Curious Questions

Curious Questions: Is kissing good for you?

Annunciata Elwes asks the question on everyone's lips.

Curious Questions: Does Amsterdam really have the most bridges in the world?

Everywhere you look in Amsterdam there seems to be a way of traversing the waterways of the city. But are there really more bridges here than anywhere else in the world? Martin Fone investigates.

Curious Questions: What dog should Boris Johnson get as the new pet for No. 10 Downing Street?

Curious Questions: What does your flat cap say about you?

You might think a flat cap is just something to keep your head warm and dry. And in some circumstances you'd be right – but there's a minefield of meaning out there, according to Rob Crossan.

Curious Questions: Why is there no such thing as a truly blue rose? And will we ever have one?

Breeding a blue rose has long been the Holy Grail for plant breeders everywhere. Charles Quest-Ritson, author of the RHS Encyclopedia of Roses, explains why it's proven so elusive.

Curious Questions: Were our summer holidays in Britain actually better in the good old days?

Quieter roads, no stressing about dodgy wi-fi and the comforting pong of the cooler opening — were things really better in the 1970s? Ysenda Maxtone-Graham investigates.

Curious Questions: How does Tower Bridge work?

Tower Bridge celebrates its 125th birthday on June 30. But how does it work? And why was it built that way in the first place?

Curious Questions: Were the Wright Brothers actually beaten to it by a farmer from New Zealand?

Curious questions: What's the best way to cook a crab?

Simon Hopkinson shares his tips on cooking crab – with a little help from a classic book by the brilliant Rick Stein.

Curious Questions: Does a blue plaque make your house more valuable?

London’s multiplying Blue Plaques certainly add interest, but do they affect property values? Eleanor Doughty investigates.

Curious Questions: Why do cricketers call it a 'duck' when they get bowled out for 0?

Martin Fone, author of 50 Curious Questions, explains how a duck egg led to the popularisation of a term in one of the world's great sports.

Curious Questions: Do the disguises of hoverflies really keep them safe from predators?

Hoverflies mimic bees, wasps and all manner of other insects in order to put off predators — but does their subterfuge really work? Simon Morton finds out.

Curious Questions: What actually is a Blue Moon? And is it really blue?

It's a phrase which gets bandied around all the time, but what does a 'Blue Moon' actually consist of? And does it really look any bluer than a normal moon?

Curious Questions: How do you survive the Summer Season?

Potential faux pas abound in a British summer, but is it possible to find your way through to September unscathed? The answer is yes, says Rupert Uloth, so long as you always carry a brolly, know how to share a carriage with The Queen and own at least seven hats. Here are his tips.

Curious Questions: Why do we as a nation put so much faith in lucky charms?

Horatio Nelson had one, as did Capt Cook and flying ace Douglas Bader. The British Army has several. Jeremy Hobson explores the effect of horseshoes, rabbit’s feet, mascots and other lucky charms.

Curious Questions: What caused Tulipmania?

Curious Questions: Why does Easter move dates every year?

Phoebe Bath researches why exactly Easter is a called a 'moveable feast'.

Curious Questions: Why do we eat hot cross buns at Easter?

Annunciata Elwes traces the curious history of the hot cross bun in Britain.

Curious Questions: How are hailstones formed? And how big can they get?

Inspired by the recent wacky weather, Martin Fone — author of 50 Curious Questions — turns his gaze to what is undoubtedly the strangest form of precipitation: hail.