THE BODY

The Reason Coffee Makes Some People Sleepy

Saying “Coffee makes me sleepy” might earn you a few puzzled looks, but there’s a science behind the phenomenon.

Next time your nose gets stuffy, make sure you know how to blow it correctly.

The Right Way to Blow Your Nose

You're probably blowing your nose too hard. Here's the right way to clear your sinuses, according to experts.

Paul Robinson, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA

Take a Virtual Tour of One of the Quietest Places on Earth

It's so quiet at Orfield Laboratories in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that you can hear your lungs, stomach, and heart working.

Why Can You Sometimes See Your Breath?

Seeing your breath isn't a cold weather phenomenon. It can also be visible when it's as warm as 60°F outside!

What Purpose Does the Belly Button Serve?

It may have done its most important work when it was attached to your umbilical cord, but it’s not completely useless.

‘Water’ in Kansas City Woman’s Ear Turned Out to Be a Venomous Brown Recluse Spider

She woke to the sensation that water was stuck in her ear, and thankfully went right to the doctor’s office.

Why Do People Get Ice Cream Headaches?

You may know an ice cream headache by one of its other names: brain freeze, a cold-stimulus headache, or sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia ("nerve pain of the sphenopalatine ganglion"). But no matter what you call it, it hurts like hell.

12 Facts About Your Digestive System

The ancient Greeks and Romans gorged themselves while lying down, but medical professionals say eating (and digesting) in a reclined position isn't such a good idea.

25 Amazing Facts About the Human Body

All of your blood vessels laid end to end would circle the Earth 4 times. Read on for more amazing tidbits about the human body.

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.

11 Facts About the Kidneys

Your kidneys filter almost 50 gallons of blood a day to keep your whole body healthy. Read on for more facts about this crucial organ—including what causes kidney stones.

11 Squeaky-Clean Facts About Spit

Saliva is more important than you think: You need spit to taste, chew, swallow, and digest everything you eat. Your spit even fights tooth decay and cavities.