Seeker

Seeker is dedicated to the spirit of adventure and pursuit of wonder. Follow us as we tour new locales, uncover forgotten stories and abandoned places, to ultimately better understand the world around us.

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Why Was There a Secret Military Base in the Forest Surrounding Chernobyl?

The Duga radar base was a secret military base in what is now Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone. Today, it stands as an eerie ghost town.

In 1976, during the Cold War, a strange sound began to be picked up by Ham radios around the world. It was a continuous tapping sound that was pinpointed to a location somewhere behind the Iron Curtain. Shortwave radio enthusiasts decided to name it the "Russian Woodpecker."

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, it was discovered that the Russian Woodpecker was actually radar designed to provide early warning of an intercontinental ballistic missile attack. It was coming from Duga-3 radar in the forest outside of Chernobyl that was constructed to watch for potential U.S. missiles launching at the Soviet Union.

Read more on the secret military base

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Spanking Does More Harm to Kids Than Good

Children who are spanked are more likely to be aggressive, defy their parents, and exhibit anti-social behavior, a meta-analysis found, based on 50 years of research by experts at the University of Michigan and the University of Texas at Austin. According to Science Daily, the researchers say it is the most complete analysis on the effects of spanking, as it took place over 5 decades and included 160,000 children.

The study was published in this month's issue of the Journal of Family Psychology, and makes clear that researchers focused on spanking only, "defined as an open-handed hit on the behind or extremities," the study notes, and not on other forms of physical punishment that could be considered abusive.

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What Will a $15 Minimum Wage Mean For California?

One major concern is that California cities range greatly in the average cost of living as well as median income. Cities like San Francisco and San Jose that have greatly benefitted from the tech boom and have fairly high median incomes, will likely not feel the effect of the minimum wage increase so profoundly. However, for cities like Fresno, Chico and Bakersfield, a minimum wage of $15 would put the bottom of the wage scale much closer to what the average worker is expected to make.

Economics professor Michael Reich of University of California, Berkeley, argues that the negative effects won't be as dramatic as some people think. In the models he's studied, a $15 minimum wage increase essentially had a neutral effect on the economy, even if it was 60% of the median wage. That's because even though some business may have to layoff employees and inflate their prices to keep up with the wage increase, the ability of workers to purchase more would lift the economy in another area, keeping it healthy.

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Inside The Pet Cafés Of Japan

Animal cafés are extremely popular in Japan. These special cafés give people a place to connect with owls, bunnies, turtles and other pets that they wouldn't normally get to have.

Working full time in Japan can be extremely demanding. Most people end up working nearly 80 hours a week. There are a lot of things they miss out on, one of which is having enough time to own a pet and be able to properly take care of it. This is where pet cafés come in.

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The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster Performs Its First Legal Marriage

The Pastafarian ceremony was held on a pirate ship and the bride wore a colander on her head.

Toby Ricketts and Marianna Young got married recently on a pirate ship docked in Akaroa, New Zealand -- but this wasn't a regular old pirate ship wedding -- this was the very first legal wedding under the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

New Zealand approved the church to conduct legal marriages in 2015, and is one of the only countries to recognize it as a legitimate religion, The Guardian reported.

Pastafarians, as they're called, founded the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster as a way to satirize the belief system of American fundamentalist Christians. According to their website, they will accept all those that Evangelists condemn to an afterlife in Hell, like homosexuals, fornicators and atheists. They even offer an alternate afterlife complete with a beer volcano and a stripper factory.

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There's a Gin That Claims to Make You Look Younger

Anti-aGin says is distilled with pure collagen, which naturally depletes over time: cocktail time, anyone?

As scientists continue to debate the health benefits of alcohol consumption, one new product sounds awfully appealing: a gin that claims to help you look younger.

A new brand of gin, appropriately called Anti-aGin, is claiming to be the first spirit that has been distilled with "skin-boosting" ingredients, reports Huffington Post UK.

The gin is 40% alcohol, as is most gin, vodka and other hard liquor, and it has been distilled with pure collagen. Collagen is found in most products that claim to reverse aging effects because it's the substance that holds our skin together, but naturally depletes over time, resulting in wrinkles.

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Boring Architecture Takes a Psychological Toll on Us

Neighborhoods with a mix of styles linked to higher levels of happiness and empathy.

Physical surroundings can have a major impact on a person. There's a growing body of research that suggests architecture affects us both physically and emotionally, as detailed by the Science of Us. While this may not be entirely surprising, it's worth bearing in mind.

First, these participants walked by a Whole Foods grocery store. Researchers found they were decidedly bored based on their biometric responses. Typical words used by the participants to describe the building's sleek, homogenous facade included "bland" and "passionless."

From there, the route veered into a decidedly more eclectic block, dotted with busy restaurants, open doors, and windows. This area sparked much more physical excitement and elicited words like "lively" and "socializing.

Read more on how cities don’t have to be clean for people to be happier

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Loneliness Raises Risk of Heart Disease, Stroke

The findings make a strong case for the connection between mental and physical health.

Heart attacks, clogged arteries, stroke are health risks we associate with things like smoking or obesity, and for good reason: they increase your risk of suffering one of these ailments. But according to new research, being lonely does too.

Being lonely or socially isolated increases your risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 50%, the study found, which is on par with light cigarette smoking, anxiety and stress, the LA Times reported.

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Turning Junk into Stunning Treehouses

Artist Jay Nelson finds new life in trashed wood to build stunning, tiny spaces.

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Is This The Toughest Fish in The World?

There's a fish that lives in the pools of a cave called Cueva del Azufre in the town of Tabasco, Mexico, that is somehow able to thrive even though its habitat is full of toxins.

Hydrogen sulphide, a toxic chemical, seeps into the water from oil deposits and nearby volcanic activity. The compound also permeates the air, making it toxic for humans to breathe, reports The BBC.

These mysterious "cave molly" fish live in water that is 50 times more toxic than what's considered fatal for aquatic life. How can they survive?

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How Has Marijuana Legalization Affected Colorado?

Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, it was legal in the state of Colorado for adults (21 and up) to purchase marijuana for recreational use -- no medical prescription required. Many are looking at Colorado as a testing ground for future legalization. Has it increased the number of DUI's? What about marijuana-related hospitalizations? Financially-speaking, how has the state benefitted?

A recent report from the Colorado Department of Public Safety assessed various effects of marijuana legalization in the state. According to Vox, there have been a mix of good and not-so-good consequences from the legislation. Here are some highlights:

Adults who reported they currently use marijuana went up from 5% in 2006 to 12% in 2014.

DUI rates for marijuana remained stable from 2014 to 2015, decreasing by 1%.

Tax revenue from the sale of marijuana has gone up considerably, from $76,152,468 in 2014 to $135,100,465 in 2015. Of that 2015 revenue, more than $35M will go to school construction projects.

Marijuana-related hospitalizations went up as well, from 803 per 100,000 between 2001 and 2009 to 2,413 per 100,000 between 2014 and June 2015.

This comes not long after the DEA's announcement that it may re-classify marijuana, which the federal government currently holds in the same category as heroin. This year, as many as 20 states could vote to follow Colorado and legalize marijuana for recreational use.

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Why Long-Time Socialists Don't Really Agree With Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders identifies as a democratic socialist, but many long-time socialists say his platform doesn't really agree with their ideals.

Bernie Sanders describes himself as a democratic socialist. He's running for president on a far left-leaning platform, one that is harshly criticized by Republicans. Sanders supporters say he's the only candidate brave enough to put forth a socialist agenda, one that includes things like attacking big money for dominating our political system.

However, many socialists, people who have identified as socialist for years and have worked tirelessly for the cause of the party, don't believe that Sanders has a true socialist agenda, reports The Atlantic. The Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) even issued a statement last August that rejected the notion of Sanders' platform as socialist. The statement read:

"He does not call for nationalizing the corporations and banks, without which the reorganization of the economy to meet people's needs rather than maximizing the profits of capitalist investors could not take place … He is clearly seeking to reform the existing capitalist system."

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Is Gentrification Turning London Into A Ghost Town?

Higher rents and housing prices in urban cities like London are forcing many communities to move out. Will these cities become ghost towns?

In September 2015, a group of protestors got really mad over an East London store that sold breakfast cereal for 5-7 dollars. To be fair, that is A LOT of money when you consider it's just a bowl of cereal.

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Can Social Media Predict Gentrification?

Thousands of check-ins can signal broader economic trends.

Social media may be an untapped data source for government officials when it comes to predicting economic and demographic trends. A team of researchers from several universities in London (a major city that is facing gentrification right now) gathered data from an estimated 37,000 people and 42,000 venues. They examined over 500,000 "check-ins" left by people on FourSquare and Twitter, two very popular social media apps, over a 10-month period.

From there, they were able to determine what venues and what neighborhoods brought together people of heterogeneous background vs. those that attracted more homogenous crowds. At the same time, they deduced which places attracted a mix of strangers and those that brought together large groups of friends all connected together.

Overall, they found that neighborhoods undergoing gentrification had certain commonalities that preceded the "transition" of the area. These places tended to have much richer social diversity -- marked by an influx of social media users from disparate backgrounds. These data markers were linked to rising housing prices and lower crime rates -- two of the leading signs of gentrification.

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The Women Fighting ISIS to Protect The Yazidi People

These women are seeking revenge for what ISIS did to their people.

In August 2014, ISIS invaded and took control of Sinjar in northwestern Iraq, unleashing attacks on the Yazidi people of the region. They killed men and older women, and abducted young women and children. Now, the Yazidi women and their allies want revenge, reports The Times of India.

In Kananshor village near Sinjar, a group of Yazidi women, and Kurish women from Syria and Turkey, have come together to fight ISIS. "After what happened to the Yazidi women it's important to have all women units here," a female fighter named Denis from Turkey told TOI. "We help train the Yazidi women to defend themselves and then they can control their own future. That's why we're here," she said.

These women are YBS fighters, which is part of the People's Protection Units (YPG), the parliamentary wing of Syria's Kurdish Democratic Union Party, and they're one of the most successful units currently fighting ISIS. That might be because a lot of ISIS soldiers are terrified of female fighters. In Islam, if a man is killed by a women he cannot go to heaven, something that the YBS soldiers take full advantage of.

Denis told TOI, "They are so scared of us! If we kill them they can't go to heaven. It makes us laugh.... We make loud calls of happiness when we see them to let them know we are coming. That's when they become cowards."

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Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, Marian Anderson are being added to the $5 bill

After it was announced on Wednesday morning Harriet Tubman would become the next face of the $20 bill, Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew announced Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt and Marian Anderson will be featured on the back of the United States’ new $5 bill. Secretary Lew also announced important feminists will be displayed on the backside of the new $10 bill.