Everything published on OriginPoint can be reached from this page: our main pages, our six topic categories, and — as they appear — our latest articles.
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Latest Articles
Our newest origin stories appear here as they are published.
- Who Invented the Umbrella? 4,000 Years of Staying Dry
- The Origin of the Word “Robot”: From a Czech Play to the Factory Floor
- Why Do We Say “Break a Leg”? The Theatre Superstition Behind the Phrase
- Why Do We Say “Hello”? The Evolution of Our Favorite Greeting
- Why Do We Say “Cheers” and Clink Glasses? The 800-Year Story Behind the Toast
- The Origin of the High Five: Who Slapped First?
- Why Do We Blow Out Birthday Candles? The 2,000-Year-Old Wish
- Where Did Halloween Come From? Samhain to Trick-or-Treat
- Who Invented the Fortune Cookie? The California Claim — Hagiwara vs. Jung
- The Origin of the Croissant: Vienna, a Siege, and a Crescent of Dough
- Where Was Pizza Born? Naples and the Dish That Traveled the World
- Who Invented the Sandwich? The Earl, the Cards, and the Midnight Snack
- Who Invented the Zipper? Judson, Sundback, and the “Hookless” Fastener
- How the Barcode Was Born: Drawing Lines in the Sand
- Who Really Invented the Light Bulb? Edison vs. Swan and the Fight for the Glow
- The Origin of the Escalator: From a Coney Island Ride to Every Shopping Mall
- Who Invented the Post-it Note? The Glue That Failed Its Way to Fame
- The Origin of “Quarantine”: Venice’s 40 Days at Sea
- Where Did the Word “Breakfast” Come From? Breaking the Fast
- Why Do We Say “Goodbye”? The Blessing Hidden Inside a Farewell
- The Origin of ‘OK’: How a Joke Abbreviation Conquered the World
- The Surprising Origin of “Deadline” — From Civil War Prisons to Your Inbox
- Where Did Coffee Come From? The Kaldi Legend and the Road from Yemen
