For years, the mega-trend in advertising was to make the consumer laugh. These days, though, it seems that advertising creatives are swinging to the sentimental.

Beards have become so popular in contemporary fashion that a study shows we may have hit Peak Beard - the tipping point when clean-shaven stands out as rare and attractive.

We might imagine that, after a session playing a video game a player's violent outburts in real life would be inspired by the on-screen depictions of violence, but that may not be directly so.

John Spong, senior editor of Texas Monthly (previously a lawyer and possible outlaw) shares the story of Annie James, a Texas teen who caught a police car parked illegally and issued her own ticket.

A Tibetan Mastiff puppy recently sold in China for two million dollars. It probably does not have actual lion's blood, but don't tell the new owner.

The Paris Review contributing editor Sadie Stein explains Stonehenge. Or at least tells us about new research suggests that the special stones selected have unusual acoustic properties.

It's all well and good to send in the clowns - until there aren't any left to send.

The Viking "jötunvillur code" has confounded scholars since its use 900 years ago. This week someone finally cracked the code. It was more candy-heart than battle-epic.