A Forgotten American Train Journey

Once called “the grandest scenic trip on Earth,” the Mount Lowe Railway transported passengers through miles of mountainous vistas high above southern California. Conceived by American inventor Thaddeus Lowe in the late 1800s, the short-lived venture was forced to permanently close in 1936 after it failed to draw the crowds needed to keep it in operation. Lowe eventually went into bankruptcy and lost the railway …

Vietnam Lifts Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

While it’s not the equivalent as making same-sex marriage legal, Vietnam’s recent move to lift the ban on gay marriage is a step in the right direction—and means that couples won’t face legal prosecution or fines if they try to get hitched in the South East Asian nation. The government still won’t officially recognize same-sex marriages, or provide legal protection for those in them, but …

Cute Overload is Shutting Down

After over 10 years of uncovering the internet’s most adorable animals, Cute Overload announced that it will be shutting down. In its final blog post, the five-time Webby-winning site said, “The time has come to say thank you to you all, our dear peeps, and everyone that has worked so hard to make Cute Overload a decade of laughter, outraaaageous vocabulary and endless squeals of …