Curious stories. Human habits.
Strange by Habit
The strange origins of the things we say, believe and do.
What are you curious about?
People do extraordinary things. Often for very ordinary reasons.
Nine ways in
Follow your curiosity
Humans do some very strange things. They stop looking strange once we have done them for long enough.
6 investigations
Forgotten People
Remarkable lives and overlooked achievements
6 investigations
The Stranger Side of Victorian Life
Curious customs and unexpected stories of nineteenth-century life
27 investigations
Things We Say
The curious stories behind everyday expressions
15 investigations
Luck & Superstition
From lucky charms to bad omens
17 investigations
Strange Things at Sea
The beliefs and rituals of life on the ocean
13 investigations
Love & Marriage
Romantic customs and wedding traditions
11 investigations
Death & Mourning
Rituals, beliefs and farewells through time
20 investigations
Festivals & Celebrations
Seasonal traditions from around the world
30 investigations
Folklore & Curious Customs
Extraordinary traditions and unusual habits
Selected investigations
Featured Stories
Evidence-led answers to questions that have outlived the people who first asked them.
Things We SayWhy Do Actors Say “Break a Leg”?
Telling someone to “break a leg” moments before they walk on stage sounds spectacularly unhelpful. Yet generations of actors have understood it as precisely the opposite: a wish for a successful performance.
Luck & SuperstitionWhy Are Black Cats Considered Unlucky?
The answer depends surprisingly heavily on where you grew up.
Strange Things at SeaWhy Are Bananas Considered Bad Luck on Boats?
Mention bananas on some fishing boats and you may get a stronger reaction than if you had brought no bait.
Love & MarriageWhy Do Brides Wear White?
The white wedding dress feels so traditional that it is easy to imagine brides have always worn one.
Death & MourningWhy Did People Cover Mirrors After a Death?
It sounds like the beginning of a ghost story. In some traditions, that is almost exactly what it was.
Folklore & Curious CustomsWhy Do People Jump Over Babies in a Spanish Festival?
This is El Colacho, one of Spain's most extraordinary surviving local festivals.
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Recently Answered
Our latest investigations into life’s curious questions.
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03 · Reader-led
You Asked Us…
Real questions from curious readers — and the answers we discover.
See Reader QuestionsEditor’s selection
Most Curious This Week
No invented popularity figures — simply ten worthwhile rabbit holes chosen for this week.