Stainless steel was discovered kind of by accident. In 1913, English metallurgist Harry Brearley, working on a project to improve rifle barrels, accidentally discovered that adding chromium to low-carbon steel gives it stain resistance.
According to the research firm TÜV Rheinland, printers routinely report that their ink cartridges are empty when they really aren’t.
The late Scatman Crothers, best known for his acting career, recorded one of the classic rock & roll tracks, “I Want to Rock and Roll.” The song was released in 1949 by Wild Bill Moore.
The British slang word “bloody” may be derived from the phrase “by Our Lady,” a sacrilegious invocation of the Virgin Mary.
The word “bushido” did not appear in a dictionary before the year 1900.
This article appears in July 27 • 2007.