劳里·l·鸽子is an award-winning journalist who covers timely topics for HowStuffWorks. She is the author of six books and the former owner of a newspaper and magazine. When not reporting on the latest tech breakthrough, health advance or economic development, Dove is tracking down hidden history, science innovations and biologic discoveries. As the Honorable Laurie Dove, Mayor, she has brought multi-million-dollar improvements to the small Midwest town where she lives with her husband, five children and two Akitas.
Recent Contributions
You might have heard of George Washington Carver and Neil deGrasse Tyson. But what about Patricia Bath? Or Percy Julian? Meet 10 African American scientists who have made the world a better place for everyone.
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Ah, vanilla. You can almost smell it right now, can't you? From pure vanilla extract to essence and imitation, it comes in all forms. But where does vanilla flavoring come from?
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Both white vinegar and cleaning vinegar can be used to clean, but the two are definitely not interchangeable. So, what's the difference?
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这么多的人居住在一个状态和工作的g in another these days, taxes can be more complicated than ever before. Here are 11 tax tips to remember when filing.
Most of us use the CC function in our email accounts all the time, but do you know what CC actually means and how it works?
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Cleaning grout may not be your favorite pastime, but doing it right can make it a not-quite-so-unpleasant task. Here's how.
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Bridges connect people and places, with inspired engineering and views that can't be beat. Here are the 10 longest in the world.
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Windows shattered, furniture broken and dozens of cadets including Jefferson Davis nog-wild on smuggled booze. A "party" in 1826 nearly altered the course of history.
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"Happy New Year! Now let's get divorced." The arrival of a new calendar year often brings a jump in divorces. But January is not the only time divorces spike.
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Even though we don't keep most of our resolutions, we still make them every year. Turns out, this practice has been going on for thousands of years. What compels us to do this?
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The decision made at the 27th General Conference on Weights and Measures will scrap leap seconds for good by 2035.
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If money was no problem, how much would you spend on a car, painting or house? We've got the items with the biggest price tags here.
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Perhaps no country on Earth loves Christmas more than the Philippines. Residents there celebrate the holiday for four months solid. Here's why.
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The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree in New York City may be an iconic symbol of the holidays, but how well do you know this tree-dition?
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Of the 8 billion people now inhabiting this planet, almost 60 percent live in urban environments in some pretty densely packed cities. Here are the top 10 megacities in the world.
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You're not supposed to cry over spilled milk. But a broken mirror? That's another matter. Will breaking a mirror really heap misfortune upon your head?
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The table is cleared and everybody's full, so gather around because we've found the 10 best Thanksgiving movies to watch with friends and family this November.
Ever felt a pang of guilt on, say, Election Day when you skipped the voting booth to go to dinner? The 'bread and circuses' concept of being pacified by food and entertainment — and forgoing civic duty — goes back to Roman times.
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Not to be confused with sleet, graupel is actually an interesting mix of snow and ice. But it's not hail. Graupel, get to know it.
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It's easy to find out how much money a movie made on its opening weekend. But when it comes to books, sales numbers can be hard to pin down. That's where we come in.
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Unless you've butchered an octopus, you might assume that it's as red-blooded as you are. And you'd be wrong. Why are octopuses the original blue bloods?
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Continuous monitoring of blood pressure instead of the static, one-time reading provided by a cuff is a medical holy grail and scientists have, for the first time, come up with a graphene tattoo that will provide it.
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One day, Larry was a humble stray cat. The next, he was 'Chief Mouser' at the British Prime Minister's residence. Unlike the revolving door of PMs lately, Larry has staying power. But is he any good at catching mice?
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How large does a random group of people have to be for a 50 percent chance to exist that at least two of the people will share a birthday?
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