MF Explains It All

“Fido” is a name that has become synonymous with all things dog. But where did the name come from?

Nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) is a common anesthetic that only requires a mask over the mouth and nose.

Anesthesia is a complex mixture of medications that lessen pain during procedures. Different types affect the body in different ways.

Alexander Hamilton argued that lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court were the only way, but some modern scholars disagree.

Here are the differences between green onions or scallions (left) and chives (right).

One of these things is not like the others.

‘Boo’ didn’t originate as a ghostly saying.

If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.

A hearse with S-shaped bars in place of back windows.

Those evocative scrolls you see on hearses actually have a name—and going back in the 1800s, they actually served an important purpose.

It’s common for many little kids to go through a “dinosaur phase.” Here’s why.

One theory suggests that we call liquor “spirits” because of alcohol’s association with one spirit in particular: the Holy Spirit. But there are other possible origins.

Your dog’s motivations for licking you range from adorable to disgusting.

Every birthday counts when you just have one life.

Though cats only live once, the idea that the animals have nine lives has been around for a long time.

The heavy-duty tool is said to be the work of a man named Moncke. Or was it Moncay?

One of the few days this family probably used their dining rooms.

Fewer and fewer newly constructed homes actually have dining rooms. Here’s why.

You know this squirrel got these two cats talking.

There’s a natural explanation for the very un-catlike sounds your pet starts emitting when it sees a bird or squirrel.

Sneezing is gross, but it’s also normal.

Many people underestimate the damage that suppressing a sneeze can cause.

Something to think about while you’re casting your ballot.

There were some very compelling reasons for choosing the first Tuesday in November as Election Day—at least, they were when that date was chosen.

Historians link trick-or-treating to a few different ancestors, some old and some new.

A farrier holding a horse’s newly shod hoof.

There are many reasons why horses might need shoes. There’s pretty much only one reason why cows don’t.

Movie theater popcorn really does taste different than the stuff you make at home. Here’s why.

'Knotty muscles' can be a real pain in the neck.

The nagging pain in your neck may feel tight, but it's knot what you think.

Both are places where we bury the dearly departed, and the words are often used interchangeably. But that hasn’t always been the case.

Do you have an addiction to ghost stories?

People have been telling ghost stories for thousands of years. We dive into the psychology behind why people are drawn to such terrifying tales.

Gourds (left) and squash (right) are similar, but one shouldn’t be eaten.

Matters become more confusing when you add pumpkins to the mix.

If you ever freeze after hearing something go ‘bump’ in the night, you’re not alone.

You’ve likely heard of fight or flight, but a third reaction—to freeze—is misunderstood by many.

They may look weird, but they are perfectly fine to eat.

Some gourds are bred to have a bumpy appearance.

Why Do We Call Dogs Fido?

How Does Anesthesia Work?

Why Do Supreme Court Justices Serve for Life?

Scallion vs. Chives. vs. Green Onion: What’s the Difference?

Why Do Ghosts Say “Boo”?

Why Do Hearses Have Metal S-Shaped Scrolls Where the Back Windows Should Be?

Why Do So Many Little Kids Love Dinosaurs?

Why Are Some Liquors Called “Spirits”?

Why Does My Dog Lick Me?

Why Do We Say Cats Have Nine Lives?

Why Is It Called a “Monkey Wrench”?

What Happened to Dining Rooms?

Why Do Cats ‘Chatter’ and ‘Chirp’ at Birds?

Is Holding in a Sneeze Bad for You?

Why Do We Vote in November?

Why Do We Go Trick-or-Treating on Halloween?

Why Do Some Horses Need Shoes, But Cows Don't?

Why Movie Theater Popcorn Tastes So Good

Are ‘Muscle Knots’ Actually Knots?

Graveyard vs. Cemetery: What’s the Difference?

Why Do We Tell Scary Ghost Stories?

Gourd vs. Squash: What’s the Difference?

Why Do We Freeze When We’re Scared?

Why Do Some Pumpkins Have Warts?