Melanie has worked as a radio station news reporter, as a press secretary in the Wisconsin State Legislature and as editor of two local publications. Since 1994, she has worked as a freelance writer and editor, specializing in travel and fitness.
She has won numerous awards for her writing, most notably prestigious Lowell Thomas Gold and Grand Awards for her travel journalism. Her first book, "Thousand-Miler" (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2017), is a memoir about her record-setting thru-hike of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.
Recent Contributions
If you step on a crack, you'll break your mother's back. Surely you know this jingle from childhood. It's a silly example of a correlation with no causation. But there are some real-world instances that we often hear, or maybe even tell?
Your co-worker just yawned in a meeting, and now everyone on his side of the table is yawning, too. Learn about what might've caused him to do it in the first place and why you're likely to yawn right along with them.
A friendly gesture in one country might be a highly insulting one in another. Here are 10 rude gestures that you'd better be sure you're using correctly before trying them out.
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The August 2023 full moon is known as the sturgeon moon. This year, it's also a supermoon and will be followed by a blue moon at the end of the month!
Many inventions during the Industrial Revolution caused Europeans and Americans to move from an agricultural economy to an industrial one and changed the world forever. What were the top 10?
By Jonathan Atteberry, Melanie Radzicki McManus & Nicole Antonio
Kepler-186f was the first Earth-sized planet found within its star's habitable zone. But there's still a lot we don't know about it.
From 2009 to 2018, the Kepler space telescope hunted for exoplanets, upending many beliefs scientists had had about outer space. It also introduced us to thousands of planets called Kepler planets.
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Moonshining has evolved from backwood stills in the South. In fact, it's downright trendy in some bars. But, why is homebrewing and winemaking legal, but not distilling your own moonshine?
You may never have heard of rare earth elements, but they're the force behind today's high-tech gadgets, plus a lot of green technology. Are there any environmental downsides to their use?
Mold is a type of fungus, and it's everywhere — indoors, outdoors and even in the air. But is black mold worse than the rest?
Grudge matches can be found in every corner of the world, including the art world. Here are five rivalries that continued for years, involving famous painters like Van Gogh, Gaugin, Degas, Picasso and Banksy.
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Many kids put a lot stock in the Easter bunny myth, and look forward to the arrival of their cotton-tailed friend all spring. But is it harmful for them to believe past a certain age?
There's a great need for people to donate their bodies to science but not many people think about doing it. What happens to your body after you make that decision?
Ever tried to get your child, spouse or friend to do something by telling them to do the opposite? That's reverse psychology. But how often does it work?
Running through the extreme heat, elevation, snow or incredibly rough terrain in an ultramarathon is a challenge designed to defeat all but the most determined and prepared.
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Dust is everywhere in your home and can cause or aggravate allergies. But cleaning can be a pain too. Here's how to keep those dust bunnies at bay.
There's a popular myth that the IRS says paying taxes is voluntary, so no one has to do so. While that's untrue, certain wage earners are exempt from paying taxes. Who are these folks?
The millions of plastic containers and bottles out there don't all have to end up in landfills. There are lots of ways to give them a second life.
If the costs in your home state are getting you down, it might be time to think about moving. We have a list of the eight cheapest states to live in the U.S.A.
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Sitting on your butt all day can do a number on your health. Calisthenics, which is resistance training using your body weight, is a great way to stay in shape.
Much like a Christmas tree and a jolly Santa Claus, the tradition of hanging up stockings signals that the Christmas season has arrived. So, what's popular to stuff in them?
In 1926, famed crime novelist Agatha Christie went missing for 11 days under very strange circumstances. Even today, questions linger about why she did it and a recent biography has a new explanation.
The American Halloween is just one of many celebrations around the globe with roots in ceremonies to honor the dead who've returned to visit their loved-ones. Want to join the Hungry Ghosts Festival or snack on a sugar skull?
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Cats don't just lie on your sofa looking sulky. Some have authored scientific papers, discovered continents and entered politics. Read on to see what we mean.
Brothers Adolph and Rudolph Dassler were building a sneaker empire while the Nazis were rising to power. Rather than fighting the Third Reich, they battled each other and split their company in two.