Sarah Dowdey has written nearly 200 articles for us. She also cohosted the podcast "Stuff You Missed in History Class." She has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Georgia.
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Christmas is celebrated by hundreds of millions of people around the world each year. But what do presents, three wise men and Jesus have to do with each other anyway?
You can see them from space. They span Dubai's coastline, providing prime real estate to interested millionaires. They're the Palm Islands of Dubai — the largest artificial islands in the world.
灵魂转世的概念,或some aspect of the soul, is reborn into new lives. Has Western science proven that it really occurs?
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Vegans take vegetarianism several steps further, avoiding even animal products like honey and silk. Learn about what it's like to be a vegan and why veganism seems to stir up controversy.
Lots of families take a weekend break with a trip out to the park or zoo. But with a little preparation, you can have a similar experience in your own backyard. Get ready for a wild trek through home territory.
For 500 years, explorers searched for the fabled Northwest Passage, a route that connected the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Could global warming reduce the risk and open the passage for modern business?
In detective movies or TV shows like "CSI," photographers swarm in and take countless pictures of a crime scene. But how does crime scene photography really go down?
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Until recently, most people assumed that if Mars had liquid water, it no longer did and hadn't for quite some time. But scientists have recently noticed some anomalies in photos of Mars that may suggest there is water. Could there be life, too?
Did King Tut put a hex on a group of archaeologists and dignitaries? Or is a mosquito to blame for their mysterious deaths?
Archaeology is the study of humanity's material remains -- even a piece of an ancient pot can tell us a lot about the past. But how do archaeologists make sense of these relics?
Flavorists are enlisted by food manufacturers to concoct new and improved flavors for food. But how natural is the process?
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From Jimmy Choo to Omni Hotels, retailers are following the latest advertising trend: scent marketing. Can a pleasant smell make a big sale?
Despite what people say, the tongue isn't your body's strongest muscle. But you do depend on it for eating, tasting and speaking.
The Dalai Lama is known for his compassion, wisdom and patience. But how does the 14th Dalai Lama govern his people in exile?
The principle behind karma is that people's actions affect their present and future lives. Is karma an idea or an actual substance that sticks to the soul?
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The Audubon Society promotes legislation that protects wildlife, birds and the ecosystems that support them. Learn about the society's past and present.
The Sierra Club lobbies for environmental preservation and engages members in fun wilderness excursions.
The EPA was established to protect human health and the environment. How does the agency interpret and enact environmental legislation?
An odd oasis of fantastical desert skyscrapers Dubai sprawls over the sand and creeps out to sea. Once an unassuming Bedouin outpost the city has become an international curiosity and a destination for the rich and famous.
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With its fleet of ships in tow, Greenpeace uses nonviolent tactics to bring attention to environmental abuse. How did Greenpeace start, and what does its name mean?
At 1,922 feet (607 meters) tall, the Burj Dubai is the new tallest building in the world -- and it's still under construction.
A massive complex of theme parks, cultural attractions and resort living, Dubailand will be twice the size of Disney World. But don't plan your visit to the ultimate desert destination until 2020.
Smell is a basic sense, but scientists are still exploring how it works. Why are researchers, developers and even government agencies so curious about smell? What makes a seemingly simple sense so tantalizing?
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Taste might seem like the simplest sense. But we know much less about taste than we do about sight and hearing. Why is taste so mysterious? And what on earth is umami?
Your luggage gets "mishandled" by an airline and favorite pieces of your wardrobe, souvenirs and toiletries disappear into a black abyss. Or do they? Actually, your wardrobe is hanging out in Scottsboro, Ala., and it has some interesting company.