The narrative we’re usually fed is that people achieve fame and fortune through passionately pursuing the future of their dreams. That might be true in the majority of cases. But the world of celebrities is filled with eccentrics and oddly-charmed people, so perhaps in some way it makes sense that the people who go farthest in their fields of choice didn’t get there in the predictable way. Still, even allowing for all that, these stories are enough to leave a fan gobsmacked.

inn are basically the bogeymen of the Muslim world, haunting the Middle East, Asia, and parts of Africa today just as they have done for centuries. The term actually derives from an Arabic root meaning “to conceal,” since these are beings that for the most part are said to elude human perception. It may also be related to the Avestic/Old Iranian jaini (a wicked female spirit), but it entered English as “genie,” which—in line with the Latin word genus—refers to a guardian spirit.

One of the most extraordinary things about the internet is that the answer, to virtually any question, is at your fingertips. Knowledge is just one click away. And as the leading search engine in the world (sorry Bing), Google has a unique part to play in a user’s ability to find answers. So we took it upon ourselves to type “is it possible” into Google’s search bar, and let autocomplete do the rest in helping us discover some of the most commonly asked questions (and, hopefully, answers) on the web. Here’s what we found…

Secret police forces have existed since time immemorial, from the Frumentarii of Ancient Rome to the mass digital surveillance of today. And while they’re more commonly associated with some of the most nefarious dictatorships on the planet, these unaccountable, state-funded heavies with a license to snoop have become increasingly and unnervingly banal—perhaps even cynically expected—all over the world.

World War Two was fought on a colossal scale. Battles could last for months and involve millions of combatants. Major gains were rarely made without a vast expenditure of manpower and resources. However, there were rare occasions where a few men accomplished extraordinary things. With the advantage of surprise, preparation, and no small amount of luck, it was possible for a small force to inflict damage out of all proportion to its size.

Police and detectives are bogged down with so many crimes on a daily basis, it’s impossible to solve every case. Thankfully, loads of people on the internet have plenty of time on their hands. Social media can give key evidence in a case that would have been much more difficult to find in the past. Amateur websleuths have come together to solve the following 10 crimes.

In most cases, once someone becomes a celebrity their past endeavors and successes become irrelevant. They just become a celebrity, and are known for the roles they play in the entertainment industry. It turns out, many celebrities were intelligent enough to have chosen other career paths or transitioned to acting after already have successful careers. Here are 10 celebrities who are most definitely smarter than us…

In chaos theory, one small event in the universe can trigger a series of events that changed history forever. This is also called “the butterfly effect.” As you’ll in this list, one single event truly can change the course of humanity. These 10 “what if” questions will leave you pondering alternate histories that very nearly became a reality.

Many people adore their cars, others are transfixed by motorbikes, but for some, they need something way more powerful to love: airplanes. Most of the time, we barely notice them while they fly way above our heads, but if you really stop to learn more about them, you’ll discover they really are things of beauty and grace.

There is a saying that dogs are a man’s best friend. Many pet owners feel like their pups are practically their children, and they would do anything to keep them out of harm’s way. These 10 stories are about people who stepped up to save dogs’ lives from extraordinary circumstances.