Features2 hrs agoWhy don't Scandinavians say please?Visitors may be surprised to discover that "please" doesn't work quite the same way across the Nordic countries – revealing a very different way of thinking about politeness.2 hrs ago6 hrs agoThe US homes built from riceA notoriously stubborn agricultural waste product, rice husk is now being repurposed as a sturdy and resilient construction material.6 hrs ago1 day agoConnecticut's forgotten witch trial pastDecades before Salem, Connecticut was the centre of US witch trials. A new statewide haunted history trail connects the towns and sites tied to this overlooked chapter of history.1 day ago1 day agoUnsettling new film Artificial amplifies AI fearsLuca Guadagnino's new film about Open AI and its co-founders Sam Altman and Ilya Sutskever offers a stark warning. Given recent news, its release couldn't be more provocatively timed.1 day ago1 day agoThe real history behind the philosophers' stoneThe myth of Nicolas and Pernelle Flamel, medieval Parisians said to have made gold with a philosophers' stone, sparked a centuries-long obsession. Here's the real story.1 day ago2 days agoCanada's bizarre mummified toe cocktailBorn following a nasty case of frostbite, the Sourtoe Cocktail has become a rite of passage for locals and visitors – and it might just be the world's most unusual drink.2 days ago2 days agoHow Aphrodite became a controversial sex symbolArtworks depicting the ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty, have long been branded obscene. How did she become one of the most controversial figures in the history of art?2 days ago2 days agoTemperature may trump light for shaping sleepSome scientists think that temperature could be just as important as light at training the body's circadian clocks.2 days ago3 days agoWhy a global outbreak of plague is unlikelyA Russian lab technician has died at a plague research centre in Siberia, but there are many reasons pneumonic plague is usually easily contained.3 days ago...