Curious Minnesota
How did the North Loop neighborhood get its name?
Now one of the city's most popular entertainment destinations, its name has surprising transit origins.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: Why does Minnesota test tornado sirens on the first Wednesday of the month?
Curious Minnesota podcast host Eric Roper discusses Civil Defense and the Cold War history of tornado sirens with writer Dave Kenney.
Curious Minnesota
From bankrupt racetrack to aviation hub — what remains from MSP Airport's early days?
Planes have been flying at MSP — formerly Wold-Chamberlain Field — for roughly a century.
Curious Minnesota
Why is there a new cellular pole in my Minneapolis neighborhood?
The transition to 5G wireless technology is having a visible impact on some city streets.
Curious Minnesota
How did Dinkytown in Minneapolis get its name?
The unusual moniker for the commercial district near the University of Minnesota dates to the 1940s.
Curious Minnesota
How much gold is hiding underground in northern Minnesota?
The precious metal has not been mined in Minnesota since the turn of the 20th century.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: Was Minnesota home to nuclear missiles during the Cold War?
Curious Minnesota podcast host Eric Roper discusses the 1950s initiative to install missile sites around the Twin Cities.
Curious Minnesota
Why does Minnesota test tornado sirens on the first Wednesday of the month?
Siren testing began amid fears of a Soviet atomic bomb attack during the Cold War.
Curious Minnesota
![The electric car charging stations at Lebanon Hills Regional Park on Monday, September 21, 2015 in Eagan, Minn. ] RENEE JONES SCHNEIDER • reneejones](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/JDQKBL7NFJ7C6P53VIQEOLV6BI.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Is Minnesota's power grid ready for widespread electric cars?
Electric vehicles are growing in popularity. Keeping them all on the road will require a lot of power.
Curious Minnesota
Was Minnesota once home to U.S. government-sponsored hemp farms?
The controversial crop was at the center of a short-lived program during WWII.
Curious Minnesota
Who is the oldest living person in Minnesota?
The oldest Minnesotan, a supercentenarian, is also one of the oldest living people in the United States.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: Does the Mississippi River really begin at Lake Itasca?
Host Eric Roper digs into the science and history behind the Mighty Mississippi's headwaters.
Curious Minnesota
Where did suburban streetcar lines run and why were they removed?
The expansive Twin Cities streetcar network once reached from Lake Minnetonka to Stillwater.
Curious Minnesota
What are the top five immigrant groups in Minnesota?
The origin countries of Minnesota's foreign-born population has changed significantly in the last three decades.
Curious Minnesota
![The Minneapolis skyline is locked in an icy shroud Friday in Minneapolis, seen from the Stone Arch Bridge. ]](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/FD5T5YMKX4LZ5QGZMWXIYSNINE.jpg?h=91&w=145&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Is Minnesota cloudier in winter, or does it just seem that way?
Just last year, Minnesota recorded its gloomiest January in 57 years, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.
Curious Minnesota
What's the best place, time to see the northern lights in Minnesota?
Although the lights can be seen any time of year, spring and fall, especially September and March, are the best chances to see the northern lights in Minnesota.
Curious Minnesota
How safe is it, really, to walk on Minnesota's iced-over lakes?
"The standard answer is, really, ice is never 100% safe," said a DNR recreation safety coordinator. And early- and late-season ice is the most unpredictable.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: Why did Minneapolis tear down its biggest train station?
Minneapolis' two primary train stations met very different fates in the 1970s.
Curious Minnesota
Why did Minneapolis tear down its biggest train station?
Minneapolis' two train stations met very different fates in the 1970s.
Curious Minnesota
What happens to the de-icing fluid sprayed on planes at MSP airport?
Due to our cold winters, MSP is one of the busiest airports in the country for de-icing operations. Delta uses more than 1 million gallons of fluid each season.
Curious Minnesota
What does it take to become a police officer in Minnesota?
In light of recent issues with police officer conduct, one reader wanted to know what kind of training law enforcement officers get in the state.
Curious Minnesota
Listen: How Ford made millions of windows from St. Paul sand
For part of the 20th century, Ford Motor Co. relied heavily on sand mined from beneath its plant in St. Paul to make windows for its cars.
Curious Minnesota
Why does I-35E through St. Paul have a 45-mph speed limit?
The lower speed limit on the "35E Parkway" stems from a battle that began decades ago.
Curious Minnesota
How did Minneapolis end up with a street named after a Persian king?
In the late 1800s, the population of Minneapolis was booming and city engineers sought to create alphabetical and numerical street grids that could be reliably navigated.
Curious Minnesota
Should you let your car run in the cold before driving it?
A reader wonders if it's really important to let your car warm up before driving in the cold. Also: Does it matter exactly how cold it is?
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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.
