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10 Stories of Magnificent Discoveries

From finding family in the most unexpected of places to uncovering messages hidden in 16th-century Incan knots.

Amy Maoz

Read when you’ve got time to spare.

History-making breakthroughs don’t just happen in the lab. From finding family in the most unexpected of places to uncovering messages hidden in 16th-century Incan knots, these 10 stories embrace the thrill—and momentum—of discovery. So dive in—who knows what you might find?

Image of Inca knots by andyKRAKOVSKI/Getty Images

I Was Writing About Colonial America’s First Enslaved Africans. I Was Stunned to Find My Ancestors, Too.

The search for one woman’s family led a reporter to find her own roots using oral history, archives and DNA tests. It also led to stunning results.

Her Incredible Sense Of Smell Is Helping Scientists Find New Ways To Diagnose Disease

Joy and her super smelling abilities have opened up a whole new realm of research.

Dr. Seuss Book: Yes, They Found It in a Box

The last original Dr. Seuss book was released in 1990. No one at Random House expected an unpublished book to appear 24 years after Theodor Seuss Geisel’s death.

What a Newfound Kingdom Means for the Tree of Life

Neither animal, plant, fungus nor familiar protozoan, a strange microbe foretells incredible biodiversity yet to be discovered by new sequencing technologies.

Jerry and Marge Go Large

Discovering a lottery loophole made Jerry and Marge Selbee millionaires and exposed more than a few hypocrisies at the heart of America’s favorite form of legalized gambling.

How Scientists Discovered Helium, the First Alien Element, 150 Years Ago

First found only on the sun, scientists doubted the mysterious element even existed for more than a decade.

We Are All Scutoids: A Brand-New Shape, Explained

Researchers first observed the previously unnamed shape in a computer model. They then went to nature and found it in abundance.

The College Student Who Decoded the Data Hidden in Inca Knots

Manny Medrano cut loose on spring break by analyzing a set of khipus.

Daryl Bem Proved ESP Is Real

How one carefully calibrated study—and its shocking results—upended the academic system.

Runs in the Family

Kansas City Chiefs running backs coach Deland McCullough went searching for his biological parents. He found them where he never would have expected.