MF EXPLAINS IT ALL

Why Do Olympic Swimmers Wear Two Caps?

There's a reason why two caps are better than one.

What’s the Difference Between Coconut Trees and Palm Trees?

You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? It may have actually been a different type of palm tree.

French fencer Auriane Mallo-Breton at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Why Are Olympic Fencers Attached to Cables?

Fencing body cords aren't a safety measure.

The pools at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are built with speed in mind.

How Olympic ‘Fast Pools’ Are Designed for Maximum Performance

Learn the science behind the most advanced swimming pools out there.

Great Britain's Kieran Bird at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Why Do Olympic Swimmers Slap Themselves?

It's to get the blood flowing—or is it?

Why Do We Say “Pony Up” When We Want Money?

The idiom for demanding payment doesn’t quite have the equine origins one would think.

Whitewater rafters carry the Olympic torch on its way to Paris.

How Is the Olympic Flame Lit—and How Does It Stay Lit?

This year, the Olympic torch made a symbolic journey from Greece to Paris for the Summer Games.

Why Do Grooms Break a Glass at Jewish Weddings?

There’s a lot of cultural and religious significance attached to this enduring Jewish wedding tradition. Plus, it’s just plain fun.

Impress your crafty friends by actually knowing how their sewing equipment works.

What's the Purpose of the Little Strawberry Attached to Pincushions?

The fabric strawberry is more than just a cute accessory to an already cute accessory. It also serves as an important tool.

Everyone here is someone's late someone.

Why Does ‘Late’ Mean “Dead”?

There’s a historical reason, but there may be a social one as well.

This American icon has become a rare sight.

Why Are Convertible Cars Disappearing From American Roads?

Consumer tastes have shifted over the past 20 years.

You ‘aught’ to know the answer of this question.

Why Do We Call the 2000s “the Aughts”?

Suggestions for what to call the period of time from 2000–2009 ranged from ‘the nillies’ and ‘the oh-ohs’ to ‘the double zeroes’ and ‘the noughties.’ So how’d we land on ‘the aughts’?

Pick-up truck beds have surprising versatility.

Why Do Pick-Up Truck Beds Have Grooves on the Sides?

Pick-up truck beds are here to make your life easier—if you know how to use them.

This is what Amelia Bedelia would picture.

Why Are They Called “Deviled Eggs” If There’s No Devil in Them?

Eggs aren’t the only things you can devil.

Here's Why Most Tornadoes Occur in the U.S.

The United States sees more tornadoes than anywhere else on the planet. Geography explains why.

Why Does Flushing the Toilet Change the Shower Temperature?

It's what every shower-taker dreads—but it doesn't have to be this way.

Even this cricket wants to know the answer.

Why Do We Say “Crickets” When It’s Silent?

Cricket chirps can reach 100 decibels. So why do we use them as a byword for ‘silence’?

The Evolution of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’

‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ is a fairy tale with a long history. But Goldilocks as we know her didn‘t originally appear in the popular children‘s story.