Big Questions Answered, How and Why

The phrase has a surprisingly long, convoluted history.

There were some very compelling reasons for picking the first Tuesday in November as Election Day—at least, they were when that date was chosen.

Some athletes call it runner’s trots. Others refer to it as the Gingerbread Man. Here’s why marathoners sometimes get off to a runny start.

The unwanted gourds can wind up in a variety of places, including your local zoo.

Wednesday is viewed as the halfway point to the weekend.

The phrase may seem recent, but it’s been around for a surprisingly long time.

A look at how ancient traditions have morphed into our modern Halloween with the decoration of pumpkins.

Where did this phrase come from, anyway?

The origins of the phrase (indirectly) involve smelly cabbage, Donald Duck, and several Canadian journalists.

Her skin is well-protected in the event of a crash.

Leather doesn’t just look cool—it also serves a very important safety purpose.

As anyone who’s seen the movie ‘Titanic’ already knows, the ship didn’t sink immediately. So how long was the process?

The answer involves World War I soldiers and a cute bird.

We might have co-living spaces to thank for this strange idiom.

At their peak, over 14,000 covered bridges were scattered across the U.S. Roughly 500 remain.

Here‘s why chimera cats look like two different furballs stitched together.

It's big and black and white and all over the place.

They’re so-called minimalist modern farmhouses, painted white, with black roofs, window frames, and railings, seemingly adrift from architectural context. Where did the big black-and-white look come from, and why is it so popular?

Before tiles and vinyl reigned supreme, some folks put carpet next to the tub. But why?

Bussers are an important part of restaurants.

What do the terms “busser” and “busing a table” have to do with public transportation? Nothing, it turns out.

If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.

We explain the science behind the answer.

Who wouldn't want to tuck into a bowl of golden-brown, crispy hush puppies?

Hush puppies might seem like a simple side dish, but they carry a pretty interesting history.

There is a good reason why baby carrots tend to be slimier than their full-sized counterparts—and it has to do with the white stuff you sometimes see on the outside of them.

Red cars are bold, but are they really targeted by cops the most?

It turns out there’s another, much less flashy shade that has a higher chance of getting flagged.

The origin of the multipurpose saw's catchy name, explained.

Answering the same question over and over and over again can get grating. But there are important developmental reasons behind why young children are so into asking “why.”

Just because seat belts make cars and planes safer doesn’t mean they’d do the same for trains, which are built differently, move differently, and, most importantly, seat their passengers differently.

BIG QUESTIONS

Why Do We Say We’re “In the Pink”?

Why Do We Vote in November?

Why Do Marathon Runners Poop Their Pants?

What Happens to Unsold Halloween Pumpkins?

Why Is Wednesday Called “Hump Day”?

Why Do We Carve and Paint Pumpkins for Halloween?

Why Do We Say “Trick or Treat” on Halloween?

Why Do Motorcyclists Wear Leather?

How Long Did It Take for the ‘Titanic’ to Sink?

Why Are New Zealanders Called ‘Kiwis’?

Where Did the Phrase ‘Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop’ Come From?

Why Did We Stop Building Covered Bridges?

What’s the Deal With Split-Face Chimera Cats?

Why Are So Many New Homes Black and White?

Why Did We Ever Carpet Bathrooms?

Why Is It Called “Busing” a Table?

Why Do Ghosts Say “Boo”?

Why Do Spider Legs Curl Up When They Die?

Why Are They Called “Hush Puppies”?

Why Are Baby Carrots Always So Wet?

Do Red Cars Really Get Pulled Over More?

Why Is A Reciprocating Saw Called a “Sawzall”?

Why Do Little Kids Love to Ask “Why”?

The Surprising Reason Why Trains Don’t Have Seat Belts