News

Swearing the presidential Oath of Office on a Bible is traditional, but not required.

The U.S. Constitution requires every president-elect to swear the Oath of Office—and that’s about it.

The “willy nilly silly old bear” was based on a real-life bear cub.

Streetlights aren’t supposed to be purple.

The emo vibe isn’t an aesthetic choice—it’s the result of degrading infrastructure.

Not as clever of a move as you might think it is.

Putting your windshield wipers up to prevent them from freezing to the glass might seem like a good idea before the next snowstorm, but you may actually be doing more harm in the long-run.

A famous fresco in Pompeii’s Villa of the Mysteries.

In 79 CE, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 20 feet of ash, preserving amazing details about daily life in the Roman Empire.

‘Guess Who?’ has been a hit for over 40 years.

The game of familiar faces has surprising connections to Anne Frank and fidget toys.

A mob outside the White House during Andrew Jackson's first inaugural reception, 1828.

The inauguration of a new U.S. President is a day of pomp and ceremony, of solemn oaths and dignified celebrations. But things don’t always go as planned.

See if you can decipher this twisted tune.

It’s time to play Tune Twist, where we translate the lyrics of popular songs into multiple languages and then back into English. Can you figure out what the song is, or who performed it?

A man checking out Caspar David Friedrich’s ‘The Sea of Ice.’

From post-battle landscapes to cold weather fun, the events that occurred during frosty temperatures have led many an artist to pick up their brush and get painting.

California wildfires: Firefighters struggle with strained water system

News reports warn about the Santa Ana winds and their power to turn modest wildfires into conflagrations. Here’s why these wind patterns in Southern California can be so destructive.

Some Dunkin‘ locations are experiencing a doughnut drought.

If you‘re planning to grab a doughnut from your local Dunkin‘, you may want to call ahead.

These are the cities for those who can‘t live without cats.

Cat lovers, take note: Here‘s a list of the most feline-friendly cities worldwide.

‘Return to the Titanic: Live!’ cracked open a safe from the ship on live TV—and though the special was a ratings success, it faced plenty of criticism. ‘The Washington Post’ even declared that it “added little to the ‘Titanic’ story.”

Whistleblowers often put themselves at risk to expose the truth.

From Founding Fathers to Roman senators, these 10 whistleblowers helped shape history through their unparalleled acts of bravery.

Here’s hoping you paid attention in science class.

The Stillson wrench revolutionized plumbing.

The imposing pipe wrench with teeth was once made out of wood.

Sometimes regular English words—words that have commonsense but slightly fuzzy meanings—must be defined more precisely for food labeling.

The global workforce has decreed that 2025 will be a year of rest, relaxation, and plenty of PTO.

The Inuit settlement of Kulusuq in Greenland.

Greenland lies north and south of the Arctic Circle and about 500 miles from the North Pole—a position that makes it a key part of global defense strategy. Read on for amazing facts about this icy island.

All five answers to the questions below have something in common. Can you figure it out?

Streets of Fire: Collector’s Edition: Nowhere Fast (HD)

Director Walter Hill's surreal rock 'n' roll fable from 1984 is packed with bikers, big flashy musical numbers, and epic sledgehammer fights, which is why it remains a treat for cult cinema fans even 40 years later.