BIG QUESTIONS

Is it OK to Shower in a Thunderstorm?

A reader wrote in to ask, “Is it safe to shower in a thunderstorm? Were my parents messing with me?”

Who Created Karaoke?

On Wednesday night, Team Floss went karaoking. After Mangesh sang “I Believe I Can Fly,” Jessanne did her best Madonna impersonation while belting out “Like a Prayer,” and Winslow and I channeled The Lonely Island to perform “I’m On A Boat,” we wondered—j

What Causes Nightmares?

When you're waking up from a nightmare, your first question might be, “Was that a bagel chasing me through my house with a sledgehammer?” And after the shock of dreaming about a homicidal, anthropomorphic breakfast dish wears off, your next question is pr

How Effective is the Eye Black that Athletes Wear?

Sometimes it’s literally a glob of grease, other times it’s a synthetic sticker. We’ve all seen baseball and football players with the black rectangles under their eyes on sunny days, which is thought to help reduce the sun’s glare and allow athletes to b

Was Singapore’s Independence an Accident?

In 1963, Singapore declared its independence from Great Britain. Without much land area or natural resources of its own, the new nation secured some protection and economic help by joining Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form the Federation of Malaysia. But

Why Are Soccer Balls Made of Hexagons?

It wasn’t until 1855, when Charles Goodyear patented vulcanized rubber, that soccer balls started taking shape. Literally.

What’s the World’s Longest Running Science Experiment?

Between our look at the longest prison sentences the other day and the 69-year-old pitch drop experiment finally getting caught on camera last month, reader Justin got curious and wrote in to ask, “what’s the longest experiment that scientists have filled

Do Men and Women Feel Temperature Differently?

Men are from Mars and insist on turning up the air conditioning; women are from Venus and always complain of being cold. In a world striving for gender equality, is there something holding us back from liberty and comfortable temperatures for all, or is i

Why Do Electrical Towers Have Different Colored Blinking Lights?

What’s the Longest Prison Sentence Ever Received?

How does Ariel Castro's prison sentence—a millennium and then some—stack up against other stints in the clink?

Where Do You Go to the Bathroom During a Riot?

Do Records Really Sound Warmer Than CDs?

We’ve all no doubt heard the countless claims about how vinyl simply sounds “better” and “warmer” than today’s digital music. And this belief is taking today’s consumers beyond the boxes in their parent’s attic. According to an article by Forbes published

Why Are Potato Chip Bags Always Half-Empty?

As disappointing as it can be to tear into a bag of Lay’s to find empty air where your afternoon snack should be, that extra space in the package is there for a reason.

Are the High Seas a Criminal Paradise?

No, a fugitive in a ship is still subject to the laws and regulations of whatever country the vessel is registered to.

Can You Actually Cough Up A Lung?

Nope. Fortunately, your lungs are too large to fit through your trachea, so they’re not going to come flying out of your mouth. However, they don’t necessarily stay where they belong.

Why is “Weiner” Sometimes “Weener” and Sometimes “Whiner”?

What Happens to Your Luggage if You Survive a Plane Crash?

Be sure to leave your paintings and priceless manuscripts at home.

What Causes “Old Person Smell”?

If you ever noticed an odd smell when around your grandparents, you're not alone. Like other body odors, this “old person smell” is produced when chemicals from the skin glands get broken down into small odorous molecules that waft away into the air.

How Do Muslims Fast for Ramadan if There's No Sunset?

What's a Muslim in Longyearbyen, Norway or Barrow, Alaska supposed to do when there's no sunrise or sunset to guide their fasting? Starve? Fly south for Ramadan?

What Are Smithereens?

“Blown to smithereens” is such a great, colorful phrase. Almost everyone knows exactly what you mean, without being able to define what exactly a smithereen is. What the heck are they?

Do Loose Lips Really Sink Ships?

What's the Difference Between Britain and England?

It’s a common misconception that has been going on for centuries, and it’s difficult to unravel.

Does a Refrigerator Make a Good Faraday Cage?

Why Do People Blush?

Blushing is an involuntary reaction that seems to serve no purpose beyond making an embarrassing situation even worse.

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