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Curious Facts

1007 surprising, true stories about animals, history, space, food and the everyday things around us. Each one checked against trusted sources.

Illustration of an African grey parrot perched beside a row of colored wooden blocksAmazing AnimalsA Pet-Shop Parrot Named Alex Changed What Scientists Thought Birds Could UnderstandIllustration of a nervous person waiting at a front door holding a bouquet of flowersThe Human BodyThat Fluttery Feeling Before a Big Date Is Real. Your Body Is Rerouting Your BloodIllustration of a vintage hospital ward with rows of beds and nurses in white uniformsHistory's OdditiesIt Infected a Third of the World in 1918. Then, for Decades, People Barely Spoke of ItA small mixed-breed dog sitting beside a vintage 1950s spacecraftSpace & the SkyShe Was a Stray Dog From the Streets of Moscow. In 1957, She Circled the Earth
Illustration of a quiet forest with softly glowing roots and threads spreading undergroundEarth, Nature & the OceanYou've Heard That Trees Talk Through Underground Fungi. Scientists Aren't So SureIllustration of a hand sprinkling a pinch of salt over a plated dishFood & Kitchen SecretsYour Tongue Has a Built-In Salt Detector. A Little Feels Delicious, Too Much Does Not
A round white smoke detector mounted on a ceiling with a small indicator lightInventions & Everyday ThingsThe Smoke Detector Owes a Debt to a Frustrated Scientist and His CigaretteIllustration of a plane crossing a roadStrange Places & GeographyFor Decades, Drivers at This Airport Had to Stop and Wait Every Time a Plane Landed
Illustration of a person resting under a cozy blanket on a couch while rain streaks down the windowEveryday Science & Curious CustomsFeeling 'Under the Weather' May Have Started With a Cold, Wet Job on a Sailing ShipIllustration of a hummingbird resting on a tiny twigAmazing AnimalsA Hummingbird's Heart Can Top 1,200 Beats a Minute. At Night, Something ChangesIllustration of an older couple smiling warmly at each otherThe Human BodyScientists Had Volunteers Bite Down on a Pen, and Cartoons Suddenly Seemed FunnierIllustration of a sailing ship with a woman pirate at the helmHistory's OdditiesAnne Bonny Joined a Pirate Crew and Escaped the Gallows. The Real Story Beats the Legend
Illustration of star trails circling around the North Star in a night skySpace & the SkyEvery Star in the Northern Sky Circles One Point. The North Star Sits Almost on ItIllustration of puffy white clouds over a green fieldEarth, Nature & the OceanThat Fluffy White Cloud Looks Weightless. The Water Inside Adds Up to a Surprising TotalIllustration of a plate of spaghetti with tomato sauce on a checkered tableclothFood & Kitchen SecretsA Founding Father Served Macaroni at the White House, and One Guest Wasn't ImpressedIllustration of a fabric roll measuring tapeInventions & Everyday ThingsThe Machine-Gun Story Behind "The Whole Nine Yards" Falls Apart. Here's What Experts Found
A white lighthouse standing on a rocky Michigan shoreline beside a blue Great LakeStrange Places & GeographyThe State With the Most Lighthouses Doesn't Touch an Ocean at AllIllustration of a paper wall calendar page showing Friday the 13thEveryday Science & Curious CustomsFriday the 13th Feels Ancient, but the Superstition Is Younger Than You'd ExpectA camel walking across golden sand dunes under a clear skyAmazing AnimalsMost of Us Learned Camels Store Water in Their Humps. The Real Answer Is StrangerIllustration of a bright, healthy smile showing clean white teethThe Human BodyThe Hardest Substance in Your Body Isn't Bone. It's Also Surprisingly Fragile
A large, deep blue diamond resting on dark velvet under soft lightHistory's OdditiesThe Hope Diamond Is Famous for a Deadly Curse. The Story Started in the NewspapersIllustration of a starry sky over mountainsSpace & the SkyWhen You Look at the North Star, You're Seeing Light That Left Before Colonial TimesA giant cave opening with mist drifting through it and green jungle growing on the cave floorEarth, Nature & the OceanIn Rural China, Locals Watch a Giant Cave to Know When Rain Is ComingIllustration of a tall glass of milk on a wooden farm tableFood & Kitchen SecretsMilk Is Mostly Water, So Why Isn't It Clear? Skim Milk Holds a Colorful Clue