 22 (UPI) -- Canadian scientists say they've discovered cancer cells spread by releasing protein "bubbles" -- a finding that might alter our concept of how cancer works.

Free Song

Free MP3 download of Nine Inch Nails new tune Discipline.

7 Sides of the World’s Most Infamous Street Artist

Banksy is probably the most popular, yet most mysterious, urban street artist in the world - and he works at incredible extremes. He has become an internationally known as a subversive graffiti artist - yet manages to maintain a secret identity