From The Archive

What's the Difference Between Seals and Sea Lions?

There's a good reason seals and sea lions look so similar—they're both members of the pinniped taxonomic group, a name which refers in Latin to their "fin feet." Walruses are also a part of the clade but while their prominent tusks set them apart, seals a

Barry Clifford on Finding the Santa Maria—and Why The Story Isn't Over Yet

"I can't imagine what else it might be," Barry Clifford said earlier today at a press conference held at the New York headquarters of the Explorers Club. He was referring to the wreckage he discovered off the northern coast of Haiti that has been tentativ

We're Looking for a Few Good Interns!

We could use a few extra hands around here.

5 Ways to Save Newborns' Lives

12 Stephen Colbert Quotes for His Birthday

Happy birthday, Stephen Colbert!

A Brief History of Advanced Placement Exams

Who started the AP program? How has it changed since the 1950s? And is it effective? Read closely—there will be a quiz.

11 Places to Visit on a Tour of the English Language

If linguistic history is your thing, here are some can’t-miss stops.

10 Minor TV Characters Who Stole the Show

No matter how intriguing a show's premise, or how tight the script, there’s just no telling what might capture the audience’s attention.

How Did the New York Rangers Get Their Name?

Reader Meghan writes, "Why is New York's hockey team called the Rangers?"

27 Offbeat College Essay Topics

"How do you feel about Wednesday?"

What’s the Difference Between “O” and “Oh”?

5 Interesting Stories That Involve Pat Sajak

He’s had a long and colorful life in showbiz, one that rivals the legends people tell about Alex Trebek.

7 Movie Monsters That Allegedly Represent Communism

Whether by design or the result of over-analyzation, these sci-fi creatures were cited as physical manifestations of communism’s “evil empire” during the Cold War.

17 Essential Talking Points on the Kentucky Derby

In advance of Saturday's Kentucky Derby, here's our three-minute guide to the most exciting two minutes in sports.

How Can a Butterfly, Weighing No More Than a Feather, Fly Into the Wind?

Does Eating Yeast Before Boozing Mitigate Drunkenness?

Food scientists are skeptical.

Why Are “Rhyme” and “Rhythm” Spelled Like That?

English spelling is a crazy mess, but it’s a mess that makes sense if you look at how it got that way.

10 Weird Ways People Amused Themselves Before Television

Before people had hundreds of channels, if they wanted to watch surgery or gawk at celebrity babies, they had to actually leave the house.

5 Jeopardy! Questions That Stumped (Fictional) Geniuses

Arthur Chu captured national attention for becoming an 11-time Jeopardy! champion and is now shamelessly extending his presence in the national spotlight by all available means.

Fun With the Interactive Algonquian Language Map

A clear and fascinating way to get in touch with the linguistic history of our continent.

25 Things You Might Not Know About Brain Candy

While Brain Candy is a cult classic, it lost a bunch of money and marked the beginning of a four-year hiatus (read: breakup) for The Kids in the Hall.

9 People Who Just Did It Anyway

What is Pine Tar Used for Outside of Baseball?

When it's not slathered on the skin of Major League pitchers, what's the point of pine tar?

How to Be Entertaining: 10 Simple Instructions from 1904

Being the life of the party was hard in the early 20th century. Here are 10 tips directly from 1904 to help the uninteresting.

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