Will McGough

Where Did the Term "86" Come From?

There are a few schools of thought behind where the saying came from. Some have more legs than others—such as those of the restaurant industry—but to this day, there is still no official etymology. Here are a few possibilities.... READ ON

What Are the Northern Lights?

Lucky stargazers in America have gotten the chance to see them from their own backyards lately—and may be able to again this week.... READ ON

Should You Really Not Eat Oysters in Months Without an 'R'?

Avoiding oysters throughout the summer is now a thing of the past.... READ ON

Where Did the Phrase "Aye Yai Yai" Come From?

It happened to me just this morning, when I was fiddling with my closet doors, trying to get them back on their tracks so they would slide correctly. As one door fell off and slammed into the other, my response was automatic. “Aye yai yai, these doors!”... READ ON

3 Creatures with More than One Heart

The presence of one heart is ingrained into our idea of biology thanks to our own bodies as well as the majority of those we see around us. But did you know there are a handful of animals with multiple hearts?... READ ON

Where Does the Phrase “To Turn the Tables” Come From?

According the Oxford English Dictionary, if you “turn the tables” on someone, it is generally understood that you have reversed the fortunes in your favor to some capacity, so as to “reverse one’s position relative to someone else, especially by turning a position of disadvantage into one of advantage.”... READ ON

How Do Streets Get Named?

For the most part, real estate and subdivision developers have the privilege of naming new streets in the United States. The name is submitted to the city for review, at which point the public service departments, such as police, fire, and the post office, are given the opportunity to veto the name if they feel it creates any confusion.... READ ON

7 Awesome Things Birds Can Do

If you live in any U.S. city, you probably think those pesky, puke-eating pigeons and their feathered friends are pretty brain dead. Don’t be fooled. Birds are capable of some pretty amazing feats, and we’ve provided a sampling below.... READ ON

9 Epic Literary Burns

"Every time I read Pride and Prejudice, I want to dig Jane Austen up and hit her over the skull with her own shin-bone.”... READ ON

10 Things That Have "Rained" From the Sky

We’re all familiar with the phrase “raining cats and dogs,” but what about fish and frogs and raw meat?... READ ON

7 Birthday Traditions from Around the World

Many cultures have long-standing traditional ways to celebrate birthdays that don’t involve a sugar rush.... READ ON

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 better pick up the ball. But does it actually work?... READ ON

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 in 2011, people are purchasing modern music on vinyl at the highest rate ever seen in the CD era.... READ ON

You Might Be Able to Regenerate Your Finger, Bone and All

Amputees will be glad to learn that we might not have to be jealous of a lizard’s ability to regrow its tail much longer. According to recently publish research from NYU's Langone Medical Center, the stem cells found in fingernails might be the secret to developing treatments that could one day allow for complete limb regeneration in humans.... READ ON

Scientists Say Sex and Time Travel Might Not Mix

According to new research being conducted at the Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology in Montpellier, France, sex and time travel might not work out so well.... READ ON

5 Scientific Theories About What Aliens Might Look Like

As our understanding of the universe grows, scientists are beginning to theorize what the denizens of other worlds might look like.... READ ON

Are Wolves Really Howling at the Moon?

Will McGough answers today's Big Question.... READ ON

What Does Your Flight Number Mean?

While they might seem trivial to some degree in today’s world of technological check-ins, the numbers aren’t entirely random, and they aren’t meaningless. In fact, you can presume a lot about a flight just by its number.... READ ON

How Can Bodies of Water Be Different Colors?

When I saw the Caribbean Sea in person for the first time, my eyes metaphorically popped out of my head. As a kid who grew up in South Jersey, I was used to the dirty, almost brown, kinda-sorta blue color of the coastal Atlantic Ocean. But this was different. Staring at that bright, vibrant, and seemingly crystal-clear water, I had many questions.... READ ON

5 Ways the KGB Kept Tabs on Hotel Guests in Estonia

Though the KGB denied having a presence at the Sokos Viru Hotel in Tallinn, Estonia, they actually closely monitored the activity of guests and employees. Here's how.... READ ON

Haptic Holography Will Be the Next Mind-Blowing Technology

5 Awesome Facts About the Atlas Moth

We know what you’re thinking: You’d like to torch every one of those pesky bugs buzzing around your porch light and banging into your windows.... READ ON

This is Where Tar Comes From

Pitch Lake is located on the southwest side of Trinidad, but a visitor will probably feel like they’re on the moon at times.... READ ON

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