Legendary language

No Trojan Horse over here, just a few fun facts on everyday expressions!

Image: The New York Public Library

We use colorful expressions every day without giving them much thought. But a surprising number of them go all the way back to ancient mythology. Long before movies and television, these dramatic stories helped people make sense of luck, love, danger, and human flaws. Today, we’ve gathered ten heroic, cautionary, and messy expressions that have sneaked their way into everyday language.

Image: Jr Korpa

You’ve probably known someone like this: everything they try seems to work out, and you can’t help but admire it. That’s what we mean by the Midas touch. It comes from King Midas, who asked for everything he touched to turn to gold. At first, it sounded perfect. Then reality set in when he couldn’t eat or hug anyone without disaster. Luckily, today we use the phrase to praise good luck rather than warn about it.

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Pandora had one simple rule: don’t open the container. Naturally, she did. And once she did, all kinds of trouble spilled out into the world. When you hear someone say, "That’ll open Pandora’s box," they’re really saying, "Trust me, you don’t want to start this." And that’s just the beginning.

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Some jobs feel so big you wonder where to even start. Hercules knew that feeling well. He was famous for taking on tasks no one else would dare attempt, from fighting monsters to cleaning stables no one wanted to go near. So when you hear yourself say a job took a herculean effort, you’re in good company.

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The Amazons didn’t sit around waiting for help. They were warriors through and through, strong, skilled, and confident. That spirit carries over when we describe a woman as Amazonian today. It’s a compliment that suggests she has presence, power, and knows exactly who she is.

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We all know the type: the kind of man who turns heads without even trying. In mythology, Adonis was so good-looking that goddesses argued over him. These days, calling someone an Adonis is just an easy, playful way to say he’s handsome, no epic love story required.

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Even the strongest people have a soft spot. Achilles was nearly unbeatable, except for one small weakness at his heel. That single flaw changed everything. When you talk about an Achilles’ heel now, you’re pointing to that one thing that can trip you up, even when everything else is going right.

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Ever feel stuck with no good options? Odysseus knew that feeling all too well when he had to choose between two deadly dangers on his journey. Either way, he was in trouble. That’s why we still use the phrase today to describe situations where every choice feels like the wrong one.

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At first glance, it looked like a generous gift. But inside that wooden horse was a plan that changed history. The Trojan Horse has become our shorthand for anything that seems helpful on the surface but hides trouble underneath. Feel like saying yes to something? Think twice!

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Imagine being inches away from what you want and never being able to reach it. That was Tantalus’s fate, and it gave us the word tantalizing. We use it for those tempting things that stay just out of reach, like a treat you swear you won’t have but can’t stop thinking about.

Image: Claudio Schwarz

Icarus had big dreams and ignored good advice. Flying higher and higher felt thrilling, until it all came crashing down. When someone warns about Icarian ambition, they’re saying it’s great to aim high, but it helps to listen and stay grounded. After all, even wings need limits.

The truth about your brain

You won’t believe what happens in your brain while you sleep

Image: Milad Fakurian

Your brain is one of the most powerful and mysterious organs in your body. It controls everything from your thoughts to your emotions and even processes information at lightning speed. But how much do you really know about it? Some long-believed myths about the brain have been debunked, while other surprising facts reveal just how incredible this organ truly is. Get ready to be amazed by these fascinating brain facts!

Image: Natasha Connell

You’ve probably heard this one before, but it’s completely false! While it’s true that not all parts of the brain fire at the same time, imaging studies show that most regions are active throughout the day, even when we sleep.

Your brain is constantly working, controlling bodily functions and emotions, and processing information. So next time someone says you’re only using 10% of your brain, you can confidently tell them that’s just a myth!

Image: Aarón Blanco Tejedor

Here’s a weird fact: While your brain processes pain signals from the rest of your body, it has no pain receptors of its own. This is why surgeons can perform brain surgery on conscious patients without causing them pain.

However, the membranes and tissues surrounding the brain do have pain receptors, which is why headaches and brain injuries can be so excruciating.

Image: Usman Yousaf

How come we have headaches if the brain has no pain receptors? Well, that’s because headaches are triggered by chemical activity in the brain, changes in nerves and blood vessels, and even fluctuating serotonin levels.

In some cases, hormones like estrogen can also play a role, which explains why migraines are more common in women.

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Dreams are proof that your brain never rests! (Warning: this fact can make you feel exhausted.) While you sleep, your limbic system, that is, the part of the brain that deals with emotions, becomes especially active, which is why dreams often feel so intense.

On average, humans experience four to seven dreams per night, even if we don’t always remember them. And what about that scary nightmare about falling? Well, you can thank your amygdala, the brain’s fear center, for that one.

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Have you ever walked into a room and instantly forgotten what you were after? That’s because short-term memory only lasts about 20-30 seconds! That’s not enough!

Your brain holds a limited amount of information in its active state before deciding whether to store it or discard it. Ironically, we can’t really choose what makes the cut, but we do hope these facts stay with you!

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That sharp, icy pain when you eat something too cold? It’s your brain’s way of telling you to slow down! Officially called sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, a brain freeze happens when cold food or drinks rapidly chill the blood vessels in your throat, causing them to constrict and then rapidly expand. This sends pain signals to your brain, warning you of the sudden temperature shift. It’s annoying, but it’s actually your body trying to protect itself!

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You didn’t need us to tell you, but let’s look at the details: The average person has between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts per day. What’s even more interesting? 95% of those thoughts are the same ones you had yesterday. Is that not surprising enough? Hear this out: 80% of them tend to be negative. That’s because our brains are wired for survival, constantly analyzing risks and potential dangers.

Image: Terry Vlisidis

Even though it only makes up about 2% of your body weight, your brain employs a major quantity of energy! It consumes 20% of your oxygen and blood supply, making it one of the most demanding organs in your body.

If your brain goes without oxygen for just five minutes, brain cells start dying, leading to irreversible damage. This is why deep breathing and cardiovascular exercise are great for brain health!

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Do you know that feeling when you hit the back of your head and see stars? That’s because your occipital lobe, which controls vision, is located at the back of your brain. If you get hit there, your brain momentarily misfires, causing flashes of light.

Interestingly, your brain processes vision on the opposite side; while your right brain controls your left eye, your left brain controls your right eye. It’s one of the many ways the brain operates in a complex way.

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Believe it or not, your brain generates between 12 and 25 watts of electricity when you’re awake. If you can’t really grasp how powerful that is, check this out: It’s enough to power a small light bulb! Your brain’s electrical activity is what allows neurons to send signals at speeds of up to 260 miles per hour.

Image: Robina Weermeijer

Your brain may be the fattiest organ in your body, consisting of at least 60% fat! This is why consuming healthy fats, like omega-3s and omega-6s present in fish, for example, is essential for brain health.

Healthy fats stabilize brain cell walls, reduce inflammation, and support cognitive function. So go ahead and enjoy that avocado toast, it’s food for your brain!

Image: Robina Weermeijer

It’s not just your memory that fades over time; the brain itself physically shrinks as one gets older. It continues developing until your late 40s, but after that, it slowly decreases in size.

Now, size doesn’t equal intelligence, so a smaller brain doesn’t necessarily mean a less capable one. Staying mentally active, exercising, and eating brain-boosting foods can help keep it in top shape!

Image: Lisa Yount

We often think of cholesterol as bad, but your brain actually depends on it! In fact, 25% of your body’s cholesterol is stored in your brain, where it helps with learning and memory. However, unlike other organs, the brain can’t absorb cholesterol from the blood, it has to produce its own. So, while too much cholesterol in the body can be harmful, the right amount is vital for brain function. At least you can use that as an excuse to get that burger!