You have more in common with your friends than you think
A 2014 study found that friends could be a kind of "functional kin," sharing certain genotypes with each other to gain an evolutionary benefit. Key Facts: Your genes may be...
All Stories
You’re carrying around more than just money
The 2009 study found that cocaine residue was most widespread in large U.S. cities, such as Baltimore and Detroit. Key Facts: The Federal Bureau of Engraving and Printing tests the...
This is why you don’t like cringe comedies
People who experience fremdscham don't enjoy watching scenes in which someone is humiliated, even if the person doesn't realize it. Key Facts: When people convey that they're feeling awkward about...
Are your Facebook friends really friends?
Anthropologist Robin Dunbar proposed Dunbar's number in the 1990s. Key Facts: A stable social relationship is one that exists over an extended amount of time. Anthropologist and evolutionary physiologist Robin...
Why do women shave their armpits?
Today, it is common for women to shave their underarms. But why? Key Facts: Ancient Egyptians removed all of their body hair, from head to toe. In May of 1915,...
Chicago is not the coldest inhabited place on Earth
Oymyakon, Russia, has a population of around 500 people, all of whom must contend with below-freezing temperatures for at least half of the year. Key Facts: Oymyakon is thought to...
What’s more extreme than BASE jumping?
Proximity flying is an advanced version of Wingsuit BASE jumping. Key Facts: Proximity flier Jokke Summer estimates that only around 20 people worldwide practice the sport. In Norway, approximately 1...
Why we hate waiting in line
It should be no surprise to hear that humans hate waiting in line. Key Facts: Humans hate waiting in line because we view it as time spent wasted that could...
A surprising fact about Feminism
Frenchmen Charles Fourier, who was sometimes described as a socialist utopian thinker, was the man behind the term very well-known today, "feminism." Key Facts: Feminism is the belief that women...
Think you’ve had a long year? Try Neptune
On July 12, 2011, Neptune completed its first full orbit around the sun since it was discovered. Key Facts: Planets, asteroids, and other matter make up only .14% of the...