Culture & Traditions

The biblical King Solomon is depicted as being very rich, very wise and very married to hundreds of women. But there is little evidence outside of the Bible that he existed. So what has been found so far?

By Dave Roos

If you travel to the small Island of the Dolls in Xochimilco, near Mexico City, listen closely. You may hear the whispered conversations of the dolls that hang around.

By Patty Rasmussen

The process requires a rigorous examination of the life and holiness of a candidate and involves several stages that can last years or even centuries.

By Dorian Llywelyn

No one ever says "heveled" or "gruntled." Do these words even exist? Not every word needs an opposite to prop it up. Here's why.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Shabbat is the holiday that is central to Jewish life, occurring every Friday at sunset to Saturday night. But what is it and how is it observed?

By Dave Roos

You've surely heard it in the movies even if you've never used it. So who came up with the phonetic alphabet and why is it used?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler & Zach Taras

The roots of the Taliban's religious beliefs - Deobandi Islam - can be traced to 19th century colonial India.

By Sohel Rana & Sumit Ganguly

Sharia, which is Islamic law, can strike some people in the West as draconian and harsh. Is this an accurate portrayal?

By Dave Roos

Victorian etiquette wasn't just about sending a thank you note or holding a door open. There were a jillion rules of propriety to observe. How many of these do you know?

By Alia Hoyt

Whether these people knew it or not, their famous last words made a real statement. How many can you figure out?

By Alia Hoyt

The Bible is full of numbers that often get repeated, like 7, 12 and 40. Why is this and do these numbers have any special hidden meanings?

By Dave Roos

You might think it's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. But you're wrong. And anyway, that's a song, not a word.

By Kristen Hall-Geisler & Zach Taras

Some words are extra important. Enter capitalization, the perfect way to show just why such words are special. How adept are you at knowing what to capitalize? Take this quiz and find out!

By Alia Hoyt

He makes just one brief appearance in Genesis, yet he's been seen as a precursor of Jesus Christ. What was he really and how did he become associated with Jesus?

By Dave Roos

Afrofuturism isn't just about placing a Black person in a futuristic landscape. It takes into account the challenges Black people face and allows them to imagine futures of their own making.

By Yves Jeffcoat

The New Testament is full of tense exchanges between Jesus and the Pharisees, who often tried to trip him up in legalistic debates. But who were the Pharisees really and what did they believe?

By Dave Roos & Talon Homer

There are some 50 Chinatowns in America and hundreds more in other countries. What led to their creation and will they survive into the next century?

By Tara Yarlagadda

In this age of electronic communication, the art of letter writing has all but been lost, but the knowledge necessary to address an envelope is something we all should certainly possess.

By Francisco Guzman & Talon Homer

It's one of the largest religions on Earth but little-known in the West, where its practitioners are often mistaken for Muslims or Hindus. What else should we know about the Sikh faith?

By Dave Roos

Many Jewish people will affix a mezuzah, a decorative case, to the doorframe of their houses. What's the significance of this?

By Dave Roos

Some words, like "cat" or "dog" are easy enough to spell. Others, however, cause quite the spelling frakas. Or is it fracas? Take the quiz to determine your spelling IQ!

By Alia Hoyt

Lao-tzu was the legendary Taoist philosopher whose words sound profoundly modern. They help us maintain a sense of harmony in an often-chaotic world. Here are five of his sayings to ponder.

By Dave Roos

Asian Americans continue to challenge injustice and a rising tide of hate crimes directed at them, while mainstream narratives fail to address their bravery, history and struggles.

By Tara Yarlagadda

An obscure passage in Genesis mentions a group of superhumans who were the offspring of angels and women. Who were the Nephilim and what do they have to do with the Watchers?

By Dave Roos

AAPI Month commemorates two important dates in Asian American history, but it wouldn't have become a reality without the efforts of one determined woman with some Congressional backing.

By Francisco Guzman