FACT CHECK

Staffers have a legitimate reason to do it.

The Real Reason Costco Employees Check Receipts at Exits

If shoppers have one complaint about Costco, it’s that the employees posted at the exits to take a marker to customers’ receipts seem vaguely insulting. Here’s the real reason behind why it happens.

Prettier to look at than they are to actually swim with.

Does Peeing on a Jellyfish Sting Actually Help?

When it comes to jellyfish stings, urine is often cited as an effective remedy. But does it really work as a first-aid treatment?

Could the Average Person Be Talked Through Disarming A Nuclear Bomb?

The movies make it look easy. But if the future of our world depended on it, could you successfully work to disarm a nuclear bomb?

Do DIY Air Purifiers Really Work to Combat Wildfire Smoke, COVID, and Other Pollutants?

Can your MacGyver air scrubber do the work of a purifier costing hundreds of dollars? Science says yes.

The 'Titanic' has been the subject of a number of myths.

8 Twisted 'Titanic' Myths, Debunked

Take a look at some of the more enduring misconceptions surrounding history's most famous vessel.

Is “As I Lay Dying” Grammatically Incorrect?

Musician Sufjan Stevens recently jumped on the “open letter to Miley Cyrus” bandwagon with a tongue-in-cheek critique of her grammar in the song “Get It Right.”

Do Camels Really Store Water in Their Humps?

Where do camels store water? The humps may be the most obvious answer—but that doesn’t mean it’s correct.

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Can an Average Passenger Actually Be Talked Through Landing a Plane in an Emergency?

It happens in movies—but can an average person actually be talked through landing a plane in an emergency?

Could a Zombie Survive On a Diet of Human Brains?

Would a diet heavy on human brains provide a zombie with everything it needs to survive, nutrition-wise?

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is looking for its next snack.

What Would Happen to The Very Hungry Caterpillar If It Really Ate All That Stuff?

There are few children’s books more beloved than Eric Carle’s 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' even if it's real-life ending would be much more gruesome.

A monster from the deep and a massive brown beast: potentially the kind of dumps Godzilla and King Kong would produce.

Godzilla vs. King Kong: Whose Poops Would Be Bigger?

If 'Godzilla vs. Kong' were a pooping contest, who would produce the most waste: a radioactive amphibious lizard or a colossal ape?

Face masks are not hazardous to your health.

No, Your Coronavirus Face Mask Does Not Limit Your Oxygen Intake

Face coverings are everywhere, leading some people to speculate they might limit oxygen intake or cause carbon dioxide (CO2) poisoning. It won't happen. Here's why.

How Did Casper the Friendly Ghost Die?

The genial ghost has been trying to make friends with the living since 1945. But did he once walk among them as a real boy?

10 Facts About the Aberfan Disaster of 1966

Learn the history of the tragic, shocking story behind the Aberfan mining disaster—an event recreated in season 3 of 'The Crown.'

Samuel West portrays Anthony Blunt in The Crown.

Anthony Blunt: The Art Historian/Russian Spy Who Worked at Buckingham Palace

'The Crown' offers a glimpse of Anthony Blunt, the real-life art curator for Buckingham Palace found to be a Russian Spy in 1964. Incredibly, he stayed on for eight more years. Here's why.

Seward's Folly: The Conspiracy Theory That Has Plagued New York City's William Seward Statue for More Than a Century

For more than a century, a rumor has circulated that the William Seward statue in New York City's Madison Square Park is a composite—Seward's head plopped on Abraham Lincoln's body. Where did the rumor come from and ... is it true?

9 Myths About Theodore Roosevelt

Our 26th president was a man larger than life—and is forever much larger than life, thanks to the fact that he's on the side of a mountain. But as with any such figure, myths and legends arise. So we’re here to explain the truth behind some popular storie

Kenneth Branagh as William Shakespeare in All Is True (2019).

Fact-Checking 13 Plot Points in All Is True, Kenneth Branagh’s Shakespeare Biopic

Despite what the title might imply, Kenneth Branagh took some creative liberties with 'All Is True,' the William Shakespeare biopic he directed and stars in.

Warner Bros. All Rights Reserved. Harry Potter Publishing Rights/J.K.R.

Fact-Checking Pottermore's Claim That Witches and Wizards Used Spells to 'Vanish' Their Waste Before Modern Plumbing

It's gross, but does it reflect the reality of the 18th century? We investigate.

Diagnosing the Home Alone Burglars' Injuries: A Professional Weighs In

Can a man really be hit square in the face with a steam iron and walk away unfazed?

Is It Illegal to Die in Longyearbyen, Norway?

A lot of people say it's illegal to die in the world's most northerly town. Incidentally, a lot of people are wrong.

Facebook Is Now Fact-Checking Your Memes

Time to face the facts.

Could Game of Thrones's Dragons Really Fly? We Asked Some Experts

While we wait for the eighth and final season of 'Game of Thrones' to premiere on April 14, we explore the physics behind the series's most glorious beasts.

A Physicist Weighs In On Whether Scrooge McDuck Could Actually Swim in a Pool of Gold Coins

We asked a physics professor to explain how the loaded duck can swim in a pile of gold. After he was done laughing, he enlightened us.