Why Alaska has highways that end in the middle of nowhere
Why do some Alaskan highways just stop in the wild with no warning? It has something to do with ice, rivers, ferries, and some abandoned plans.
Why the Mississippi River once flowed backward for three days
For three strange days in 1812, the Mississippi River seemed to defy nature itself. Just what force could be powerful enough to make it flow backward?
Was the typewriter keyboard deliberately designed to slow people down?
QWERTY wasn’t born from convenience—it came from chaos. Out of jammed keys in the 1870s came the layout we still use today. But is the slowdown story fact or myth? This piece unpacks it across 11 key points.
8 tactics grocery stores use to shape your choices
Grocery stores use clever tricks with smell and lighting to guide what you grab. Even their choice of flooring changes what you buy. Curious to know how?
How 10 U.S. presidents kept themselves fit
Early swim and late-night bowling. Even medicine-ball matches. American presidents have had rather surprisingly dedicated fitness routines.
Research Says Your Washing Machine Can Make You Sick — Here’s How
Your washing machine isn't as clean as you think. Germs, mold, and bacteria could be hiding inside, clinging to the clothes you wear. But how? Let's find out.
7 animals known for being the softest on Earth
What creature has a coat so fine it keeps water from ever touching its skin? Meet the animals with softness you won’t believe even exists.
10 interesting facts about the world’s population
The world’s population passed 8 billion recently. Births are slowing, and older adults now outnumber young children. Here are 10 interesting population facts.
7 extraordinary animal abilities
Animals that punch faster than bullets, and those that freeze solid and thaw alive. Here are seven real animal powers science has proven.
6 everyday items from colonial America you may not know
Sugar bricks and rope beds were a normal part of colonial homes. They had some clever everyday tools that might surprise you. Which one would you try first?
Posted inAnimal
The tiniest animals on Earth
Meet the creatures so tiny you could miss them even if they were right in front of you, including frogs smaller than a pencil tip.
Posted inHistory
The history behind rivets on jeans
The little metal dots on your jeans started with one stubborn problem in the Wild West. The fix stuck around, and the full story? It's weirdly interesting.
Posted inHistory
The first stoplight in America, and how drivers reacted to it
Chaos followed when Cleveland switched on America’s first stoplight. But why? What was so confusing for the local people, and how did they feel about it?
Why Alaska has highways that end in the middle of nowhere
Why do some Alaskan highways just stop in the wild with no warning? It has something to do with ice, rivers, ferries, and some abandoned plans.
Posted inHistory
The story of why Connecticut supposedly banned pickles that didn’t bounce
A spoiled batch of pickles and one offhand remark became a lasting myth. How did Connecticut’s pickle law end up so famously misunderstood?
Why the Mississippi River once flowed backward for three days
For three strange days in 1812, the Mississippi River seemed to defy nature itself. Just what force could be powerful enough to make it flow backward?
Posted inAnimal
The only state where venomous snakes don’t live
Alaska hides a surprising secret that sets it apart from every other state. Something about its wild terrain keeps one familiar, and deadly, creature away.
Why lightning strikes most often in one Florida city
There’s a spot in Florida where lightning seems almost drawn to the ground. Orlando sits at the center of it all. What’s causeing all those daily strikes?
Posted inGeography
The lake that vanishes and reappears without warning
Lake Jackson in Florida sometimes vanishes overnight, leaving cracked ground and a giant hole, then returns like nothing happened. Curious how it works?
Posted inGeography
How Route 66 shaped America and why parts of it disappeared
Route 66 once tied America together, then vanished piece by piece. Discover 11 key reasons this iconic highway disappeared from the map.
