Life's Little Mysteries

More than 8.5 million acres of land in the U.S. burned this year. Here's how the raging flames get their start.

Fish do it. So do jellyfish, starfish and sea cucumbers.

Here's a case for wearing sunscreen 365 days a year.

Dry, chapped lips are itchy and painful, but repeatedly applying lip balms and products may not help your case.

Nut-obsessed squirrels might be smarter than you think.

How did people wake up before the invention of modern alarm clocks?

What is it about the seasonal trend — that is, infusing pumpkin spice flavor into all kinds of treats — that makes it a fall favorite?

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How history, architecture and, weirdly enough, bird milk have enabled pigeons to thrive in cities.

Why do gnats insist on flying together in the same tiny air space?

Blinking doesn't interrupt what we see, but how does that work?

There's nothing like a fresh, tangy glass of orange juice to go with your morning oatmeal. But if you've just brushed your teeth, you may find that the beverage tastes … less than delicious.

Compostable products are all the rage these days. But what happens to these items — including compostable straws and silverware — when they're thrown into a landfill instead of a compost heap?

A persistent myth about milk — that drinking it can lead to the production of more gooey mucus in your body's airways — is completely false, a new review finds.

Diamonds are forever, and gold is precious, but which is rarer? And does that rarity have anything to do with the price we see at a jewelry store?