Big Questions Answered, How and Why

You may or may not have realized the universally used mugs in American diners. There’s actually a surprising history to explain why.

Pumpkin pie was actually born in Europe—until American colonists claimed it as their own in the late 18th century.

These trees could be the start of something great.

These small forests could have a mighty impact on local ecosystems.

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

You aren’t imagining things; “ducking” is a real trend.

The of Apollo, circa the late 2nd century CE.

Many old statues from past civilizations have been disfigured in a remarkably similar way.

The answer makes sense—once you get into some linguistic history.

This admittedly is probably not the No. 1 question on your mind—but we answer it anyways.

The phrase has a surprisingly long, convoluted history.

There were some very compelling reasons for picking the first Tuesday in November as Election Day—at least, they were when that date was chosen.

Some athletes call it runner’s trots. Others refer to it as the Gingerbread Man. Here’s why marathoners sometimes get off to a runny start.

The unwanted gourds can wind up in a variety of places, including your local zoo.

Wednesday is viewed as the halfway point to the weekend.

The phrase may seem recent, but it’s been around for a surprisingly long time.

A look at how ancient traditions have morphed into our modern Halloween with the decoration of pumpkins.

Where did this phrase come from, anyway?

The origins of the phrase (indirectly) involve smelly cabbage, Donald Duck, and several Canadian journalists.

Her skin is well-protected in the event of a crash.

Leather doesn’t just look cool—it also serves a very important safety purpose.

As anyone who’s seen the movie ‘Titanic’ already knows, the ship didn’t sink immediately. So how long was the process?

The answer involves World War I soldiers and a cute bird.

We might have co-living spaces to thank for this strange idiom.

At their peak, over 14,000 covered bridges were scattered across the U.S. Roughly 500 remain.

Here‘s why chimera cats look like two different furballs stitched together.

It's big and black and white and all over the place.

They’re so-called minimalist modern farmhouses, painted white, with black roofs, window frames, and railings, seemingly adrift from architectural context. Where did the big black-and-white look come from, and why is it so popular?

Before tiles and vinyl reigned supreme, some folks put carpet next to the tub. But why?

Bussers are an important part of restaurants.

What do the terms “busser” and “busing a table” have to do with public transportation? Nothing, it turns out.

If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.

BIG QUESTIONS

Why Do Diners Across America All Use the Same Mugs?

Why Do We Eat Pumpkin Pie on Thanksgiving?

What Is a Miyawaki Forest?

What Are the Northern Lights?

Why Do People Put Rubber Ducks on the Dashboard of Jeeps?

Why Are So Many Old Statues Missing Their Noses?

Why Is ‘No.’ Short for “Number”?

Why Do We Say We’re “In the Pink”?

Why Do We Vote in November?

Why Do Marathon Runners Poop Their Pants?

What Happens to Unsold Halloween Pumpkins?

Why Is Wednesday Called “Hump Day”?

Why Do We Carve and Paint Pumpkins for Halloween?

Why Do We Say “Trick or Treat” on Halloween?

Why Do Motorcyclists Wear Leather?

How Long Did It Take for the ‘Titanic’ to Sink?

Why Are New Zealanders Called ‘Kiwis’?

Where Did the Phrase ‘Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop’ Come From?

Why Did We Stop Building Covered Bridges?

What’s the Deal With Split-Face Chimera Cats?

Why Are So Many New Homes Black and White?

Why Did We Ever Carpet Bathrooms?

Why Is It Called “Busing” a Table?

Why Do Ghosts Say “Boo”?