MF EXPLAINS IT ALL

The Reason Why Thanksgiving Is on the Fourth Thursday in November

It used to be a little harder to keep track of, and not just because you couldn’t Google “When is Thanksgiving?”

Can You Really Get Your Tongue Stuck to a Metal Pole?

As anyone who has seen ‘A Christmas Story’ knows, licking a cold metal object can be dangerous. Here’s why you should never stick your tongue to a metal pole in winter.

How Did Mary Jane Shoes Get Their Name?

Mary Janes have an early-20th-century comic strip to thank for their name.

President Obama departing the White House on January 20, 2016.

Here’s When a President’s Term Officially Ends

Inauguration Day isn’t just a matter of scheduling—presidential term limits are exactly four years, down to the hour.

Why Is Cranberry Sauce Canned Upside Down?

Whether you love canned cranberry sauce or hate it, the way it’s packaged is pretty brilliant.

Why is 12 of Something Called “a Dozen”?

As with many words, we have Latin to thank.

Grandfather clocks often become family heirlooms.

Why Is It Called a ‘Grandfather Clock’?

The imposing clocks have an origin story, but it doesn't have much to do with any actual grandfathers.

You can save this one for the next time someone makes you mad (though it might not do you any favors, either).

Where Does the Phrase ‘May You Live In Interesting Times’ Actually Come From?

This common phrase is often used during times of political uncertainty, and has even been described as an ancient Chinese curse. History says otherwise, though.

Why Do We Call Dogs Fido?

“Fido” is a name that has become synonymous with all things dog. But where did the name come from?

Nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) is a common anesthetic that only requires a mask over the mouth and nose.

How Does Anesthesia Work?

Anesthesia is a complex mixture of medications that lessen pain during procedures. Different types affect the body in different ways.

Why Do Supreme Court Justices Serve for Life?

Alexander Hamilton argued that lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court were the only way, but some modern scholars disagree.

Here are the differences between green onions or scallions (left) and chives (right).

Scallion vs. Chives. vs. Green Onion: What’s the Difference?

One of these things is not like the others.

‘Boo’ didn’t originate as a ghostly saying.

Why Do Ghosts Say “Boo”?

If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.

A hearse with S-shaped bars in place of back windows.

Why Do Hearses Have Metal S-Shaped Scrolls Where the Back Windows Should Be?

Those evocative scrolls you see on hearses actually have a name—and going back in the 1800s, they actually served an important purpose.

Why Do So Many Little Kids Love Dinosaurs?

It’s common for many little kids to go through a “dinosaur phase.” Here’s why.

Why Are Some Liquors Called “Spirits”?

One theory suggests that we call liquor “spirits” because of alcohol’s association with one spirit in particular: the Holy Spirit. But there are other possible origins.