Culture & Traditions

You've heard of tattoos and tongue rings, maybe even split tongues. Transdermals, however, take body modification to a whole new level.

By Julia Layton

You close your eyes over your birthday cake, make a wish and take a deep breath. Everything is riding on this solitary exhale. Why do we think it's bad luck not to blow out all the birthday candles in one breath?

By Laurie L. Dove

There are many rituals that surround the act of prayer, one of the most prevalent of which is closing one's eyes. Why do so many people close their eyes to pray?

By Laurie L. Dove

Generations of pedestrians have avoided stepping on cracks to prevent their poor mothers' backs from being broken. Is there a reason for this practice, or is it just another baseless superstition?

By Laurie L. Dove

Everyone knows you're not supposed to open an umbrella indoors. Explore the history behind this long-held superstition.

By Laurie L. Dove

That uncomfortable, frightened, jittery feeling known as "the willies" is probably a familiar one. How did "the willies" get its name?

By Laurie L. Dove

About one out of every 10,000 clovers in a patch has four leaves. How do you increase your odds of finding a lucky one in a sea of three-leaf clovers?

By Laurie L. Dove

You've probably tossed dozens of coins into various fountains over the years. What happens to all that money?

By Laurie L. Dove

Gifting knives has long been considered bad luck. Learn about the superstitions behind the knife gift.

By Laurie L. Dove

Emily Post might've been born into high society, but it took years of ups and downs before she would emerge as America's preeminent - and surprisingly open-minded - etiquette expert.

By Jane McGrath

The WWE Experience draws many every year. Learn more about the WWE Experience in this video from HowStuffWorks.com.

The train seems to bring out the wackadoodle and boorishness in commuters in ways that are still uncommon on planes. Which 10 things must you never do when riding the rails?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Who's the worst in the restroom? The person who drips on the seat, talks on the phone or hogs the mirror? We put all three - and some others - on our list of annoyances.

By Chris Opfer

For the rule-loving (and germaphobic) people among us, IKEA can be a nightmare: Huge crowds, long lines and loud kids can make things seem chaotic. Help bring order to the madness by following our etiquette outline.

By Jeff Harder

Emergency rooms on TV are fraught with drama and tension. While nonfictional ERs have their share of stressful moments, a lot of the work they do is misrepresented when it's transferred to the entertainment sphere.

By Maria Trimarchi

The price of oil, the weather, the United Nations and pop music are all controlled by one malevolent force - the Illuminati. Or so some people believe. How did an imaginary group get so big?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Friday the 13th, a black cat crossing your path and a four-leafed clover are all common superstitions. But have you heard about double-yolked eggs?

By Alison Cooper & Desiree Bowie

Do birds of a feather flock together? When it comes to marriage they often do, but just how similar are spouses to each other?

By Bambi Turner

If you can trace your ancestry back more than three generations, you're doing better than many of us. But when you've dived into the murky archives before the 1900s, you will definitely find yourself wondering just how far back you'll be able to go.

By Alison Cooper

Wanting to know where you come from is a pretty basic human desire. And when your obstacle is a lack of information, a genealogy test might be a good place to start your search for your ancestors. But where's the best place to do it?

By Alison Cooper

Any amateur genealogist knows the feeling of obsession that hits when you reach a dead end in the family tree. How can a person just disappear? But they do, and they can be tough to track down - unless you harness the power of technology.

By Alison Cooper

The immigrant narrative is a powerful story. Many Americans have an ancestor or two who traveled to Ellis Island with an unpronounceable last name and a dream of a better life. But how can you find them?

By Alison Cooper

How many people are in your family tree? Generally, the only barrier to constructing one on paper that would take up your entire floor is knowledge. Now, if you could just get all the information without talking to your great aunt ...

By Alison Cooper

One myth says Genghis Khan killed 1.7 million people in one hour - obviously impossible. A more recent claim is that a bunch of us (millions, in fact) can claim him as a great-great (keep going) grandfather. Is there more truth to this one?

By Alison Cooper

Who would run a genealogy scam? More people than you might think. So get savvy! Here's what to look for (and what to tell budding genealogists in your family to avoid). We'll start with the most common cons out there.

By Alison Cooper