Austin Thompson
Joined: Jun 27, 2014
Austin is a researcher and app developer from Albuquerque. Despite that, he only knows two extras from Breaking Bad.
18 Fascinating Facts About the Boston Tea Party
Why Are Red and Green the Colors of Christmas?
12 Facts About Red Pandas
10 Scientific Benefits of Being a Cat Owner
Studies have shown that just watching cat videos on the internet can boost a person’s energy and create positive emotions—so it’s no surprise that actual cat ownership has a number of benefits. Here are a few.
10 of the Best-Selling Authors of All Time
Whether it's Mao Zedong or Leo Tolstoy, these authors probably deserve a place on an all-time top-selling list (caveats abound!).
12 Things You Might Not Know About Passover
The festival of Passover (or Pesach) commemorates the story of the Jews' escape from Egypt—and is one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar.
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.
What's the Smallest Country In the World?
Determining the world's smallest country isn’t as easy as simply calculating area or population.
21 Words We Owe to Shakespeare (And 4 We Don't)
Shakespeare is the first known citation for over a thousand words and even more meanings—but new research occasionally shows that Shakespeare actually didn't originate some phrases, a trend that will likely continue over time.
27 Temporarily Banned Episodes of Popular TV Shows
Over the years, a number of TV series have removed specific episodes from their rerun schedules. Some eventually return to the airwaves, while others may be serving a lifetime ban.
The Curious (and Possibly Murderous) Origins of Punxsutawney Phil's Name
Punxsutawney Phil's moniker might have something to do with the royal family, a pair of heinous groundhog murders, and some good old-fashioned small-town competition.
The Myth of How Al Capone Gave Us the Term ‘Money Laundering’
According to popular lore, when looking for places to funnel his unlawfully obtained money, American gangster Al Capone gravitated toward laundromats.
The Unique History Behind 5 Rules Every U.S. Senator Needs to Follow
Senators get free water, but they need to buy their own milk. And they can have flowers on the Senate floor, but only under very specific circumstances.
Can Presidents Pardon Themselves?
It’s a question that has been debated since the writing of the Constitution: Can Presidents pardon themselves?
The Hazy Origins of April Fools' Day
The origins of April Fools’ Day have long been caught up in myths and legends involving everything from mackerels to calendar switches.