Music
Wake Me Up When September Ends: The Story Behind the Song
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" is Green Day's grief song — written about the death of Billie Joe Armstrong's father in September 1982, whe...
Every great song, film and festival has a story.
We dig up the history, myths and happy accidents behind the things everyone talks about — so you can be the person who actually knows.
Pick your curiosity 👇
Human Body
The user manual you never got.
12 stories
Animals & Plants
Nature's weirdest plot twists.
9 stories
Earth & Space
The universe shows off. We take notes.
10 stories
History & Origins
Blame these people for today.
8 stories
Things Around Us
Everyday stuff, secret backstories.
5 stories
Music
Hit songs have skeletons.
8 stories
Festivals
Yes, there's a reason. No, not a sane one.
2 stories
General
Everything else worth knowing.
3 stories
Latest stories
Music
Jolene: The Story Behind the Song
Dolly Parton wrote "Jolene" after a red-haired bank teller flirted with her husband; the name came from an 8-year-old fan. It topped the cou...
Music
I Will Always Love You: The Story Behind the Song
Dolly Parton wrote "I Will Always Love You" as a 1973 goodbye to Porter Wagoner. Whitney Houston's cover made it a global hit, now a farewel...
Music
Dama Dam Mast Qalandar: The Story Behind the Sufi Anthem
Dama Dam Mast Qalandar is the Sufi qawwali sung for Lal Shahbaz Qalandar. Who the saint was, who really wrote the song, and the composer his...
History & Origins
The Story Behind "Sigma" and "6-7" - The Wild Origin of Gen Alpha Slang
Sigma and 6-7 are two of the most searched bits of Gen Alpha slang, and both have surprising backstories - one rooted in a discredited wolf...
History & Origins
Why Is It Called the Ranji Trophy? The Story Behind the Name
The Ranji Trophy is named after Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji - the Jam Sahib of Nawanagar and the first Indian to play Test cricket, though he pl...