Raised on a steady diet of Technicolor musicals and library books, Cristen Conger always wanted to be a writer when she grew up. While working toward her journalism degree at the University of Georgia, she learned to avoid starry-eyed statements about childhood dreams and stick to hard facts. After graduating, Cristen decided she'd spent enough time chasing down REM band members in Athens and hitched up the road to Atlanta where she jumped on board with the award-winning website HowStuffWorks.com.
As a former writer and blogger for HowStuffWorks and a contributing writer for Discovery News, Cristen specialized in technology and the science of everyday living. Her articles have been featured on Huffington Post, ABC Science and MSNBC.com. She also started and co-hosted the popular Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast, which explores gender issues such as relationships, careers and women's history. A graduate of University of Georgia, where she majored in journalism, Cristen reads, writes, runs and dabbles in improv comedy.
Recent Contributions
The good news is, you're not likely to meet with one of these creatures on your next beach vacation. If you did, it wouldn't be a pretty sight.
By Cristen Conger & Ada Tseng
Quinceañeras celebrate Hispanic girls' transition to womanhood and official entrance into society. What makes them different from run-of-the-mill birthday parties?
The Age of Enlightenment was based on reason and science and featured some very heavy hitters: Voltaire, Descartes and Kant among them. But it took two Revolutions to truly test its principles.
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If looks could kill, bristly tarantulas would be the spiders to watch out for. But violins and hourglasses are far more cause for concern.
By Cristen Conger & Zach Taras
Surprisingly, the gentle, loafing moose could be more threatening than a grizzly bear. Find out what you should do if that looming moose barrels at you like a bull.
Historically in the United States, third parties have successfully steered political discourse and lawmaking, yet largely haven't stuck around long enough to get their own candidates into office. Which have had the best shot?
Bald eagle conservation became crucial in saving America's national symbol. Read on to learn more about bald eagle conservation efforts.
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Whether used in fashion or complicated mating rituals, peacock feathers drive the ladies crazy. But, what happens when a peacock loses his last feather? Will he become a fashion-don't?
What would happen if a fairytale princess licked a toad instead of kissing it in order to find her prince charming? Trippy hallucinations might await her instead of wedded bliss.
A shark is coming at you. It opens its mouth wide, baring teeth. Will you be able to reach around and poke it in the eyes without losing an arm?
Nothing strikes up an image of the Old West like bison roaming the open plains. But the demand for fur nearly annihilated this species. So how did bison survive?
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Think your home is a safe haven? Think again. With all the hazardous chemicals people use in their homes, it may be more polluted indoors than outdoors.
Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States. But with a little foresight and planning, you can safeguard your home against floodwaters.
Many print publications are turning to paywalls -- online systems charging visitors to access Web content -- to bridge revenue gaps. But are people who have gotten used to accessing such information gratis ready to pony up?
They're supposed to make your home smell like a spring day. But there's nothing fresh about low-grade pollutants. Do air fresheners lighten the scent in the air, or do their cancer-causing chemicals bog down people?
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You don't have to buy an alarm system to prevent burglaries. If your home looks lived-in and if your neighbors seem nosy, you're preventing crime.
Marriage entails waking up beside the one you love and sharing cozy, homemade dinners for two. But when the honeymoon haze clears, are married people happier than singles?
In the wild, are brains better than brawn? Find out when your fight-or-flight response is your friend and when it's your enemy.
Ignorance is bliss. But what if you're more than just unaware? If you are dumb as a doornail, flat-out foolish or dim-witted, are you happier than the genius next door?
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You may vaguely remember hurting your knee at the age of 3, but do you recall the moment your body burst into the world? Most likely not. Why are our first years devoid of memories?
Knowing what to expect from a contractor will help you avoid making mistakes. Learn 5 things you should expect from a contractor at HowStuffWorks.
You catch it out of the corner of your eye -- a dark creature crawling up the wall behind your couch. Then the unspeakable -- it dives at your hair. Good grief, it flies? And why is it here?
Ever hear that urban legend about waking up without your kidney? Would organ thieves have to find a new line of work if cloned organs became a reality?
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We know which is greener when it comes to gas and electric cars. But which is greener when it comes to stoves: gas or electric? There's more than one way to save energy when you cook.
Real-life haunted houses make us hide under the covers and sleep with one eye open. Learn about the spooky history of these real-life haunted houses.