Big Questions Answered, How and Why

When your bread dough doubles in size overnight, you have a hard-working team of microorganisms to thank.

It's not exactly the "safety in numbers" situation you might be imagining.

The facts on where it comes from, how it works, and whether it could happen with the novel coronavirus.

Alfred Nobel on the front of the Nobel Peace Prize medal.

Only certain people can submit nominations, and the Nobel Committee isn’t allowed to reveal nominees or nominators until 50 years later.

Airplane fuel sometimes needs to be jettisoned.

Planes sometimes need to dump fuel to keep their weight down for a safe emergency landing. Here's why it doesn't hit anything.

Ironically, a skillet is better for sautéing than a sauté pan is. (But sauté pans have their own skill set.)

"What did I tell you about the elbows, Susie?"

Even Emily Post, the queen of table manners, sometimes graced the tabletop with her elbows. What gives?

Your sheets need to be washed on a regular basis.

Bedsheets may look clean, but they harbor a variety of nasty things—from dust mites to, yes, even poop.

These seemingly random digits can tell you a lot.

Barcode scanners don’t need to register the number below the barcode, but it can tell you a lot about a product.

Fabric softener acts as a lubricant for your laundry.

Fabric softener is supposed to reduce friction and wrinkles and prolong the life of your clothing. But there are some downsides to using it.

Pharmacists are happy to help. But only after you've walked through the entire store.

There's an excellent reason why pharmacy locations like CVS and Walgreens make you walk all the way through the store before picking up your antibiotics.

Your cat's habit of sleeping all day isn't a sign of laziness—it's a survival instinct that's baked into their genes.

A baby's laugh can offer a lot of insight into their development.

Tiny people giggle at everything from tickling to peek-a-boo to silly faces. But do they really have a sense of humor?

The name "Jim Crow" appears throughout many U.S. history books, but he was a caricature—not a real person.

Four actual brothers formed the Brooks Brothers clothing brand after their father had started the menswear business in 1818. It survived scandal and changing styles—but the current economic downturn may be a different story.

Putting metal in the microwave is never a good idea—especially if you're inspired by a viral social media hoax.

The phrase was around long before Kevin Malone dropped his famous chili in season five of ‘The Office.’

The IAAF has required Olympic gold medalist Caster Semenya to take medication to lower her testosterone levels—a demand she has actively fought against.

Though 'sex' and 'gender' are often used interchangeably, each word has its own distinct meaning and applications.

Barack Obama walks on the colonnade after leaving the Oval Office for the last time as President on January 20, 2017.

The Former Presidents Act, which was passed by Dwight Eisenhower in 1958—largely to help Harry Truman, who struggled financially after leaving the Oval Office—entitles ex-presidents to a handful of benefits.