BIG QUESTIONS

Which Came First: Airplanes or Paper Airplanes?

Sean Hutchinson answers today's Big Question.

What's the Difference Between Antlers and Horns?

Why Do We Call Parrots "Polly"?

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

What’s the Oldest Trick in the Book?

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

Why Were the Oscars Created?

"I found that the best way to handle [filmmakers] was to hang medals all over them."

Why Are Some Letters Missing From NYC Subways?

The explanation for the missing letters falls (mostly) into two categories.

What New Sports Will Debut at the Next Olympics?

We might be two and four years away from the next set of Olympic Games, but the process to add new events is well underway.

Did the Pentagon Really Ban Furbys?

Furbys were all the rage in the late nineties—1998 alone saw the sale of a whopping 27 million units—and remain popular to this day. But did you know that they’ve actually been cited as a national security threat?

Are Humans Still Getting Taller?

You've probably noticed, either from museum exhibits or visits to colonial houses, that humans these days are generally taller than we used to be.

What’s the Difference Between a Stalactite and a Stalagmite?

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

Why Do Speed Skaters Use Such Weird Ice Skates?

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

How Does A Honeybee Colony Think?

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?

Where Did the Chicken Nugget Come From?

Matt Soniak answers today's Big Question.

Is Your Sense of Direction Innate?

Some people are like homing pigeons: Drop them off anywhere, and they’ll find their way around. Other people, though, can’t tell when they’re holding a map upside down. Are the directionally challenged just bad learners? Or are some of us just lucky to be

How Do You Pronounce "Sochi"?

Before Sochi was selected as the host of the 2014 winter Olympics, not many people had heard of it, so it didn't have a widely known English pronunciation.

How Does Caffeine Work?

Caffeine isn’t the kickstarting jitter-drug you think it is. If anything, it’s a sneaky imposter.

Why Do We Call Athletic Uniforms “Jerseys”?

Super Bowl XLVIII is this weekend, and both teams have already selected their designated uniforms for the occasion. But have you ever wondered why we call these athletic garments “jerseys” in the first place?

How Do Squatter’s Rights Work?

“Squatter’s rights” isn’t a list of specific rights, but refers to a specific form of adverse possession, a legal principle that we inherited from England and has been around, in one form or another, for ages.

Why Does Q (Almost) Always Go With a U?

Leaving aside for now the few foreign loanwords (e.g., Qatar, Iraq) where Q shows up without a U, an English Q is the only letter that can't go anywhere without a partner. Why does a Q always need a U? We can blame it on a whole bunch of our alphabetic an

Can You Actually Be Bored to Death?

Kind of. Boredom won’t directly kill you on its own, but it does make it more likely that a handful of other things will put you six feet under.

Who Are the "Black Widows" Threatening the Olympics?

Security experts in Sochi are concerned about “black widow” terrorists, a group of female suicide bombers. Where did they come from?

What Are the Seven Seas?

The term is mainly used figuratively today, but in the past it depended on whom you asked as different cultures gave different answers.

Why Can't Some Men Grow Facial Hair?

Facial hair is a symbol of virility and wisdom (not to mention a wonderful enhancement to a male body). But that doesn't mean a man who suffers from boy face—meaning, he can't cultivate a beard—isn't wise or manly. So why can't some men grow facial hair?

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