Most of us overeat at Thanksgiving, either because we can’t control our appetites or just because, come on, Thanksgiving food is delicious. But no matter how much mashed potato and turkey you manage to guzzle this year, you can take comfort in knowing that compared to some of...
In today’s world of extensive male grooming, men are faced with a bewildering array of hair products. Mousse, gel, wax, fiber, paste, clay, pomade and more vie for attention on the shelves of the local pharmacy, each promising a slightly different hold or texture. But back in...
You probably don’t give much thought to your pockets beyond cramming your cellphone and wallet into them. But not only do all your pockets have their own names, some of them even have origin stories. The watch pocket—that thin slot behind the main hip pocket on your jeans—for example: Although...
We’re all familiar with the classic creatures that haunt our doorsteps in search of candy every Halloween, but where did they come from (besides that big costume pop-up store on the outskirts of town, that is)? Let’s find out. Vampires Vampires have haunted humanity’s dreams for at...
We’ve certainly had some questions about taming our eyebrows over the years, but it turns out, there are worse things than a quick trim that turns you into a Jersey Shore regular. Don’t believe us? At the beginning of the 18th century, people used to replace their...
Welcome to DSC Original Content’s biweekly podcast, where we explain a weird, tricky or surprising subject in just a few minutes. In this edition, we’ll be seeing which dinosaurs might have really fought each other, and finally agree on what was the biggest mistake made by the...
If you’re feeling the slog of being back at work or school after a long, hot summer—and with the holidays still a few months away—you’re not alone. It seems there’s always some kind of grinding to be done, as this history of grinding in all its forms...
In our September Bathroom Minutes spread, “Ye Olde Email,” we looked at all the pre-Internet ways in which people used to contact each other for work, including via smoke signals, morse code and $25-dollar-a-minute phone calls. But when you start looking at some of the innovative ways...
Nowadays, traveling the world is as easy as hopping on a plane. But what if you don’t want to deal with long TSA lines, cramped seats and overpriced drinks? Are there any viable alternatives? The famous aviophobes featured in August’s Bathroom Minutes magazine spread, “You’re Grounded!” took...
Showers as we know them today are hot and steamy. But they weren’t always that way. In fact, “history has been divided between washing yourself with hot water and washing yourself with cold water,” according to Katherine Ashenburg, author of The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History....
In the late 19th century, men gazed into mirrors with despair. For this was no ordinary time in history. This was the onset of what many believed was the Hairpocalypse. The articles of the era testify to the growing panic. “One-half of our American business and professional...
Getting older ain’t exactly easy. The good news is that, as a guy, it definitely has its perks. Like someone using the word “distinguished” to describe you. But has looking time-tested always had such a good response? We took a look back to find out. Ancient Greece:...
