Jordan Rosenfeld

The Science Behind Why We Love to Be Scared

Take a deep dive into our darkest impulses to find out why humans love watching horror movies, enduring scream-worthy haunted houses, and otherwise getting scared out of our minds.... READ ON

Scientifically Proven Ways to Stick to Your New Year's Resolutions

New Year's resolutions have a habit of being broken more than any other goals. This year, arm yourself with the best methods for making your resolutions a reality.... READ ON

12 Fantastic Facts About the Immune System

Without our immune system, we wouldn't last very long: this complex network of organs and cells fights off pathogens and helps maintain our health.... READ ON

10 Scientific Benefits of Kissing

While there are plenty of obvious pleasures of smooching, there are also some remarkable health benefits, backed by science.... READ ON

10 Facts About Your Tonsils

You might think they're unnecessary, because so many people have had their tonsils removed—but tonsils actually serve an important role in your immune system.... READ ON

10 Facts About the Lungs

Taking in oxygen to power your whole body is just one part of your lung function. Altogether, your lungs are a highly efficient machine—and they do a lot more than you might think.... READ ON

11 Scientific Benefits of Having a Laugh

Laughter might not always be the best medicine, but humor-associated laughter does have numerous health benefits.... READ ON

15 Positively Reinforcing Facts About B.F. Skinner

B.F. Skinner is responsible for the term "positive reinforcement." He also taught pigeons to play ping pong—for science. Learn more about this pioneering psychologist.... READ ON

12 Intriguing Facts About the Intestines

We only think about our intestines when we have intestinal pain, or when something else goes wrong. But scientists are finding intriguing links between your gut, brain, and other systems.... READ ON

8 Scientific Benefits of Napping

Whether you bow down to the ritual of a mid-afternoon siesta or never stop to snooze, you may think twice about the power of napping after reading about its many benefits.... READ ON

When You Feel "Chemistry" With Someone, What's Actually Going On?

We know chemistry when we feel it, but we don't always know why we're drawn to one person over another. Science has some answers … but not all of them.... READ ON

12 Facts About the Sense of Taste

It goes way beyond your taste buds.... READ ON

9 Fascinating Facts About the Vagus Nerve

The vagus nerve is at the center of an exciting new field of treatment that leaves medications behind.... READ ON

10 Smart Facts About Your Gut

Your gut has millions of neurons. And that's just one of its intelligent features.... READ ON

How Do Placebos Work?

There's a very real reason why your grandmother’s chicken soup makes you feel better when you're sick.... READ ON

11 Facts About Fingernails

They're more than just a place to dab polish.... READ ON

How Does Blood Pressure Work?

Your doctor may tell you that your BP is “120 over 80.” You may very well not know what that means.... READ ON

11 Facts About the Appendix

It has a function after all.... READ ON

Why Does It Rain?

With clouds, gravity pulls the water droplets out of the sky, and then they fall as rain. Here's why it rains.... READ ON

Scientists May Have Just Discovered a New Organ—And It Could Be the Biggest Yet

They call it the interstitium.... READ ON

8 Ways to Tell If Someone Is Lying to You

3. A liar avoids eye contact at the moment of untruth.... READ ON

13 Facts About Skin

It's your body's largest organ.... READ ON

Why Do Birds Fly?

Bird bodies are made to fly. They have light bones, strong legs, and specially shaped wings. Flying helps birds get away from animals that want to eat them.... READ ON

12 Facts About the Penis

The male sexual organ is more complicated than it might seem.... READ ON

11 Amazing Facts About Veins

Our bodies contain up to 100,000 miles of blood vessels.... READ ON

11 Amazing Facts About the Nipple

Sure, it's a titillating subject—but it's also a pretty versatile body part.... READ ON

6 Tips From Experts on How to Fake Loving a Gift You Hate

Be gracious this holiday season … even if you have to fake it.... READ ON

Why Is Your First Instinct After Hurting Your Finger to Put It in Your Mouth?

This self-soothing behavior is actually a pretty effective technique for temporarily calming pain signals to the brain. Here's how it works.... READ ON

Why Is It So Difficult to Sleep While Sitting Up?

News you can use this holiday season.... READ ON

6 Quick Facts About the Buttocks

5. Back pain may originate in your butt.... READ ON

8 Little Known Facts About the Temple

It's the thinnest part of the skull … which is why Maori warriors crafted a special weapon to crush it.... READ ON

9 Interesting Facts About the Ribs

Thanks to binding her ribs in tight corsets, Guinness World Record holder Cathie Jung has a waist that is the same circumference as a jar of mayonnaise.... READ ON

7 Essential Facts About the Pelvis

The pelvis is not actually a single body part, but a term that refers to a collection of bones, muscles and organs below the waist.... READ ON

7 Surprising Facts About the Chin

This mysterious little body part is a surprising source of controversy among researchers.... READ ON

10 Vital Facts About the Scrotum

2. Hot testicles can cause health and fertility problems.... READ ON

7 Surprising Facts About the Breast

Smoking can cause breasts to droop, but breastfeeding doesn't.... READ ON

11 Interesting Facts About Lymph Nodes

Though you might not often think about them, lymph nodes are crucial for your immune system.... READ ON

13 Facts About the Sciatic Nerve

At its largest point, the sciatic nerve is about as big around as a man's thumb—plenty big enough to be an important part of the nervous system.... READ ON

11 Striking Facts About the Jugular

Let's go for the jugular.... READ ON

13 Surprising Facts About the Armpit

It's not your sweat that stinks.... READ ON

11 Flexible Facts About the Thumb

Did you know opposable thumbs may have played a role in the development of language?... READ ON

10 Things You Might Not Know About the Elbow

Without this crucial joint, many daily activities would be impossible.... READ ON

Don't Panic About the Plague

Several cases have been confirmed in New Mexico. But plague makes an appearance in the U.S.—and worldwide—every year.... READ ON

8 Surprising Facts About the Stomach

Your stomach may very well be a key player in keeping your mood balanced.... READ ON

13 Fundamental Facts About the Anus

3. Once a year, have a professional look at it.... READ ON

Is Your Mobile Phone Use Bad for Your Mental Health?

Researchers are studying whether technology use is connected to depression, anxiety, and other issues.... READ ON

Learning to Read as an Adult Changes Deep Regions of the Brain

"Even learning to read in your thirties profoundly transforms brain networks."... READ ON

12 Enlightening Facts About Body Fat

Fat is actually an important organ.... READ ON

15 Useful Facts About Lyme Disease

Look out for the bull's-eye.... READ ON

Scientists Use the Tweaked Genes of a Virus to Halt Vision Loss

They turned the virus's ability to invade cells into a delivery system for eyesight therapy.... READ ON

Popular on Mentalfloss