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This summer, Austrian Felix Baumgartner will attempt the skydive to end all skydives. From the edge of space, 120,000 feet high, the 42-year-old will leap into free-fall, breaking the speed of sound before hopefully parachuting to safety. Baumgartner and other current thrill-seekers on this list are redefining what it means to be a daredevil. And unlike the daring figures famed for a singular death-defying stunt, such as pitching over Niagara Falls in a barrel, most of these individuals have devoted their lives to consistently pushing the limits of what’s mortally possible.

Modern pharmaceuticals have revolutionized medicine, banished many formerly fatal diseases, and made many chronic conditions treatable. But along with all the success stories we have tales of drugs that were once hailed as a panacea, only to later be identified as dangerous, often with fatal consequences. And while scientists and drug manufacturers can make honest mistakes, many of the following examples illustrate what happens when money, politics, and just plain poor judgment is involved.

War is terrible enough even when everything goes according to plan, with death, destruction, chaos and grievous injuries the natural result. Within the carnage, however, there are rules that most nations have agreed to follow. One of the most important is that civilians, especially women and children, are to be left alone. This notion has been thrust into the public consciousness recently with the case of Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who is accused of killing 17 Afghan civilians. The United States military has a proud track record of behaving decently even under the most trying conditions, but in rare cases things have gone bad. Here are five notable incidents when U.S. troops crossed the line from combat into massacre.

In case you somehow missed the news, the world is supposed to end in December 2012, at least according to an ancient prediction by the Mayans. In the meantime, as you’re stockpiling food, water, weapons and other supplies, it might help to check out a few of these classic end-of-the-world books just so you’ll know what to expect when the end draws near. Seriously, doomsday literature is as old as the written word, but became more topical in the United States as the threat of a nuclear holocaust arose in the 1950s. Since then, many authors have found a way to end the world through nuclear war, disease, floods, meteor impacts, alien invasions and, yes, zombies. Here are 10 great doomsday books, covering a variety of scary scenarios.

Recent medical literature is full of contradictory reports on certain foods and drinks. One study reports coffee is good for your heart; another says it’s bad because it causes hypertension. One report sings the praises of lean red meat; another says all red meat is bad. But when it comes to green tea, there’s only good news. You’ve probably heard about some of the many health benefits associated with this drink, and maybe thought you’d give it a try sometime soon, maybe next month … or next year. Make a point to add green tea your diet today. Numerous studies have shown that drinking green tea on a regular basis can help you lose weight, avoid many diseases and live a longer, healthier life. Here are five great health benefits of this amazing drink.

Many journalists and political observers in recent years have been asking the same question: “Where have all the protest songs gone?” It seems so few contemporary musicians have tackled the big issues of our time. Yet political expression in music has a rich history, and many songs have famously highlighted social discontent and injustice. Some of them became powerful anthems, such as Mahalia Jackson’s rendition of We Shall Overcome, while others are simple calls for peace, like John Lennon’s Imagine. Politically motivated songs can stir passion, and provoke anger. Just think how the words of Billie Holiday’s 1939 version of Strange Fruit (a song about lynchings) affected Southern audiences at the time. All of them have a message, a purpose, and the power to move us through words and music.

Many musicians have thrived on protest songs over the decades, too numerous to include on this list, so we’ve picked 12 of them, representing various genres, including country, rap, pop, rock, folk, and reggae.

Every day, we are bombarded with numbers. Statistics and data provide us useful information about the world, but as we head toward another presidential election, we can expect to see plenty of talk about poll results, margins of error, and the like. Stats tell us the batting average of our favorite baseball player and the likelihood of getting struck by a meteorite, but misunderstanding of statistics is also rife, and can lead to a manipulation of the facts that may be either deliberate or inadvertent. Here’s a look at how statistics can often deceive us.

Go through any neighborhood on the weekly recycling day and in front of most residences you’ll find recycling bins filled with cans, bottles, newspapers and other recyclables. Most Americans make an effort to recycle; according to one 2009 poll, 77% of Americans sometimes recycle. That statistic, reliable or not, doesn’t account for the other potentially recyclable items these same well-meaning individuals toss into the trash daily. Here are the top five items that should be recycled but all too often end up in landfills.

Many people still wonder just what Apple co-founder and visionary Steve Jobs meant right before his death in 2011, when he uttered his widely reported last words, “Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow.” The statement is so ambiguous, it has been interpreted several different ways. The 10 people noted below left no such uncertainty with their final thoughts and words, with statements that seem a perfect coda to their life experiences. Here are 10 fitting and famous last words from some historical figures.

Friendships can be fragile, but when you add fame, fortune, drugs, groupies and rock and roll, even the best friendships can turn toxic. Rock music history is full of bands that rose to great fame, only to see band members turn on each other in sometimes very public fashion. In some cases, bitter disputes that began 40 years ago continue to this day. Here are five of the most divisive breakups in classic rock music history.