1

Extreme ironing

Image: Eric Vö

There is nothing extreme about ironing if you do it the usual way. But what if you were to iron your shirts atop a mountain peak ? Believe it or not, ironing clothes in extreme environments is a thing. There is even a world record for the most outrageous example of extreme ironing, which was set 200 feet underwater in 2011.

2

Worm charming

Image: sippakorn yamkasikorn

Worms are not the first creatures that come to mind when one thinks of interactive animals. However, they do respond to certain stimuli, especially vibrations on the ground and sound.

A small but dedicated group of people devote themselves to the odd hobby of worm charming, attracting worms from the ground using vibrations, sound, and other ingenious methods . This unusual activity requires patience and a gentle touch, but for its followers, it is very rewarding.

3

Toy voyaging

Image: Barrett Ward

Whoever saw the early 2000s movie Amélie will recognize this one. Some people have small toys that accompany them on vacations and appear in photos at famous landmarks , which are then uploaded to their Instagram and Facebook accounts.

4

Soap carving

Image: Aurélia Dubois

As it turns out, soap can be used for more than just washing and bathing. Yes, a particularly fragrant soap placed in your sock drawer will add a pleasant scent each time you open it. But this is something entirely different. Some people carve soap bars into intricate sculptures , using small knives or other fitting instruments.

5

Human knotting

Image: engin akyurt

A hobby can also be a group activity. In some parts of the world, groups of people engage in the challenging task of tying themselves into a human knot , and then work together to find creative solutions and untangle the puzzle without letting go . It's like Twister, but without the board underneath.

6

Geocaching

Image: Jamie Street

A sort of digitally-aided treasure hunt, geocaching is a fun hobby that requires a hand-held GPS receiver or a phone app to guide participants to a destination where a hidden container is stored . Once found, the participant logs their visit in an included logbook and can also trade one of the many small items inside the container for one of their own. Sounds like fun, right?

7

Trainspotting

Image: Silver Ringvee

Other than being a movie and a book, trainspotting is also a hobby where enthusiasts, you guessed it, spot trains. Train spotters often watch trains and track the number of each engine , as well as share information about the whereabouts of the trains, technical data, and specific characteristics.

8

Duck herding

Image: Vlad Tchompalov

Most people have heard of sheep herding, but what about duck herding? This hobby is performed as a team effort with trained sheepdogs who know how to maneuver a group of geese or ducks back into their pen . This unusual activity is suitable for all ages and fitness levels, making it a great team-building exercise for corporate groups.

9

Historical cooking

Image: Alyson McPhee

Several YouTube channels feature expert and amateur chefs cooking historical recipes and then tasting the results. This fun activity involves trying out recipes from the past , some dating back centuries, as far back as recipes can be found, and appreciating flavors that are not around anymore.

10

Ghost hunting

Image: Jesse Bowser

As the name suggests, ghost hunting is a hobby that involves investigating and documenting paranormal activity in order to capture evidence of ghostly sightings or encounters . This activity does not require participants to believe in the existence of ghosts, but rather to enjoy the thrill of visiting eerie places filled with spooky stories.

11

Mobile phone throwing

Image: Vojtech Bruzek

If you've ever felt the urge to throw your mobile phone in frustration over a situation, this hobby might be for you. Mobile phone throwing is a competitive sport in which contestants throw phones and are judged based on their technique and the distance covered. This hobby originated in Finnish culture, and it was started by Nokia, known for its reputation as an unbreakable "brick" that supposedly outlasts all our smartphones.

12

Painting memes

Image: Crystal Mapes

Memes are, by nature, ephemeral creations, meant to last for a while before fading into obscurity. However, some kind souls have taken up meme painting as a hobby, giving these digital images a more elevated existence as works of art .

1

Titanic & The Music Man

Image: Copyright © 1962 Warner Bros. Pictures Distributing Corporation - Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is common knowledge that Titanic (1997), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, fictionalizes the true story of the sinking of the British ocean liner that collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

The Music Man (1962), on the other hand, is a musical that tells the story of a salesman who tries to convince the residents of a small town in Iowa to start a musical band. Although the two films are set miles apart and their characters are very different, they both take place in the same year: 1912. Fascinating, don't you think?

2

Mary Poppins & The Wild Bunch

Image: From the studio of John Schwartz., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Early twentieth-century London, a vibrant, sprawling city, has almost nothing in common with the wild U.S.-Mexico frontier of the same era. Yet the tender Mary Poppins (1964) and the epic revisionist Western The Wild Bunch (1969) take place during virtually the same years. Despite being vastly different stories, the two films share a similar theme: the concept of outsiders navigating a world of change and challenges.

3

There Will Be Blood & Meet Me in St. Louis

Image: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Loew's Inc.), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What do a Christmas musical from 1944 and a 2007 drama film have in common? They both portray the early years of the 20th century!

While There Will Be Blood is a dark film that focuses on the California oil rush, Meet Me in St. Louis , starring the iconic Judy Garland, portrays the well-to-do life of an upper-middle-class Missouri family. Watching these two films truly paints a picture of what America was like at this time in its history.

4

Grease & Malcolm X

Image: Library of Congress

Two other films that offer their version of American life during a specific era are Grease (1978) and Malcolm X (1992). Both take place around 1958, but couldn't be more different.

Grease , a romantic musical with gelled hairdos and poodle skirts, portrays a group of teenagers more concerned with leather jackets, rock and roll, and fashionable cars than anything else. Malcom X , on the contrary, is based on the biography of the famous African-American activist, and dives deep into the history of the civil rights movement.

5

Barry Lyndon & Pirates of the Caribbean

Image: William Hogarth, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The story of a young Irishman trying to climb the ladder of British high society can't be too different from that of a pirate sailing through dangerous waters. However, although Barry Lyndon (1975) and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) take place in the 1750s, they are very dissimilar films.

While Pirates of the Caribbean is a fantasy adventure franchise chronicling the adventures of the endearing Jack Sparrow, the historic drama directed by Stanley Kubrick won four Academy Awards and is considered one of the greatest films ever made.

6

The Godfather: Part II & 1917

Image: Ernest Brooks, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The year is 1917, and a young Vito Corleone takes his first steps in the criminal world in his native Sicily. Meanwhile, in northern France, a young British soldier is sent on a mission to save his brother.

1917 (2019) is inspired by the true story of World War I battles, and The Godfather: Part II (1974) is based on the fictional story written by Mario Puzo about a gangster family. Both films, however, portray the same period of European history, an era that had a huge impact on American society.

7

Jobs & 2001: A Space Odyssey

Image: Niketh Vellanki

Surely, when Stanley Kubrick directed 2001: A Space Odyssey, he was envisioning a more advanced future. But the truth is that the real 2001 was marked, among other things, by the launch of Apple's iPod.

The film Jobs (2013) begins precisely with Steve Jobs' presentation of the device that would forever change the way we listen to music. Intergalactic travel as a common currency will have to wait a few more years. Yet, to be fair, HAL 9000 is pretty much like the artificial intelligences we have today —let's just hope they don't betray us!

8

The sound of music & Harlem Nights

Image: Sanja Lazic

While a young governess falls in love with Captain von Trapp with the Austrian Alps as a backdrop, on the other side of the Atlantic, a nightclub owner in Harlem must face powerful gangsters to stay in business.

Although they may seem like two incompatible plots, The Sound of Music (1965) and Harlem Nights (1989) both take place in 1938, when the United States was recovering from the Great Depression and Europe was at the dawn of the Second World War. Two opposite views of the world.

9

13 Going on 30 & The Wolf of Wall Street

Image: engin akyurt

One is an innocent romantic comedy full of '80s pop culture references, and the other is a dark, full of foul language and racy scenes, portrait of the years when yuppies and stockbrokers dominated the New York scene. Yet, both 13 Going on 30 (2004) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) take place in 1987. Have you ever thought about it?

10

Hairspray & The Shape of Water

Image: Larissa Megale

The interesting thing about these two films is that they not only take place in the same year—1962—, but also in the same ‘place’: Baltimore, Maryland.

Hairspray (1988), a cult comedy directed by John Waters, tells the story of young Tracy Turnbland's quest to be taken seriously in an audition for a popular show for young dancers. The Shape of Water , on the other hand, is a fantasy film that portrays the love story between a mute woman and a humanoid amphibian. Two very different plots that offer a glimpse of what life was like in America during the Cold War.

1

The Big Apple, New York City

Image: Jermaine Ee

New York may be famous for bagels, pizza, and hot dogs , but its nickname has nothing to do with fruit. The term "Big Apple" started popping up in horse racing circles in the 1920s, when jockeys and trainers used it as shorthand for the city’s top racetracks. A sportswriter named John Fitz Gerald picked it up and popularized it in his columns. Decades later, the city even used it in tourism ads, and the rest is history!

2

The Windy City, Chicago

Image: Dulcey Lima

Chicago’s nickname might sound like a weather forecast, but the truth is more colorful. Newspapers in the late 1800s used "Windy City" to poke fun at local politicians , suggesting they were full of hot air. Sure, Lake Michigan’s winds played a part, but it was really the dig at the city’s bragging that made the phrase hit home!

3

The City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia

Image: Catherine Kerr

This one is actually quite simple, actually. Philadelphia’s name comes from the Greek words for love, phileo, and brother, adelphos . The city’s founder, William Penn, wanted it to be a place of religious freedom and fair treatment, even making agreements with Native Americans over land. In short, the nickname reflects the city’s values. Beautiful, isn't it?

4

Sin City, Las Vegas

Image: David Vives

We don’t really need to explain why Las Vegas is called Sin City: casinos, nightlife, and more than a little temptation . You know how the saying goes, what happens in Vegas… But the roots go deeper. In the early 1900s, Block 16 downtown had a reputation linked to illegal businesses, and the label stuck. Nevada later legalized gambling in 1931, and that sealed Las Vegas’ image as the country’s playground of vice.

5

The Big Easy, New Orleans

Image: Harold Wainwright

New Orleans picked up the nickname "The Big Easy" in the 1970s as a playful contrast to New York’s "Big Apple." The first to use it was a columnist, and later a novel and film with the same title helped spread it. The name suits the city well because its music, food, and culture have an effortless, laid-back feel that still defines New Orleans today.

6

Beantown, Boston

Image: Lance Anderson

Boston baked beans are behind this nickname , but you probably already figured that out. Now, let’s look at the deeper layer here: during the colonial era, molasses poured into the city as part of the triangular trade, and it flavored both rum and beans. Traders nicknamed Boston "Beantown" back then, though today it is mostly tourists who still use the term.

7

The Emerald City, Seattle

Image: Luca Micheli

Seattle’s leafy scenery gave it the name Emerald City. Surrounded by water, rain, and forests, the city is filled with parks like Discovery Park and the Arboretum, which keep it vibrant throughout the year. The nickname highlights Seattle’s natural beauty, providing a refreshing contrast to its reputation for gray skies.

8

The Mile High City, Denver

Image: Owen Lystrup

Denver sits at an exact elevation of 5,280 feet above sea level, which is why it’s called the Mile High City. Fun fact about this: at Coors Field, the local baseball stadium, a row of purple seats marks the one-mile line . Visitors often notice the altitude the first time they climb a hill or sip a beer, so the nickname is more than just clever branding. Do you like this city?

9

The Magic City, Miami

Image: Pontus Wellgraf

Miami earned the nickname Magic City not for magicians (that would’ve been a fun story, right?), but for how quickly it grew . In the late 1800s, Julia Tuttle, a local landowner, helped bring the railroad and development to the area. In no time, Miami transformed from farmland into a bustling hub. We could say it was magic, don’t you think?

10

The City of Angels, Los Angeles

Image: Henning Witzel

Some nicknames have more intriguing stories, but that’s not the case for LA. Los Angeles’ nickname is about as straightforward as they come. "Los Angeles" translates directly from Spanish as "The Angels." In short, this elegant nickname mirrors the city’s name itself, one that’s full of angels, apparently!