Interesting Thing of the Day

Pies that contain meat were once the rule, rather than the exception. Modern mincemeat may not contain any meat at all, but the history of the pie and its name is full of surprises.

Ongoing medical research is turning up a multitude of curative uses for honey. Besides soothing sore throats, it may help to heal wounds, prevent tooth decay, and even perhaps even reduce the risk of heart disease.

An ancient city in Jordan was carved out of the walls of a deep, narrow canyon. You won't find the Holy Grail there, but Indiana Jones would still keep busy unearthing its mysteries.

The legendary New Orleans bar that created the hurricane cocktail is a hot spot for pilgrims, especially those that sit in the patio next to the flaming fountain.

One of the world's rarest and most expensive kinds of salt comes from the sea, but has a very special method of harvesting.

What do you get if you cross and airplane and a helicopter? A funny-looking aircraft with an unpowered rotor. Whatever else you can say about it, it won't stall at slow speeds.

Those wacky Finns. The best-known and goofiest sporting competition in Finland involves carrying a woman through an obstacle course. The reward? The woman's weight in beer!

It's not just for instant coffee and camping foods anymore! The process by which virtually all the water can be removed from something while keeping its structure intact is being applied to everything from flowers to pets.

The old cure for constipation has also been used as a weapon, and extracts from the same plant produce a deadly poison.

What's the connection between Belgium and Green Bay, Wisconsin? It's not cheese, but a little-known language called Walloon.

A refreshingly low-tech way to keep butter fresh without making it rock-hard and unspreadable, French butter dishes rely on simple physics.

Are there really dozens of Eskimo words for snow? Maybe or maybe not, depending on how you look at it. But there are definitely at least eight English terms for "snow crust."

Referred to by some as the king of fruits, this tropical fruit has an overpowering aroma and a flavor that, to be generous, is an acquired taste.

For testing audio equipment and other sensitive tasks that require a complete absence of reflected sounds, an anechoic chamber is the ultimate cone of silence.

An professor at Oxford University around the beginning of the 20th century is remembered not for his keen intellect but for his frequent verbal blunders.