this post was submitted on 11 Jan 2026
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Showerthoughts

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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.

Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:

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As I was thinking about how fun it would be to have a job where you solve puzzles in the world, it struct me that media never depicts archeology in a real light. My short search seemed to confirm my thoughts. Most ancient sites are not guarded by elaborate traps or secret riddles to get in. From what I’ve found there were some crossbows here and there. Some rare hidden rooms with a lot treasure, but again, no traps.

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[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 95 points 2 months ago (4 children)
[–] markz@suppo.fi 54 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Yeah, maybe we should look into archeologists that never returned

[–] Diddlydee@feddit.uk 52 points 2 months ago

This is 100% survivorship bias

[–] TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zip 18 points 2 months ago

Well the pyramids at Giza were said to be cursed. Turns out, it was just gross occupational safety violations, but the effect was largely the same. If you breathe a thousand year old pathogens, you’re going to get sick.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 26 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Eh, the terracotta emporer from China almost definitely has booby traps that are likely still functional after 2,000.

We don't know, because the absolutely insane amount of open mercury in the tomb would have filled it with toxic gases, although it's likely that wasn't the intent.

But yeah, most "ancient" tombs were pillaged centuries ago. What little happens now is entirely black market and people probably die all the time.

I know Kim Kardashian took a booty selfie with a sarcophagus at the MET Gala a couple years ago, and one of the illegal tomb raiders recognized it. And because he never got his cut, he snitched to local authorities. So it still happens, we just don't hear about the vast amount. Just the very careful government sanctioned ones.

[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 22 points 2 months ago (4 children)

I’m surprised there hasn’t been a modern day person that buried their fortune with them under puzzles and traps.

[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 33 points 2 months ago (1 children)

That's what shell companies are for. Legally burry who owns the assets

[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Would that make lawyers modern day archeologists?

[–] stephen01king@piefed.zip 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

More like financial investigators, or whatever their official title is supposed to be.

[–] DrBob@lemmy.ca 14 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

Have I got a book series for you! Forensic accountant uncovers layers of bullshit in silicon valley by none other than our own @pluralistic@mamot.fr

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784417-red-team-blues

[–] back2basics@noc.social 1 points 2 months ago
[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

No, forensic lawyers and accountants who unpick it would be the archaeologists.

[–] YiddishMcSquidish@lemmy.today 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Probably meant forensic accountants. Tracking the people that we are least know to have plundered these places.

The reason we don't have more mummies is that the aristocracy back in waiting w were literally eating them.

[–] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Definitely not the kind of treasure people want to find later.

[–] PlutoniumAcid@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

There was one! Look up Forrest Fenn - the podcast Cautionary Tales has a double feature about it (S6E44-45). True riddles, and treasure hunts, and some deaths despite no traps being set.

[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I’ll have to take a look.

[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Tbf there's that one tv show about that one island in canada or something that had buried treasure and a bunch of traps but then it turned out the treasure had already been found and they think a freed slave found it when he bought the island back in the day or something like that.

Admittedly I've only seen one episode, a friend who watched it filled in the details on where it went lol.

[–] ApollosArrow@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

That also reminds me of the Oak Island supposed treasure in that pit.

[–] Thedogdrinkscoffee@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago

The ones with the traps succeeded in protecting their secrecy.