Curious Minnesota
What was the most destructive tornado in Minnesota history?
The state has seen dozens of terrifying twisters over the years.
Curious Minnesota
Why do Minnesota coyotes howl when trains go by?
Nope, it's not just a coincidence: Coyotes are compelled to let out a wail – and science explains why.
Curious Minnesota
Who decides when the I-35W bridge is lit in color, and how is it done?
When the I-35W bridge was built to replace the structure that collapsed in 2007, it became one of the first segments of interstate highway in the country be illuminated with L.E.D. lighting
Who decides when the I-35W bridge is lit in color, and how is it done?
When the I-35W bridge was built to replace the structure that collapsed in 2007, it became one of the first segments of interstate highway in the country be illuminated with L.E.D. lighting
Curious Minnesota
Why do some major Twin Cities highways not connect directly?
For motorists who want to navigate from southbound I-35W to eastbound I-94, it's a case of you can't get there from here. And that's just one example.
Curious Minnesota
Why hasn't Minnesota passed the Equal Rights Amendment?
The battle that has dragged on for decades is grabbing public attention again, with 2020 marking the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage.
Curious Minnesota
Corn dog vs. Pronto Pup: Why are Minnesotans so loyal to only one?
As Minnesotans mourn the loss of this year's State Fair, now is a good time to dive into the history of this great debate.
Curious Minnesota
Why is recreational marijuana not legal in Minnesota?
Since 2012, 11 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use — that includes other Midwestern states like Michigan and Illinois. But not Minnesota.
Curious Minnesota
![Waste water churns in aeration tanks. ] Mark Vancleave - mark.vancleave@startribune.com * The Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment plant in St. Paul whic](https://chorus.stimg.co/21663278/1CURIOUS041220.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Listen: When you flush a toilet in the Twin Cities, where does everything go?
Most maps of the Twin Cities feature highways and bridges that connect our region. Few show another grid that is even more crucial to daily life. It transports poop, not people.
Curious Minnesota
![A flock of wild turkey roamed the streets Tuesday in Northeast Minneapolis. ] ANTHONY SOUFFLE • anthony.souffle@startribune.com A flock of wild turk](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/HLSANK6GB2OK5Q7TRO22GUUT2E.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Why do wild turkeys seem to thrive in the Twin Cities metro?
When it comes to urban living, it seems like wild turkeys are as common a neighbor as any these days.
Curious Minnesota
After Lake Calhoun, what about other Minn. place names with racist roots?
Numerous places are named in honor of Minnesota's first two governors, both of whom have complicated legacies.
Curious Minnesota
What's the story behind Pilot Knob Road, other odd street names?
Yankee Doodle and Johnny Cake Ridge are two more that raise eyebrows. Turns out each has a story to tell.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: Do all the things we recycle actually get recycled in Minnesota?
What happens to the bottles, cans and other items we toss in our curbside recycling bins? Host Eric Roper talks with Kate Davenport from Eureka Recycling about how much of what we put in those big blue bins gets recycled.
Curious Minnesota
![Ryan Youngdale stands in front of the beer fridge at Stinson Wine, Beer, and Spirits. ] COURTNEY PEDROZA ¥ courtney.pedroza@startribune.com July 2, 2](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/FYETJNT4CSHIH3EH5M3DJXT7VY.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Why is Minnesota the last state with 3.2 beer?
Low-alcohol 3.2 beers specially made for grocery stores are a dying breed. But efforts to overturn the 3.2 restrictions have been opposed by liquor stores and interest groups.
Curious Minnesota
Is it true that Minneapolis has a park every six blocks?
When it comes to national rankings, the city regularly sits near the top for its park system, and this might be the reason why.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: How did Minnesota become one of the most racially inequitable states?
By almost any measure of social and economic well-being — unemployment, poverty, home ownership — the black-white gap in Minnesota is larger than the black-white gap elsewhere in the country. What are the origins of the disparities?
Curious Minnesota
Where did the terms 'outstate' and 'Greater Minnesota' originate?
A reader wonders: Where are "instate" and "Lesser Minnesota" located?
Curious Minnesota
Why do tiny cities like Lauderdale, Landfall and Falcon Heights exist?
Over the years, Minneapolis and St. Paul have had to make room for smaller cities that yearned for their own identities.
Curious Minnesota
Why do gas prices vary so much around Minnesota?
A Curious Minnesota reader wanted to know why gas prices are so different across the state — sometimes by nearly $1 in the metro compared to other areas.
Curious Minnesota
![Protest continued on Sunday at the 35w Bridge and University Ave. in Minneapolis. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ • cgonzalez@startribune.com – Minneapolis, MN](https://chorus.stimg.co/21677233/08_1011088574_08CGFLOYD060120_59067526.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Listen: What does 'reforming' the Minneapolis Police Department mean?
The death of George Floyd in police custody has cast an international spotlight on Minneapolis and spurred nationwide discussions about police reform. Host Eric Roper talks with reporter Andy Mannix about past attempts and what "reform" might look like.
Curious Minnesota
Which state has the best claim to Paul Bunyan?
The earliest reliable account a logging-camp tale was from — brace yourself, Minnesotans — Wisconsin. But Minnesota figures prominently in Paul Bunyan's journey after that.
Curious Minnesota
How do food scraps get recycled in Minnesota — and how good are we at it?
Residents can now recycle food scraps at the curb in more than 40 cities, either in an organics bin or special bags tossed in the trash.
Curious Minnesota
![Patrons left Surly on Saturday, August 1, 2015. ] Aaron Lavinsky ¥ aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com Restaurant review: Surly Brewing's casual beer hall](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/MZVOQDYMULLWEBJK4RYIM2UDUE.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
How many Minn. breweries existed before the microbrewery boom?
The state's history of beermaking is filled with milestones, but now brewers face an uncertain future.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: Why do so many Fortune 500 companies call Minnesota home?
Minnesota has more than its fair share of big companies that got started here with next to nothing — in a Minneapolis garage (Medtronic), a Roseau metalworking job shop (Polaris) and a stereo components store in St. Paul (Best Buy).
Curious Minnesota
Why was the career of Minnesota's first congresswoman cut short?
The state's first U.S. congresswoman took office in 1955, holding the seat for four years before a scandal disrupted her career trajectory.
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Curious Minnesota
Curious Minnesota, a Star Tribune community-driven reporting project, puts readers' inquiries at the center of our newsroom's reporting.
