Big Questions Answered, How and Why

How Do Computers Tell Time?

Without the help of the Internet, how do computers do it?

Why Did ‘Disabled’ Replace ‘Handicapped’ As the Preferred Term?

Why Do Some Sounds Make People Sick?

Your ears aren't the only thing you have to worry about.

What Are The Colored Circles on Food Packages?

There's a lot of information crammed onto food packaging these days, and along with all of the helpful stuff (like nutritional data and ingredients), there's also the mysterious, multicolored row of circles or squares that serves a very important purpose

Ttschleuder, Wikimedia Commons // CC-BY-SA 3.0

Can Birds Smell?

Or was Toucan Sam just faking it all these years?

Why Is There An ‘R’ in Mrs.?

Originally it stood for something else.

How Many Trees Are on the Planet?

The answer is much higher than we previously suspected.

What Makes Dogs Tilt Their Heads?

According to one study, dogs tilt their heads when they hear words that are meaningful to them, like the name of their favorite toy.

Do You Use Only 10% of Your Brain?

Don't believe the myth.

Why Are There 60 Seconds in a Minute, 60 Minutes in an Hour but 24 Hours in a Day?

We can thank the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians. Here's how people decided how long an hour, a minute, and a second are.

Are Snakes Immune to Their Own Venom?

Venomous bites can paralyze and kill prey. But what happens when a snake is exposed to its own toxins?

Why Does Light Help Some People Sneeze?

Up to 35 percent of the population experience this sneezy reaction to bright light.

Why Are Car Air Fresheners Shaped Like Trees?

Their inventor originally wanted them in the shape of a curvaceous, kneeling woman.

Why Are They Called Gummy Bears?

The Haribo gummy bears were right on trend in the 1920s.

Why Do We Take Coffee Breaks?

How timeouts for the humble caffeinated beverage became a workplace mainstay.

The Reason You Can't Smell Your Own House

Your house smells. Don’t feel bad—everyone's abode has a distinctive odor. But not one of you could pick your own home’s aroma out of a scent lineup.

Why Do Popes Change Their Names?

It started with Mercurio.

Does Blotting Pizza With a Napkin Really Do Anything?

A little grease goes a long way.

What Is the Multiverse?

According to theories, everything that could occur or exist does exist in at least one universe...whoa.

How Does Deodorant Work?

A chemist's guide to smelling good.

Can You Smell All The Smell Out of Something?

Technically? Yes. But your nose probably doesn't have the power to steal an entire smell.

What Purpose Did the Appendix Once Serve?

Why Do Dogs Play Fetch?

It's in their DNA.

Why Does Everyone Else's Skin Feel Softer Than Mine?

Touching another person’s skin and thinking it’s super soft is an illusion that may help cement social bonds, one study finds.

BIG QUESTIONS