Internet Rabbit Holes and You

A few of the best websites to spend five minutes—or five hours—on

By Ian Knoll

It’s inevitable. With all this free time on your hands, all the shows and movies you binge are going to feel stale, and you’ll want something more than scrolling through Twitter all night. You want something unique or something that feels like an adventure. Maybe you just want something that you can easily kill a few minutes to a few hours on. 

In my eyes, nothing fills that hole better than a good Internet Rabbit Hole. There’s no singular definition for what these are, other than they’re internet sites that engross you in strange and unique topics or activities that have you keep thinking “just one more page.” Curated for your enjoyment, here are some of my favorites from personal experience and internet recommendations. 

(Note: this is, of course, the internet, so light NSFW content abounds in nearly all of these.)

The “Educational”

“Wikipedia: Unusual articles”: Everyone knows that Wikipedia is the premiere source for valuable, if often dry information. What you may not know is that Wikipedia also has a page where they track some of their weirdest (and therefore funnest to read) articles. Want to learn about a metal band that all dress as Ned Flanders from The Simpsons? Or a novel written entirely without verbs? How about a detailed explanation of Judaism in Rugrats? All this and more at “Wikipedia: Unusual Articles”.

“Wikipedia’s List of common misconceptions”: This one’s a lot more self-explanatory, but if you’re looking to absorb a lot of minor but valuable information, this is the place to start. Did you know greek sculptures were actually painted with colors? Or that you have more than five senses? Well, now you do.

Interactive Sites

“Windows93”: Immediately nostalgic, Windows 93 recreates the feel of 90s era computing, with the humor of mid 2000s internet, all while being filled with fun (or just bizarre) programs that anyone can enjoy. Watch the entirety of “Star Wars Episode IV,” recreated in text art. Mess around with music synthesizers, or play four Gameboy games at once (for some reason). The crowning jewel has to be the internet browser, which features a very real Myspace clone (which you can even make an account for!)

“Geoguessr”: The premise is simple: placed on a random Google Maps location, Geoguessr will have you using things like street signs, architecture, and vegetation to narrow down exactly where on earth you are, all to get closer and closer guesses and win more and more points. Admittedly, the site has gotten restrictive over the years to encourage paying for a premium account, but for someone looking to lose themselves in the world (from the comfort of their home) Geoguessr still has a lot of charm.

“The Wiki Game”: This game has had many rules and websites, but in the current most popular version, players compete to see who can get from one randomly selected Wikipedia page to another (clothing to communism for example) in 120 seconds, using as few linked articles as possible. It sounds easy, but the connections can be surprisingly hard (but interesting) to make. 

Miscellaneous:

“The Worst Things For Sale”: 445 pages of strange internet products like wolf urine, fake pennies (that cost more than real pennies), and sudoku toilet paper, complete with the author’s brief, sardonic take on each. For more of the same, see “Wikipedia’s Unusual eBay listings” or “Always Judge a Book by its Cover.”

“The Death Valley Germans”: A famous blog which details two expert hikers’ attempts at finding the remains of four German tourists who went missing in Death Valley National Park. Highly morbid for sure, but a fascinating story for those who like cold case or true crime-esque stories nonetheless.

Personal Recommendation:

@TheSunVanished: This Twitter account is an ARG (or alternate reality game) about an apocalyptic world where the sun no longer rises. Part mystery and part horror, what makes “TheSunVanished” so unique is how integral audience interaction is. Throughout the narrative, the main character will reply to people tweeting at him, or take actions based on Twitter polls. Other ARGs take this further by tasking the audience with solving puzzles across various internet mediums to unlock more story. “TheSunVanished” is an easy to follow intro to ARGs, but most are worth the dive (see also “Marble Hornets” or “Visit Eroda,” which was apparently an advertisement for a Harry Styles single). 

“TheSunVanished” (and ARGs in general) are my personal recommendation, if for no other reason than they’re a fascinating way of telling a story that you can only do with the internet (that, and the sheer amount of time you can sink into trying to understand them).