‘Tis the season for stories of wintery magic. From Elsa and Frozone to their mythical grandfather, Jack Frost, there's no cooler gift than the power to let it snow at will, or shock a pond skate-worthy with a single touch. Little do we realize that these chilly abilities aren't limited to the realm of holiday
Every time I hear the phrase, “I'm not a math person,†I imagine that deep in the heart of college campuses and libraries across the world, there dwells a mysterious creature who spends their days scribbling complex calculations on napkins (or windows). The math person is closely related to the equally-elusive science person, known for
What is it with humans and music? We sing our babies to sleep and compose endless cascades of love songs. We get melodies involuntarily wedged in our heads. We spontaneously break into song in the shower, hum while cooking, sing in the rain, and whistle in the dark. Yet despite our collective obsession with music,
Birds are typically known for their grace and elegance. They emerge from the lingering chill of winter to soar gracefully overhead, surprise us with brilliant plumage, wake us at ungodly hours with their joyful pre-dawn chorus…
And then there's the waxwings.
The Myth:
Cold weather causes colds.
The Reality:
While frosty air itself won't give you the sniffles, you should still bundle up.
It just isn't Christmas until you've spent four hours untangling your 250 strands of 25,000 imported Italian twinkle lights.
Christmas lights spend all year in a stationary box. How do they manage to arrange themselves into such spectacular snarls? Evil elves? Christmas dark magic?
The Myth:
Sugar makes kids hyper.
The Reality:
The sugar-hyperactivity connection is not supported by science.
They say there's no place like home for the holidays… but how do you get there? If you're a bird, turtle, lobster, or even a bacteria, chances are you'll be relying on the earth's magnetic field.
Christmas music: it's hard to escape this time of year. Whether you love it or hate it, you've probably had a holiday tune or two echoing in your head lately. Turns out, psychologists have an official name for this phenomenon: Involuntary Musical Imagery (INMI). While less formal terms range from “sticky music†to “melodymania,†songs that get stuck in our heads are usually referred to as earworms.
The Myth:
Peppermint improves cognitive function.
The Reality:
Your grade school teachers were right all along.
Fur coats and thick layers of blubber might be the adaptational standards for icy climates. But when it comes to braving the frosty air, the humble wood frog is simply too cool to be bothered.
They may not be home for Christmas, but the men and women orbiting hundreds of miles apart from the rest of humanity aren't letting that dampen their holiday spirit.
