Big Questions Answered, How and Why

The White House looks lovely against the lush green lawn, but that’s not why it was originally painted white.

News anchors have mastered the art of being linguistically neutral.

No matter where you are in the country, local and national news anchors have the same vocal delivery. There's a good reason why they learn it.

Spearmint and peppermint have slightly different uses, but either one makes a great addition to any herb garden.

They’ll both leave your mouth feeling minty fresh, but one type of mint might do a better job than the other.

Cats can live large thanks to pet trusts.

Mr. Mittens could inherit millions from a generous owner, but it takes some legal planning to make sure jealous humans don't come looking for the dough.

One of the most in-demand household items is now scarce. If you find an old and expired bottle, here's what you should know about its effectiveness.

Hotels often offer a complimentary pastry and fruit breakfast.

Hotels offer pastries, fruit, and coffee as a guest perk. But what makes it a 'continental' breakfast?

A couple of long-suffering scientists from Australia donated their time—and their gas—to figuring out whether farts can spread disease.

The story of March Madness has everything: Chaucer, sex-crazed hares, Alice in Wonderland, lawsuits, and a basketball coach-turned-poet from Illinois.

Height isn't the only difference between horses and ponies.

Knowing your equines is no mere horseplay. Here's how to tell the difference between horses, ponies, and even miniature horses.

Paperbacks are more popular with readers, but they're rarely the first version of a book that gets published.

Looks like these stickers were handed out at a primary, not a caucus.

Primary elections help us decide which presidential candidates will compete in the general election, but the processes vary by state.

In lieu of hanging shower curtains or providing full shower doors, many newer hotels are opting for glass panels that cover only half the length of the shower. Why?

Pressing this crosswalk button may or may not do something.

No need to jaywalk—your crosswalk signal will appear eventually. But it might not be because you pressed the button.

The transaction receipt printed off by the chain pharmacy CVS can exceed the height of an adult. What are they thinking?

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Happy leap year! You can thank Julius Caesar and his buddies for bringing them to Europe more than 2000 years ago.

Chocolates have become the default Valentine’s Day gift, but the treat didn't earn its romantic reputation overnight.

Ash Wednesday's surprisingly eco-friendly ash stash comes from another Christian observance known as Palm Sunday.

The Iowa caucus doesn’t always predict the presidential nominee, but it’s been an important part of the process since the 1970s.

The two real estate professionals are often confused for one another, but there are some significant differences that prospective homebuyers should know about.