THE BODY

13 Myths About Organ Donation, Debunked

Not only is there a chronic shortage of organ donations in the U.S.—there multiple myths about the process.

Short Order: The Reason Why We Shrink in Height As We Get Older

You're not going to stand as tall at 70 as you did at 30. Here's why.

Why Does My Eyelid Sometimes Twitch?

Caffeine is just one of the things that may be to blame for the irritating spasms.

Great Britain's Kieran Bird at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Why Do Olympic Swimmers Slap Themselves?

It's to get the blood flowing—or is it?

Why are the backs of the lower legs called ‘calves’?

The Origins of 8 Oddly Named Body Parts

Humans share some of their body parts’ name origins with fish, cows, and dolls.

Land Sickness can be just as unsettling as seasickness.

What Is Land Sickness—and Why Does it Happen?

Seasickness happens when a person’s body struggles to grow accustomed to a boat’s motion patterns, causing them to feel unsteady and often nauseated. But land sickness happens in reverse.

Why You Feel the Urge to Poop When You’re Shopping, According to a Doctor

If a trip to Target inevitably ends with you making a pit stop at the restroom, you're not alone.

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.

8 Myths About Dead Bodies, Debunked

Corpses are less scary than you think.

Do you know where your copy is these days?

When American Girl’s ‘The Care & Keeping of You’ Taught a Generation How to Grow Up

‘The Care & Keeping of You’ paved the way for countless puberty books to come.

Think a human always has 206 bones? Think again.

4 Big Misconceptions About the Human Body

Considering how familiar we all are with the human body—since we all have one—there is a surprising number of enduring myths about it.

How Does Sword Swallowing Really Work?

The ancient art of sword swallowing may seem like some sort of elaborate trick—but it’s very, very real (and very, very dangerous).

Watching a scary movie can definitely send shivers down your spine—but why?

Why Do We Get Shivers Down Our Spines?

You’re watching a scary movie or the music swells during your favorite song—the shiver up and down your spine is your body responding to a range of emotions.

Why Do Older People Grunt or Moan While Sitting Down or Standing Up?

It's known as "middle-aged groan," and it afflicts millions who dare try to get off the couch.

Before you head to the beach, don't forget to apply sunscreen to these key spots.

6 Areas You’re Probably Forgetting When You Use Sunscreen

Even if sunscreen is part of your daily routine, there might be some major areas—like your eyelids—where you’ve been forgetting to apply it.

8 Bodily Secretions You’d Rather Not Think About

Rheum, cerumen, and mucus are just a few of our gross bodily fluids.

Does the ‘Hand in Warm Water’ Trick Really Make People Pee in Their Sleep?

Pranksters claim putting someone’s hand in warm water while they sleep will make them wet the bed. Does this actually work?

How loud a fart is depends on a couple of factors.

Why Are Some Farts Noisy?

Farts can make a lot of different noises. Some are high and squeaky, while others explode like a car backfiring—and some don’t make any noise at all.

Swimming is an all-body workout—bladder included.

The Reason Swimming Makes You Need to Pee

Going for a dip? You'll probably have a wee bit of trouble. Here's why.

Electrolytes are important, yes. But you don't necessarily need drinks full of them.

What Are Electrolytes, and Why Do We Need Them?

Sports drinks are full of them. But are they good for you, or just really expensive pee?

Flip through the dictionary and you'll find all sorts of words hiding their bodily origins.

10 Body Parts Hiding in the Dictionary

Some of our favorite words come from body parts. Scratch your 'caput' over the origins of these anatomically derived terms.

5 TV Stars You Probably Didn’t Know Were Missing a Finger

No, the Simpsons don’t count.

Why Does Squinting Help You See Better?

Why does using less of your eye help you see something more clearly? There's a pretty simple explanation.

Call a bout of spontaneous, uproarious, unrestrained laughter 'cachinnation.'

The Proper Names of 17 Bodily Functions

The next time you interrupt an important meeting with a ructus or a borborygmus, you’ll at least have the perfect word for it.