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The Human Body

103 curious, true stories.

Illustration of close-up wrinkled fingertips after a long bathThe Human BodyPruney Fingers After a Bath Aren't Waterlogged. Your Nerves Are Doing It on PurposeIllustration of a person yawning at a breakfast table with a cup of coffeeThe Human BodyOne Yawn Can Spread Across a Room, and Who Yawns First Matters More Than You'd ThinkIllustration of a close-up of goosebumps on a person's forearmThe Human BodyCold Air and a Great Song Both Give You Goosebumps. The Reason Goes Back a Long WayIllustration of a human heart with a soft warm glowThe Human BodyYour Heart Has Been Quietly Counting Since Before You Were Born. The Total Is Staggering
Illustration of a surprised woman mid-hiccup holding a glass of water at a kitchen tableThe Human BodyHiccups Seem Totally Useless. Scientists Think They May Date Back to TadpolesIllustration of a person chopping onions in a kitchen with teary eyesThe Human BodyYour Tears Over a Cutting Board Are Part of an Onion's Clever Self-Defense Plan
A person holding their stomach while sitting near a lunch tableThe Human BodyThat Embarrassing Growl in a Quiet Room Isn't Really Your Stomach ComplainingIllustration of a person sleeping peacefully with dreamy clouds floating aboveThe Human BodyYou Spend Over Two Hours a Night Dreaming, and Science Still Can't Agree Why
Illustration of a grandmother's kitchen with fresh-baked pieThe Human BodyOne Whiff of Grandma's Kitchen and You're Seven Again. Your Brain Has a ShortcutIllustration of a person eating ice cream and pressing a hand to their foreheadThe Human BodyThat Stabbing Ice Cream Headache Isn't Coming From Where You ThinkIllustration of two hands with fingers interlaced, stretching out as if about to crack the knucklesThe Human BodyThat Pop When You Crack Your Knuckles Isn't Your Bones. Scientists Know What It IsIllustration of a pair of hands resting on a wooden table in soft lightThe Human BodyYou Trim Your Nails Every Week or Two. Here's How Much They Actually Grow in a Year
Illustration of two people laughing while one tickles the otherThe Human BodyYou Can't Tickle Yourself No Matter How Hard You Try. Your Brain Has a Good ReasonA person smiling shyly with rosy pink cheeksThe Human BodyYour Cheeks Turn Red Before You Can Stop Them. Scientists Think That's the PointIllustration of a human skeleton standing in a museum display caseThe Human BodyYour Skeleton Isn't the Same One You Had a Decade Ago. Here's What ChangedIllustration of a smiling older woman with shining silver hair standing in warm sunlightThe Human BodyGray Hair Isn't Actually Gray. Here's What's Really Happening at the Root
Illustration of a close-up fingerprint pressed onto a pane of glassThe Human BodyThose Tiny Swirls on Your Fingertips Have a Job. It's Not the One Most People ThinkIllustration of a passenger looking out an airplane windowThe Human BodyThat Little Pop in Your Ears on a Plane Comes From a Tiny Tube You Never Think AboutA simple side view of a human eye with a tree in front of it and an upside-down tree image at the back of the eyeThe Human BodyYour Eye Captures Everything Upside Down. One Man Wore Flipped Glasses for DaysIllustration of a person sneezing outdoors on a bright dayThe Human BodyStep Into Bright Sunlight and Sneeze? You Have a Quirk Aristotle Puzzled Over
Illustration of a person standing against a height chart on a wallThe Human BodyYou Are Taller at Breakfast Than at Dinner. Here's How Much Height Slips AwayIllustration of a left hand writing in a notebook with a fountain penThe Human BodyAbout 1 in 10 People Are Left-Handed, and the Reason Isn't as Simple as Your GenesIllustration of a person sitting on a sofa rubbing their tingling footThe Human BodyYour Foot Falls Asleep, Then Fizzes Back to Life. The Reason Is All About WiringIllustration of a human liver drawn in a gentle anatomical styleThe Human BodyDoctors Can Remove Part of Your Liver, and It Quietly Grows Back to Full Size
Illustration of a woman listening with a puzzled smile to an old cassette tape recorder at a kitchen tableThe Human BodyHate Hearing Your Voice on a Recording? The Real Reason Is Inside Your HeadIllustration of a group of friends laughing around a kitchen tableThe Human BodyBabies Laugh Before They Can Talk. Scientists Think That Tells Us Something BigAn older man tasting soup from a wooden spoon in a warm kitchenThe Human BodyIf Old Family Recipes Taste Blander Than You Remember, the Food May Not Be the ProblemIllustration of a close-up face with expressive raised eyebrowsThe Human BodyThose Two Strips of Hair Above Your Eyes Are Doing More Work Than You Think
Illustration of a woman listening to a record player with her eyes closedThe Human BodyThat Shiver Up Your Spine During a Favorite Song Starts With a Little SurpriseIllustration of a sneeze cloud spraying out in front of a tissueThe Human BodySlow-Motion Cameras Caught a Sneeze in Action. It Reaches Farther Than Anyone ThoughtIllustration of a person pausing in a quiet hallway with a thoughtful, puzzled expressionThe Human BodyThat Eerie 'I've Been Here Before' Feeling Has a Surprising ExplanationIllustration of a quiet airplane cabin with passengers resting during a long flightThe Human BodyYour Shoes Fit Fine at Takeoff. Why Do They Feel Two Sizes Smaller When You Land?
Illustration of a bedside clock at sunrise with light coming through the curtainsThe Human BodyYour Body Runs on a Hidden Clock, and It Isn't Set to Exactly 24 HoursA family relaxing and dozing on a couch after a big holiday dinnerThe Human BodyEveryone Blames the Turkey for the After-Dinner Slump. The Real Culprits Are ElsewhereIllustration of a glowing old jukebox in a classic American dinerThe Human BodyYou Know Every Word of a Song From High School but Forget a Name in SecondsIllustration of a person with rosy cheeks walking through a snowy park on a crisp winter dayThe Human BodyYour Eyes Stream on Cold, Windy Days. The Strange Part Is That They're Drying Out
Illustration of a branching network of red blood vessels flowing like riversThe Human BodyYour Blood Vessels Supposedly Wrap Around Earth Twice. The Newer Estimate Is SmallerIllustration of a human abdomen in vintage anatomy styleThe Human BodyFor Years the Appendix Was Called Useless. Scientists Are Rethinking ThatA person holding a white handkerchief up to their face, about to sneezeThe Human BodySome People Always Sneeze Three Times. Science Has a Surprisingly Honest AnswerIllustration of a close-up of hands applying lotionThe Human BodyThe Outer Layer of Skin You're Wearing Today Wasn't There a Few Months Ago
Illustration of a nervous person waiting at a front door holding a bouquet of flowersThe Human BodyThat Fluttery Feeling Before a Big Date Is Real. Your Body Is Rerouting Your BloodIllustration of an older couple smiling warmly at each otherThe Human BodyScientists Had Volunteers Bite Down on a Pen, and Cartoons Suddenly Seemed FunnierIllustration of a bright, healthy smile showing clean white teethThe Human BodyThe Hardest Substance in Your Body Isn't Bone. It's Also Surprisingly FragileIllustration of a person wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold front porchThe Human BodyThat Shaking You Can't Stop on a Cold Morning Is Your Body Running a Secret Furnace
Soft scientific-style drawing of a human stomach with a glowing protective inner liningThe Human BodyYour Stomach Is Full of Acid Strong Enough to Break Down a Steak. So Why Is It Safe?Illustration of a cozy bedroom with soft morning lightThe Human BodySome People Thrive on Little Sleep While Others Need Plenty. Here's What Science SaysA glowing human brain shown in warm light against a dark backgroundThe Human BodyYour Brain Weighs About 3 Pounds, Yet It Burns a Surprising Amount of Your FuelIllustration of the hands of an older woman holding a teacupThe Human BodyWrinkles Aren't Just About Birthdays. The Sun Plays a Surprisingly Big Role
Illustration of a basket of carrots on a kitchen counterThe Human BodyThe Carrots-Help-You-See-in-the-Dark Story Began as a Wartime Cover StoryIllustration of a person warming their hands around a hot mugThe Human BodyYour Fingers and Toes Go Icy First for a Reason. Your Body Is Making a ChoiceIllustration of an older man sitting at a kitchen table, smiling as he works on a crossword puzzleThe Human BodyLondon Cab Drivers' Brains Changed as They Learned the Streets. What That Means for YoursIllustration of a person sleeping peacefully in bed in soft moonlightThe Human BodyHalf of Young Kids Talk in Their Sleep. What's Happening in the Brain Is Even Stranger
A heart with glowing electrical sparks traveling across itThe Human BodyYour Brain Doesn't Start Your Heartbeat. A Spot Smaller Than a Fingernail DoesIllustration of a person with a rosy red nose bundled up in a winter scarfThe Human BodyYour Nose Starts Dripping the Moment You Step Into the Cold. Blame Your Own BreathIllustration of an open vintage photo album filled with old baby picturesThe Human BodyAlmost Nobody Remembers Being a Baby. Scientists Have Some Intriguing Ideas WhyIllustration of a single tear rolling down a person's cheek in soft lightThe Human BodyOnion Tears and Heartbreak Tears Look the Same. Inside, They Aren't
Illustration of a person mid-sneeze in a gardenThe Human BodyYour Eyes Slam Shut Every Time You Sneeze. It Turns Out They Don't Have ToA passenger in a car looking out the window at a winding country roadThe Human BodyCarsickness Starts With a Mix-Up Inside Your Head. Drivers Rarely Feel It for a ReasonIllustration of a plate with half a meal and a napkinThe Human BodyThat Moment You Push Your Plate Away Is a Message Your Stomach Sends to Your BrainIllustration of a smiling older man cupping his hand behind his earThe Human BodyBirds Can Regrow the Cells That Let Them Hear. Humans Lost That Trick Long Ago
Illustration of a woman with rosy cheeks jogging along a path in a green parkThe Human BodyThat Red Face After a Brisk Walk Is Your Body Running a Clever Cooling SystemIllustration of a person happily tasting a scoop of ice creamThe Human BodyThat Tongue Map From Science Class Was Wrong. Blame a Mix-Up Over an Old GraphIllustration of a person looking grumpy at a kitchen table just before lunchThe Human BodySkipping Lunch Can Make the Nicest People Snappy. Your Body Chemistry Is Partly to BlameIllustration of a smiling young child with a missing front tooth in a sunny kitchenThe Human BodyBaby Teeth Fall Out Anyway, So Why Bother? They Have a Hidden Job
Illustration of a finger wrapped in a small bandageThe Human BodyA Paper Cut Barely Bleeds but Hurts Like Crazy. Then Your Body Gets to WorkA man on a sunny front porch puckering his lips as he tries to whistleThe Human BodySome People Whistle Without Thinking. Others Just Blow Air. Here's What's Going OnIllustration of a person sniffing a carton of milk in front of an open fridgeThe Human BodyThat Quick Sniff of the Milk Carton Is One of Your Body's Oldest Alarm SystemsIllustration of a grandmother crying happily at a weddingThe Human BodyHappy Tears Make No Sense at First. Then Scientists Looked Closer
Illustration of a roller coaster train cresting a tall hill against a blue skyThe Human BodyThat Stomach-Flipping Moment at the Top of a Coaster Hill Has a NameIllustration of a bright rainbow arching over green farmland after a rain showerThe Human BodyEvery Color You've Ever Seen Comes From Just Three Kinds of Cells in Your EyesIllustration of a pair of well-worn leather shoes sitting on a wooden floorThe Human BodyYour Bones Stopped Growing Decades Ago. So Why Do Your Old Shoes Suddenly Feel Tight?Illustration of a person sighing while sitting on a park benchThe Human BodyYou Sigh All Day Without Noticing. Your Lungs Are Quietly Asking for It
A dark bedroom at night with a glowing bedside clockThe Human BodyA Teen Stayed Awake for 11 Straight Days. Researchers Wrote Down EverythingIllustration of a cozy bathtub surrounded by glowing candles and a folded towelThe Human BodyA Warm Bath Before Bed Works Like Magic. The Real Trick Happens After You Get OutIllustration of a person reading a book late at night by the glow of a table lampThe Human BodySome People Come Alive at Midnight. Part of the Reason May Be in Their GenesIllustration of a person relaxing on a garden bench in warm sunshineThe Human BodySitting by a Sunny Window Feels Great. For Vitamin D, It Does Almost Nothing
Illustration of a nervous hand near a mouthThe Human BodyMillions of People Bite Their Nails, and Science Still Can't Fully Explain WhyA woman with very long braided hair reaching down past her kneesThe Human BodySome People's Hair Stops Growing at Their Shoulders. One Woman's Reached 18 FeetIllustration of a person stretching in bed at sunriseThe Human BodyThat Big Morning Stretch Has a Scientific Name, and Even Spiders Do ItIllustration of a cozy armchair beside a window with gray rain clouds outsideThe Human BodyMillions Swear Their Knees Can Forecast Rain. Scientists Checked Millions of Records
Illustration of an old glass thermometer resting on a wooden nightstandThe Human BodyDoctors Have Quoted 98.6 Degrees for Over 150 Years. Newer Studies Tell a Different StoryIllustration of a pair of kidneys drawn in a soft anatomical styleThe Human BodyYou Can Live a Normal Life With One Kidney. So Why Were You Born With Two?Illustration of an old wooden radio with its volume knob turned all the way upThe Human BodyTiny Cells in Your Ear Let You Hear Music. Too Much Volume and They Never Grow BackIllustration of an older man stretching his legs on a park bench after a morning walkThe Human BodyYou Felt Fine After the Workout. Two Days Later, the Stairs Became a Mountain
Illustration of a crowd of faces in a vintage train stationThe Human BodySome People Can Recognize a Face They Saw Just Once. Police Have Put Them to WorkA person warming up by a crackling fireplace on a snowy winter eveningThe Human BodyYour Body Has a Special Kind of Fat That Works Like a Tiny Built-In FurnaceIllustration of a person wrapped in a blanket holding a cup of teaThe Human BodyYour Temperature Is Climbing, Yet You're Shivering Under Blankets. Here's the LogicIllustration of a close-up of an eye in dim lightThe Human BodyYour Pupils Grow in the Dark. They Also Grow When You Think Hard or Feel Interested
Illustration of an older couple enjoying morning coffee together at dawnThe Human BodyUp at Dawn After 60? Your Body Clock Has Been Shifting Your Whole LifeIllustration of a sleeping newborn baby wrapped in a soft pastel blanketThe Human BodyYour Belly Button Is Actually a Scar, and It's One of a KindIllustration of a colorful mosaic of round human cells under a microscopeThe Human BodyScientists Counted the Cells in a Human Body. Most of Them Turned Out to Be One KindIllustration of a fresh pizza coming out of a brick ovenThe Human BodyOne Whiff of Pizza and Your Mouth Starts Watering. Your Body Is Already Cooking
A smiling red-haired woman with freckles standing in warm sunlightThe Human BodySome People Freckle After One Sunny Afternoon. Others Never Do. The Difference Is AncientIllustration of a dusty attic filled with stacked old boxes and keepsakesThe Human BodyForgetting Isn't Always a Glitch. Sometimes Your Brain Does It on PurposeIllustration of a person lying awake in a quiet, moonlit bedroom late at nightThe Human BodyThat Ache Seems to Get Louder After Dark. Your Body Clock May Be Part of the StoryIllustration of a person dozing off in a cozy armchair beside a reading lampThe Human BodyThat Sudden Jolt as You Fall Asleep Has a Name, and One Theory Points to Our Ancestors
Illustration of a person going cross-eyed while looking at the tip of their noseThe Human BodyYour Nose Is in Your View All Day Long. Your Brain Has Been Quietly Erasing ItIllustration of a person humming happily while gardening on a sunny afternoonThe Human BodyNearly Everyone Gets Songs Stuck in Their Head. Researchers Found a Simple FixSoft anatomical illustration of a human stomach showing its folded inner lining in gentle pinksThe Human BodyThe Cells Lining Your Stomach Last Only Days. Then Brand-New Ones Take OverIllustration of a person looking through a camera viewfinderThe Human BodyOne of Your Eyes Is Quietly Calling the Shots. A Simple Thumb Test Reveals Which
A glowing network of nerve fibers branching through the human bodyThe Human BodySome Nerve Signals Zip Faster Than a Bullet Train. Others Move at a Walking PaceIllustration of an older woman smiling and singing along to a vinyl record in a cozy living roomThe Human BodyAn Old Song Can Bring Back a Memory in Seconds. Scientists Have Been Studying WhyIllustration of a hand writing a letter with a fountain pen on cream paperThe Human BodyYour Handwriting Can't Reveal Your Personality. But It Does Show Your Brain at Work