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The Most Popular Holiday Desserts in Each State, Mapped

See if your favorite holiday treat is on the list.
CaLea Johnson|Dec 10, 2024

10 Facts About the Pineal Gland

René Descartes once described the pineal gland as “the principal seat of the soul.” Medical knowledge has vastly progressed since his time, though. Here’s what we know about this critical organ.
Jordan Rosenfeld|Dec 5, 2024

Why Does Your Body Jerk Awake As You’re Trying to Fall Asleep?

Up to 70 percent of people have experienced hypnic jerks, but they’re usually nothing to worry about.
CaLea Johnson|Dec 10, 2024

10 Heartwarming Facts About ‘Miracle on 34th Street’

More than 75 years after it premiered, the holiday classic can still make a believer out of anyone.
Tara Aquino|Dec 2, 2024

From Thomas Edison to LEDs: A Brief History of Christmas Tree Lights

The history of how these mass-produced novelty lights became a holiday fixture is a distinctly American Christmas tale.
Nicolas Rivero|Dec 4, 2024

Brighten Up Your Holidays With Homemade Strawberry Gumdrops

Strawberry pâte de fruit are the fanciest gumdrops you’ll ever taste.
CaLea Johnson|Dec 9, 2024

10 Surprising Facts About Wham!’s “Last Christmas”

Over the course of his illustrious career, George Michael gave the world many gifts. One that keeps on giving is “Last Christmas,” the 1984 holiday classic by Wham!, Michael's pop duo with Andrew Ridgeley.
Kenneth Partridge|Dec 9, 2024

Defunct Tex-Mex Restaurant Chain Chi-Chi’s Is Mounting a Comeback

The chain was taken down by a hepatitis A outbreak and financial troubles in the early 2000s.
Jake Rossen|Dec 9, 2024

The Yogi Bear Christmas Special You Probably Forgot

‘Yogi’s First Christmas’ might not have the cultural cachet of ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ or ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’ but the people who loved it remember it fondly—and now, it’s getting new life on streaming.
Vince Guerrieri|Dec 10, 2024

10 Ancient and Contemporary Yule Traditions

For millennia, people have celebrated the longest night of the year with these Yule traditions.
Mary Beth Skylis|Dec 9, 2024

Why Aren’t Classical Statues Very Well-Endowed?

Cultural values have changed a lot since ancient Greece.
Shaunacy Ferro|Dec 9, 2024

Why Do We Call It an “Allen Wrench”?

The six-sided tool helped make IKEA a household name. But did anyone named Allen have anything to do with it?
Jake Rossen|Dec 9, 2024

6 Fascinating Facts About ‘Salvage the Bones’

Here’s how Jesmyn Ward’s award-winning novel about Hurricane Katrina came to be.
Ellen Gutoskey|Dec 9, 2024

10 Facts About Your Tonsils

You might think they’re unnecessary, because so many people have had their tonsils removed—but tonsils actually serve an important role in your immune system.
Jordan Rosenfeld|Dec 4, 2024

Watch Queen Elizabeth II Deliver the First Televised Christmas Broadcast

The transition from radio to a televised broadcast marked a new era for the monarchy.
Mary Beth Skylis|Dec 3, 2024

When Should You Send Christmas Cards?

Sending Christmas cards out to the family might be a big part of your holiday planning, but when is the best time to actually do it?
Matt Hoffman|Dec 6, 2024

Thunderstorms Can Cause Air Turbulence Up to 55 Miles Away from the Source

The effects of weather disturbances and resulting turbulence can be widespread. Airplane passengers might want to pay more attention to that fasten-seatbelt sign.
Nick Keppler|Dec 6, 2024

7 Formidable Facts About the Tower of London

The Tower of London inspires awe, fear, and intrigue. Here are seven facts you may not know about the iconic British fortress.
Apeksha Bhateja|Dec 5, 2024

In Outer Space, Where Does a Compass Point?

On Earth, compasses always point north—but when you’re drifting outside our planet’s magnetosphere, things get more complicated. 
Tim Brinkhof|Dec 6, 2024

8 of the Biggest Holiday Gift Fads From the ‘90s and ‘00s

Holiday toy crazes come and go, but some retro toys like Tickle Me Elmo and the Talkboy are as iconic today as they were 30-odd years ago.
Rudie Obias|Dec 6, 2024
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