Big Questions Answered, How and Why

It wasn't always associated with the holidays.

The hardy plant’s ability to stay vibrant through the winter made it a natural choice for pre-Christian winter festivals, but why is holly now associated with Christmas?

Traveling with two sharp sticks can get a little tricky.

HSAs and FSAs don’t work in exactly the same ways.

The differences between HSAs and FSAs include how they’re set up, how much you can contribute, and who qualifies.

Where the ‘nog’ came from is a bit of a mystery.

The ‘egg’ part of ‘eggnog’ is obvious. The ‘nog’ is a little more mysterious—possibly involving noggins and/or grog.

That sound you hear isn't just in your head.

Snow crunches underneath your feet during the winter months and makes a loud sound. Turns out, science is the reason why it does.

Prunes are a constipated person’s friend.

Prunes—the shiny, sweet dried fruits—are both exploited and ridiculed for their laxative properties. But do they really make you poop?

Frankincense and myrrh are a fragrant part of traditional Christmas celebrations, but what exactly are these pebble-like perfumes?

Don't let the name fool you: Urinal cakes are most definitely not meant to be eaten. So what are they, and what do they do?

These barriers weren’t born in New Jersey.

They might be called “Jersey barriers,” but they weren’t born in the Garden State.

Even a pair of siblings might not really know the difference.

We often use ‘eldest’ and ‘oldest’ interchangeably, but the words shouldn’t be swapped out so easily. Here's how to use each.

Relaxing for some, headache-inducing for others.

Some people can drink a lot of wine without ill effect. Others are on the couch after a glass. Science might know why.

Confused as to why ‘will not’ gets shortened to ‘won’t’? Blame Old English.

Most contractions in English are pretty straightforward. Put it together, and shorten it up. But that isn't the case for ‘will not.’

A home on Sesame Street may have been affordable when the show premiered, but that's no longer the case.

Not something a driver wants to see in their rear-view mirror.

A professional dog trainer explains the instinctual reason driving the behavior and offers some expert advice on how to stop your dog from chasing cars.