Pluto Almost Stayed a Planet
Back in 2005, when astronomers discovered Eris—a Tenth Planet wannabe lurking way out beyond Neptune—the cosmic status quo rattled. Pluto, once comfortably perched as the
Velociraptors Were Almost Never Famous
Imagine a dinosaur that almost slipped through the cracks of fame, a creature overshadowed by towering tyrannosaurs and flashy triceratopses. Velociraptors, those feathered speedsters with
Alexander the Great Nearly Died as a Teen
Imagine the world’s most legendary conqueror, Alexander the Great, barely making it out of his teenage years alive. Hard to picture, right? We’re so used
The Internet Was Almost Closed to the Public
Imagine a world where the internet never became the sprawling, chaotic playground it is today—a world where your access to cat videos, memes, breaking news,
The Metric System Almost Took Over the U.S.
It’s wild to think that America, a country so stubbornly loyal to miles, pounds, and gallons, once came dangerously close to ditching it all for
The Hubble Telescope Was Nearly a Total Failure
It’s wild to think of the Hubble Space Telescope—the iconic marvel floating 340 miles above Earth’s atmosphere—as anything less than a smashing success. Yet, if