StrictlyFYI

The archive

Everything worth knowing.

Short, well-sourced stories on the fascinating. Filter by topic.

🔬 Science

Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth If They Just Cause Trouble?

Why do we have wisdom teeth if they so often get impacted or pulled? The evolutionary story of shrinking jaws and a changing diet.

📜 History

Why Airplane Windows Are Round

It's not for the view. The rounded corners are the direct result of one of aviation's deadliest lessons - and a beautiful bit of physics you can see everywhere once you know it.

🔬 Science

Why Do We Get Brain Freeze? The Ice-Cream Headache, Explained

Why do we get brain freeze? The real science of the ice-cream headache, referred pain, and the tongue trick that stops it fast.

🔬 Science

Your Brain Is Wired to See Faces That Aren't There

The face in your car's grille, the man in the moon, the shocked expression on a power outlet - they're all the same trick your brain plays, and it kept your ancestors alive.

🔬 Science

Why Do We Need Mosquitoes? The Case for the World's Most Hated Insect

Why do we need mosquitoes when they kill hundreds of thousands of people a year? The surprising ecology behind the world's deadliest animal.

☕ Everyday

Honey Never Spoils - Here's the Chemistry

Archaeologists found 3,000-year-old honey in Egyptian tombs, still perfectly edible. Almost no other food can do this. The reason is a quiet masterpiece of chemistry - performed by bees.