BIG QUESTIONS

Whenever I cry, my beagle, Sadie, jumps into my lap and nudges me with her nose. Is Sadie’s intuitiveness unique, or can dogs really understand human emotions?

When you get home, you cover those fancy patterns up with a sheet. But those graphics are there to catch your eye in the showroom, not at home. The mattress business is extremely competitive and very confusing for the average consumer.

The image of a hen, fighting or otherwise, is not really evocative of strength, or intimidation, or any other attributes sports teams aspire to embody.

“I’ve only got 24 hours of living, and I ain’t gonna waste ‘em here!” groans a disgruntled housefly during a hilarious scene in Pixar’s A Bug’s Life. But do those pesky insects really brandish a day-long life expectancy?

The generic name “Pol” for a parrot can be traced back to England since at least the early 1600s. In his 1606 comedy Volpone, Renaissance playwright—and close friend of William Shakespeare—Ben Jonson assigned many of the characters animal personas which r

Magicians have been practicing their craft for ages, but what’s the first magic trick that was recorded for posterity?

Well-meaning geologists ended up confusing plenty of folks when they named stalactites and stalagmites. Both of these similar-sounding structures—typically formed in limestone caves—are capable of stretching over 27 feet in length. But what's the differen

If you watch the speed skaters during this year’s Winter Olympics, you’ll certainly notice something strange about the footwear they’re sporting. With a hinged blade that moves independently from the boot, modern speed skates look nothing like hockey or f

As any kid with a mason jar can tell you, the honeybee isn't the smartest animal on the planet. But oddly enough, a honeybee colony is actually pretty intelligent. How does the group make decisions when the individuals can't?

Matt Soniak answers today's Big Question.