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When you think about it, traditions are a truly unique breed, aren’t they? After all, they come in all shapes and sizes, from a small family tradition involving a special breakfast treat to an annual activity shared by an entire community. In that sense, some traditions around the world may seem downright strange to a keen observer. That’s why we’ve decided to highlight 10 of the weirdest traditions from all over the world for your enjoyment. Keep reading and have fun! Read more

There’s a reason why Herman Melville’s 1851 novel Moby-Dick is considered a jewel of American literature: it’s not only an exciting retelling of 19th-century sailing, but also a powerful exploration of mankind’s inherent—and ultimately futile—struggle against nature. In that sense, Captain Ahab embodies many of the traits that make a great captain: his sailing prowess and determination are unmatched. Unfortunately, Ahab becomes consumed by vengeance and madness in his desperate quest to hunt the mythical white whale, Moby-Dick. Read more

Throughout human history, one profession has stood the passage of time and remained constant even in our modern days: Most nations, kingdoms, or empires in history have taken great pride in the strength and honor of their military. In that sense, it seems only logical that something as valuable for any society has a profound and direct impact on the way we communicate with each other. However, this influence can sometimes be overlooked, so we have decided to select a few words we use every day that have military origins. We guarantee you’ll be surprised by more than a few of these entries! Enjoy! Read more

As long as you aren’t directly involved in it, not being savvy with a certain profession’s lingo is usually not a problem. But alas, exceptions exist, and these situations can create confusion and anxiety for the uninformed party in a conversation. Just like a patient who struggles to understand the complex terms a doctor uses to explain their condition, many people feel unsure when a mechanic explains a problem with their car. Listed below are 10 words and phrases that car buffs and mechanics use frequently. How many of these do you know? Read more

Symbols are everywhere—from ancient manuscripts to Instagram captions. Elegant, cryptic, or quirky, certain typographic characters have communicated their meanings across mediums for centuries. The @ symbol, for example, appeared in merchant notes long before its use in email. And the asterisk has been catching eyes since ancient Greek scholars marked corrections with "little stars." In this article, we dive into the origins of these everyday symbols—you may never look at a question mark the same way again! Read more

How many colors do you think you could name –and identify– correctly? It may seem like kindergarten business, but beyond the primary colors and their combinations, the shades get more nuanced. Have you ever wondered how hues got their names? What did we call "orange" first, was it the color or the fruit? Let’s explore the history of how color names came to be! Read more

Think you know your body? Think again. Many "facts" we hear about the human body are actually just popular myths that have been long debunked by science. From the color of your blood to the capacity of your brain, join us as we separate truth from fiction. Read more

Who hasn’t lost their bearings, at least momentarily, during a hike through unfamiliar terrain? Whether in the wilderness or the urban jungle, even seasoned explorers can sometimes get turned around. With the right tips, though, you can confidently stay on course. Here we’ve gathered some of the most practical advice, from natural navigation techniques to modern tech tools, to ensure you avoid walking in circles on your next adventure. Stay calm, stay prepared, and enjoy the journey! Read more

Words come and go like an ever-changing tide, with the ebb and flow of language constantly reshaping how we communicate, often reflecting our ways of life or our shared sense of humor. Modern jargon may sometimes seem unique and detached from the past, but the truth is, that there are many forgotten words that could seamlessly fit back into our vocabulary. From "fribbler" to "peacockize," we've gathered 10 forgotten words that could make a triumphant comeback in modern English. Read more

For a lot of people, money is still a taboo topic, but the truth is that it comes up in everyday conversations all the time. For this reason, there's no shortage of money-related sayings, phrases, and idioms. You probably have heard someone talking about their "nest egg," or maybe there was a time when you had to "tighten your belt." If you want to learn the origins and meanings of these 10 fun expressions about money, read on! Read more

Outer space has fascinated human beings since ancient times. We have studied and explored it so much over the years that space and everything we know about it has even found their way into our everyday language! Today, we're discovering the origins of 10 famous space-related idioms. Get ready for an astral journey! Read more

Just because someone presents themselves as "brothers" in the showbiz, does not mean they are related by blood. The same goes for many other fake relationships invented for the sake of having a compelling storyline for the public. The following six bands suggested a family connection among its members. Can you tell which ones were real? Read more

We often take these words for granted, but if we stop to think about them, they might not make sense. What is a possum pie? Is monkey bread made by monkeys? These 12 otherwise common foods have names that might surprise anyone unfamiliar with them. Do you know the origin of any of these names? Read more

Tarnation! I better get to the jaw cracker before I end up in the bone orchard! If you don’t know what this all means, don’t worry—we’re here to help! Cowboys in the Old West not only tamed the inhospitable land, but they also forged their own language. They created unrefined similes and metaphors, broke the rules of grammar, flooded figures of speech with humor, and made a verb out of anything. In this article, we review 12 expressions we inherited from the men and women who populated the American frontier—many of which we still use today. Giddyup! Read more

Let’s face it: history is not an exact science. There’s a reason people regularly say that "history is written by the victors": there are more than a few inaccuracies bound to be included in history books around the world. What’s interesting, though, is that sometimes these mistaken pieces of history gain so much popularity that they become indisputable facts. We all know that Napoleon was short (except he wasn’t) or that Roman gladiator fights were bloody matches to the death (except they weren’t). With that in mind, we’ve selected 10 of the most famous historical inaccuracies, hoping to shed some light on these popular myths. Enjoy! Read more

Innovation often comes from the most unexpected places. Some of the world’s greatest discoveries and inventions were not the result of a planned experiment but rather accidents, mishaps, or just serendipity. From the creation of irreplaceable household items to revolutionary medical breakthroughs, these chance discoveries changed history. Here are 12 remarkable things invented or discovered purely by accident. Read more

Measuring time has always been a challenge. Before the advent of modern clocks, how did people keep track of the hours? Well, they had to rely on a mix of strange yet ingenious methods. While these early timekeeping devices lacked the precision we expect today from an average clock, they were still effective tools for organizing daily life and gaining a sense of time's passage. Here are 10 quirky timekeeping methods that shaped how we understand time today. Read more

English is full of words that don’t sound the way they look. Some borrow foreign pronunciations, while others have silent letters or unexpected stresses. These tricky words can trip up even native speakers and language experts. From colonel to victuals, here are 10 common words that most people mispronounce. Read more

A peculiar skill is something that many of us have. It can be a special ability to recognize lookalikes, make pets fall asleep quickly, or guess names, among a million other things. However, some people manage to make a career out of their unusual skills, and this has happened over and over again throughout history. Take a look at the following 11 examples. Did you know any of these? Read more

We all know that the letters that score the most points in Scrabble are J and X (8 points), and Q and Z (10 points). But the most popular word game in the world is also about being able to combine all the lettered tiles that luck has handed you, even when they don't seem to have anything in common. One of the first things Scrabble players should learn is new and different words to help them win the game. In this article, we have compiled 10 words that—if the conditions are right—will make you score the most points in an opening play. Come join us! Read more