Misc Visuals
How 33 Colors Got Their Names
As both a color lover and a word origins enthusiast, I was thrilled to discover this vibrant chart called “how colors got their names” while browsing r/coolguides! It was created by Adam Aleksic who goes by @etymologynerd on Instagram and etyomology_nerd on Twitter (I still refuse to call it X). He also has a website where provides an incredible interactive world map where you can learn about how any country got its name!
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This splashy guide caught my eye at first because it reminds me of how professional colored markers are displayed at craft stores. The name origin for crimson sparked some intrigue because it states that it is from a Persian word meaning “worm-colored” in reference to how it was made. Vermillion, another red hue, means “small worm” in Latin. So how were these pigments made originally? Turns out it has nothing to do with worms but rather a scale insect called Kermes vermilio. Ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Indians, Greeks, Romans, and Iranians crushed the dried bodies of these insects into a richly pigmented red dye.
Here is a fun little nugget of trivia from the comment section by pshokoohi: “Fun fact, in Pharsi, when we refer to someone as “khaki” it generally means they’re “down to earth.”” The word Khaki traces to the Persian word khak, meaning “dusty” or “earth-colored”. I would absolutely love to see another guide like this with entirely different colors! Here are a few I got curious about:
Yellow: “The word yellow is from the Old English geolu, geolwe (oblique case), meaning “yellow, and yellowish”, derived from the Proto-Germanic word gelwaz “yellow”. It has the same Indo-European base, gel-, as the words gold and yell; gʰel- means both bright and gleaming, and to cry out.”
Green: “From Middle English grene, from Old English grēne, from Proto-West Germanic *grōnī, from Proto-Germanic *grōniz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰreh₁- (“to grow”).”
Pink: “The color pink is named after the flowers, pinks,[7] flowering plants in the genus Dianthus, and derives from the frilled edge of the flowers. The verb “to pink” dates from the 14th century and means “to decorate with a perforated or punched pattern” (possibly from German picken, “to peck”).”
Ever wondered which states are the most daring behind closed doors? A recent Too Timid survey of 1,427 Americans sheds light on the most sexually adventurous states in the U.S. The study ranked states based on four key factors: the average number of sex toys owned, sexual partners, sexual experiences, and fantasies that turn people on.
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Here are the top 10 most adventurous states:
- Montana
- Iowa
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- Oregon
- Nevada
- Alaska
- Indiana
Meanwhile, the least adventurous states include Rhode Island, North Dakota, Maine, and South Dakota.
Beyond state rankings, the study uncovered some intriguing trends in American bedrooms. The most common sexual experience is watching porn with a partner, followed by one-night stands. When it comes to fantasies, most people keep it simple, dreaming about sex with their current partner and enjoying some steamy dirty talk.
The Too Timid team highlights the positive effects of sexual openness, noting that people who embrace their sexuality often report better body image, stronger relationships, and more satisfying sex lives.
While this survey offers a fascinating glimpse into America’s intimate habits, more data and future studies could reveal even more surprising trends. Whether your state made the top ten or not, one thing’s clear—America’s curiosity about sex is alive and well!
Science fiction often features futuristic technology that once seemed unimaginable. Yet, many sci-fi stories have accurately predicted innovations that eventually became real. Throughout history, countless fictional inventions have transitioned from mere ideas to actual advancements. This fascinating work from AI PRM illustrates the time gap between when these imaginative concepts first appeared in fiction and when they were finally brought to life.
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Their research examined sci-fi technology that exists today in these categories:
- Space Exploration
- Communication
- Robotics and AI
- Health and Biotechnology
- Weapons and Defense
When the 1927 film Metropolis became a hit, it was difficult to imagine that the video calls in the movie would ever become a reality, but today, this is a commonplace technology we rely on. The team shows us that the first real-world video phone was created by AT&T in 1964. In 2003, Skype made video calls widely accessible.
As for artificial intelligence in our lives, E.M. Forster’s The Machine Stops depicted a world where people had automated phones that could respond to their commands and help them manage their lives. This became a common trope in science fiction, but today, with the rise of devices like Alexa and Google Home, this technology doesn’t seem unusual at all. Believe it or not, when Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was released in 1870, submarines seemed like a feat of imagination to the reading public. But the Nautilus was inspired by a French sub prototype. The first submarine was launched just a few years later by Isaac Peral in 1888. Explore more technology once thought impossible throughout the team’s article.
The team at Mortgage Calculator released a study examining COVID-19’s impact on the American housing market. The pandemic hugely impacted the global economy, creating shifts in the prices of groceries, cars, gas, and homes. Generally, home prices skyrocketed all around the country. Their research showed that these ten U.S. cities had the largest home price increases:
- Irvine, CA
- Detroit, MI
- Fayetteville, NC
- Miami, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Buffalo, NY
- Port St. Lucie, FL
- Newark, NJ
- San Bernardino, CA
- Petersburg, FL
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There are many reasons that home prices rose so much between 2020 and 2024. The economy was chaotic and uncertain during the pandemic, with average people feeling unequipped to navigate the changes. Many people lost jobs, especially those who held public-facing positions. Others switched to remote work, forcing them to make their home their workspace. For some, this was an ideal situation; others wished for a new home to accommodate their new way of working. Unemployment rose to a higher rate than it had in 80 years. This situation left many seeking new situations, but just as many felt they should plant deeper roots instead.
There were not enough houses to fit the number of people searching for a move or first-time home ownership. Interest rates soared. People moved out of city centers to rural and suburban communities. This left the housing market in flux with skyrocketing prices, as we can see from the in-depth research presented in this chart.
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