Are passwords, words?

How original are your passwords? Discover the top 10 and find out!

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Passwords hold the keys to our digital lives, protecting our personal information and securing our online accounts. However, the proliferation of instances where we are repeatedly asked to choose a password leads to a natural tendency to simplify them. It’s easy to understand—if we have to remember 50 passwords, we’ll try to come up with ones that are easy to recall. This leads to the use of weak and predictable passwords that are easy to guess or crack. Scroll down to see if you use any of these common passwords. If so, do yourself a favor and change them!

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Probably the most common and overused password in the world is a name—whether it’s your own, a loved one’s, or even a pet’s. Perhaps you type your name followed by your birth year or the current year.

In any case, this type of password is among the most insecure, as anyone trying to access your personal information likely knows your name—and, if they’ve done their homework, the names of those around you. And yes, that includes your pets, past and present. Even if used on a personal computer at home, it’s best to replace it.

Image: Wesley Hilario

There was a time—before smartphones—when everyone remembered at least a few telephone numbers. Chiefly, your own, but also those of your parents, grandparents, friends, and so on. Perhaps you even remember a couple to this day—do you?

This once-useful information has now become meaningless, yet millions of people still use their old phone numbers—and even addresses—as passwords for email accounts, online banking, and all sorts of password-protected services.

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This is one of the laziest passwords on the list. Believe it or not, a huge number of people use an entire row of numbers or letters on their keyboards as a password. In fact, according to several specialized websites that track this sort of thing, "123456" is the most common password globally.

And, as it happens, this is also one of the easiest passwords to crack—not just for hackers, but, actually, for anyone.

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Believe it or not, some people still think using the word "password" as their password is clever—as if no one had ever thought of that. Not only is this one of the most commonly used passwords, but it’s also incredibly easy to guess.

Another overused password is "whatever." This adolescent expression of indifference is often chosen when someone doesn’t feel like coming up with a new password.

Image: Stanley Dai

One of the most irritating instances of creating a new password is the moment when the code word you created is rejected for lacking special characters or uppercase letters.

When this happens, most people simply capitalize the first letter and add an exclamation mark (!) at the end, as it’s the first special character on the keyboard. However, using a different uppercase letter and a unique special character instantly makes your password much more secure.

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If you were wondering what the laziest password of all is, "Abc123" is it. What’s even more astonishing is that it’s not rare but a hugely popular choice for millions of people worldwide.

Sure, many of us think, Who would bother trying to hack me?—as if we weren’t a typical target for a hacker. But you’d be surprised. And not in a good way.

Image: Jonas Leupe

Perhaps you’re struggling to come up with a password and glance at the brand on your keyboard or smartphone, thinking no one will guess it. Think again. Using "Samsung," "Genius," "Motorola," or any other major tech brand—whose logos are as ubiquitous as the air we breathe—is an extremely common choice for countless people.

Hackers know this and test these brand names early in their password-cracking attempts. So don’t be lazy—come up with something better than "Intel-Inside" for your password.

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This one is especially common in workplaces where the IT department uses the same name and password for every computer—for practical purposes. And we get it—no one wants to create hundreds of unique passwords for every employee. But it should be done anyway, because "Admin" and "Admin123" are among the most widely used usernames and passwords in offices everywhere.

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Don’t be ashamed—it can happen to the best of us. When the website that has asked you for a new password suddenly "rejects" your password. Maybe it’s missing special characters, numbers, or a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters. Or perhaps it’s one you’ve used before. Either way, it can be a very infuriating experience.

When pushed to that limit, many people resort to using an insult as a password—often aimed at the website itself. The problem? Hackers expect this. They routinely test common epithets and curses when cracking passwords.

Image: Tim Mossholder

"Speak ‘friend’ and enter," said Gandalf. And when he uttered the Elvish word for "friend," the massive stone door magically opened. But unless you’re a wizard in a Tolkien novel, it’s best to choose a more cryptic password than "welcome" or "hello."

These two words rank among the most commonly used passwords worldwide, and once again, hackers test them early in their attempts. A simple yet poetic word like "friend," "hello," or "welcome" might be tempting—it can make your personal computer or smartphone feel like an extension of your home. But, alas, hackers often exploit this cozy feeling. So do yourself a favor and pick something harder to crack.

BE READY FOR SOME SERIOUS LATIN AND GREEK.

Step Into The Fascinating World Of Science With These 12 Obscure Terms!

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Give it a bit of time, and even the tiniest, most obscure corner of human knowledge will develop its own terminology. What can it be said, then, of the biggest generator of a specific lexicon in the world? We're talking, of course, about science.

Stepping into the fascinating realm of scientific discovery, we encounter a captivating linguistic landscape adorned with unusual terms that defy the ordinary. From the enigmatic boundaries of the magnetopause to the haunting resonance of kwashiorkor in the realm of malnutrition, and the whimsical allure of Ittibitium, each term is a testament to the inventiveness of scientific language. Take a look at twelve of these terms and see if you are familiar with any of them.

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Coming from the Latin word obdormire, meaning "to fall asleep", obdormition refers to that feeling of numbness when an arm or leg has "gone to sleep", a phenomenon familiar to many but often nameless. It is the sensation of numbness or tingling in a limb, commonly experienced when pressure is applied to nerves, momentarily disrupting normal sensations.

It is a transient condition, thankfully distinct from long-lasting numbness, and often linked to the compression of nerves during prolonged periods of immobility. While the term may not be a household name, its concise articulation captures a distinctive aspect of human physiology.

Image: Liane Metzler

Originating from the Ga language of Ghana, which translates to "the sickness of the weaning," kwashiorkor is a severe form of protein-energy deficiency. Afflicting children in impoverished regions, kwashiorkor manifests through swollen bellies, skin lesions, and stunted growth.

The term describes the inadequate nutrition that often arises when a child is weaned from breast milk and transitions to a diet lacking essential proteins.

Image: Matteo Fusco

Magnetopause is the frontier between our Earth and the powerful forces of the solar wind. Coined by merging "magnet" and "pause", it is the point where the Earth's magnetic field meets the solar wind's magnetic field, resulting in a complex and ever-shifting interface.

The magnetopause serves as a protective shield, deflecting the charged particles of the solar wind and preventing their direct entry into our planet's magnetosphere. Studying this invisible frontier is critical for understanding space weather and its potential impact on our technological infrastructure.

Image: Amirali Mirhashemian

Not all scientific terms have origins as serious as most people would think. The "bittium" is a category of small sea snails. And the "ittibitium" is an even smaller category of marine gastropod mollusks. Yes, as in "itty-bitty", meaning very small.

This term showcases the mixed nature of science, blending technical precision with a touch of linguistic artistry.

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Rooted in the Latin word quantus, meaning "how much," quantum heralds a paradigm shift in our understanding of the fundamental fabric of reality. Coined in the early 20th century by Max Planck, the father of quantum theory, the term describes the discrete nature of energy.

Quantum mechanics, a cornerstone of modern physics, has ushered in a new era of understanding subatomic phenomena. Beyond its scientific import, "quantum" has permeated popular culture, becoming synonymous with unpredictability and complexity.

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Gollumjapyx Smeagol may sound like a creation from the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, but it is, in fact, a scientific term with roots deeply embedded in biodiversity. Named after the iconic character from The Lord of the Rings, this name belongs to a newly discovered genus of springtails—tiny arthropods that inhabit soil and leaf litter.

Scientists probably chose this nomenclature to add a touch of pop culture into the realm of taxonomy. Even in the rigid world of science, the imagination can leave an indelible mark.

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The Coriolis effect derives its name from the French engineer and mathematician Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis. First described in the 19th century, this effect manifests as a result of the Earth's rotation, influencing the movement of air masses and ocean currents.

As the Earth spins on its axis, objects in motion, such as winds or ocean currents, appear to deflect to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere. This apparent deviation, a consequence of the conservation of angular momentum, has profound implications for global weather patterns and ocean circulation.

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A word rooted in the Latin cotyledon, meaning "seed leaf" describes the embryonic journey of a plant. Functioning as the first leaf or pair of leaves to emerge from the seed during germination, cotyledons play a crucial role in nourishing and sustaining the developing plant before true leaves take over photosynthetic duties.

The cotyledon serves as a bridge between the seedling stage and the establishment of a mature plant.

Image: Fayette Reynolds

Another word taken from the realm of plants, xylem is a word that comes from the Greek xylon, meaning "wood". Xylem tissue forms the woody core of a plant, conducting water from roots to leaves while providing structural support.

This vascular tissue is of extreme importance since it conducts water and dissolved nutrients upwards from the root and also helps to form the woody element in the stem.

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Acanthobothrium zimmeri designates a species of tapeworm. The first part of the term is a composite of acantho, referring to spines, and bothrium, describing a type of attachment organ in tapeworms. The second part of the term, zimmeri, pays homage to the renowned science writer and columnist Carl V. Zimmer.

This name not only tells us of the characteristics of a particular organism but also reveals the interconnectedness of scientific fields and the homage paid to influential figures in the discipline.

Image: Marat Gilyadzinov

Who said science names can’t rhyme? "Cedusa medusa" dives into the fascinating realm of marine biology. This term combines cedusa, a reference to the larval stage of certain jellyfish, and "medusa", which is the adult, umbrella-shaped form of these gelatinous organisms.

The dual nomenclature captures the life cycle of jellyfish, where the cedusa represents the early developmental phase, eventually metamorphosing into the recognizable medusa form.

Image: James Wainscoat

We close this list with something even more impressive than a name that rhymes: a palindrome. "Orizabus subaziro" might sound like a fantastical creature from a forgotten myth, but it's actually the scientific name for a rather unassuming beetle, native to the lush mountain forests of Oaxaca, Mexico.

The first half, orizabus, originates from Greek, whereas orizaba refers to the majestic Pico de Orizaba, the highest mountain in Mexico. This choice isn't accidental—like the peak soaring above the clouds, this genus of beetles boasts impressive horns adorning the males' heads, earning them the moniker "horned rhinoceros beetles". And the second part, subaziro, delves into indigenous Zapotec, and spoken in Oax translates to "underground fire," aptly describing the beetle's nocturnal habits and their penchant for burrowing.