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.
Inside LA's Forest Lawn, Where the Biggest Celebrities Rest in Peace
Is Human Composting the Greenest Burial Option?
What's With Germany's Strict Burial Regulations?
Why Were Fake Eyelashes Invented?
Try a Tattoo Without the Commitment
Ways to Keep Your Old Tattoos Looking Fresh and New
What in the World Is a 'Shoey'?
Did You Know It's 2016 in Ethiopia Right Now?
What Are the 10 Largest Cities in the World by Population?
Grey vs. Gray: A Difference in Color or Just in Spelling?
What to Say When Someone Dies (Plus 8 Phrases to Avoid)
Who Was the First Person to Speak English?
What's the Science Behind Mood Rings?
10 Things We Love to Hate About the '70s and '80s
Celebratory Yard Signs Are Having a Major Moment
5 Family Traditions for New Babies
5 Family Anniversary Traditions
5 Family Traditions for Daughters
Are Mermaids Real? A Look Mermaid Myths Across Cultures
All About the Mythical Phoenix: Bird of Fire and Eternal Life
Bad Luck Comes in Threes: Separating Superstition from Reality
What Are the Most and Least Popular Birthdays in the U.S.?
The Firm vs. the Family: How Does the British Monarchy Really Work?
What's the Difference Between a Duke and an Earl?
How the Millennial Generation Works
Millennials Are Making Birthday Cards a Thing Again
Nope, Boomers and Xers Don’t Work Harder Than Millennials
The Bloody Origins of the Phrase 'Caught Red-Handed'
60 Cheeky British Slang Words and Phrases
How the Word 'Hack' Became So Hacked
How to Keep Your Jack-o'-lantern From Rotting
What Does the Poinsettia Have to Do with Christmas?
The Joy of the Holiday Poinsettia
12 Countries With Red and White Flags
9 Countries With Blue-Yellow-Red Flags
13 Countries With Green-White-Red Flags
Who Keeps the Ring if the Engagement Ends in a Breakup?
Is Sleeping in Separate Beds a Relationship Buster?
There's More Than One Way to Be Monogamous
Catholic vs. Christian: Overlap and Differences in the Religions
Kukulkan: The Feathered Serpent of Maya Mythology
Quetzalcoatl: A Feathered Serpent Deity of Mesoamerica
The Life and Death of Timothy Treadwell, the 'Grizzly Man'
The Yellow Deli Cult: All About the Twelve Tribes
7 Cults in America: A History of Infamy
Quiz: Finish That Jingle!
How One Woman Unexpectedly Became the Voice of Siri
There's a Healthier Way to Consume Your Media
Learn More / Page 36
For your enjoyment, we've compiled lists of the best, the worst, the peculiar, the banned, the largest, the smallest, and other things we found just too interesting to leave out. It’s all right here.
The idiom says whatever can go wrong will go wrong. Is it the mysterious power of Murphy's Law, or is it simply people who give the law relevance?
By Josh Clark
From Johnny Appleseed to Paul Bunyan, figures of American folklore continue to inspire and engage. Before the invention on radio and television, people created these characters to help people cope with hard times. Learn more about these legendary figures.
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There are many types of angels that make up the spiritual world. Angels are divided into nine different types within three main groups, which are then called choirs. Find out more about these angelic intermediaries for God.
What may elicit a thumbs up from Miss Manners in the U.S. may not elsewhere in the world. Some cultures do things very different from the way Americans are used to. Learn 13 examples of good and bad manners around the world.
Palindromes are words, phrases or even dates that are spelled the same forward and backward. They don't always make tons of sense, but they're still fun.
While Saint Peter and Saint Micheal are well-known, there are a number of little-known patron saints. Did you know that there is a patron saint for dentists, ice skaters, bachelors and difficult marriages? Find out more about obscure patron saints.
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Everybody has bad days, but fortune seems to have it in for some people. You decide: Are these 10 infamous cases of bad luck coincidences or curses?
By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd. & Laurie L. Dove
Popular slang terms come and go — and sometimes come back again. Here are some of the most popular slang words of the last 100 years, decade by decade.
Pangrams are sentences that use every single letter of the alphabet at least once. They might not all make sense, but these 14 phrases are fun for those of us who love words.
Walter Winchell not only dished the dirt on celebrities and politicians, he also coined some clever phrases. Winchell is considered the forefather of gossip columnists who had a tendency for making up words. Learn 15 terms coined by Walter Winchell.
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If you're headed to the spelling bee, here's a list of words you should have down pat. These words are some of the most common words that people spell incorrectly. Learn 48 commonly misspelled words, only at HowStuffWorks.
You know genius is all inspiration and perspiration, but it's time to find out what creativity is really about. This list provides some of the most famous quotes that are about creativity and invention. Read 17 favorite quotes on creativity.
Much to our amusement, politicians sometimes get tongue-tied. See our list of 9 political slips of the tongue by presidents and other leaders, including slips by Ronald Reagan and Al Gore.
People will remember a life well-lived, but a well-written epitaph will render that person unforgettable. Here are 20 of the wittiest and most memorable epitaphs ever written.
By Stephanie Watson & the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.
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Ron Popeil has made a name for himself by selling unique and quirky items on TV such as the Veg-O-Matic. Popeil is an inventor who has made millions of dollars selling his products through infomercials. See our list of 11 items sold by Ron Popeil.
The '70s saw some funky fads, like mood rings, disco balls, and roller skates. Explore the funkiest on this list of 8 funky fads of the 1970s.
"The question isn't 'What are we going to do?' The question is, 'What aren't we going to do?'" said Ferris in the movie "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." And that quote pretty much sums up the fads of this decade.
By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd. & Clint Pumphrey
We like defining decades by their trends, fads and fashion. The '90s are a little hard to define, because the '80s were so easy to describe, but here are a few fantastic fads that are all '90s, all the way.
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The 1960s were a groovy time, with fads like the lava lamp and go-go boots making their debut. Find out what the grooviest crazes of the 60s were.
Swanson TV dinners were developed in 1953 when families were watching shows such as "I Love Lucy". Read more about the history of Swanson TV dinners.
By John Fuller
Wonderful Weirdos Day was created by citizens of Austin, Texas to celebrate personality quirks on September 9. Read more about Wonderful Weirdos Day.
By John Fuller
Speed dating is based on shidduch, an old Jewish tradition of helping young, single Jews meet others in the faith. Today, this matchmaking tool has spread across the world and is tailored to suit a variety of interests. Learn about how speed dating works and if the rules of attraction still apply.
By Josh Clark
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Dogfighting has been in the news recently because of the Michael Vick conviction. What exactly is dogfighting and who are the people involved in this cruel and horrific "sport?" Learn about dogfighting in this article.
Geek chic: Is it a style, a trend, a movement, a cultural shift or just a love affair with all things uncool? First off, what is a geek? If you're getting ready to argue about this definition, you might be one of them.