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Michelle Konstantinovsky
Michelle Konstantinovsky is a San Francisco-based journalist who's written on everything from the Beagle Brigade and border walls to cricket farms and TV scheduling for HowStuffWorks. She earned her master's degree from U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism and she's written on health and wellness topics for outlets including Cosmopolitan, O: The Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, Teen Vogue and more. Michelle loves music, manatees and terrible teen movies from the early 2000s.
Recent Contributions
Cash for Teeth: The Legend of the Tooth Fairy
If you have kids, you may have noticed that the price for a lost tooth has skyrocketed. But do all you tooth fairies out there know where the idea of exchanging money for teeth came from?
Henna Tattoos: The History of an Ancient Art
Henna tattoos seem to be everywhere and all the rage, but the rich tradition behind this beautiful form of body art began as a wedding staple in ancient India.
How Hercules Totally Nailed His 12 Labors
Hercules was forced to repent for murdering his family by performing a series of 12 seemingly impossible tasks, or labors. Here's how he rocked every one of them.
Chinese-American Actress Anna May Wong Fought Racism in Life and Onscreen
As the first major Chinese-American film star, it wasn't easy for Anna May Wong. But she persisted and fought against stereotypes, eventually breaking down barriers in Hollywood.
This Is What Happens When You Work at a Desk for 20 Years
'Emma' is the hard-to-ignore embodiment of what years behind a desk could do to your body. She's hunched over, has bad skin and even varicose veins. Don't become Emma.
Gelatinous, Squishy Mochi Is Having a Moment
Mochi is a super-chewy traditional Japanese delicacy, made from mochigome, a short-grain glutinous rice.
7 Facts About Crafty Athena, Favorite Daughter of Zeus
Regarded as the goddess of wisdom and war, the patron of Athens is also considered the goddess of all things crafty and was the favorite of the Greek god Zeus.
The Long, Hard Battle for the 19th Amendment and Women's Right to Vote
It's been 100 years since the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified. Why did it take so long for women to get the right to vote in the United States?
Brace Yourself: Bananas Are Berries, Strawberries Aren't
If bananas are berries and strawberries and raspberries are not, what in the world is a berry anyway?
The Tiny Fennec Fox Is All Ears
It may be the world's smallest fox, but its ears give it a huge hearing advantage.
Why Is the Tropic of Cancer Important?
You've probably heard of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, but do you know the difference?
Why Is the Tropic of Capricorn Important?
You've probably heard of the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer, but do you know the difference?
Why Is Missouri Called the Show-me State?
Lots of U.S. states have nicknames, but Missouri's flinty moniker arguably is one of the best.
Anubis Was Ancient Egypt's Jackal-headed Guard Dog of the Dead
Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god of the dead and protector of the gates to the underworld, was said to oversee every aspect of the process of dying and mummification.
Permanent Hair Dye, Straighteners Linked to Higher Breast Cancer Risk
A study from the National Institutes of Health found women who regularly use permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners are at a higher risk of breast cancer. The risk increases significantly — more than six times — for black women.
10 Ways to Liven Up Your White Elephant Gift Exchange
White elephant. Mean Santa. Yankee swap. These are the holiday parties we live for. But if it feels like yours is getting a bit tired, we've got 10 rules to liven it up this year.
Truffles: The Rarest and Most Expensive Fungi in the World
Truffles are prized the world over for their pungent, earthy flavor, but what's so special about them, and why is the truffle trade so cutthroat and secretive?
POW/MIA Bracelets Helped U.S. Remember Missing Soldiers
Back in the early 1970s, two college coeds had the idea to create bracelets for sale to the public as a means of keeping imprisoned U.S. soldiers alive in the hearts and minds of the public. This is the story.
What Is a Mandala? (No, Not Nelson. That's Mandela)
The intricate, circular design of the mandala is used in many religions and cultures to symbolically represent the cosmos and the organizational structure of life itself.
Here's Why Macadamia Nuts Are So Delicious and So Crazy Expensive
The mildly flavored, slightly oily, softly crunchy macadamia is prized all over the world, but grown mostly in Hawaii.
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