Let’s Go Back to School At a Very Alternative School
Heading back to school each year is a lot more fun if your school is a fun school, one that teaches about Santa, elves, or parkour.
Weird, Wonderful World
Why the School Year Starts in September
…and other questions about the classroom we’ll answer if you just raise your hand and wait quietly at your desk. Why does the school year begin around early September? That’s an outgrowth, and a relic of, the nineteenth century, when millions of American families worked on or operated farms. Some districts would allow for a long, […]
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? The Weirdness of Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time, that time when we change our clocks, may soon be a thing of the past. Here’s a look back on the odd phenomenon.
When A.I. Hallucinates
A.I. can scour the internet and provide valuable and concise results in micro-seconds… or it can completely make things up, apparently.
The Uncle John’s “Am I Saying That Right?” Quiz
It happens to the best of us: You pronounced a word wrong, and someone calls you out on it. You didn’t even know you were saying it incorrectly, and had been for who knows how many years. Get a checkup on your skills with this quiz that dares to ask, “Am I saying that right?”
The Strangest Stuff Spotted in Space
Space is full of weird and unexplainable objects – these are the weirdest and most unexplainable of those objects.
It’s Your Move — Check Out These Chess Facts
It’s just about the oldest and most popular board game out there, enjoyed all over the world by people of all ages. Here’s the checkered history and some very moving facts about chess, the “game of kings.” • Historians think chess as we know it was first played in India in the 6th century C.E. Its […]
8 Foods That Aren’t Old As You Might Think They Are
It seems like some foods — bananas, Hawaiian pizza, garlic bread — have been around forever. They’re actually quite new.
38 Trivia Bits from Uncle John’s 38th Bathroom Reader
The newest Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader is out for 2025. It’s the 38th edition, and so here are 38 facts taken from its pages.
Misspeaking Frankly: Commonly Used Words You Might be Saying Wrong
There are lots of words we all use everyday that we might be saying incorrectly. Here’s a guide to commonly mispronounced words.
Life’s a Beach: Weird News from the Water’s Edge
Here’s a roundup of all the weirdest weird news stories that happened on a beach.
Make Yourself a Plate at Uncle John’s Backyard Barbecue
Here’s why your hot dog and Caprese salad consumption goes up so much during the summertime.
Milking it For All it’s Worth: A Very Dairy Q&A
Every question you’ve ever had about milk, yogurt, and dairy products, answered by the experts.
When Canadian Institutions Are American Obscurities
For Canada Day, here’s a look at some beloved Canadian things that are virtually unknown down in the United States.
The Wild and Wacky World of Tariffs
Tariffs are nothing new. Here’s a look at the history of tariffs, and how they’ve been used as economic tools ad loopholes.
Peeps, Crème Eggs, and Chocolate Bunnies: Where Easter Candy Comes From
Every wonder why we eat marshmallow rabbits, pretend eggs, and chocolate bunnies at Easter? Here the origins of those seasonal treats.
Uncle John is Serving Up Hot Breakfast Facts
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so these origin stories of classic, hot breakfast foods must be pretty important, too.
Welcome to Life in 2025
Here’s what’s definitely (okay, probably not really) going to happen in 2025, according to some psychics and sci-fi movies.
