Mike Rampton

Joined: Jul 9, 2020

Mike Rampton is a freelance writer who lives in London next to a surprisingly uninteresting cemetery. If enough people buy his book, Open In Case of Emergency: 501 Games to Entertain and Keep You and the Kids Sane, perhaps one day he'll live next to a more interesting one.

Like all great things, this classic snack doesn't last forever.

Does Popcorn Ever Go Bad?

Arguably the grossest things in your kitchen.

Yes, You Should Be Cleaning Your Kitchen Sponges—Here’s How

This Simple Hack Makes Putting a Cover on a Duvet Almost Fun

May want to think twice about drinking straight from the faucet, too.

Why Does My Tap Water Taste So Funny?

Thought microwave heat would be enough to kill all forms of bacteria? Think again.

Your Microwave Is Covered With Bacteria—Here’s What to Do About It

Microwaves can harbor radiation-resistant bacteria, according to a new study published in 'Frontiers in Microbiology.' Fortunately, these microwave cleaning hacks can help.

10 Fast Facts About ‘Drive’

Nicolas Winding Refn, who directed, doesn’t even have his driver’s license—and nine other things you need to know about this Ryan Gosling film.

Imagine waving around a wooden version of this.

How the Giant Foam Finger Became a Staple of Sports Events

Those giant foam fingers you wave in the air at sporting events might seem to tower over the crowd, but they actually have a pretty humble origin story.

The 25 States Most Likely to Lose Power This Summer

Discover which U.S. states have an elevated risk of losing power this summer, plus how to prepare for a power outage ahead of time.

George R.R. Martin Excluded From Sci-Fi Convention for Failing to Fill out the Right Form

The ‘Fire & Blood’ author isn’t part of any formal programming for Worldcon 2024 in August, and go figure, it’s all because he didn’t fill out the correct application form in time.

10 Facts About ‘Parasite’

There’s more to the upstairs-downstairs tragicomedy than the stranger in the basement.

We're gonna need a bigger tomato for this one.

25 of the Worst Horror Movies Ever Made, According to Rotten Tomatoes

From J-horror remakes to great white sharks on a quest for vengeance, discover the worst horror movies of all time, according to their scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Did Humphrey Bogart Really Hog Joints? (And If Not, Why Do We Say ‘Bogart’?)

This weed slang originated in the 1960s and yep, you can thank Humphrey Bogart for it, but not for reasons you might expect.

Why You Feel the Urge to Poop When You’re Shopping, According to a Doctor

If a trip to Target inevitably ends with you making a pit stop at the restroom, you're not alone.

The Real-Life Marine Biologist Who Helped Inspire ‘Jaws’

Dr. Donald “Reef” Nelson dedicated his life to studying sharks and was part of the inspiration for Matt Hooper, Richard Dreyfuss’s character from 1975's “Jaws.”

We can thank Shakespeare for popularizing it, sort of.

Why Do We Say ‘In a Pickle’?

Contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare wasn’t the one who invented this common idiom. But trying to unravel its origins will land you in a bit of a tricky situation.

Carl isn't his father—but someone else in the film might be.

Who Is Russell’s Dad in ‘Up’? This Fan Theory Might Have Figured It Out

Was Russell’s dad actually in Pixar’s “Up” all along? This interesting fan theory says yes.