Buzz
While the world can often be a harsh place, there are always bright moments to lift our spirits. Remarkably, these moments sometimes intersect with the darker ones. A significant portion of what we use daily is a result of immense tragedies and torture. The next time you indulge in Twinkies or apply makeup, remember that your pleasure may be tied to someone else's pain.
10. The Calamities of The Great Depression and World War II Gave Birth to the Joy of Twinkies
Much like their iconic product, Hostess was expected to vanish far earlier than it did. During the Great Depression, when many companies teetered on the brink of collapse, Hostess managed to stay afloat for a while.
James Dewar’s initial shortcake recipe featured strawberry filling. The problem, however, was that strawberries were only available for two months each year. With the surrounding economy collapsing, it became clear that staying open for only 60 days annually wasn’t a viable business plan.
To adapt, they switched to a filling that was available throughout the year: bananas. These new banana cakes, or “Twinkies,” quickly became a hit. However, their success was not destined to last long.
When the United States entered World War II, the government imposed a banana ration. Once again, Hostess had to search for an alternative filling. During the war, they opted for vanilla.
The change was originally intended as a temporary fix to weather the rationing period. To Hostess’ surprise, vanilla cakes became far more popular than the banana variety. Even after the ration ended, they never reverted back to bananas.
9. The Power Chord Was Created Because a Soldier Lost His Lung in the Korean War
The foundation of rock and roll is built upon power chords. These can be heard in hits by AC/DC, Nirvana, The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Kinks, and Neil Young. Power chords are so integral to rock music that they are often the first thing new guitarists learn.
The origins of this sound can be traced back to Link Wray and his groundbreaking 1958 track “Rumble.” Though it is now hailed as one of the greatest songs ever, Wray initially didn’t want to perform it.
From a young age, Wray dreamed of a career as a singer. However, before he could pursue his showbiz aspirations, he was drafted into the Korean War. That fateful decision cost him his dreams. The jungles of Korea were rife with disease.
Like many of his comrades, he contracted a severe case of tuberculosis. It was so severe that he had to have one of his lungs removed.
Unable to sing anymore, he had to adapt and become an instrumental innovator. Though his personal dreams were shattered, his legacy endures as he became the cornerstone of rock and roll, often hailed as the father of punk and metal—a remarkable achievement.
8. Sunlamps Were First Created for Orphaned Children After World War I
After the German economy was devastated by World War I, the public faced widespread malnutrition. The scarce food supply mainly went to adults and returning soldiers, leaving children to bear the brunt of the famine.
In staggering numbers, children developed rickets due to deficiencies in vitamin D, calcium, and phosphate. At the time, the cause of rickets was unknown. Dr. Kurt Huldschinsky formulated a theory based on the observation that all the children were unusually pale. He created a lamp that emitted ultraviolet light to see if it would help, and it worked.
The ultraviolet light successfully treated the condition, leading him to start marketing the sunlamp. This innovation later became the basis for the recreational tanning bed, giving a generation of celebrities and politicians their signature radioactive glow and fueling numerous urban myths.
7. The First Bicycle Was Born After a Horse Calamity
In 1816, Mount Tambora erupted in Indonesia, claiming 4,600 lives immediately. Within the first 15 minutes, it was already a catastrophe. The subsequent dust storm took another 10,000 lives, and by the end, the eruption contributed to famine and disease that resulted in 90,000 deaths.
For humans, it was a devastating event. For horses, it was an unparalleled disaster. The ash cloud spread to Europe that summer, obscuring the Sun for months. Without sunlight, oat crops failed, and horses, deprived of their main food source, began to perish by the thousands.
The horses that managed to survive by eating the last remaining crops became too much of a strain for the impoverished farmers, so they were put down. Since horses were the primary means of transportation, people were forced to find an alternative way to travel that didn’t require food.
One such innovator, Karl Drais von Sauerbronn, invented the dandy horse. Named after the very animals that had been either shot or starved, the dandy horse became the first human-powered bicycle.
6. The Civil War Gave Birth to Tabasco Sauce, and Reconstruction Helped It Thrive
In the 1850s, Edmund McIlhenny was a thriving banker. By the 1860s, he was bankrupt. The Civil War had destroyed his financial empire. Left penniless, he moved back into his parents-in-law’s home on Avery Island, Louisiana.
But things were about to take a turn for the better. Unknown to him, the family’s property sat atop a massive salt deposit. He mined the salt and made a fortune selling it to the Confederacy. However, when the Union discovered the strategic salt reserve, they attacked his mine and burned his farm to the ground twice.
Fearing for their safety, the family fled to Texas. When McIlhenny returned to Louisiana after the war, he tried to plant a vegetable garden. However, to make matters worse, everything he planted withered in the salt-ravaged, charred soil.
In New Orleans, McIlhenny encountered a war veteran who had brought back pepper seeds from Mexico. Using these seeds, McIlhenny created the first bottle of Tabasco sauce. Later, his sons would turn this into a mass-produced product.
Tabasco sauce became a hit because it added much-needed flavor to the otherwise bland food available during the Reconstruction era. It’s the same fiery spice we now add to our food today.
5. Hip-Hop Has Strong Roots in the Aftermath of Robert Kennedy’s Assassination
The tragic and premature death of Robert Kennedy had far-reaching effects on 1960s politics. Yet, his most profound legacy may lie in the indirect way his death helped shape hip-hop culture.
In 1968, Michael Viner became an aide in Robert Kennedy’s campaign. It was there that he met the famous football player Rosey Grier, who was providing security for Bobby. Grier was the one who wrestled the gun away from Sirhan Sirhan after the shooting.
After Kennedy’s death in California, Grier and Viner decided to stay in California. They both entered the film industry, with Grier starring in and Viner producing the soundtrack for a forgettable B movie titled The Thing with Two Heads.
The soundtrack included a minor hit with the track “Bongo Rock.” Building on this success, Viner formed the group “Incredible Bongo Band” and had them record a cover of the song “Apache.”
The song “Apache” by the Incredible Bongo Band would go on to become known as “hip-hop’s anthem.” Popularized by DJ Kool Herc, it became a staple at his block parties. It was also the first song ever scratched by “Grand Wizzard” Theodore, marking a key moment in the evolution of turntablism.
By doing so, he transformed it into the defining sound of the genre. Hundreds of artists—including Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash, Nas, Kanye West, LL Cool J, and even MC Hammer—would later sample it in their own music.
4. The Treadmill Was Originally Designed As A Torture Device For Prisoners
After the devastation caused by the Napoleonic Wars, England found itself in dire need of labor. Prisons became a new source of workers. In 1817, Sir William Cubitt invented the first treadmill, which functioned similarly to the modern stair climber.
Prisoners would walk on rotating spokes that powered a massive wheel. Their efforts were used to crush grain, pump water, or operate mills—thus the name treadmill. The experience was intensely painful. Prisoners had to walk for six continuous hours, climbing a distance of 4,300 meters (14,000 feet) each day—roughly half the height of Mount Everest, five days a week.
Even worse, if you failed to keep the wheel moving, you would tumble off, but the wheel would continue turning. This led to daily injuries for the prisoners. The treadmill machines were finally banned in England in 1898 as a form of cruel and unusual punishment. So, while the gym treadmills may feel torturous, they were once designed for exactly that purpose.
3. Cosmetics Are A Result Of Mutilated Prisoners
You might not recognize it by name, but somewhere in your home, you likely have Retin-A. This compound is the active ingredient in many acne treatments and wrinkle creams, and it's used in nearly all modern cosmetics.
So commonplace is Retin-A that the World Health Organization refers to it as “one of the most important medications needed in a basic health system.” However, this “youth in a jar” and similar drugs were initially developed through forced testing on prisoners.
After World War II, human experimentation was banned worldwide with the implementation of the Nuremberg Code. Well, everywhere except Philadelphia, it seems.
Between 1951 and 1974, dermatologist Albert Kligman conducted drug trials on prisoners at Holmesburg Prison. Initially, he viewed them not as people, but as “acres of skin.” Backed by organizations like the CIA, Dow Chemical, and Johnson & Johnson, Kligman treated the prisoners as test subjects for his experiments.
Among his notorious experiments were peeling skin off inmates using Scotch tape, removing fingernails, applying Agent Orange to open wounds, dosing people with LSD, and confining them in rooms with radioactive isotopes.
A common practice was administering experimental drugs to prisoners to observe their effects. One such drug developed in this way was the original formula for Retin-A. The exact number of deaths caused by these experiments remains unknown.
2. The Banjo Was Used To Keep Slaves From Dying
The banjo, an iconic instrument in Appalachia, beloved by Muppet frogs and Steve Martin, has a much darker history than one might expect, rivaling the grim tone of Deliverance.
In the 1600s, slave ships encountered a significant issue. The slaves they transported would often fall ill and die. This was not due to concern for their well-being, but because the slave owners were losing valuable profits.
To maintain the health of their slaves, the owners allowed them to dance. Naturally, the slaves weren’t particularly eager to comply. However, the captains believed that traditional African instruments might motivate them to move.
The instrument of choice was stringed instruments, which is how the banjo made its way to the United States. Had it not been for the minstrel show, it might have remained a forgotten part of American history.
In minstrel shows, which often ridiculed slaves, they depicted the image of a lazy slave playing the banjo. This portrayal helped the instrument gain popularity among white audiences.
1. Dunking Booths Were A Violent By-Product Of Segregation
Dunking booths are a common feature at fairgrounds and church carnivals. They mix physical challenges, the thrill of lighthearted mischief, and entertainment. It's a fun activity that nearly everyone can enjoy.
But the original dunking booths were designed with a very particular audience in mind. In the late 1800s, the nation became obsessed with target games, including one called the 'African Dodger.'
Behind murals depicting plantation life, black men would poke their heads through a hole. The objective for the thrower was to try and hit them in the head with a baseball. A successful hit earned a prize.
Eventually, the carnival operators realized how cruel it was to throw objects at people's heads. In an unusual act of compassion for the 1800s, they swapped out the human targets for wooden caricatures known as 'Negro Heads.'
The two games were merged to create the 'African Dip.' In these revamped games, hitting the target would release a mechanism, plunging the black person into the water. Eventually, anyone could take the seat and enjoy the splash.
