Could a spill by the cook fire have been popcorn’s eureka moment? Paul Taylor/Stone via Getty Images Sean Rafferty, University at Albany, State University of New York Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to [email protected]. How was popcorn […]
Sometimes lameness – not laughter – is the point. AHPhotoswpg/iStock via Getty Images Ian Brodie, Cape Breton University and Moira Marsh, Indiana University “Dad, I’m hungry.” “Hi, hungry. I’m Dad.” If you haven’t been asleep for the past 20 years, you’ll probably recognize this exchange as a dad joke. The term dad joke is credited […]
Is it an age-old question or just an excuse for the internet to start another epic keyboard war? Today, we’re diving into the meaty (and sometimes cheesy) debate about what truly makes a sandwich a sandwich. Did the Earl of Sandwich really invent this tasty creation, or did he just get all the credit? And […]
Did this seal symbolize the order’s poverty, homosexuality or companionship with Christ? Hinterkappelen/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA Andrew Latham, Macalester College The Knights Templar, a legendary monastic military order forged in the fires of the Crusades, continue to enthrall 21st-century audiences. From the time of their founding in 1119 C.E. to their dissolution in 1312 C.E., […]
Did you know that the origins of ice cream can be traced back to ancient times? As far back as the first century, records hint at the existence of cold desserts enjoyed by ancient cultures such as Rome, Mughal India, and the Tang Dynasty in China. These early versions likely consisted of ice or snow […]
From the dawn of civilization in the Stone Age right up to the the Modern Age, join The Paint Explainer in his latest video as he explores the essence of every historical epoch in just 10 minutes!
Spelling reformers have been advocating for changes to make English spelling more intuitive and less irregular. One example of its messiness: take the “g-h” sound from “enough,” the “o” sound from “women” and the “t-i” sound from “action,” and you could argue that “g-h-o-t-i” spells “fish.” So, how did English get like this? Explore the […]
Looking for something new to read that has been read and approved by hundreds of geeks? A few days ago, I asked fans on our Facebook page to list books that they’ve read at least 3 times because they were so good, and they delivered! After getting over 1,200 comments, I compiled the entries into […]