Human Traits
Why Does Cold Weather Make Your Nose Run?
Cold air makes your nose run because it overworks its built-in humidifier. Learn how the nose warms and moistens air, and why it overshoots.
Latest curiositiesSee all →
The Hunter's Moon: why October's full moon has a hunting name
Discover why the October full moon is called the Hunter's Moon, its rich history, and when to see it in 2026.
Chimerism: People With Two Sets of DNA
Learn how some people become chimeras with two genetically distinct cell lines, how it was discovered, and why it can confuse DNA tests.
Is Halloween Really Samhain? What the Old Irish Festival Was, and What It Wasn't
Learn the real history of Samhain and Halloween, what connects them, and why the popular story has gaps.
Top ListsSee all →
01From Bugs to Meeseeks: The Evolution of Funny Looking Cartoon Characters
02List Ideas: Topics That Make Great Lists, With Examples
0315 Hilarious Female Comedians: Old Favorites and New Stars
04Inspirational Icons: Celebrating 15 Legendary Black Actors
05Top 50 Funniest Black Stand Up Comedians in HistoryRare & Remarkable Human TraitsSee all →
Are Violet Eyes a Real Eye Color?
Violet isn't a recognized eye color. Learn why some eyes look purple, what the Elizabeth Taylor claim gets wrong, and why the myths persist.
ComediansSee all →
Athletes Who Have Hosted Saturday Night Live
Was Mork & Mindy a spinoff of Happy Days?
Were the voices of Mickey and Minnie Mouse married?
Grammy Winners for Best Comedy Album
Shane Gillis's SNL Monologue Backlash: What He Said, Who Pushed Back, and His History With the Show
Comedians' Real Names: Who They Were Born As, and Why They Changed
The Domingo Sketch: How SNL's Running Bit Started
Jamie Foxx's Hulu Special "Take Care of Yourself": The FactsAmazing FeatsSee all →
Amazing Feats
The Man Who Didn't Eat for 382 Days
Angus Barbieri went 382 days without solid food in 1965-66 under medical supervision. Here's how the fast worked and what doctors found.
Amazing Feats
The Longest Anyone Has Stayed Awake
The longest recognized time without sleep is nearly 19 days, not the famous 11. Here's the record history and what sleeplessness does.
Amazing Feats
When does the Hunter's Moon peak in October 2026?
Find out when the 2026 Hunter's Moon peaks, why the date changes by time zone, and where to look on the evening of Oct. 25.
Amazing Feats
The Largest Comedy Audiences on Record
Shane Gillis's 2026 Philadelphia show set the comedy crowd record at 73,946. See how it compares to Mario Barth and other stadium shows.
The long read
Everest Without Oxygen: The Few Who've Done It
Doctors once said it couldn't be done. In 1978, Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler did it. Only 232 people have summited Everest without bottled oxygen, about 1.7% of all summiters. Here's why it's so hard.
Read the story →Mind & CharacterSee all →
Did Marie Antoinette really say let them eat cake?
From the archiveSee all →
- Human TraitsWhy Do Clocks Fall Back and Who Decided It?
- Human TraitsPhotographic Memory: Real or Myth?
- Human TraitsNight Owls, Morning People, and the November Clock Change
- Human TraitsWhere Did Trick-or-Treating Come From? Soul Cakes, Pranks and the End of Sugar Rationing
- Human TraitsWhat Running 100 Miles Does to the Human Body
- Human TraitsIs Candy Corn Really the Most Hated Halloween Candy? What the Polls Show
- Human TraitsTetrachromacy: Can Some Women Really See 100 Million Colors?
- Human TraitsAre people using AI to plan their Halloween costumes?
- Human TraitsHalloween is on a Saturday this year. When is the next Saturday Halloween?
- Human TraitsWhat are the most common Halloween costumes this year?