Barbie’s arched feet have long been a part of her image—tiny, pointed, and forever perched for stilettos. But that’s starting to change. A new study reveals that Barbie’s feet are flattening, and that shift isn’t just about doll design—it reflects a broader change in how we think about women’s fashion and comfort. A team of podiatrists at Monash University analyzed 2,750 Barbie dolls produced between 1959 and 2024. They found that while every single doll in the 1960s had permanently arched feet made to fit high heels, only about 40% of Barbies in the 2020s still have that same foot shape. This shift isn’t random. It follows Barbie’s growing list of careers—astronaut, firefighter, doctor—where practical shoes make a lot more sense than stilettos. This change was even acknowledged in the 2023 Barbie movie. In one early scene, Margot Robbie’s Barbie steps out of her heels and her feet stay arched, just like the classic dolls. But later in the film, her feet flatten out, a visual cue ...
Some parts of the world are like nature's weather rollercoasters. Summers can be blisteringly hot, winters bitterly cold, and the transition between them jarring. If you've ever lived in a place with a continental climate, you know the feeling—sweating through July and piling on five layers by January. Let's take a look at the numbers. In the U.S., the highest temperature ever recorded was 134°F (56.7°C) at Furnace Creek Ranch, California. On the flip side, Prospect Creek, Alaska, reached a bone-chilling -80°F (-62.2°C). That's a jaw-dropping 214-degree Fahrenheit swing. Russia holds an even wider gap, ranging from 113.7°F in Kalmykia to -90°F in Verkhoyansk. The map below, created by Vivid Maps shows the difference between the highest and lowest recorded temperatures by country. That kind of variation doesn't happen by chance—it's the hallmark of a continental climate, where temperature swings can be dramatic. In contrast, places closer to oceans enjoy what...