Editorial Policy

We want a TMW list to be enjoyable to read and useful to check. You should be able to understand why an entry is included, where a figure comes from and what the evidence can, and cannot, tell you.

This policy sets the standards for new articles and for our review of the existing archive. That review is underway, with a goal of finishing by December 2026. Older articles awaiting review may not yet have all the sourcing and explanations described here.

Our standards at a glance

• Facts you can check: key figures link to their source.
• Clear reasons: every list explains how its entries were chosen or ranked.
• Plain writing: short, clear explanations a student can understand and use.
• Honest dates: a post's Updated date changes when its facts or figures change.

How entries earn their place

Some lists compare a measurable fact, such as a train's maximum speed in regular passenger service or the fiber in 100 grams of a food. For these rankings, we explain the measure, scope and source near the beginning. We check that the figures are comparable, identify the relevant year or preparation, and explain ties and important gaps in the data.

Other lists are editorial selections. We explain what we chose and why; numbering those entries does not establish that one is scientifically better than another. A health-related list, for example, must not turn a nutrient comparison into a claim that a food treats a disease.

Sources and checking

We look for the original evidence wherever possible: public records, government and scientific agencies, research papers, official databases and relevant specifications. A source needs to support the particular claim, not just discuss the same topic.

Figures, names, dates and units are checked against those sources. The final review includes another check of the numbers, calculations and ranking order. When we calculate a conversion or a portion amount, we identify it as our calculation. When sources disagree, we explain any important difference in definitions, dates or methods rather than silently mixing the figures.

Key claims have links beside them, and the main references appear in a Sources section. We aim to give you enough context to understand a claim and enough detail to check it yourself.

Health and safety

For health and safety claims, we rely on relevant public-health guidance and scientific evidence. We distinguish established findings from uncertain or limited evidence and include precautions that affect how a reader might use the information.

These articles provide general information, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. Speak with an appropriate qualified professional about your own circumstances. A food list should never be a reason to stop prescribed treatment.

Photographs and reuse

We check that a photograph shows the subject described and that its license, permission or public-domain status allows our use. We provide the photographer or source credit and identify any important context in the caption. Giving credit is not a substitute for permission.

You're welcome to share a link to a TMW article. For questions about republishing text, please contact us. Photographs may belong to other rights holders and have their own reuse terms; permission to use an article does not automatically include its images.

Updates

An Updated date appears near the top of each article. Older posts awaiting review retain their earlier update date. We do not give a post a new Updated date just for a typo, a new photo or a layout change.

The year of a report or the period covered by a dataset is explained in the article where it matters. If you need current information for a decision, check the linked source as well as the article's date.

Corrections

If you spot a possible error, email admin@themysteriousworld.com or use our contact page. Please send the article link, the specific point and, if you have one, a source that helps explain the problem.

We investigate reported factual errors and correct confirmed mistakes. If a correction changes a ranking, a central conclusion or safety guidance, we add a note explaining the change.

Advertising and independence

Advertising helps support TMW. Our editorial policy is that payment must not determine whether an entry appears in a list or where it ranks. An advertisement beside an article is not an editorial recommendation of the advertised product.

Any paid promotional article must be clearly labeled as advertising, with the sponsor identified. Any commercial relationship relevant to a recommendation must also be disclosed where readers can see it.

This policy was last reviewed in October 2026.