The Cymothoa exigua, a parasitic crustacean, is a true-to-life tongue snatcher. The parasite prays on the Spotted Rose Snapper Fish found off the coast of California. Cymothoa exigua swim into the fish's gills and latch onto its tongue. Once attached, it begins to suck the fish's blood. Eventually the tongue dies from lack of blood flow and falls off. With the tongue out of the way, the parasite attaches itself to the remaining muscles at the base of the tongue.

Referred to as the QWERTY layout due to the order of the first row of keys, the arrangement of a keyboard's keys is known to most. Why are the keys in this order though? Explanations usually state  the commonly used keys were spaced apart to prevent them from jamming together during the typewriter era. Although true, there's more to QWERTY's success than that. Critics argue that the layout is inefficient, and suggest the little-known Dvorak layout is far superior.

In an era of off-the-wall inventions, Franz Reichelt was determined to cement his place in history with his suit-parachute. Reichelt has his place in history; but not for the reason he hoped. The Austrian tailor believed that he could craft a suit that would double as a parachute, and what better place to test it but the highest structure of the time: the Eiffel Tower. Fortunately, the event was captured on film in 1912 allowing us to shake our heads almost a century later.

Known originally to Native Americans as Six Grandfathers Mountain, Mt. Rushmore was renamed in 1885 for New York lawyer Charles E. Rushmore after an expedition he led. Historian Doane Robinson conceived the idea of a large stone sculpture for the State in hopes of increasing tourism. Robinson selected scultptor Gutzon Borglum due to his previous experience creating the Confederate Memorial carving.

An Avro Lancastrian airliner named the Star Dust mysteriously disappeared minutes before it was set to arrive in Santiago, Chile with 11 passengers on board. Any plane that simply vanishes is sure to peak interest, but the Star Dust had even more reason for attention. Its passengers consisted of a British Queen's messenger, a Palestinian man reported to have a large diamond sewn into his jacket, and a nazi-sympathizer, amongst others.