Fact Check

Big Question

What's the Difference between Churches, Chapels, and Cathedrals?

For every world religion, there is a place to worship. For Christianity, there are a confusing variety of names for these places, which are frequently—but incorrectly—used interchangeably. Church, chapel, and cathedral are the trio of terms most commonly used to denote a religious space, but how are they different?... READ ON

Big Question

Did Pirates Really Make People Walk the Plank?

Yes, but not as often as modern pop culture would have us think.... READ ON

Big Question

Does Drinking Kill Brain Cells?

Big Question

Why Aren't You Supposed to Wake a Sleepwalker?

Despite urban legends claiming that waking a sleepwalker will send them into shock or give them a heart attack, it’s pretty much harmless. While you can wake them up, you probably shouldn’t, and that’s for both your benefit.... READ ON

Big Question

Why Are the Academy Awards Statuettes Called Oscars?

This year's Academy Awards ceremony—the 85th—has been rebranded as simply The Oscars, after the statuette winners receive. But how did the statuette get that nickname?... READ ON

Big Question

Why Don't We Celebrate Washington's Birthday On His Birthday?

Happy Washington's Birthday! Oh, did you think we were celebrating Presidents' Day? In fact, the federal holiday on the third Monday in February is officially known as Washington's Day to celebrate the birthday of the first president.... READ ON

Big Question

How Long Does DNA Last?

Big Question

Why Do Filthy Insects Spend So Much Time Grooming?

fastidious self-care is reflected in human routines—brushing teeth, combing hair, clipping nails—but also in the habits of scuttling, scream-inducing cockroaches. There’s a certain irony in the hygienic customs of insects whose presence often connotes filth, so why is it that cockroaches devote so much of their creepy-crawly lives to cleanliness?... READ ON

Big Question

Did FDR Really Have Polio?

Big Question

Do Lobsters Really Mate for Life?

We already learned over the summer that watching Friends is not the best way to learn about wildlife or first aid. Recently, in one of those instances where I was unable to wrest control of the remote from my girlfriend, I caught another animal myth.“Come on, you guys,” Phoebe says. “It’s a known fact that lobsters fall in love and mate for life. You know what? You can actually see old lobster couples walkin' around their tank, you know, holding claws.”While there are plenty of animals... READ ON