Big Questions Answered, How and Why

Contrary to popular belief, plastic surgery’s name origin has nothing to do with breast implants being made of plastic.

The roughly three-minute limit dates back to the early 20th century—but the digital music landscape is affecting the custom.

It doesn't matter if you're wearing your shoes or someone else's—but it does matter how tall you are.

How many steps it takes to walk a mile depends on your height and speed—but there is an average number.

Shampoo bottles tell you to 'rinse and repeat,' but washing hair twice in a row only makes sense for some people.

Fasten your seatbelts—this gas-vs.-diesel answer involves compression ratios, spark plugs, and torque vs. horsepower.

Gotta pee but don't have a bathroom handy? Try dancing.

Busting out your best dance floor moves when you have to pee may actually prevent you from soiling yourself.

The next time someone hands you a paper bag to breathe into during a panic attack, you’ll know what to do—or what not to do.

Pennsylvania state capitol building in Harrisburg.

Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Massachusetts are technically commonwealths, not states. Here's the meaning behind the term.

That wallpaper is giving us the willies.

To get the willies is to feel a sudden onset of nervousness or skittishness. But why 'willie'? It may have something to do with itchy underwear.

Cheese wheels are more than just fancy--they make cheese tastier.

A round cylinder of cheese can influence its taste and overall quality, but old-school grocers just wanted something they could roll on the ground.

When imitation crab appears in dishes like California rolls and crab rangoon, its true identity is rarely advertised. So, what is the product really made of?

Stuffed animals are common sights on trucks and other vehicles.

The next time you see a garbage truck with a stuffed penguin strapped to its grille, know the driver has a good reason—one that may or may not involve warding off ghosts.

Blue may seem like an odd choice for a pair of pants that many people wear every day, but there's a good reason it became the standard color for denim jeans.

Musician Sufjan Stevens recently jumped on the “open letter to Miley Cyrus” bandwagon with a tongue-in-cheek critique of her grammar in the song “Get It Right.”

The NFL has a reputation for being a little overzealous in levying fines against its players and coaches. But just where does the money go?

Even if you've never owned one, you've surely seen Golden Hamsters available for sale in pet stores, or scurrying around in a glass tank in a grade school classroom. But how did they get there?

The wheels attached to “tag axles” or “lift axles” on a dump truck aren’t spare tires—and they don’t always float above the road.

Nothing says love like a gift that will wilt and die in a few days.

The tradition of handing out roses that will die in a few days to express everlasting love is the result of 19th-century flower theory, class status, and good old commerce.