Culture & Traditions

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

Two tongues are better than one -- at least, that's what some body modification enthusiasts might say. How (and why) do some folks halve this all important part of their body?

By Chas Hoppe

Just like workers in any field, Mafia members are changing with the times and running some old schemes in new ways. What businesses does the Mob have its hooks in, and how does it maintain control?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus & Melissa Phipps

In 1968, "The Population Bomb" was published, with dire predictions of a coming world that could not feed itself. It launched the Zero Population Growth movement. Since then, the world population has doubled. What did the book get right and wrong?

By Dave Roos

It's tempting to think that the only way your favorite team (or athlete) could lose is because of some funny business from the other side. And sometimes you'd be right. Here are 10 sports conspiracy theories that could totally have happened.

By Dave Roos

Although the U.S. government has been found guilty of spying on its citizens or wasting tax money on dubious projects, does that mean it would intentionally fake the moon landing, conduct alien autopsies or put its citizens in FEMA camps?

By Alia Hoyt

Body painting, which some say is man's first artwork, has become a hip, temporary art form that generates lots of "oohs" and "ahs." Want to try your hand at body painting? Here's how.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

During World War II, a U.S. ship mysteriously disappeared in Virginia and reappeared suddenly in Philadelphia, with some crewmen embedded in the ship's hull. What was the Philadephia Experiment all about?

By Dave Roos

For centuries, treasure hunters have explored Oak Island in the hopes of discovering pirate gold - or Marie Antoinette's jewels, Shakespeare's manuscripts or even the Ark of the Covenant. What's the scoop with this so-called "Money Pit"?

By Jane McGrath

You know Cinderella was the only girl who could wear the glass slipper. But did you know her two stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to try to fit into it? That's just one gory detail Disney left out.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Who wouldn't want to rest in peace in one of the happiest places on Earth? OK, spending the afterlife in an amusement park may not be for everyone, but are there people who try to send the deceased on a forever roller coaster ride?

By Nathan Chandler

Folklore is stories, art and dance. It's rituals and special birthday meals; how you treat a cold; even the chain emails you sometimes get. Why do these things get passed down, and how do we keep them alive?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

It seems like every town has that one restaurant whose eggplant parmesan can kick-start contractions. But is a labor-inducing recipe an old wives' tale?

By Alia Hoyt

Being an island nation has its perks, but genetic diversity isn't one of them. In fact, every native Icelander is descended from the same couple. (Talk about awkward dating scenarios!) That's where the book comes in.

By Alison Cooper

For centuries, people have considered four-leaf clovers to be magical - whether as an aid to spot fairies or a charm to bring the bearer good luck. So what exactly makes these tiny plants so special?

By Oisin Curran & Desiree Bowie

You might know your immediate family and even some cousins, but what about how your genes have been traveling through time via your ancestors? What's the best way to get a handle on all that family history?

By Alia Hoyt