As a precocious child growing up in the mountains of North Carolina, Molly Edmonds would often prepare miniature school lessons for her younger brothers. If her brothers didn't want to play school, Molly sat on them to prevent possible escape and continued with her lesson. Fortunately for the readers of HowStuffWorks and for the listeners of the Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast, which Molly started and co-hosted with Cristen Conger, Molly has learned over the years that physical harm is not a good way to provide information. A graduate of Emory University, where she majored in creative writing and political science, Molly spends her spare time seeking out good books, live music and people who will cook for her.
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非裔美国人发明的the gas mask, the potato chip, the protective mailbox and many other items we can't do without. Here are the stories behind 10 inventions.
E = mc2。相对论。理解of the speed of light. These ideas all came from the brain of one man: Albert Einstein. But what happened to his brain after he died?
So who's at risk for breast cancer? And what does someone do once they receive their diagnosis? Here, we tackle these and other questions you'll want answered.
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You've heard the stat. You're more likely to be struck by lightning than be attacked by a shark. Still, wouldn't it be nice to know that your next aquatic destination doesn't fall on this list?
From giggles to guffaws and chuckles to cackles, humans laugh in a lot of different ways. But what do each of those laughs mean, and are they all related to humor?
Sharks have a bad reputation, but is it warranted? Maybe for these 10, which are considered the most dangerous of all.
U.S. presidents Bill Clinton, George H. Bush and Barack Obama all famously grayed during their terms in the White House. Was it the stress of the office or just genetics?
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Burqas are commonly associated with repression and religious extremism. But to many people, the veil is a sign of modesty and piety, as well as a badge of honor. What is the true meaning of the veil?
Even the most maniacally energetic people can appreciate crashing on the couch occasionally. Can sharks take the same break without dying?
Wouldn't it be nice to have your favorite song start up the moment you walked in the house? Or to get the coffee brewing from bed? Smart homes can do all those tricks, and you might be able to afford one, even if you're not Bill Gates.
If wisdom teeth are so wise, why do they keep sprouting in the gums of people who don't need them anymore? Should a lack of wisdom teeth give you bragging rights as a highly evolved human?
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Your company's relocated you overseas, and now you've got to get the family dog and cat across the ocean along with the contents of your home. Since you can't exactly mail a kitty, how does it work?
If you only know about nuns through movies and television, then you might think that all nuns wield rulers while singing, dancing and flying. In reality, nuns have set themselves apart from the world to lead a more spiritual life, one with vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Though they're indispensable to any construction project, nails have a nasty habit of getting hammered into thumbs and puncturing tires. Is a rusty nail even more dangerous?
In kindergarten, it may have been the girl who always gave you the frosting from her cupcake. As an adult, it may be the guy who will answer the phone at 2 a.m. when you need to talk. How do you define a friend?
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When it comes to human reproduction, animal metaphors are popular, with all those birds, bees and even storks. Here, we turn to biology to learn how human reproduction works.
You're probably not wearing the same clothes at 60 that you wore at 22, so why would you be wearing the same eyeliner? HowStuffWorks has five ideas to freshen up your routine and help you put your best face forward.
When this non-profit organization isn't storming Wall Street, it's busy hammering out affordable mortgages for low-income and middle-income people. What's the catch?
Do you want to buy a house for $1? You can, if you're willing to pick it up, haul it somewhere else and finance the whole move. But is house moving more of a headache than a bargain?
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Forks. Knives. Spoons. Chopsticks. All those utensils are a pain to pick up and set down again. What if you could just open your mouth wide?
By the end of the 20th century, female inventors held 10 percent of all patents, a disparity indicating the hurdles women faced in receiving credit for their ideas. The inventors on this list overcame those obstacles.
Herd immunity means that after a certain percentage of a population is immune to a disease, the whole population is. This is usually achieved through vaccination but some are not convinced.
People are buying probiotics in droves because they're supposed to have a lot of health benefits. But is that true or just hype?
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Do you love to boogie? Are you part of the population of funkytown? If you've spent a lot of time on the dance floor, then this is the quiz for you. In this quiz, we'll give you a line from a classic disco song, and you give us the name of the artist that recorded it.
Transitioning from one gender to another is hardly an overnight process, with many steps from point A to B. What are the stages of gender reassignment?