In Greek mythology, curiosity led Pandora to open the sealed jar despite warnings.
The best-known versions of the story describe Pandora as unable to resist investigating the container given to her. Once she opened it, harmful forces escaped into the human world, leaving only hope inside after she closed it again. The myth explains why suffering, illness, and other troubles exist among humans.
The original Greek sources do not always use the modern phrase “Pandora’s box.” Hesiod describes a large storage jar, or pithos, and later tradition popularized the box wording. The story also varies in emphasis: some retellings stress curiosity, while others present Pandora as acting from simple human uncertainty or divine design. “Curiosity” remains the standard short answer in modern summaries and retellings.