Culture & Traditions

Cultures and Traditions takes a look at how people interact with each other. This might be through sub-cultures, relationships, fads or religion and spirituality.

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From claims of secret bank accounts created by the government to exemptions from federal law, sovereign citizen beliefs seem outlandish. But is there any truth to them?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

What does Boston have against the letter R? Why do Minnesotans sometimes drag out the 'O' sound? And what about the Noo Yawk accent?

By Mark Mancini

Kim Jong Un called Donald Trump a dotard. Here are some equally entertaining, out-of-date options the 45th president could've thrown back in his face.

By Christopher Hassiotis

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The Danish people are among the happiest on the planet. Here are 5 reasons why.

By Dave Roos

Some turn to faith healing as a last resort when ill, and others rely on it solely to provide a miracle cure. But can it really treat the sick?

By Ed Grabianowski

Women in the late Stone and early Bronze Ages in Europe probably traveled long distances and spread new ideas and objects, more so than their male counterparts.

By Jesslyn Shields

What's the meaning behind how we spell theater and theatre? And does it really matter?

By Mark Mancini

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Children as young as 10 are being married (or forced into marriage) in the United States. And it's perfectly legal.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

The tradition dates back centuries, but an aging population of workers and dwindling profits endanger the free-diving culture.

By Laurie L. Dove

The world boasts about 7,000 languages. Close to half are threatened with extinction.

By John Donovan

The annual World Gravy Wrestling Championship sees grapplers go head to head in a savory meat sauce on the last Monday each August.

By Christopher Hassiotis

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A segment of young men are separating themselves from society out of frustration with the poor economy and a strong feminist ethos.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Matchmakers have paired up couples for centuries, and it doesn't seem as though laxer social rules and online dating has slackened their market. From traditional shadchans to professional Cupids, what does the modern matchmaker do?

By Cristen Conger & Kathryn Whitbourne

Humans have sought to explain solar eclipses since before the advent of modern science. What curious explanations have we invented?

By Laurie L. Dove

The myth of the ninja has intrigued the world for centuries. A new Japanese research center is out to solve it.

By Dave Roos

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There's more to the samurai blade than its cinematic drama, and the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast digs into the history and science behind the sword.

By Laurie L. Dove

Despite what you might think, everyone has an accent. It just becomes noticeable when it's different from others in the same community. How do accents develop and why is it so hard to lose one?

By Alia Hoyt

Surely a level of Hell is reserved for inconsiderate parkers. But can the police actually write them a ticket? Well, it depends...

By Patrick J. Kiger

The Church of Scientology has a short but strange history. What is it all about, and what path are Scientologists following?

By Oisin Curran

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What's a Celiac or gluten-intolerant Christian supposed to do?

By Laurie L. Dove

Sure, we all want to see a picture of the guy with the longest fingernails, but Guinness World Records actually serve a greater purpose.

By Alia Hoyt

The United States flag fetish can seem surprising, confusing or even just quaint to outsiders. Where does it come from?

By John Donovan

Motivational speakers like Tony Robbins charge exorbitant sums for fans to hear them speak. What draws people to them and how do they keep the attention of thousands?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

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How do you keep 75,000 metalheads sufficiently beered? A pipeline, naturally.

By Jesslyn Shields

Scientists have finally sequenced the genome of ancient Egyptians using mummy DNA, and unexpected data show significant differences from modern Egyptians.

By Jesslyn Shields