Why was tax evasion the only thing pinned on Al Capone?
Al Capone was a king among criminals, and ‘kept his hands clean,’ maintaining plausible deniability by avoiding direct connections to illegal activity. He never paid [Read more]
Podcast
How the iPhone Works
The new Apple iPhone has several advantages, including a GPS and 3G capacity. However, the iPhone is far from perfect, and still has some disadvantages. [Read more]
Why did England and Spain fight over an ear?
When the Spanish Coast Guard caught English Captain Jenkins smuggling, they cut off his ear as punishment. Could this insult have sent two countries to [Read more]
How Zombie Computers Work
When a hacker makes a zombie computer, he infiltrates an unsuspecting victim’s computer and uses it to conduct illegal activities. The user may be unaware [Read more]
Did Nero really play the fiddle while Rome burned?
In A.D. 64, a great fire consumed Rome for six days and seven nights. Some rumors speculated that Nero set the fire, and even played [Read more]
How Video Game Systems Work
Get a console-by-console update on the developments of the 2008 E3 exposition in this HowStuffWorks podcast, including news on improved online features and expanded memory. [Read more]
Why was Davy Crockett king of the wild frontier?
Davy Crockett is one of America’s great real-life legends. With a little help from Walt Disney, Crockett experienced a resurgence in popularity more than 100 [Read more]
Do I Really Need a Digital Converter Box For My TV?
In an effort to free up radio spectrum for emergency broadcasting and wireless service, the US will switch from analog to digital television on Feb. [Read more]
What was the Christmas Truce?
Amid the bloodshed of World War I, the Pope pled for a truce on Christmas Day. The commanding powers refused the truce, but soldiers across [Read more]
How the First Olympics Worked
The first Olympics took place in the sixth century in order to build diplomacy across the Greek world. Learn more about the history of the [Read more]