Big Questions Answered, How and Why

How Do Anthills Survive the Rain?

The ant fortresses you find on your lawn have a number of defenses.

What Makes Red Meat Red?

Furthermore, what color is human meat?

Can Fish Taste?

Yes, and not just with their tongues.

Is a Microphone a ‘Mic’ or a ‘Mike’?

How Did the Grapefruit Get Its Name?

As it turns out, it’s a relatively new designation.

What’s With The New Yawk Accent?

The story of how department stores taught us about language and prestige.

Why Do Some Guitarists’ Fingers Smell Like Garlic?

Playing out of key may not be the most embarrassing thing a guitarist has to endure after all.

Dan Bluestein, Wikipedia Commons // CC BY 2.0

Where Did the Greek-Themed Coffee Cup Come From?

Those ubiquitous Greek-themed coffee cups have an unlikely father: a Czechoslovakian Holocaust survivor.

Why Are UPS Tracking Codes So Long?

While you’d be forgiven for assuming that UPS tracking codes are generated randomly, those numbers (and letters) actually contain a lot of information.

Why Is There a Unicorn on the British Pound Coin?

The presence of the Queen's head, thistle, and portcullis on the pound coin are easy to understand, but a unicorn?

Where Do Insects Poop?

Supercaliphotolistic/iStock via Getty Images

Why Are The Best Competitive Eaters So Skinny?

Mostly so they don't die. In 2011, Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas won the first-ever Women’s Division of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest by downing 40 dogs in one sitting. That’s 12,360 calories consumed in 10 minutes …

Yankee Doodle by A.M. Willard // Public Domain

Why Did Yankee Doodle Call a Feather ‘Macaroni’?

What’s going on here?

How Do Animals Laugh?

Your dog is laughing, you just couldn't tell.

Who Invented Deep Dish Pizza?

"It's an enigma, wrapped in a pie crust. Every day, it feels a little more lost to history," -Jeff Ruby, co-author of Everybody Loves Pizza.

Why Do Airplane Windows Have Tiny Holes?

Why Don’t Eyelashes and Eyebrows Grow Long Like Head Hair?

The cycles that govern hair growth are keeping your eyebrows firmly under control. Although one man has grown his to 18.1cm...

David Winkler, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Why Was Route 66 Decommissioned?

How did Route 66, the beloved Main Street of America, fall into a state of disrepair and disuse less than 30 years after the height of its popularity? Here's the story.

How Do You Punctuate Around Emoticons and Emoji?

When Did Pink Become a "Girl" Color?

Do Other Animals Have Belly Buttons?

Why Are Public Toilet Seats U-Shaped?

Plumbing codes require u-shaped toilets for hygienic reasons.

Some Srs Bsns: Are Words Without Vowels Rlly More Efficient?

Why Are Shirt Buttons On Different Sides For Men and Women?

Here's the story behind the seemingly arbitrary gendering of buttons.

BIG QUESTIONS