A hairy business

Let your hair down: 10 amazing facts about human hair

Image: Ali Pazani

The human body is incredible, from its mechanics to its ability to heal and adapt to multiple environments and situations. Hair, as part of our body, is no exception to this complexity and wonder. Let’s take a look at 10 amazing facts about our hair that you may not know!

Image: Ian Talmacs

The word hair is used to describe two separate and distinct components: the follicle and the shaft. The follicle—what we commonly refer to as the root—is a living organ located in the dermis of the scalp. It’s responsible not only for growing hair but also for helping regenerate skin after a wound.

On the other hand, the shaft—often referred to as the strand—is a filament composed of layers of keratin, the same protein that makes up our nails. Unlike the follicle, the hair shaft is technically dead because it consists of dead cells.

Image: Joyful Bird

Each hair strand is composed of three layers. The innermost layer is the medulla, and even scientists are still uncertain about its exact function. Surrounding the medulla is the cortex, which absorbs water and provides strength to the strand. The cortex also contains melanin, the pigment that determines hair color, and its shape plays a major role in whether hair is straight or curly. The outermost layer is the cuticle, which serves primarily to protect the hair shaft.

Image: Tyler McRobert

Hair color is primarily influenced by several genes, including MC1R, which plays a key role in melanin production. However, not everyone produces the same type or amount of melanin. Higher amounts of melanin result in black hair, while varying levels and types of melanin—along with genetic variations—produce brown, blond, and other shades.

Red hair, the rarest natural color, is caused by a mutation in the MC1R gene and is inherited in a recessive pattern. This means a person must inherit two copies of the mutated gene (one from each parent) to have red hair, though many people carry the gene without expressing the trait.

Image: William Warby

Growing at a rate of about 0.2 to 0.5 inches per month, hair is the second-fastest growing tissue in the human body—surpassed only by bone marrow. This rate is influenced by factors such as genetics and ethnic background. Other variables, such as age, lifestyle, or health, can also have an impact on our hair growth and density.

Image: Sohan Rahat

We usually think of cats or dogs when it comes to shedding, but humans also shed hair regularly. After all, hair is a trait shared by all mammals. The average person sheds between 50 and 100 strands of hair per day, though this number can increase in response to stressors such as illness, hormonal changes, or emotional stress. Once the stress subsides and the body readjusts, the excess shedding typically stops.

Image: Joseph Chan

Commonly associated with aging, grey hair isn’t a color in itself but rather the result of a loss of pigment. As part of the natural aging process, melanin production in the hair follicle gradually decreases and eventually stops, causing strands to appear grey or white.

Genetics and ethnic background play a major role in determining when and how the greying process begins. Some people are even genetically predisposed to start greying at a very young age.

Image: Jaroslav Devia

Hair texture is commonly associated with ethnic background, but that’s not the only factor involved. Texture is primarily determined by genetics, and while genetics are closely tied to ancestry, all hair textures can be found across different populations.

Scientists believe that hair texture—specifically curl pattern and volume—is a result of the shape of the shaft. A round shaft typically produces straight hair, while flatter or more oval-shaped shafts tend to create curls and waves.

Image: Amritanshu Sikdar

Depending on the structure of your hair cuticle, your hair may be more or less water-repellent. Hair shafts with a more porous cuticle absorb water easily but also lose moisture quickly. In contrast, shafts with a tighter-packed cuticle struggle to get wet and are slow to dry.

Image: Sonja Langford

Hair doesn’t grow continuously or all at once—each strand follows a cycle with distinct phases. First comes the growing phase, which varies depending on the type of hair (for example, facial hair grows faster and for a shorter period than scalp hair). Eventually, growth slows down, and the strand detaches from the root.

After this, the hair enters a resting phase, during which it remains in place until it is naturally shed. At any given time, we have hairs in all stages of this cycle, which is why we regularly shed hair without going bald.

Image: Hans Reniers

Like any other part of the body, hair contains DNA and genetic material, which means a person can be genetically identified from a single strand, provided it includes the root. But hair holds even more information. The analysis of a hair strand can reveal substances that were present in a person’s bloodstream over time, including vitamins, minerals, medications, alcohol, and other substances.

NAME ANCESTRY

14 Surprising Origin Stories Behind State Names In The USA

Image: Pin Adventure Map

Ever wondered where most US states’ names come from? From Native American roots to foreign or made-up words, the stories behind many of them are riddled with surprising historical references. Although the origin of some US states’ names is fairly obvious, many derive from unexpected people or places. The origin of names like Colorado, Montana, or Nevada are easy to infer —especially if you know a bit of Spanish— but many others have Native American origins with intriguing meanings. Some are even derived from fiction. If you ever wanted to know where names like Oregon, Connecticut, or Wisconsin come from, you are in the right place. Enjoy the surprising etymologies behind some of the names that make our country.

Image: Joshua Woroniecki

Interestingly, for a state whose main economic activity is agriculture, the word Alabama comes from the Choctaw language and can be translated as "plant-cutters" or "vegetation pickers", recalling the farming practices of the Native Americans that lived in this area.

Image: olio creative

Alaska is a corruption of an Aleut word that means "mainland", but can be translated literally as "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". This is one of those names that manage to bring poetry into a word as simple and down-to-earth as land.

Image: Vital Sinkevich

This one comes from… a Spanish adventure novel! Bet you didn’t expect that. In Las Sergas de Esplandin by Garcia Ordez de Montalvo, a book from the 1500s, there is a fictional place called the "Island of California". Even when the modern state of California is clearly not an island, some die-hard fanatic of the novel decided to bring the name to life here in the U.S.

Image: Juliette Dickens

Derived from the Algonquian word quinnehtukqut, which can be translated as "besides the long tidal river", in reference to the river Connecticut. If you are wondering what the "tidal" part means exactly, this is because the Connecticut River's flow and level are effectively influenced by tides along much of its course. Certainly some amazing insight into the rigorous knowledge of local hydrology that Native Americans managed to accrue over the centuries.

Image: Luke McKeown

Although the origin of this name is disputed, there are two main theories. One suggests that the islands may have been named after Hawaii Loa, their traditional discoverer. However, others have speculated that it is actually derived from the ancient Polynesian word hawaiki, meaning "place of the gods".

Image: NEOM

Another crazy one. Although the name was first claimed to be derived from a Shoshone word that meant "Gem of the Mountains", it is highly likely that the word was fabricated by George M. Willing, and meant as a practical joke.

Image: Stéfano Girardelli

Quite literally, "land of Indians", using a Latin suffix. The word Indians originally referred to the ancient dwellers of the shores of the Indus River, in South and Central Asia.

Image: NOAA

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!" said Dorothy, from The Wizard of Oz, right after a rampant tornado literally lifted her house in the air and took it to God knows where. Well, this US state’s fame for violent winds predates even the first settlers, since Kansas is a Native American word used by the Dakota, strongly related to the idea of "wind".

Image: Drew Beamer

This state owes its name to an Iroquoian word that means "land of tomorrow". Quite a blockbuster-worthy movie title, if you ask me.

Image: Mercedes Mehling

The origin story behind the name of "The Pine Tree State" is still disputed. However, there are some interesting theories. One states that it derives from "mainland", as a form of distinction from the many coastal islands in the vicinity. Other theories propose that it was named in honor of Henrietta Maria, queen of England, or after the province of Mayne in France.

Image: Anthony Cantin

To the Native Americans that lived in this region, Missouri meant "town of the large canoes", as the Missouri tribes were renowned for their skill in making dugout canoes.

Image: Ashley Levinson

A largely disputed one. Many suggest that the name has Spanish origins, being similar to other words like orejón (meaning "big ear") or orégano, in reference to a type of plant (similar to the Mediterranean oregano) that grows in the southern part of the state.

Image: Donnie Rosie

This is the only state that has a part of its founder’s name in it. It is widely believed that Pennsylvania means "Penn’s Woodland", and was named as such in honor of Sir William Penn, father of its founder William Penn.

Image: Brydon McCluskey

This is probably a French corruption of a native Miami word that meant "it lies red" or "river running through a red place", in reference to the bed of the river Wisconsin.

If our quick dive into the peculiar world of US state names wasn’t enough to quench your curiosity, stay around! We will keep uploading more content related to language and the weird stories and etymologies behind many English and foreign words.