Josh Clark

Josh Clark

HowStuffWorks

Josh Clark wanted to be a professional writer since his third-grade teacher told him a short story he wrote was kind of good. He's written ever since. He's a former senior writer for HowStuffWorks and current co-host of the Stuff You Should Know podcast. Josh lives with his wife, Umi. The pair really, really enjoys traveling, solving mysteries, having pizza parties and visiting museums (both renowned and obscure). Josh has been to the real-life house that served as the Robin's Nest on "Magnum, P.I." and is on an indefinite hiatus from being a jerk.

Recent Contributions

On a planet that is 70 percent water, people don't have enough clean, safe water to drink. We're in a water crisis, and water rights are becoming a big issue. What happens if we just plain run out?

By Josh Clark

You think you'd know what happiness was -- you've felt it before, right? Not quite. It turns out that the definition of happiness pretty much depends on who's defining it.

By Josh Clark

Decapitation is a surefire way to deliver a quick and painless death, right? In actuality, an increasingly large body of historical and scientific evidence suggests that beheading doesn't, in fact, deliver instant death.

By Josh Clark

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It happens all the time. You see an ad on television for an amazing car you've always wanted, and the monthly payments shown are actually within your financial grasp. But is that "attractive lease offer" really all it's cracked up to be?

By Josh Clark

Happiness is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, it can also be elusive due to stress or depression. However, strategies abound that you can use to trick yourself into being happy. Ready for 10 of them?

By Josh Clark & Jessika Toothman

A mass extinction on Earth is long overdue, according to population ecologists. Find out what Earth's fossil record may be telling us about our future.

By Josh Clark

Blushing comes from the same system that causes your fight-or-flight response. But why do your cheeks flush? Is it some kind of universal, wordless apology?

By Josh Clark

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Can you watch your body after you die? Near-death out-of-body experiences have left researchers wondering if life after death exists. How do scientists explain it?

By Josh Clark

Somewhere in the world, a prisoner likely is enduring torture right now. Human rights organizations have made it their mission to report these crimes against men, women and children. Here are 10 of the most common ways torture is perpetuated in modern society.

By Josh Clark & Jonathan Atteberry

The sea scorpion may have been the largest bug to ever live on the Earth, according to a recent find. Learn more about the giant sea scorpion.

By Josh Clark

Delta Force is the U.S. military's most elite tactical combat group. Yet the government refuses to deny its existence. Does a well-funded secret force that, allegedly, answers only to the president make the U.S. more secure or more vulnerable?

By Josh Clark & Sascha Bos

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Formerly known as "shell shock," research into post-traumatic stress disorder began intensely after Congress requested a study of how Vietnam veterans were readjusting to civilian life in 1983. What have we learned since then about PTSD and what are the symptoms?

By Josh Clark

The ancient Chinese brought us many great innovations, including some that we take for granted in the modern world. Let's examine 10 of ancient China's greatest inventions.

By Josh Clark & Sascha Bos

We need food for sustenance and nutrition, but we also eat for pleasure. We like the way some things taste, and enjoy the experience of eating, but can food actually make us happy?

By Josh Clark

When you see someone else yawn, you often find yourself doing it. Yawning is contagious. But what does that have to do with the ability to feel empathy?

By Josh Clark

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According to DNA research, we may all have a common ancestor, an African woman who lived thousands of years ago. How did scientists reach this conclusion? Is it even possible?

By Josh Clark & Desiree Bowie

Remember that traffic accident you avoided the other day? In another universe, you died. Or at least you did according to the Many-Worlds theory.

By Josh Clark

Addictions to substances such as drugs and alcohol have ruined the lives of people all over the world. Read about current views and ideas on addiction.

By Josh Clark & Sascha Bos

Explore the miraculous phenomenon of Incorruptible Saints, whose bodies defy decay after death. Dive into the history, significance, and mysteries surrounding these holy figures.

By Josh Clark

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Incorruptible bodies -- corpses that don't decay -- are a scientific mystery. Read why incorruptible bodies are hard to explain and where to find them.

By Josh Clark

The U.S. Army Rangers are an oddity of the U.S. military special operations forces. Though they can trace their lineage as far back as colonial times, they didn't become a permanent presence in the military until the 1970s.

By Josh Clark

Have you ever done something for someone else just because it was a nice thing to do? Do people perform unselfish acts because it feels good or is it just something society wants us to do?

By Josh Clark

Polar bears evolved to blend in with the terrain so they could hunt better. What causes one group of animals to split off from the rest of the species and develop new genetic traits?

By Josh Clark

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Crews have to race to contain the damage from major oil spills to prevent damage to beaches, death to marine life and birds, and devastation to local wetlands. So how do they clean them up?

By Josh Clark & Sarah Gleim

What are your happiest childhood memories? What do you remember most about them -- the things you bought or the gifts you received, or the events themselves?

By Josh Clark