Ever tried to plug in an appliance, only to realize you had the plug backwards on the first try? Modern outlets use this ...

The holes on the prongs of your electrical plugs may look random, but there's a clear reason they were created and why they ...

It can be really frustrating when you're hooking up an appliance or gadget with a three-prong plug only to realize the extension cord or outlet you're plugging it into only has two prongs. After all, ...

close up of Type A plug prongs - Gabriel Lopez/Shutterstock If you've ever stared at the holes in an electrical plug and wondered why they exist, you're not alone. Like an industrial-age kōan, the ...

This article about electrical outlets is republished here with permission from The Conversation. This content is shared here because the topic may interest Snopes readers; it does not, however, ...