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?
The Tower: The Most Intimidating Tarot Card
Indigo Children: New Age Trend or Undiagnosed ADHD?
What Does it Mean When You See Angel Numbers?
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?
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Rainy, dreary, Seattle, right? Everyone says it's the rainiest city in the United States. However, Seattleites are keeping a secret from you. Find out if their rainy reputation is real — or if the rumor's all wet.
Summertime fashion — light in weight and light in color. Are these pastel colors a designer's choice? Or do light colors actually keep you cooler, as some say? Read to find out if you should ditch the goth wardrobe this summer.
Walking down a city sidewalk, you protect your valuables and weave through crowds. Should you also beware of falling pennies?
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If you've ever been to a slumber party, you know the drill. Place your fingers under someone's body, chant "Light as a feather ... stiff as a board ..."and they'll magically rise up into the air. Is this old trick a true ghostly phenomenon?
By Debra Ronca
In the classic film "Cool Hand Luke," the title character gulps down 50 hard-boiled eggs in less than an hour. Is this a trick you can (or should) try at home?
By Debra Ronca
Urban legends about Disney World are a dime a dozen. Some are totally outlandish but others are true — like the one about the secret city under the Magic Kingdom.
By Debra Ronca
The core of our planet is about as hot as the sun. Could it ever cool down? That's one thing you don't want to happen.
By Chris Opfer
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A helium shortage threatens more than just the balloon industry. Way more. Here's what at stake should we run out of this gas — which is a real possibility.
By Chris Opfer
What could happen if we poked one of these sleeping giants? There are two scenarios. One is good. One is very, very bad.
By Chris Opfer
Welcome to Yellowstone, a natural wonderland that's home to stunning vistas, vibrant plant and animal life ... and a massive and potentially devastating supervolcano.
By Chris Opfer
Your vacation would be ruined, and that's not all.
By Chris Opfer
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Sans gravity, would we all just bounce up and down like astronauts on the moon? No. It would look a little more like a Michael Bay movie.
By Chris Opfer
Our planet's path around the sun defines life on Earth. What would happen if it changed?
By Chris Opfer
Climate change and industrial activity are wiping out large sections of the world's largest rainforest.
By Chris Opfer
If you've found yourself screeching while a bug scuttled through your kitchen, you're not alone. But we need bugs more than they need us.
By Chris Opfer
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Even with today's weather-forecasting technologies, some old sailing adages stick around. Does "Red sky in morning, sailor take warning" hold water?
For decades, moms have been threatening that if you don't eat your crust, your hair will fall out, fall limp or somehow fall incorrectly. What's the deal with bread crusts and hairstyles?
The full moon gives us the ocean tides. And werewolves. Does it also give us sleep issues? Some say yes. Here's the science.
For some, the holidays are time of good cheer. For others, they're a season of anxiety and loneliness. Does that translate to a higher suicide rate?
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A world without cows would be a world without burgers, right? Yes, and to beef eaters that's bad news, but it would also be a world with less methane. So would losing all cows be worth it?
By Jeff Harder
Your dog just swallowed a plate full of chicken bones. Is he really in serious danger? The short answer: yes. Find out why you need to get him to a vet immediately.
By Jeff Harder
Figuring out how to deal with rising sea levels isn't some kind of purely academic exercise. It's happening. So how do we deal with it, especially if the sea rises a foot in our lifetime?
By Jeff Harder
Earth's magnetic field has flipped many times before, and scientists say it will flip again (though probably not in our lifetime). While it might not be catastrophic, a major change in the magnetic field would present a special set of problems.
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You would probably be pretty freaked out if you ate uranium, right? Well, if you've ever eaten a potato or turnip, you may already have done so. How does your body deal with this radioactive substance?
By Jeff Harder
Feel like drinking a nice, big glass of embalming fluid? We didn't think so. But what would happen if a living person poured into his or her body something meant for the insides of the dead? Nothing good.
By Jeff Harder