Science Versus Myth
Are vampires real? What is an out-of-body experience? Are crop circles proof that aliens exist? HowStuffWorks explores what is real and what is urban legend with this collection of Science Versus Myth articles.
How Safety Coffins Eased Grave Fears of Premature Burial
Does Marie Antoinette Still Roam the Halls of Versailles?
Is Scattering Someone's Ashes Technically Considered Littering?
Chainsaws Were Originally Invented to Help With Childbirth
Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of These Debunked Conspiracy Theories
What's the Fascination With Number 23?
How Nostradamus Works
The Tower: The Most Intimidating Tarot Card
Indigo Children: New Age Trend or Undiagnosed ADHD?
How Ben Franklin Helped Ignite the Jersey Devil Hysteria
From Bigfoot to Nessie: 7 Legendary Cryptids That'll Keep You up at Night
Does the Jackalope Really Roam the State of Wyoming?
Is the Mystery of Namibia's Fairy Circles Finally Solved?
Water 'Witches' Pit Science Against Folklore in Search of Groundwater
What's Really Going on at the 'Dog Suicide Bridge'?
Was Lyme Disease Created as a Bioweapon?
Is the Universe Just a Simulation?
Thought Experiment: What If We Stopped Walking Upright?
Learn More / Page 12
A helium balloon rises because the helium is lighter than air. So how would a balloon -- made from a very sturdy but very lightweight material -- that had been removed of all air respond?
If you could spin a carousel fast enough to get its rim moving at nearly the speed of light, would time stand still for people on the carousel?
The standard definition of floating was first recorded by Archimedes and goes something like this: An object in a fluid experiences an upward force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. So how does the water get displaced to keep a boat afloat?
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February is an unusual month, especially when it comes to leap years. In this article, you can read about why we use leap years and how the year 2000 was a leap year and 1900 was not.
Ever wonder why we start our year on the first of January? Or why we have January and the other 11 months in the first place? Find out all about time.
Special relativity deals in phenomena that don’t agree with our historical or commonsense views of how the universe works. In fact, many of the theory’s assertions almost appear ludicrous.
By John Zavisa