Everyday Myths

At an intersection, you hear the pitch of the train's horn go up and then back down after the train has passed. Why?

ByWilliam Harris

To understand the universe better, scientists from all over the world are going to harness the power of an enormous machine -- the Large Hadron Collider.

ByJonathan Strickland

Decades before you ever heard of the Higgs, this multinational particle physics lab was smashing its way to answers about how the universe worked. Pop inside CERN just as half of the world's particle physicists do every year.

ByJohn Perritano

Einstein showed us a mind-blowing way the universe works, while Max Planck and his gang showed us how particles on the atomic and subatomic levels work. But one doesn't explain the other. So there must be a larger theory encompassing them ... or not?

ByKate Kershner

Some say the real reason "no tear" shampoo works is that it has Novocain in it, desensitizing babies to its sting. Fact or urban legend?

ByLaurie L. Dove

你当然你使用后洗手stroom or work the room at a networking event. But what about after you play beer pong? Or cuddle a duckling?

ByWilliam Harris

It may shock you, but there's never been a widespread study conducted on the sanitation or the necessity of the courtesy flush. Can this practice inflict grievous bodily harm on your hindquarters — and the environment? HowStuffWorks weighs in.

ByKate Kershner

The idea that dinosaurs roamed the Earth with man is one of the many that persist despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. What is belief perseverance, and why does the human mind go to such great lengths to keep the peace?

ByJulia Layton

For decades, moms have been threatening that if you don't eat your crust, your hair will fall out, fall limp or somehow fall incorrectly. What's the deal with bread crusts and hairstyles?

ByColleen Cancio

The full moon gives us the ocean tides. And werewolves. Does it also give us sleep issues? Some say yes. Here's the science.

ByColleen Cancio

Urban legends about Disney World are a dime a dozen. Some are totally outlandish but others are true — like the one about the secret city under the Magic Kingdom.

ByDebra Ronca

If you've ever been to a slumber party, you know the drill. Place your fingers under someone's body, chant "Light as a feather ... stiff as a board ..."and they'll magically rise up into the air. Is this old trick a true ghostly phenomenon?

ByDebra Ronca

Walking down a city sidewalk, you protect your valuables and weave through crowds. Should you also beware of falling pennies?

ByLaurie L. Dove

Chicago has long been known as "The Windy City." It's a pretty cool nickname, but does it live up to it?

ByKate Kershner

Rainy, dreary, Seattle, right? Everyone says it's the rainiest city in the United States. However, Seattleites are keeping a secret from you. Find out if their rainy reputation is real — or if the rumor's all wet.

ByKate Kershner

Summertime fashion — light in weight and light in color. Are these pastel colors a designer's choice? Or do light colors actually keep you cooler, as some say? Read to find out if you should ditch the goth wardrobe this summer.

ByKate Kershner

Of all the cosmetic problems to worry about waking up to — dark under-eye circles, a blemish on your nose, new stubble on your chin — a headful of white hair ranks pretty low on your list. Should you be more concerned?

ByLaurie L. Dove

Whether in "King Kong," "Journey to the Center of the Earth" or "The Lost World," humankind has long held out hope of discovering a secret land filled with prehistoric beasts. But is that even possible? Could dinosaurs really be out there somewhere?

ByKate Kershner

When reeling off dubious facts (like lemmings plunging off cliffs en masse), there's no better retort to a skeptical audience than calmly explaining that it's not just true — it's science. Except sometimes it's neither.

ByKate Kershner

CERN is a European research organization dedicated to the study of very tiny particles. Could they discover time travel?

ByJonathan Strickland

Picture the smells of a warm, sunny day in July. To your left, a neighbor is barbecuing. To your right, someone has put a warm apple pie on the windowsill to cool down. Smells great, right? So how does sunshine factor into all of this?

ByKate Kershner

The animal kingdom is chock-full of crazy amazing superpowers. Tardigrades can survive in outer space. Crows can solves complex puzzles. But can a cricket really tell you the temperature?

ByKate Kershner

From tropical islands to arctic tundra, we humans appear capable of living just about anywhere. But do different groups of people fare better in certain types of climates, or are we just really good at adapting to the environment around us?

ByKate Kershner

According to recent studies, it appears gingers need extra anesthesia to put them under during surgery. The same gene that gives redheads their hair color is apparently responsible for the way the body handles pain.

ByJosh Clark

We've all seen it in the movies: A guy stumles across quicksand, and before we know it, he's waist deep and can't get out. Does Hollywood have it all wrong?

By Kevin Bonsor &Katherine Neer