Big Questions Answered, How and Why

Clothing retailers aren’t ripping you off.

The little pinprick spots on apples, pears, and potatoes are called lenticels (LEN-tih-sells), and they’re very important.

A lot of it depends on the tethers that keep them from floating away entirely.

Short answer: It's what dogs do.

The term outlasted the technology.

It seems counterintuitive: Your body temperature is rising, but you're shivering cold.

The tradition dates back to World War I, though the tune is even older.

English spelling is bizarre.

A look inside the surprisingly logical motivations behind your cat ripping the ever-loving sh*t out of your sectional.

The man behind the shoes you've worn forever.

Lucky stargazers in America have gotten the chance to see them from their own backyards lately—and may be able to again this week.

Feeling anxious can be normal and sometimes even healthy. Missing out on life because of that anxiety is not.

It's not necessarily because the two are mortal foes.

America developed the modern electric plug, then other countries found a more efficient way to use them.

Even 400 years after Shakespeare's death, scholars are still debating.

Basically, you wind up pooping it out.

"Waiter, what's this fly doing in my soup?"

"Finders keepers" doesn't work here.

Because it's amazing, that's why. (But also, you know, comfort.)

A grand jury is considered the "sword and the shield" of the judicial system.

What makes a crime a hate crime? Legally speaking, it's largely a question of the offender's motivation.

The issue of body size and lifespan is a fascinating topic in biology—across many species.

It comes down to theobromine, a chemical in chocolate that dogs can't metabolize as quickly as humans.

BIG QUESTIONS