NOVEMBER 11, 1957

Full News Archive

• Headline: Venezuela's 1957 Plebiscite Vote Explained. Impact: When the Venezuelan dictator's term was extended, a butterfly flapped its wings in Caracas, causing a series of events that eventually led to a dramatic rise in memes about dictatorships. Who knew that the path to a thriving meme culture was paved with political apathy?. Fact: The word 'plebiscite' comes from the Latin 'plebiscitum', which basically means 'a fancy way to say we're pretending to let you vote.'.
• Headline: Isidor Isaac Rabi: A Scientific Pioneer. Impact: Isidor Isaac Rabi's work in physics led to the development of nuclear magnetic resonance, which in turn helped create the MRI. So, the next time you're getting scanned, remember: it all started with a scientist who loved playing with magnets. Fact: Rabi won the Nobel Prize in 1944, proving that when you play with magnets, you can literally change the world—if only my attempts at science fairs had been so successful.
• Headline: Skip-Rocket Bomber Is Reported in Soviet. Impact: The Skip-Rocket Bomber created a minor panic in the space race, leading to an increase in sci-fi movies about rogue technology. Thanks to that, we now have a solid number of films where robots take over, which is basically a cinematic warning against bad engineering decisions. Fact: The concept of a 'skip-rocket' sounds like something straight out of a comic book, but here we are, putting our faith in flying objects that may or may not end up in orbit—what could possibly go wrong?.
• Headline: DE SAPIO BELIEVES MAYOR WILL STAY; Also Doubts Bid for Senate by Harriman in 1958. Impact: De Sapio's predictions about the mayor and Senate bids probably had the same impact as tossing a coin—either way, it still landed on a pile of political nonsense. Thus, the art of political speculation was born, leading to countless pundits with nothing better to do. Fact: Political predictions are like horoscopes; they can be vague enough to apply to almost anyone, yet people still cling to them like they’re gospel.
• Headline: Salt Lake Rail Trestle Cut. Impact: The barge ramming the rail trestle caused a minor disruption that rippled through local transportation, ultimately leading to the invention of the phrase 'Oops, my bad!' which is still used today in both personal and corporate settings. Fact: The phrase 'cutting the track' took on a whole new meaning after this incident—imagine if the barge had been a metaphor for punctuality!.
• Headline: KENNAN SAYS RULE IN SOVIET IS SHAKY; Expert Asserts Khrushchev Has Created Instability by Alienating Key Elements. Impact: Kennan’s insights into Soviet instability foreshadowed a future of espionage and intrigue, leading to the creation of a whole genre of spy novels that romanticized what was essentially a game of political chess with some very high stakes. Fact: Kennan probably didn’t anticipate that his musings would inspire a thousand 'spy vs. spy' cartoons—clearly, he underestimated the power of a good conspiracy theory!.
• Headline: Top British Astronomer Doubts Satellite Sizes. Impact: Doubts cast by British astronomers about satellite sizes sparked debates that led to the development of more precise measurement technology. This eventually resulted in the invention of the smartphone—proof that skepticism can sometimes lead to better selfies. Fact: Skeptical astronomers are like the hipsters of the scientific world; they want to challenge everything, but in the end, they're just trying to prove they knew it all along.
• Headline: Russians' Discipline Is Severe; Pupils Subject to Strict Code; Failure to Obey Teacher Can Bring Dire Results--Parents Get Instruction in Approved Methods of Upbringing. Impact: The strict code of discipline for students in Russia led to a generation of overachievers who learned to obey or else. This, however, also created a strong rebellious spirit, spawning countless underground movements that eventually found their voice in rock music. Fact: In Russia, the motto 'failure to obey can bring dire results' is almost a rite of passage for students—sort of like how failing a test in other countries just means you get a stern look from your parents.