The wikipedia links submitted that make the front pages are almost automatic reads for me. They aren't news so much as obscurities, and are usually pretty fascinating.

I agree that they can be good. It’s just that whatever someone will surface in 2020 was probably sitting there in 2012. Why didn’t we look at it in 2012? Surely there is a listing of obscure topics. But somehow it becomes a must read in the HN context. (I do it too)