The Stories Behind the Names of 10 Constellations Each constellation of stars in the night sky has a fascinating origin story. From the 48 constellations named by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in his 2nd-century book The Almagest to
6 Lesser-Known Firsts in Women’s History Women have contributed to almost every facet of life, from sports and science to art and politics. While some female role models are starting to get more recognition, we still
The Stories Behind 8 Iconic Brand Mascots Mascots can be powerful symbols for schools, sports teams, brands, and products, especially when they're effectively leveraged across advertising campaigns. Some (like the forgotten fourth Rice Krispies elf, Pow!) end
The Countries That Consume the Most Coffee, Tea, Wine, and Other Drinks We know that the French love their wine, and that the U.S. is on a big sparkling water kick. But that doesn’t necessarily make them the top consumers
How 6 Sports Teams Got Their Distinctive Names You don’t have to actually watch sports to be aware of the country’s most famous teams — or wonder how they got their names. While some are obvious (the
The Stories Behind 7 Memorable TV Theme Songs It’s been said that we live in a golden age of television due to the plethora of high-quality programs available on cable and streaming services. While that may be
Mermaids, Centaurs, and More: Mythological Creatures 101 Woven into tapestries, glittering from stained-glass windows, standing guard as statues, or starring in our favorite stories, films, and TV shows, mythological beasts such as unicorns and dragons have been
Why Is Bubble Gum Pink? Your Candy Questions, Answered Have you ever wondered why people give bags of Jordan almonds as wedding favors? Or why circus peanuts taste like bananas? Pop an after-dinner mint and settle in as we
9 Astounding Facts About William Shakespeare Despite being one of the most well-known figures in the history of Western literature, there is a tremendous degree of mystery surrounding the life of William Shakespeare. Fortunately, much of
5 Things Science Still Can’t Explain Science has been able to shed light on many of life’s mysteries over the centuries, offering explanations for diseases, animal behavior, the cosmos, and more. We’ve come a
7 Little-Known Historical Figures Who Made a Big Impact The history books are full of fascinating men and women who are household names: Rosa Parks, Genghis Khan, and Julius Caesar, to name a few. But for every famous name,
13 Facts That Will Change How You Look at the World Even for the most avid explorers, this planet hides more than a few surprises — like that Reno, Nevada, is farther west than Los Angeles. For more earth-shaking information — like which
5 Surprising Facts From the Produce Aisle The typical American grocery store carries 40,000–50,000 items, including hundreds of fruits and vegetables. Those photogenic displays of dew-kissed leafy greens, pyramids of shiny apples, and baskets
8 Fascinating Facts About Turtles Also known as Testudines, turtles and tortoises are ecologically important. In the ocean they eat seagrasses that thrive on coral reefs and clean up dead fish; on land they dine
6 Things You Might Not Know About Airplane Cabins Most features in an airplane cabin are designed for a very specific purpose. However, due to the cabin’s complex design, the flight attendants don’t usually take the time
5 Famous Events in History That Never Really Happened Most of us weren’t in the room for history’s most famous happenings. That means it just takes one slip-up or folktale — whether because of an overzealous biographer, a
10 Great Moments in NASA History From landing astronauts on the moon to flying helicopters on Mars, the history of NASA is full of awe-inspiring moments. After its founding in 1958 — in response to the Soviet
The Sweet Stories Behind 5 Desserts, From Cheesecake to Pumpkin Pie Desserts have long reigned as the pièce de résistance of suppertime, encouraging picky eaters to clear their plates in anticipation of a bubbling pie, warm cookies, or decadently sweet puddings.
The Origins of 10 Wedding Traditions Whether you’re planning a wedding now or have many years of marriage under your belt, some things about weddings don’t seem to change — someone wears white, the couple
The 6 Biggest Art Heists in History Where there is art, there’s a chance to make money. A lot of money. Art heists have been happening for centuries. But as security technology has become more advanced,
6 Important Questions About Cats, Answered Cats have strange habits that defy easy explanation. No matter how much water you put out for your kitty in his own fancy bowl, he’ll insist on drinking from
The Stories Behind 5 Common Kitchen Items The kitchen is the heart of our homes. Yet no matter how often we use everyday tools like microwaves, whisks, and ice machines, most of us rarely stop to think
10 Facts About “It’s a Wonderful Life” Frank Capra’s 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life is a certified American classic. The story follows George Bailey (James Stewart), a small-town banker and family man on the
The Origin of Ugly Christmas Sweaters, Christmas Pickles, and Other Fun Holiday Traditions Many families have their share of strange holiday traditions unique to their own households and likely passed down through the generations, but even widely practiced year-end customs like putting up
5 Surprising Things the Ancient Egyptians Invented The ancient Egyptians were one of the most intriguing civilizations in history. They erected enormous stone pyramids without the use of any of the heavy machinery we have today, they