MF EXPLAINS IT ALL

It's fallen out of fashion to use hydrogen peroxide on cuts, thankfully.

Why Hydrogen Peroxide Always Comes in a Brown Bottle

OK, occasionally you will see it in a white bottle—but probably not a see-through one.

Why Was June Chosen As LGBTQ Pride Month?

Answering “When is Pride Month?” takes one word: June. Why it’s June, on the other hand, is more of a short story.

Queen Elizabeth II in her signature three-strand pearl necklace.

Why Queen Elizabeth II Always Wore Pearls

Queen Elizabeth II's perennial strings of pearls were part of a long-standing royal tradition.

Seattle residents use air conditioning at half the rate of the national average.

It's Summer, But Many Seattle Residents Are Opting Out of Air Conditioning—Here's Why

Even in the dead heat of summer, stoic Seattle residents beg off on AC. Here's why.

Not the cookies you want to be thinking about all the time.

How to Block Those Annoying Cookie Banners That Follow You From Website to Website

You shouldn’t have to accept cookies a million times a day. Here’s how to stop it.

LA landlords expect tenants to provide their own appliance.

The Reason So Many Los Angeles Apartments Don't Come With Refrigerators

LA renters have come to expect they'll need to BYOF (Bring Your Own Fridge) when renting. Here's why.

She's dreaming about a giant insect melting into goo.

What Exactly Is a Fever Dream?

The meaning of your fever dream is probably just this: You have a fever.

Fire trucks are red because we expect them to be.

Why Are Fire Trucks Red?

The sight of a red fire truck will catch your eye, but it's not the reason emergency vehicles are painted scarlet.

Name your horse Odor in the Court and you'll probably stand out.

'Hoof Hearted': The Reason Racehorses Have Such Weird Names

Racehorse names may honor a pedigree, a First Lady, or make a fart joke.

The Simple Way to Deactivate Your Twitter Account for Good

The hardest part of not having Twitter in your life is actually deleting your Twitter account. Luckily, the process is easy.

U-Haul fleets have Arizona plates. But why?

The Reason Every U-Haul Truck Has an Arizona License Plate

It doesn't matter what state you rent a U-Haul truck in.

Which Side of a Graduation Cap Does the Tassel Go On?

Graduation tassel placement depends on what degree you’re getting—and whether you’ve actually graduated yet.

Stink vs. Stank vs. Stunk: What's the Difference, and When Should I Use Each One?

When does something stink, when did you believe something stank, and when might it have stunk?

Which Country Has the Longest Coastline?

Experts agree that Canada has the world's longest coastline, but the exact length is disputed.

Is There Really Such a Big Difference Between Bottled Water and Tap Water?

Filtered tap water is likely going to be cheaper, with little difference in taste.

Passport Book vs. Passport Card: What’s the Difference?

Not all passports are books. But what exactly is a passport card?

Is this a fictitious or fictional scene?

Fictitious vs. Fictional: What’s the Difference?

The meanings of ‘fictional’ and ‘fictitious’ are basically the same, but we don’t always use the words the same way.

The Real Reason Fast Food Workers Always Wear Hats

The visors, baseball caps, and paper hats worn by fast food workers serve a hygienic purpose as well as an aesthetic one.

What Exactly Is Greek Yogurt?

Every Greek yogurt starts out as regular yogurt—but there’s some extra straining involved.

Why Does ‘Spick-and-Span’ Mean ‘Really Clean’?

‘Spick’ doesn’t mean ‘clean.’ And ‘span’ doesn’t mean ‘clean.’ So what’s going on here?

It's easy to make a case for The Nile as the longest river in the world, but measuring a river isn't that easy.

What Is the Longest River in the World?

It’s an issue so complicated that river length isn't even considered a useful measure anymore.

It's Chick-fil-A's pleasure to serve you.

Why Do Chick-fil-A Employees Say “My Pleasure” Instead of “You’re Welcome”?

If you say “my pleasure” before your Chick-fil-A cashier has a chance to utter it, you won’t score free food.

Should You Really Chill Cookie Dough Before Baking It? Yes—Here’s Why

The secret to making the best chocolate chip cookies ever isn’t in the ingredients.

You’re Not Imagining Things—Ranch Dressing Really Does Taste Better in Restaurants

When restaurants serve Hidden Valley Ranch, it often tastes better than the bottled stuff. Here's why.

PREV NEXT