Researcher Dave Shealy claims to have seen the ever-elusive Florida legend, Skunk Ape, in 1974. He founded the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters/tourist trap to capitalize on the lore of Florida’s giant, hairy man-beast. But don’t get it twisted; those who believe in skunk apes say the creatures have four toes, not five like the Pacific Northwest’s Sasquatch. The skunk ape also, apparently, prefers hanging out in trees to lumbering around on the ground. Welcome to Florida, where a skunk ape...

Boomers like to accuse millennials of splurging so much on avocado toast and almond-milk lattes that they’ll never be able to afford to buy a house. All the while, many younger people envy the relative ease with which previous generations could save and enjoy a middle-class lifestyle. For them, financial security has been made even more elusive by the economic downturn caused by the pandemic. But that doesn’t mean all 20- and 30-somethings lack savoir-faire when it comes to making cold,...

When the red hammer and sickle banner was pulled from the Kremlin ramparts a final time 30 years ago, obituaries for socialism were written by the hundreds. Three decades later, it’s clear those prophecies couldn’t have been more wrong. Depending on where you’re reading this, the word socialism has very different connotations. In Europe, it’s associated with being a social-democratic safety net. Across the Atlantic, many view it as little more than red scare socialism. Yet whether you’re in...

With the Delta variant of COVID-19 spreading wildly across the U.S. and large parts of the world, one thing is clear: Our pre-pandemic life of full-on physical interactions isn’t returning anytime soon. The good news? The juice of technology — and specifically 5G telecommunications — could elevate the otherwise soul-draining experience of constantly staring at our laptops and mobile phones. You can feel the “touch” of your long-distance lover, download movies faster than ever and travel in...

Dating in the post-pandemic era feels as uncharted as trying to lock lips for the first time in middle school. Handshake or hug? A romantic restaurant meal or a socially distanced bike ride? And in this upside-down world, how do you know what’s real and what’s just a post-lockdown fling? Fear not, dear reader, for we have the answers to eternal love for you coming right up. In today’s Daily Dose, we’ve sought answers to these tricky quandaries from those who’ve been there, done that and...

It’s an interesting time to be a man. Expectations are changing. Bad actors are being held accountable for their toxic behavior. Powerful men are recognizing that they can’t always get away with unacceptable actions. “In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said last week, as he announced his resignation after a probe commissioned by the state attorney general concluded that he had...

From unicorns aiming for world domination to small township startups looking to make a difference in women’s lives, Africa is replete with innovators. It has the youngest population of any continent in the world, with about 60% of Africans under the age of 25. Add to that the fact that smartphone penetration is rising as countries become increasingly connected, and you have a surefire recipe for creativity. Now, the big guns are moving in. Jack Dorsey, whose company Twitter is setting up...

Someone once said that “history repeats itself because no one was listening the first time.” These days, we have an increasingly rich and diverse assortment of history podcasts and audiobooks to tune in to. That means it’s easier than ever before to listen to the lessons of the past. This week on Wherever You Get Your Podcasts, we dive into unforgettable stories from the ages, share some of our favorite history podcasts and hear about the latest and greatest news from the audio world.

Our reporter Liam Jamieson was born and raised in the sprawling metropolis that is Los Angeles and loves his home city. But it’s no secret that it isn’t exactly the perfect model of urban design. Public transportation is slow and limited, making a car a necessity for getting around. But with that comes excruciating traffic and its accompanying suffocating smog. While he (maybe naively) envisions a future for Los Angeles that is efficient, sustainable and equitable, today’s Daily Dose dives...

Growing up, our reporter Isabelle Lee loved listening to her mom, grandmother and aunt speak German at the dinner table. That was until she learned that they were using German as a code with which to talk about her sister and her, literally over their heads. They felt that sitting patiently through these seemingly endless, incomprehensible conversations meant that they could sit through anything. Of course, there’s a German word that sums up that particular concept — sitzfleisch. But what...

Imagine this. You're at the checkout counter, being billed for those edibles you've grabbed for your first (socially distanced) gathering in ages, when your card is rejected. Panic ensues, but then you dig your hands into your pocket, and it jingles reassuringly — not with coins, but sea shells! The bill is settled, and the day saved. In some villages of Papua New Guinea, this could well be real. Currencies have evolved spectacularly across time and space. And around the world, the more...

Is the age of the intrepid explorer over? Type the name of any location into an online map and boom, there it is. Except there’s no software that can curb the all-consuming sense of adventure many of us feel — that restless drive to just get up and go. So at a time when the attention-grabbing acts of exploration are firmly fixed on jetting off into space, we’d do well to remember those on whose shoulders Bezos, Branson and company are standing. Wacky, brave and oftentimes stubborn, the six...

The figure you need to know is 7.5 million. Why? That’s the number of Americans set to lose unemployment benefits once the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program expires on Sept. 6, which, ironically or not, is also Labor Day. The spread of the COVID-19 Delta variant may change the date on which the scheme ends, but one thing is for sure: It’s living on borrowed time. What should Americans expect when it does end? What about talks of an economic boom? What are economists telling...

The Olympic Games is known for some surefire spectacles: an overdone opening ceremony, dazed athletes waving at no one in particular, tumbling records and tears of joy by the bucketload. But it also throws up events and precedents that no one can expect. Shocking failures and miracle moments that need to be seen to be believed. As the Tokyo Games come to a historic close this weekend, we thought it apt to fill you in, dear reader, on the biggest, most outrageous surprises of the past two...

In June, Victoria’s Secret announced that it would be completely redesigning its brand, starting by doing away with calling its models “angels,” instead including them in the company’s new “VS Collective.” They also decided to ditch the fashion show synonymous with the brand in favor of “redefining sexy.” It’s a move that some say is too little too late. Lingerie brands like Aerie from American Eagle have already been featuring models of different weights, ethnicities, and even abilities for...

Attending Dartmouth College, viewed as a Wall Street feeder school, hasn't tempted me to head down the profitable career path that is the world of finance. And yet it’s all around me: Friends meticulously prep for job interviews a year before the positions actually become available. Alums who go on to become analysts then find themselves sacrificing sleep, hobbies and anything resembling a social life. Cutthroat? Undoubtedly. Worth it? Depends on whom you ask. But today facing an era of...

Have you noticed a trend this summer? No, not that face masks in many countries are making a comeback; we’re talking about the fires, devastating floods and heat waves of almost biblical proportions that have hit vast swathes of our world, from Canada to China to Siberia to Germany. There may still be a raging health pandemic, but we need to also pay attention to another deadly, global plague that’s getting worse, not better: climate change. In today’s Daily Dose, we detail how five diverse...

Look up at the stars tonight. Those twinkling diamonds are several thousands of light years away. Our planet is just a grain of sand on a virtually endless beach, a small dot in a gigantic galaxy. Is it the only dot with life on it? That’s a question humankind has asked ever since we started understanding the basics of astronomy thousands of years ago. Now, we’re closer than ever to finding the answer, as an unprecedented crush of ultrapowerful telescopes and interplanetary missions try to...

Bulletproof fiber. Reusable glue. An insanely potent cleaning product. Athletic running shoes. The World Wide Web. Even the “little blue pill.” What do each of these everyday products have in common? Well, first off, they all exist today thanks to individual genius, but even more spectacular: They are all accidental finds. In today’s Daily Dose, we take you through some of the most shocking, wonderful serendipitous moments that changed the course of history and offer insight into the...

When the Berlin Wall fell on Nov. 9, 1989, then-35-year-old Angela Merkel didn’t rush to the border as many of her fellow East Germans did. Instead, she kept her weekly Thursday date at a local sauna, coolly confident that she had time on her hands. She did: 16 years at the very top of European politics, in fact. That calm patience is a leitmotif that has defined the journey of a woman who has arguably become the most important politician of the 21st century. A quantum chemist whose father...

You’re never fully dressed without a smile, a mask ... and maybe another mask, just in case. But now that we are starting to emerge from our home offices, shed the sweatpants and venture back to the streets, you might be asking yourself: What do you wear? Is tie-dye still cool? Can I still wear high-rise jeans? Welcome to the great reopening, which will have you second-guessing your outfit like you are back in middle school. But never fear, OZY is here to tell you about some Black rising...

Throw out the chalk and blackboards, because there’s a new player in the world of education. While ink and copybooks were the foundation stones for a new era of learning centuries ago, now in 2021 we stand on the precipice of another massive change in educational technology: artificial intelligence. Today’s Daily Dose takes you through the exciting new ways technology is set to shape education in the years to come. We look at how it can ease stress, save time and put a 21st-century touch on...

A few months ago, I took a sabbatical from social media. The must-watch videos that, at the onset of the pandemic, seemed fun (breads, yoga and political debates) quickly became overwhelming. So I switched out the apps for the great outdoors and actually making phone calls. Spoiler alert: Chatting with friends when you haven’t already been scrolling through their feeds makes for more interesting conversations. Of course, I’m not alone. Even as the number of social media users grows, an...

America’s longest war is almost over. At least on paper. President Joe Biden has announced that the U.S. will complete the pullout of its troops from Afghanistan by Aug. 31, days before the 20th anniversary of 9/11 — the cataclysmic terrorist attack on America that prompted the country’s military invasion more than 6,500 miles away. But for the thousands of U.S. soldiers who have served in Afghanistan, many of whom have returned home in recent months, a different conflict is very much alive....

Hosting is exciting. Hosting for the first time in over a year is even more thrilling. For the longest time, the notion of dinner parties has felt consigned to the pre-pandemic world. No longer. As people start opening their homes up to friends and family again, interior design is now a top pursuit of many an intrepid host. So what’s new, cool and intriguing this summer? Break out the chardonnay and IPAs and join us for a dive into must-have furniture ideas worth your cash, the rising...