the magazine

The Most Explosive Mail Ever Sent

The brief and glorious period when delivering postcards turned into rocket science.

The Boy Who Saved Batman

A 14-year-old comic book fan from New Jersey, and the dream he wouldn't let die.

When College Freshmen Were Forced to Pose Nude During Orientation

For a good chunk of the last century, the first day of school meant a nude photo shoot.

Why Do I See Stars When I Sneeze Too Hard?

You really do get stars in your eyes.

17 Clues About Puzzlemaster Will Shortz

There's more to the famed wordsman than just crosswords.

Why Do I Gag When Someone Else Barfs?

The reality behind the reflex.

What Are the Oldest Words in English?

You might be surprised what's stood the test of time.

Get to Know the Chicago-Style Hot Dog

Get to know the fussy, controversial, and utterly delicious Windy City specialty.

Pop Culture Syllabus: CDs

Looking back at the days when the disc was king.

Why Does the Left Knob Control Hot Water and the Right Knob Control Cold?

In olden days, most sinks had a single pump for cold water on the right—to accommodate the right-handed majority.

7 Bygone Practices That Made Going Back to School Even Scarier

Modern detention is nothing compared to kneeling on peas.

3 Mobile Apps That Can Help You Invest With Ease

How your smartphone can help you invest smartly and make more money.

What is Déjà Vu?

Haven't we answered this one before?

4 Big Questions About Questions

We're giving whole new meaning to the phrase "question everything."

How Do Fish Have Sex?

Hint: there's no physical contact involved.

3 Things to Know About Apértifs and Digestifs

These bar-stash side-players are taking center stage.

How One Mysterious Medical Case Helped Map the Brain

How one mysterious medical case helped map the brain.

How A Wrinkle in Time Changed Sci-Fi Forever

Meg Murry—the time-hopping heroine at the center of Madeleine L'Engle's 'A Wrinkle In Time'—transported sci-fi into a new dimension.

10 Genius Acts of Awesomeness

Making the world a better place can be tough. But as these tenaciously altruistic moves prove, sometimes all you need is a great idea.

Why Cows Might Lose the Milk Market to Camels

Pop Culture Syllabus: Diners

The classic American diner has inspired a great many works of art over the years. Here are a few ways to get your fill of the cultural icon without taking a single bite (though we wouldn't stop you).

Richard Francis Burton: The Englishman Who Went to Mecca and East Africa

More than a century before Indiana Jones first cracked his whip, Sir Richard Francis Burton had already mastered the daring art of scholarly adventure.

10 Things We’ll See in 10 Years

The discoveries, innovations and high-flying developments in store for us in the next 10 years.

10 Shocking (Mis)Uses for Electricity

During the 17th and 18th centuries, people knew electricity was the next big thing—they just weren’t sure how to use it. So they tried it all.