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.

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Does everyone's favorite Wookiee call Bigfoot family?

By Robert Lamb

The Tower card is one that people are afraid to draw. But what if the seemingly ominous tarot card is just misunderstood?

By Dominique Michelle Astorino

If you think chainsaws were first invented to take down a swath of trees, think again. The real story is much more cringe-worthy and involves cutting bones during childbirth.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

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Explore the 444 angel number meaning. Uncover what it can mean for your love life, career and finances.

By Jonathan Strickland, Melanie Radzicki McManus & HowStuffWorks

Explore the world of tattoo meanings! Decode the symbolism, culture, and significance behind various tattoo designs. Ink your story with purpose.

By HowStuffWorks

Unlock the mysteries of your sun sign! Explore personality, compatibility, and insights revealed by your zodiac sun sign.

By HowStuffWorks

"Safety coffins" were tricked-out caskets that provided a way for prematurely buried people to escape from 6 feet under, back when this fear was sometimes a frightening reality.

By Dave Roos

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Indigo children are either here to save the world or need help with their undiagnosed ADHD, depending on your point of view. We explore this New Age concept in more detail.

By Alia Hoyt

In the Namib Desert, fairy circles have stumped researchers for decades. Where did they come from? One scientist thinks he's solved the mystery.

By Allison Troutner

Wood, grass and food scraps undergo a process known as biodegradation when they're buried. They're transformed by bacteria in the soil into other useful compounds, but those same bacteria typically turn up their noses at plastic. Luckily, that's not the end of the story.

By William Harris

Plastics that aren't recycled tend to hang around our planet like houseguests who have worn out their welcome. Can biodegradable plastics, which may break down in fewer than 90 days, change that scenario?

By William Harris

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The hybrid car may be the savior of the automobile industry, but its production processes have come under fire of late. The car may be green, but what about the way the car actually gets made?

By Dave Roos

Even though they've come down in price, solar panels are still expensive and somewhat inefficient. And then there are cloudy days. Can solar panels ever replace fossil fuels for our everyday needs?

By Jonathan Strickland

Imagine waking up one morning to find yourself unable to get to work due to a dead car battery. You won't have to do that if you have a solar car battery charger -- but how well do they really work?

By Marie Willsey

Most of us are accustomed to watching 2-D films with flat images. But when we put on 3-D glasses, we see a world that has depth. We can imagine existing in such a world because we live in one. What about another dimension altogether?

By Molly Edmonds & Desiree Bowie

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If the colonists hadn't eked out a victory against the mighty British Empire, what would have been their fate? Would leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson have been executed?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Black holes have serious pull, and they're not afraid to use it. Could one of these skulking bad boys ever arise in our home, sweet (solar system) home?

By Nicholas Gerbis

It's all fun and games when you're on a deserted island. But eventually you're going to get really thirsty. How bad can glugging seawater be?

By Vicki M. Giuggio

You can say goodbye to the seven continents and hello to days that seem infernally long. What else awaits you on a spin-free Earth?

By Jonathan Atteberry & Desiree Bowie

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Would the people of the world get along better if they spoke the same language? Or would it just be easier for us to hate each other?

By Colleen Cancio

Forward and back, left and right, up and down -- most of us are familiar with these spatial dimensions. We might even pinpoint our location in time. Is that all there is to dimensions? No way, say the scientists who have a theory for everything.

By Robert Lamb

It opened the door for numerous technological advances, from nuclear power and nuclear medicine to the inner workings of the sun. It even appeared in the title of a Mariah Carey album. Really. Can you define those three key variables, too?

By Robert Lamb & Yara Simón

It could be that the hunt for the Higgs is a little like Christopher Columbus' famous 1492 voyage, full of surprising discoveries that take particle physicists to places they never anticipated. How's that voyage going anyhow?

By Robert Lamb

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Superman has his Bizarro planet, Alice tiptoes through the looking glass. For scientists, that world where normal rules and laws fail to explain what's happening is quantum physics. What's so weird about it?

By Robert Lamb

Experts are baffled as to why dogs keep throwing themselves off Overtoun Bridge in Scotland. Are they lured by unseen scents or is something supernatural at work?

By Nathan Chandler