Facts & History

  It’s the dead of night and you’re tucked away in bed, bundled up to your chin in a pitch dark room — and suddenly you hear the telltale buzzing of a mosquito zoom past your ear. Some mosquito species specialize in biting humans, and these tiny blood-suckers excel at tracking us down. The question is, how…

  What year are we living in? That seems like an easy question, doesn’t it? But like most things, the answer isn’t as straightforward as you may think. Many people would tell you this is the year A.D. 2020. Others might call it the year 2020 C.E. Some would say it’s the year 4718, 1441, or even 5780! It…

  Do you ever dream of traveling through outer space? Would you like to orbit Jupiter? Visit Pluto? Maybe you imagine racing past other planets and galaxies on a grand adventure. If you’ve ever looked into becoming an astronaut, there’s one name you probably already know—NASA! NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is the United States space agency.…

When President Donald Trump declared himself a nationalist on Oct. 22, 2018, the gasps that emanated from many segments of the American population were equaled only by the chants that erupted in the Texas arena in which the president spoke. Using that term — and the ideology known as nationalism — has that kind of effect in…

  What do you think it would be like to live in ancient Greece? You would need to learn its alphabet. Maybe you would learn all about Greek mythology. You might even meet some famous Greek heroes, like Hercules! Well, that is, if Hercules was a real person. The jury’s still out on that question. However, one very real…

  Draft opinions circulated among Supreme Court justices are meant to allow for deliberation and editing before a final version is released. They are not the last word, nor ready for public reaction. But on the evening of May 2, 2022, Politico published a bombshell: a leaked draft of an opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, that overturns Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v.…

  Will our immunity to COVID-19 be lifelong or short-lived? Some diseases, like the measles, infect us once and usually grant us immunity for life. For others, like the flu, we have to get vaccinated year after year. So why do we develop lifelong immunity to some diseases but not others? And where does the novel…

  How did the Pentagon get its name? Well, that’s a no-brainer. But how did the Department of Defense’s (DoD) giant headquarters get its shape? That’s a longer story. The building was originally designed to fit onto a tract of land with borders on five sides. In the end, it was built elsewhere, at a site where…

  Cigarette smoke can have wide-ranging health effects on the body, and the lungs and airways are two of the hardest-hit areas. But the good news is that after a person quits smoking, the lungs can heal to a certain extent, said Dr. Norman Edelman, a senior scientific advisor for the American Lung Association and a…

  Here’s a breakdown of the most rare and common blood types in the U.S. In general, the rarest blood type is AB negative and the most common is O positive. Here’s a breakdown of the most rare and common blood types by ethnicity, according to the American Red Cross. O positive: African-American: 47% Asian: 39%…

  The ability to tell when you should avoid being outside sounds simple enough. Say, if it’s pouring rain, your brain might give you a heads-up that you’ll get wet. Maybe it’s so windy that a tree has fallen across the sidewalk: The old noggin might kick in and tell you to stay inside to…

  Why are some people O+ and others B-? The type of blood coursing through your veins is likely different from the blood in your friends and maybe even your family. Knowing your blood type is important for blood transfusions and other medical purposes, which raises a question: Why do humans have different blood types?…

  If you’ve ever spent much time playing outside on a warm day, you may have noticed that your feet got a little… well, sweaty. And why wouldn’t they? Imagine being wrapped up in a sock and stuffed inside a tennis shoe. It has to be stifling in there! It’s normal for feet to sweat. But it can…

  Let’s start today’s Wonder of the Day with a joke. Okay, here it is: What do you call a bird that’s afraid to fly in the rain? Any ideas? That’s right, it’s a chicken! Ha! Of course, chickens don’t spend much time flying anyway—rain or no rain. But rain does affect the flight habits of…

  Racing sports are some of the most thrilling events around. From the Olympic 100-meter final to the Indy 500, races draw fans from all around the world. But there’s one such sport that’s growing especially fast nowadays. What are we talking about? Motocross, of course! What is motocross? It’s a type of motorcycle racing. The riders take…

  Has anyone ever told you, “You are what you eat”? It’s an old saying, but it’s also true! That’s why it’s so important to eat healthy food. Your digestive system breaks down what you eat and sends it all over your body. Today’s Wonder of the Day covers a very important part of that process—your intestines.…

  When you think of tetanus, does a rusty nail come to mind? Well, that image might be a little rusty, as tetanus has nothing to do with rust itself. Tetanus is a serious infection caused by Clostridium tetani bacteria. These bacteria are found throughout our environment, dwelling in places such as soil, dust and feces. Tetanus bacteria…

You know what a square is: It’s a shape with four equal sides. Seems hard to improve upon, right? What, then, is a perfect square? In order to explain that, we’ll have to get a little math-y. “Square” is one of those words that can refer to a shape, but it can also mean multiplying a…

    Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates the date of the Mexican army’s May 5, 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. The day, which falls on Thursday, May 5 in 2022, is also known as Battle of Puebla Day. While…

  On May 7, 1994, Norway’s most famous painting, “The Scream” by Edvard Munch, is recovered almost three months after it was stolen from a museum in Oslo. The fragile painting was recovered undamaged at a hotel in Asgardstrand, about 40 miles south of Oslo, police said. The iconic 1893 painting of a waiflike figure…

KEY FACTS Size: Up to 59 feet (18 meters) long Life span: Potentially more than 70 years old Conservation status: Vulnerable Sperm whales eat giant squid for breakfast. Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are the largest toothed whales, with enormous square-shaped heads and the biggest brains of any animal on Earth. These deep-divers are known for hunting down giant squid…

  Today’s Wonder of the Day is all about the U.S.A.’s largest state. It has over 100 volcanoes, 3,000 rivers, and 3,000,000 lakes. Sometimes, its days and nights last months. And it’s one of the best places to see the Northern Lights. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, we’re talking about Alaska! If you…

  How do you usually communicate with others? Talking with someone face-to-face is the oldest form of basic communication. Over time, though, all sorts of other methods have been invented and gained — and lost — popularity. For example, writing letters by hand used to be very popular. After the telephone was invented, people found it nice to be able to call someone…

  You may have learned in school that every living thing is made up of cells. House plants, giraffes, nudibranchs, even human beings—we’re all alive thanks to these tiny building blocks of life. They may be small, but cells are made up of even tinier structures. Today, we’ll learn about a very important part of the…

  When a small, scrappy Mexican force handed the French army a surprise defeat in 1862, the Confederacy was denied a potential ally.   There can be confusion over the origins of Cinco de Mayo. Some think it’s a holiday celebrating Mexican independence from Spain (that’s actually September 16), or the 1810 Mexican Revolution (November 20),…

  Was there an actual wall? As the drama of the civil fraud lawsuit against Goldman Sachs continues to unfold, all eyes are focused on Wall Street. The reverberations from Goldman’s public flogging at the hands of lawmakers and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will be felt throughout the financial industry. But, while…

  If you’ve ever used a magnet before, you may have seen that punchline coming. That’s because magnets attract many objects made from metal—including paperclips, nails, keys, and many other items. You’ve probably been around more than a few magnets in your day. But have you ever WONDERed how they work? Magnets are usually made of iron or a material that…

    On May 13, 1846, the U.S. Congress overwhelmingly votes in favor of President James K. Polk’s request to declare war on Mexico in a dispute over Texas. Under the threat of war, the United States had refrained from annexing Texas after the latter won independence from Mexico in 1836. But in 1844, President John Tyler restarted negotiations with the…

  The annual Mexican holiday marks the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla.   Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, is a holiday that celebrates Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It does not, as many people assume, commemorate Mexican independence, which was declared more than 50 years…

  Would you like to live in Antarctica? The average temperature of -30°F (34.4°C) might stop many from moving there. But it’s not all bad! You could live next to a penguin. You’d have six straight months of sunlight. And, of course, you’d get to experience one of Earth’s rarest geological events nearly every day. What are we talking…

  Science and technology move at a fast pace. One area that’s growing very quickly is genetics. Modern researchers have learned a lot about human genes. They’ve found that genes help shape who people are and how they behave. They can even influence what illnesses people have. Does DNA decide peoples’ interests? How about their special talents? Think about music—are musicians born with…

And you thought your tattoos were provocative. In the year 499 B.C.E., Histiaeus — a Greek adviser to the Persian King Darius I — ordered an enslaved person to visit his son-in-law, Aristagoras. When the man arrived, he asked that his head be shaved. There, tattooed on the enslaved person’s scalp, was a hidden message from Histiaeus. It told Aristagoras…

  On May 1, 1863, the Battle of Chancellorsville begins in Virginia. Earlier in the year, General Joseph Hooker led the Army of the Potomac into Virginia to confront Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. Hooker had recently replaced Ambrose Burnside, who presided over the Army of the Potomac for one calamitous campaign the previous December: the Battle of Fredericksburg. At…

  Have you ever been cleaning out the garage or the basement when a hard-shelled bug crawled out from under something and scared you? You might have shouted, “Eek!” or “Yikes!” or even “Ewww!” Today in Wonderopolis we’re going to be taking a closer look at one of the most hated of all creepy crawlies: the cockroach. Although…

  Do you love to watch movies? Who doesn’t, right? As you watch a movie, you often think ahead, WONDERing what’s about to happen next. Some of the best movies surprise us with things we never saw coming. Each day, we spend time thinking about the future and what lies ahead. While we live in…

  Do you love adventure? Are you an explorer at heart? Do you love to take road trips with your family? Do you yearn for a life filled with purpose and nonstop action? If this sounds like you, then we have just the thing for you. What is it? A mission? Not quite. A trek? Sort of. An adventure? Definitely. We’re…

  Pour a glass of water and take a sip. Pretty good, isn’t it? Would you believe the water you’re drinking has been around for millions of years? It’s true! Before any creatures were living on land, your water was part of the ocean. The water we have on Earth has been here for a very, very long time, and Mother Nature has been constantly recycling…

  It would drastically change abortion rights in America. In a leaked draft opinion made public Monday (May 2), the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that has protected abortion rights in the U.S. for nearly 50 years. Although the leaked draft is not necessarily the final opinion of the…

  The 1973 court ruling could be overturned. In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on the landmark case of Roe v. Wade (410 U.S. 113 (1973)), in which seven of the nine sitting justices agreed that the Constitution protects the right to abortion. The case was initially raised to challenge a Texas law that…

  Memorize this date, and don’t forget to call your mom! You have a lot going on, so we’ll forgive you for asking “When is Mother’s Day?” once or twice this month. (Oh, fine, it might’ve been three times, but you have a lot going on.) Don’t panic, it hasn’t happened yet! The holiday is in…

  On the anniversary of the start of Nazi Germany’s last gasp attack at the Battle of the Bulge, explore eight surprising facts about the fight Winston Churchill called “undoubtedly the greatest American battle” of World War II.   1. Hitler’s generals advised against the attack. Many historians have argued that the Nazi attack on…

  Should you ever happen to meet up with a royal, here’s how to handle yourself with the utmost of elegance and decorum. For better or for worse, there are no “obligatory codes” It would probably be a lot easier if there were a specific set of rules to follow when meeting Her Majesty The…

  Don’t be caught committing cellular sins! Follow our expert phone etiquette rules to avoid being rude and annoying on your smart phone. Put your phone away at the dinner table This phone etiquette rule may seem obvious because, hello, it’s rude, but being courteous in public to both your dining partner and other diners…

The early signs of pregnancy can differ between women. Here are some of the clues your body may provide. Looking out for the early signs of pregnancy in the body can help you to find out if you have become successful in conceiving. When discovering you are pregnant, it can be the start of a remarkable,…

Getting rid of powdery mildew on plants is easier than you may think. Gardening is full of rewards. But sometimes, regardless of whether you’re a novice or a pro, you’ll come across issues in the landscape. Powdery mildew on plants—a white fuzz or powder that usually appears on leaves and sometimes on the stem, flowers,…

  What exactly do we mean when we talk about a “fetal heartbeat” at six weeks of pregnancy? So far this year, 11 states have enacted 90 laws meant to restrict abortion — the most in a single year since the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. Now, lawmakers in nine U.S. states have passed laws banning abortions when…

  Scientists growing human brains in mice? It sounds like science fiction, but it’s happening right now. 1 / 13 NAGYDODO/SHUTTERSTOCK Pig bladders regrowing human limbs Scientists have discovered that tissue from pig bladders can be dried into a powder called extracellular matrix and used to regrow human fingers. While typical mammals heal injuries by growing scar tissue, which…

  Nevado del Ruiz, the highest active volcano in the Andes Mountains of Colombia, suffers a mild eruption that generates a series of lava flows and surges over the volcano’s broad ice-covered summit. Flowing mixtures of water, ice, pumice and other rock debris poured off the summit and sides of the volcano, forming “lahars” that…

Global trade is bringing invasive species to new environments around the world. Is that always a bad thing? An invasive species is a type of animal, plant, fungus or any other living thing that has arrived in a new environment and can harm other species there. You might hear the term “invasive species” used interchangeably…

As with all math-related concepts, students often want to know why corresponding angles are useful. “Well, if you want to make sure that you have two lines that are parallel, you can use this little trick,” said Pauly. “Why not draw a straight line that intercepts both lines, then measure the corresponding angles.” If they…

  What lessons can we learn from the world’s worst financial disasters as the cost of living rises? Economies around the world are reportedly on the brink of the worst financial disaster in recent times, as the cost of living is set to increase during 2022. In the U.K. in particular, may see another recession,…

  Explore 10 surprising facts about one of the longest and most brutal campaigns of World War I.   In a war known for its brutality, the Battle of Verdun, (February 21–December 18, 1916), was among the longest and most bloodiest conflicts of World War I. In the battle that slogged on for 10 months, the…

    Albert Einstein may have been a genius, but when it came to relationships, he was just as clueless as the rest of us—maybe even more so. In a letter written near the end of his life to the family of his closest friend, Michele Besso, the great physicist shared poignant regrets about his…

    On November 13, 1979, in the middle of a game at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins leaps over Kansas City Kings forward Bill Robinzine and slam-dunks the basketball, shattering the fiberglass backboard. The result, according to people who were at the game, was a sound like a bomb going…

  Hint: It has to do with the American Revolution.   It’s no secret that the Brits spell a few words differently than us Americans: “color” becomes “colour,” “organize” becomes “organise,” “liter” becomes “litre”—and that’s before we get into the whole thing about calling “sneakers,” “trainers” and “elevators,” “lifts.” So how did our spellings become…

Ever wonder why you can find grape ice pops, but not grape ice cream? When you think about common fruit flavors, grape is probably one of the first to come to mind. But as common as it is in candy and Popsicles, it’s nowhere to be found in ice cream. Weird, right? If you’ve ever…

  As the war dragged on, creator Anthony Pratt longed for the fun of English country-estate murder-mystery parties, where guests would skulk the hallways, shriek and fall ‘dead’ on the floor.   Before Professor Plum, Miss Scarlett and Colonel Mustard gathered on a game board to claim their first victim—wielding a revolver, a rope or…

  Which team was literally named because a sports reporter ran out of space? Find out here. 1 / 23 ISTOCK/LITTLENY New York Mets Team executives considered Bees, Jets, Skyliners, Skyscrapers, Burros, Continentals, and Meadowlarks but ultimately decided on Mets. It references the organization that successfully lobbied Major League Baseball for the expansion team: the New York…

It’s a miracle that Trevor Rees-Jones made it out alive. The sole survivor of a tragic accident At half-past midnight on August 31, 1997, a black Mercedes crashed into a concrete pillar outside the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. The world mourned Princess Diana’s death in the wake of the crash, with Princess Diana’s funeral being held on…

Hearing “the other side” is surprisingly good for your brain.   In life, once on a path, we tend to follow it, for better or worse. What’s sad is that even if it’s the latter, we often accept it anyway because we are so accustomed to the way things are that we don’t even recognize…

  During the dog days of summer, there’s nothing quite like a day at the pool. Donning your swimsuit and doing a cannonball into a pool full of cool water is one of the best ways to cool off. As you sink down to the bottom, the water surrounds you. It refreshes you like no shower ever could!…

There’s a community in Maryland called Boring. It has 40 houses, a church, Post Office, a fire company, and well… not much else. Nicknamed “The Old Line State” but also known as the “Free State,” “Little America,” and “America in Miniature,” Maryland was the 7th state to join the United States of America on April 28, 1788.…