John Perritano is an award-winning journalist and author, and regular contributor to HowStuffWorks. He likes writing about science, history, sports and anything else that helps pay the mortgage. You might have noticed that he often mentions his favorite family members — his dogs — in his articles. John holds a master’s degree in U.S. History from Western Connecticut State University, and has worked for many publishers including Time-Life, National Geographic, Scholastic and others. He lives in Southbury, Connecticut, on “Big Dog Farm.†It’s a real place. Honest. It even has a sign.
Recent Contributions
Though a copperhead will bite if disturbed, and it is venomous, its bite is rarely fatal.
By John Perritano & Zach Taras
Most jellyfish are more bothersome than threatening, but the box jellyfish is so poisonous you might not make it out of the water alive.
Garter snakes are harmless, very common and beneficially feed on slugs, leeches, large insects and small rodents in North American gardens.
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It's hard to look up in the sky on a clear day and not see a "cloud" trailing from an airplane. They're called contrails, though some refer to them as "chemtrails" and have odd explanations for their existence.
Cottonmouth snakes are often called water moccasins and are one of only four venomous snakes found in North America.
The dinos hog all the Cretaceous headlines. Do you have any idea what else scurried, hopped and otherwise cruised around Earth before the K-T mass extinction?
Compared to standard heating and air systems, going green is better for the environment -- and your wallet because they use less energy. So what kind of green HVAC systems are on the market today? Read on to find out.
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Meteorologists have hurricane prediction down to a science, so preparedness should be the same thing too. Find out how to be ready if the big one's coming.
Don't wait until there are storms in the forecast to get prepared. Gather the 10 must-have items for your storm survival kit now.
Before you rev up your mower for the latest cut of the season, learn (or relearn) what not to do to your lawn. You can thank us later.
By Alia Hoyt & John Perritano
Homeowners are now beginning to discover the color of home insulation isn't just pink. It can also be green -- as in eco-friendly. But does it cost an arm and a leg?
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Could manipulating the human brain's desire for sweet foods lead to new weight control methods and better treatments for eating disorders?
We've all seen shots of meteorologists fighting gale-force winds to report on storms. So just how high can the winds get before the reporters are knocked off their feet?
Pressure washing can be so satisfying on some primal level, but the right equipment makes all the difference. And remember, safety first.
Square waves also called Cross-sea waves may looks super cool. But you never want to get caught up in the grid-patterned waves they generate.
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Decades before you ever heard of the Higgs, this multinational particle physics lab was smashing its way to answers about how the universe worked. Pop inside CERN just as half of the world's particle physicists do every year.
The categories of hurricanes are defined by wind speed and wind-caused building damage. The scale was created to communicate needs for post-storm resources.
You probably have a bottle of the stuff at your house. Have you ever seen it come in any color bottle besides brown?
Most experts agree that the all-volunteer military is what makes the U.S. armed forces the best in the world. Would that change if the draft was reinstated?
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There's no denying reality TV's prominence in culture. But is it influencing Americans in a positive or negative way?
How could we run out of trademarked words? It sounds impossible, but it's growing more and more likely.
Bloodhounds, with their floppy skin and gangly ears, are the quintessential tracking dogs, and there's good reason.
Mega Millions and the Powerball lotteries have collectively hit over $1 billion. But if you happen to win one (or both) how much will Uncle Sam want?
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Slipping your dog a little human food once in a while is fine, but be aware that some human foods are toxic to Fido.
Biofuels -- or fuels made from plants like wheat, corn, soybean and sugarcane -- burn clean, release fewer pollutants and greenhouse gases, and are sustainable. Could these "energy crops" really be the end to our addiction to fossil fuels like oil?