Explainer

The "We Can Do It" poster is one of the most famous images of the 20th century but the story behind the image is complicated.

James White tests out The Water Pillow by Mediflow and explains the unusual experience of sleeping on a pillow filled with water.

Preventing big clusters of cases would help curb the pandemic, scientists say.

All the differences you'll find between the fast food restaurant here and overseas.

A father gives useful, practical advice on replacing a tire.

A fascinatingly detailed history of the time-honored tradition of backyard grilling in America.

Preston McAfee, the chief economist at Microsoft, explains how auctions serve as price discovery mechanisms.

The Action Lab demonstrates how when you pour soda into ice you can get temperatures colder than ice.

Deep into quarantine, the test kitchen staff share their iterations of the comfort-food staple.

The battle for control of the Senate is on.

The full extent of the death toll from the coronavirus is hard to contemplate but this graph reveals the big picture.

A homemade lava lamp can be made with 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons water, 8/10 drops of food coloring and 1 tablet of alka seltzer.

There's a reason why some species communicate with lower sounds.

Soap operas have this soft, dreamy look that sticks out like a sore thumb on television.

An explanation of how contact tracing apps can work without compromising privacy.

Moon conspiracy theorists say if there's no air on the moon, dust shouldn't be flying around. The Action Lab demonstrates whether dust can kick up inside a vacuum.

How selling small squares of paperboard or thick paper became a lucrative business.

Here's the science behind what carbonated drinks do inside our bodies once we drink them.

When the video game company found itself with thousands of unsold copies of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, it came up with a solution.

A sandwich made of spicy mashed potatoes and garlic chutney is a key staple of Mumbai's cuisine.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is one of the most respected doctors in America. Where did he come from and how did he get this reputation?

Forget dongles. Dust off your soldering iron and let's convert these USB devices ourselves.

In an experiment conducted by NHK in consultation with experts, the spread of infection on cruise ships was dramatically illustrated through florescent paint.

A panel of chefs provide tips for cooking up the perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

The Atlantic interviews former patients hospitalized for COVID-19 and their experience with ICU delirium — a hallucinogenic state that occurs in the vast majority of patients on ventilators.

This wire goes from 126th Street to Battery Park and costs $100,000+ a year to maintain. What is it for?

"When the Bronco went away, it became even more popular in its absence."

The host of The Action Lab demonstrates what happens to tiny Styrofoam beads when you blast a fan inside a chamber with no air.

Nobody wants a war between the two Koreas but who would win? Both sides have many advantages and disadvantages. A YouTuber crunched the numbers.

The stock market plunged when the coronavirus crisis set in. But now it's on the rise, even as the pandemic continues, unemployment skyrockets, and GDP falls. What gives?

Before the coronavirus outbreak, more than half of all air cargo traveled on passenger flights. What happens when nobody is really flying overseas anymore?

While the Ford F-15 remains the best selling vehicle in the United States, trucks are rare in Europe.

A useful explainer on why you need to continuously work on practicing safety while in a chemistry lab.

France, Germany, Denmark, the United Kingdom and others are seeking to limit the scope of the economic downturn from the coronavirus by paying private-sector salaries. Can the United States do this too?

Today, petroleum producers around the world will start shutting down wells after the COVID-19 pandemic caused demand to plummet. What took them so long?

The virus has mutated. But that doesn't mean it's getting deadlier.

The sandwich boys Ben Turley and Brent Young demonstrate how roast beef gets made.

The mall was a central part to American life for over 50 years but today, many of them lie in ruin and the ones that have survived are teetering on the edge of economic survival. What happened?

On November 20, 1980, the ecosystem of Lake Peigneur in Louisiana was forever changed by a critical mistake by an oil exploration effort by Texaco.

Why state unemployment websites are overloaded but streaming services like Netflix (which also have spiked in numbers) are totally fine.

The ingredients and production of Cheez Balls and Dunkaroos are murky, but these snacks retain a nostalgic pull for anyone who ate junk food in the '90s

Nathan Rabin said the trope "exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures."

Rolls-Royce are known for making some of the world's most luxurious cars. What is the manufacturer doing to the car to make it cost so much?

Who owns the rain? In some states, where water is hard to come by, it can be a contentious legal question.

Evan Puschak takes a deep dive into how Alan Moore's reboot of Marvelman brought superheroes into the real world.

Brady Haran takes on one of Lewis Carroll's famous "pillow problems."

The roads don't cross at a right angle — and the angle that they do cross at makes the intersection a major hazard.

How did Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh's 1985 hit "La Di Da Di" become so ripe for sampling in hundreds of songs?

Can you put a price on a perfect piece of toast? A YouTuber takes a look at what goes into this complex bread oven.

Steve Mould observes you can lens for sound using different gasses in a balloon.

From "Speed" to "Hobbes and Shaw," elevators are often depicted in action movies as putting riders at risk but the reality is they're shockingly safe.

UC Davis professor Alison Ledgerwood explains why our brains tend to fixate on the negative thoughts instead of positive ones and how to hack yourself to think the opposite.

A basic overview of how to wear a mask by a medical professional on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak.

Why we can all thank arborists and their insistence on growing all-male trees for contributing to the scourge of allergies.

An exploration of the fluffy pen as an allegorical apparatus in modern movies.

Doug DeMuro explains why the luxury car brand is on its way out of business.

This guy explains how to cut your hair by yourself in a succinct and informative way.

Kallie Moore explains the mystery behind why there's a discrepancy between old rocks, formed billions of years ago, mixed with relatively young Cambrian sedimentary rock in the Grand Canyon and other places.

Many people carry the coronavirus without even knowing it. What is going on inside the people who don't feel sick?

How does the new iPhone SE stack up compared to the others?