Matt Soniak

Joined: Nov 21, 2012

Matt writes about science, history, etymology and Bruce Springsteen for both the website and the print magazine. His work has also appeared in print and online for Men’s Health, Scientific American, The Atlantic, Philly.com and others. He tweets as @mattsoniak and blogs about animal behavior at mattsoniak.com. He lives in Philadelphia with his girlfriend, two cats and a large collection of bourbon whiskeys.

The Story Behind the Giant Inflatable Union Rat

You can avoid brain freeze with a couple of easy precautions.

What Causes Brain Freeze?

The border between these two countries is a little odd in places.

Over the Borderline: The Little Bit of Minnesota That Could Have Gone Canadian

Why Did ‘The Ukraine’ Become Just ‘Ukraine’?

American officials exchanged Soviet spy Rudolf Abel for the American U-2 spyplane pilot Francis Gary Powers in the 1962 “Bridge of Spies” transfer.

How a Nickel and a Paperboy Brought Down a Cold War Spy

Soviet spy Rudolf Abel might have never been caught were it not for a Russian turncoat and a newspaper delivery boy who thought he’d been stiffed.

Several factors make people more susceptible to the flu in winter.

Why Is the Flu Seasonal?

Like clockwork, flu viruses seem to strike more people in winter than in any other season—and there are several reasons for that.

One of the biggest differences between a ship and a boat is size—but it’s not the only one.

Ship vs. Boat: What’s the Difference?

You will instantly reveal yourself as a landlubber if you refer to a ship as a boat. Here’s how to tell the difference.

Why Do We Go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween?

Historians link trick-or-treating to a few different ancestors, some old and some new.

What Does “SOS” Stand For?

You know it's a distress signal, but what does it actually stand for? A lot of people think it's an abbreviation for “save our souls.” (It's not.)

What’s the Origin of the Jack-O’-Lantern?

The first jack-o'-lanterns were made with turnips, not pumpkins.

Why Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell Funny?

Not everyone experiences funny-smelling urine after eating asparagus, but it's common enough that it poses one very big question: why does it happen in the first place?

You better knock, knock, knock ... on wood.

Why Do We Knock On Wood?

Discover the origins of the classic phrase 'knock on wood,' which could be tied to a Victorian-era children's game or have more direct ties to old pagan traditions.

It’s easy to recognize these political symbols.

How Did the Donkey and Elephant Become Political Mascots?

Andrew Jackson’s 1828 political campaign kicked it off, and cartoonist Thomas Nast made the political symbols really gain traction.

An athlete holds up a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

How Much Gold is in a Gold Medal?

The amount of gold in Olympic medals is regulated, and there’s a lot less than there used to be.

Olympic fans take selfies in front of the iconic rings in Paris.

What Do the Olympic Rings Mean?

Pierre de Frédy, Baron de Coubertin, intended the rings to represent nations “united by Olympism.”

Who Was General Tso, and What Does He Have to Do with Chicken?

The most popular Chinese takeout dish in the U.S. is a sweet, spicy, saucy chicken entree named after a famous Hunanese general who actually preferred pork.