The Oxford Electric Bell Has Been Ringing For Over 175 Years
We’re ringing in the new year (as well as marking National Ring a Bell Day) with the story of a bell that’s been ringing year in and year out for almost two centuries.
When The New Year’s Ball Drop Is Over, New York City Gets Busy Cleaning Up Times Square
Each year New York City hosts huge crowds hoping to see the famous ball drop. But once the giant party is done and the revelers have headed home, the giant cleanup effort begins.
What Exactly Is A Calorie And Why Do So Many People Loathe Them Every January?
One of the classic changes people try to make at this time of year, for better or for worse, is trying to cut calories. But what are calories, exactly, and where did the measurement come from?
Once Upon A Time, Human Ancestors Tried To Hibernate
A paleoanthrological study in the caves of Atapuerca, Spain, finds that hundreds of thousands of years ago, human ancestors tried something along the lines of hibernation, holing up in the caves for months during winter. It didn't go all that well, though.
ABBA Speaks For Me: Some Things For January 1, 2020
Happy New Year! Here is my official statement on the holiday, as presented by ABBA.
When New Year’s Meant Going To The White House To Shake Hands With The President
For years, on New Year’s Day, Americans could go the White House and shake hands with the president. It's a tradition that went back to John Adams and the early days of the Executive Mansion.