What's the Story Behind 'Suicide Doors'?

Plus, tree equity, Shazam for birds, the water cycle explained and swamp coolers, too.

Happy Saturday All this Olympic talk reminded us of Jim Thorpe. In the earliest part of the 20th century, when golf, horse racing, boxing and baseball ruled the sporting universe, Thorpe (1887-1953) emerged as maybe the greatest athlete the world had ever known. Some might argue, more than a century later, that he still is. Read more about Thorpe and his extraordinary abilities in our article.   What Is Your City's Tree Equity Score? According to American Forests, the Tree Equity Score indicates if a neighborhood has enough trees in the right places so that all residents enjoy the many benefits from the trees. Southwest Atlanta, for example, has a score of 48 out of 100, while Washington, D.C.'s Capitol Hill neighborhood has a score of 95. Read more >> Can You Escape an Alligator if You Run in a Zigzag? This is just the kind of survival nugget we all like to squirrel away. Is there any truth behind it? Read more >> What Kind of Bird Is That? The Merlin Bird ID App Can Tell You It's like the Shazam app! But for birds and their songs. Read more >> Why Did Cars Have 'Suicide Doors'? Do They Still Exist? And of course, what's with the intriguing name? Read more >> How Swamp Coolers Work They're cheap, efficient and good for the environment. Don't push your AC unit out the window yet though. Read more >> Here's How the Climate Crisis Is Impacting the Water Cycle If water is moving through a continuous and well-regulated cycle, then why do we still see extreme weather events involving either too much or not enough water? Read more >> Test Your Knowledge   If you've been reading our emails this week, you might get these questions right! True or false: The 2.2 ton hardened mass that was found at Chernobyl's nuclear power plant, nicknamed the "Elephant's Foot," is an entirely harmless byproduct of the 1986 nuclear disaster. Most triathlons follow a traditional pattern of events. What is almost always the first event in a triathlon? a) Running b) Swimming c) Biking True or false: Monkeypox has a far greater mortality rate than smallpox. Which of these Olympians has the most gold medals of all time? a) Larisa Latynina b) Michael Phelps c) Carl Lewis How did Saipan, a lesser-known travel gem of the Mariana Islands, come into the possession of the United States? a) The United States bought it from Germany. b) They "won" the island during WWII. c) The island was illegally annexed and taken by force. d) They formed treaties with the local inhabitants and established an administration and police force to keep order. True or false: Wasps, like bees, are powerful pollinators. Check Your Answers Copyright © 2021 HowStuffWorks, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website howstuffworks.com Our mailing address is: HowStuffWorks 1401 Main Street Venice, CA 90291 Want to change how you receive these promotional emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list