The real story behind what you think you know

Myth Unpacked

The real story behind what you think you know

Latest Articles

The Knuckle-Cracking Arthritis Warning Is Almost Certainly Wrong — Here's the Strange Story Behind It
Tech & Culture

The Knuckle-Cracking Arthritis Warning Is Almost Certainly Wrong — Here's the Strange Story Behind It

If you grew up cracking your knuckles, someone probably warned you about arthritis. It's one of the most confidently repeated health cautions in American households — and one of the least supported by actual evidence. Here's what the science says, and how this particular myth got such a firm grip on us.
Your Kid Isn't Wired on Sugar — You Just Think They Are
Tech & Culture

Your Kid Isn't Wired on Sugar — You Just Think They Are

Parents have blamed birthday cake and Halloween candy for chaotic kid behavior for generations, but controlled research has consistently failed to find any real connection between sugar and hyperactivity. The actual explanation is a fascinating lesson in how powerfully our expectations shape what we think we see.
The Rise, Fall, and Stubborn Resurrection of Digg: The Internet's Most Dramatic Comeback Story
Tech & Culture

The Rise, Fall, and Stubborn Resurrection of Digg: The Internet's Most Dramatic Comeback Story

Before Reddit became the front page of the internet, there was Digg — a scrappy social news site that dominated the mid-2000s web and then imploded in spectacular fashion. This is the story of how it rose, crashed, and kept trying to come back.