BIG QUESTIONS

Why Do We Get Red Eye in Photos?

Grab a partner and look into his or her eye "“ or stare deeply into it, if appropriate "“ in a normally lit room. The quick and dirty version of how you're able to view each other is this: Light enters the eye through the cornea, the clear outer dome, and

What's the Difference Between Art Deco and Art Nouveau?

The Quick Trick: It all comes down to "flowery" vs. "streamlined." Art Nouveau is the decorative one. Art Deco is sleeker.

What would happen if you ate one of those silica gel packets?

Well, for one thing, you'd be eating a misnomer. Silica gel isn't actually a gel, but a granular form of silicon dioxide (SiO2), a compound formed when silicon is oxidized.

What would happen if you ate one of those silica gel packets?

Well, for one thing, you'd be eating a misnomer. Silica gel isn't actually a gel, but a granular form of silicon dioxide (SiO2), a compound formed when silicon is oxidized.

Serial Killer vs. Mass Murderer: What's the Difference?

The Quick Trick: The creepy guy at the bar is full of it: Gacy was a serial killer because he committed many murders over a long period of time; mass murderers commit many murders all at once.

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Models vs. Supermodels: What's the Difference?

The Quick Trick: A model gets arrested for snorting cocaine; a supermodel gets on the cover of People for snorting cocaine.

Foil vs. Epee vs. Saber: What's the Difference?

To the uninitiated, fencing can be a bit baffling. For instance, in modern fencing, the touches are registered electronically but there's still a referee (also called a president) who can call hits that didn't register electronically or overrule ones that

TNT vs. Dynamite: What's the Difference?

If it's a white powder found in sticks, it's dynamite. If it's a yellow crystal, it's TNT.

Why Does Hot Water Sometimes Feel Cold?

Home experiment time! Go run some hot water, either in a sink or tub, and stick your hand under it.Some of you might be mad at me—the water was hot and you have no idea why I asked you to scald yourself. (We'll work through this.) Some of you, thoug

5 October Surprises From Past Presidential Elections

An October surprise is any bit of news that breaks right before an election that has the capability to help determine the outcome of the race.

What Happens if a Criminal Survives Execution?

Does the condemned get to go free?

Why Does Swiss Cheese Have Holes?

Swiss cheese is made by adding cultures of the bacteria S. thermophilus, Lactobacillus and P. shermani to warm (and, in the case of Swiss Emmentaler, unpasteurized) milk.

Why do we sing the National Anthem at sporting events?

On the night of September 13, 1814, Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer and amateur poet, accompanied American Prisoner Exchange Agent Colonel John Stuart Skinner to negotiate a prisoner release with several officers of the British Navy.

How Do Sword Swallowers Swallow Swords?

Swallowing food involves a series of muscle contractions, both voluntary and involuntary. Swallowing a sword requires no actual swallowing, but the complete opposite: the deliberate relaxation of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Is IKEA the World's Largest Charity?

If it's possible to assemble a piece of IKEA furniture without cursing at the top of your lungs, I've never seen it happen. There's always a missing piece of hardware, an unclear spot on the instructions, or an excruciating amount of hex wrenching to be d

You asked: Why do I need a haircut?

A reader named Brooks wanted to know: "Why does the hair on your head constantly grow while the hair on your body has a limit?"Technically, the hair on your head has a limit too -- like all hair, it has a growth spurt followed by a dormant phase. Here's a