AI Phone Bots Foil Scammers By Wasting Their Time
Some experts are worried AI could undo human civilization, but some of it is trying to help people. Like a project that uses AI phone bots to keep phone scammers from scamming people.
Getting A Thousand Bucks In Oily Pennies In Your Driveway Is One Way To Wrap Up A Job
Leaving a job usually means wrapping things up with your soon to be ex-employer including getting a final paycheck. But here’s the story of a guy who got a pretty unpleasant sendoff.
The Secret Service Has An Ink Library To Foil Crimes
Today in 1865 the US Secret Service formed to stamp out counterfeit money. As part of that effort, it has the International Ink Library, tens of thousands of vintage and modern inks to help investigators sort out what’s what.
If You’re Going To Break Into Somebody’s House, Don’t Leave A Finger Behind
A guy got caught trying to break into somebody's house because the resident slammed the front door on the suspect's finger and when he fled, the finger stayed behind.
Why People Push Peanuts Up Pikes Peak With Their Noses
It's our 1000th episode! To celebrate, here's the story of a guy this month in 1929 who won a bet by proving he could push a peanut all the way up Pikes Peak with his nose.
When The Supreme Court Kind Of Ruled That An Airplane Wasn’t A Motor Vehicle
Today in 1931, the US Supreme Court issued a ruling that seems to say that a guy who stole an airplane was not guilty of breaking the law against stealing motor vehicles. It’s actually a little more complicated than that.
Solar-Powered Cribs Are A Bright Idea To Stop Jaundice
Jaundice is treatable with phototherapy, but not all places have access to light therapy machines. A startup in Nigeria is building solar-powered phototherapy machines to fill that gap.
U.S. Grant Once Got Arrested For Speeding While He Was President
It's the birthday of Ulysses S. Grant, hero of the Civil War and the only sitting president to have been arrested. Here's the story of how Grant was out speeding through Washington DC and ended up in trouble with the law.
Victor Lustig, The Con Artist Who Sold The Eiffel Tower
Today is (we think) the birthday of Victor Lustig, perhaps the most notorious scammer of all time. He swindled Al Capone once and "sold" the Eiffel Tower twice! Plus: if you need help relaxing these days, try the ambient soundscapes of Swiss artist Zimoun.
Crime May Not Actually Pay: Some Things For February 19, 2020
Oh man, this day.