Disasters, like politics, are local. So, ask about the baddest storm and chances are you’ll hear “Sandy” in the mid-Atlantic, “Katrina” in New Orleans, “Camille” in Mississippi, and “Andrew” in Florida. But the truth is this: America’s deadliest storm hit 50 years before storms wore official name tags. So—like the devil—this storm is summoned by many a moniker: “The Galveston Hurricane of 1900,” “The Galveston Flood,” and, in telling simplicity...

Myths, lies, and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bullsh*t, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor, or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at factchecker@themeateater.com.
Claim
Young rattlesnakes have the worst bites because they can’t control the amount of venom they inject. Adult rattlesnakes, on...

Myths, lies and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bullsh*t, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at factchecker@themeateater.com.
Claim
The Farmers’ Almanac and Old Farmer’s Almanac are able to make long-range weather predictions regarding regional temperature...

There’s a difference between book smart and bar smart. You may not be book smart, but this series can make you seem educated and interesting from a barstool. So, belly up, pour yourself a glass of something good and take mental notes as we look at the Yellowstone earthquake that shook the Rockies.
In the middle of the night on August 17, 1959, an earthquake shook Yellowstone National Park. The quake’s epicenter was Hebgen Lake, about 15 miles...

Post a photo of a live snake on social media and see what happens. Odds are, the comments will follow a common theme: “Kill it.” A photo of a one-foot garter snake basking on the edge of a dock and a full-grown rattlesnake ready to strike will often draw the same response:
“The only good snake is a dead snake.”
What is it about serpents, or even just photos of harmless ones, that draw such visceral reactions? As it turns out, there’s...

Myths, lies and old wives’ tales loom large in the outdoor pursuits. Here at MeatEater, we’re dedicated to separating facts from bullsh*t, so we created this series to examine suspect yarns. If there’s a belief, rumor or long-held assumption you’d like us to fact check, drop us a note at factchecker@themeateater.com.
Claim
In 1875, James Wickham, an eccentric British scientist, hypothesized that whales could live in the Great Salt Lake...