Nettstedet ble startet av Professor Marshall Brain ved North Carolina State University i 1998. Siden den gang har nettstedet vunnet mange priser og blitt ressurssted for millioner av mennesker i alle aldre.

Selv presenterer de nettstedet slik:

"From car engines to search engines, from cell phones to stem cells, and thousands of subjects in between, HowStuffWorks has it covered. No topic is too big or too small for our expert editorial staff to unmask...or for you to understand. In addition to comprehensive articles, our helpful graphics and informative videos walk you through every topic clearly, simply and objectively."