The Odd & Curious

An anime-style scene shows a young boy in a brown suit running through a grassy field toward a large tree, where a small raccoon-like creature with a striped tail clings to the trunk and looks down at him. A small bird flies overhead against a blue sky with fluffy white clouds and a distant landscape.

Meet the Rascal Anime Raccoon Behind Japan’s Wildlife Crisis

A mischievous Montreal raccoon leads to the story of Rascal the Raccoon, the 1977 anime that helped fuel Japan’s real-world raccoon pet boom.

A dark, text-heavy image formatted like movie credits, listing humorous categories of audience members, public announcements, and post-credit departments, highlighted by the phrase 'Are you still there? There is more to come... We are doing a test in crowd control. Think of this like a fire drill.'

Avengers: Doomsday and the Never-Ending Torture of Movie End Credits

Marvel and DC have turned movie credits into a guessing game. But how many hours are we willing to spend waiting for one last scene.

A full-length portrait of the horror hostess Vampira, played by Maila Nurmi, standing in a tight black dress with fringed sleeves next to a tall, lit iron candelabra against a mustard-yellow background. She has pale skin, dark hair, and dramatic makeup, striking a theatrical pose with one hand near her chest and long, claw-like nails.

Vampira: The Horror Host Who Made Halloween Television Magic

Meet Vampira, the iconic horror host who helped make monster movies television magic, alongside Elvira, Zacherley, Svengoolie and Count Floyd.

Five children in various Halloween costumes go trick-or-treating at night, carrying jack-o'-lantern buckets, with the two on the left noticeably receiving piles of cash instead of candy.

Angine de Poitrine Costumes Pulled After Legal Notice

Angine de Poitrine-inspired Halloween costumes were pulled from Party Expert stores after a reported legal threat.

A vintage-style poster for Houdini, featuring multiple illustrations and text. The top left shows Houdini escaping handcuffs, with text 'EUROPE'S ECLIPSING SENSATION HOUDINI THE WORLD'S HANDCUFF KING & PRISON BREAKER'. The top right depicts spirits and a medium, with text 'Do Spirits Return?'. The center features a smiling portrait of Houdini and large text 'HOUDINI SAYS NO - AND PROVES IT 3 SHOWS IN ONE MAGIC - ILLUSIONS - ESCAPES - FRAUD EXPOSED'. The bottom shows a group of men pulling on chains and a large padlock, with text 'JESSE L. LASKY HOUDINI 'THE GRIM GAME' A PARAMOUNT-ARTCRAFT PICTURE'.

The Famous People Who Died on Halloween

Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926, but he wasn’t alone. Explore the famous figures who died on October 31 and Houdini’s final escape pact.

Three bottles of red wine stand on a wooden surface in front of a sunny vineyard. From left to right, the labels read: 'Old Old Coffin Dodger Cabernet Sauvignon,' 'Middle-Old Geezer Merlot,' and 'You So Old Fossil Cabernet Franc.' Each label features a different design related to aging, such as a skeleton running with a scythe, a vineyard landscape, and a cluster of grapes.

How Did 81 Suddenly Become Young?

When did 81 become young? A funny look at aging, retirement, baby boomers and how our idea of old age keeps changing.

Scratch-and-Sniff Is Making a Comeback

Scratch-and-sniff was once everywhere, from Raspberries albums and MAD Magazine to John Waters’ Odorama. Now the strange little fad is making a comeback.

Forget Book Burning, This Guy Wants You to Chop Your Books

Matt Kirkland has a strange solution for giant books: chop them into smaller, manageable volumes. Chop the biggest books and why it might make sense.

Is Apple Pulling a Fast One With the New iPhone Duo?

Apple’s new iPhone Duo starts at $2,999 in Canada. Is it really one phone, or are we paying for two devices cleverly folded into one?

MapQuest Picked a Side. Then Everybody Started Using It.

MapQuest refused to rename Lake Ontario. Then downloads exploded. What happened says something bigger about nostalgia, technology and taking a side.

The Blackwing 602: The Pencil That Takes You Back

The Blackwing 602 is more than a pencil. From John Steinbeck to Chuck Jones, here’s why this cedar-and-graphite classic still has a cult following.

Why Can’t We Have Both? Why Physical Video Games Still Matter in a Digital World

Sony is moving toward digital-only PlayStation games, but the growing appeal of Analog Living raises a bigger question about ownership, preservation and the things we still want to hold onto.