DESIGN

Why Are Dairy Products Usually at the Back of a Grocery Store?

Grocery stores are intentionally designed in a way that makes you want to spend more money. The long trek to the dairy section is part of it.

Why ALDI Covers Its Packaging in Giant Barcodes

ALDI’s in-house products are covered in barcodes, and consumers benefit.

The 50th anniversary cover of Peter Benchley’s ‘Jaws.’

“[It] Looked Like a Penis”: The Origin of the Iconic ‘Jaws’ Art

A nude swimmer and a phallic-looking fish nearly sunk one of the most recognizable book covers of modern times.

Angkor Wat reflected in one of its waterways.

10 Facts about Angkor Wat, the World’s Largest Religious Temple

Angkor Wat is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. Here is what we know of its story, from its countless carvings to feats of engineering.

Why Do So Many Maple Syrup Bottles Have a Tiny Little Handle?

The reason maple syrup bottles have little handles involves the word 'skeuomorph.'

Yves Klein: The Artist Who Invented a Color

Picasso and his Blue Period have nothing on Yves Klein, who created art almost exclusively in a shade of his own invention.

Freddie Mercury’s Beloved London Estate Is on the Market

Attention all Queen fanatics with at least $38 million to spare: Freddie Mercury’s former London home can be yours!

How Did the White Picket Fence Become a Symbol of the American Dream?

The white picket fence has become a cliché for suburbia. Blame archers.

Roger Bart and Casey Likes star in 'Back to the Future: The Musical' on Broadway.

Whoa! How ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ Reinvented Its Iconic DeLorean for the Stage

The creative team behind ‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ inherited the heavy task of recreating the movie's time-traveling DeLorean for the stage.

People don‘t really carry their belongings on sticks.

The Possible Origins of 7 Odd Visual Clichés

Why do we expect bankrupt people to wear barrels, or bank robbers to carry money bags marked with dollar signs? Discover the origins of these odd visual clichés.

Why Is the Space Needle Shaped Like That?

Seattle’s iconic Space Needle debuted at the 1962 World’s Fair—and was inspired by America's Space Race with the Soviet Union.

Meet Leatrice Eiseman: The Woman Who Chooses Pantone’s Color of the Year

The Pantone Color Institute’s global team of experts conducts color psychology research and discusses potential Color of the Year options year-round.

These barriers weren’t born in New Jersey.

Why Are Road Partitions Called “Jersey Barriers”?

They might be called “Jersey barriers,” but they weren’t born in the Garden State.

Why Wendy’s Quietly Got Rid of Its Elegant Sunrooms

Solariums are nostalgic for many customers, but Wendy's thinks they’re dated.

Just because they're weird doesn't mean they can't still be kind of cute.

16 Ugly Christmas Sweaters That’ll Steal the Show at Any Holiday Party

There’s a good chance you’ll end up wanting to wear these flashy, funny ugly Christmas sweaters all year round.

Furry Road: Remembering the Krushed Kitty Novelty Toy Scandal

In the late 1980s, thousands of cars were adorned with a seemingly crushed stuffed cat. Not everyone found it funny.

These Spooky Candles Melt Down Into Creepy Metal Skeletons

Halloween is absolutely the season for decorating your house with cat skeleton candles by PyroPet.

Calling All ‘90s Kids: Homage Is Your One-Stop Shop for Cool Pop Culture T-Shirts

There are Homage t-shirts for every corner of pop culture, from Nickelodeon and the Garbage Pail Kids to Guy Fieri and beyond.

The Mesh Grating on Your Microwave Is Actually an Important Safety Feature

To block microwave radiation, all you need is a simple screen.

The Iconic Concorde Airplane Is Getting the LEGO Treatment

LEGO’s Concorde plane is as sleek as its real-life counterpart.

These are boring compared to some others in the database.

This Searchable Database Shows All 8291 License Plate Designs in the U.S.

America has no shortage of cool license plate designs—and plenty of weird ones, too.

When 'Woody Wagons' Ruled the Road

Cars with wood paneling used to be all the rage. And yes, it made perfect sense at the time.

4 of the Best Ergonomic Office Chairs, According to Experts

The best ergonomic office chairs on Amazon and other sites can be pricey, but experts say these picks are well worth the investment.

7 Facts About Polka Dots

The pattern is named after the European dance craze, but what exactly the dots have to do with polka is a bit of a mystery.

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