Body oddities

12 creepy body facts your biology teacher definitely skipped

Image: CDC

The human body is a marvel of biology—but sometimes, it's downright disturbing. Did you know it’s possible to cry blood? Or that we have taste receptors in our stomachs? From mysterious functions to deeply unsettling facts, our bodies are full of creepy surprises hiding beneath the surface. Here are 12 weird but true insights into what’s really going on inside you.

Image: Kimia Zarifi

Unlike most body parts, ears (and noses) continue to grow as you age. It’s not just cartilage at work—gravity slowly stretches skin and tissue, making ears longer over time.

This process, sometimes called "gravity-induced elongation," only starts to become more noticeable after age 30. That’s why elderly people often seem to have larger ears, even if they were proportionate in youth.

Image: Sander Dalhuisen

Receptors similar to those on your tongue exist in your stomach and intestines. They don’t "taste" in the traditional sense, though, but detect chemical signals.

Thanks to these oddly placed "taste" receptors, our bodies help regulate digestion and appetite by detecting nutrients and potential toxins. They’re crucial for gut-brain communication and may even influence cravings.

Image: Ali Shoaee

Yes, you read that right. Your eyelashes are home to Demodex mites—tiny, spider-like creatures that feed on dead skin cells and oils around hair follicles.

It may sound like something out of a horror movie, but most people—especially adults—have them. These mites emerge at night, mate on your eyelids, and retreat by morning. They’re harmless, but still undeniably creepy.

Image: Ana Itonishvili

Your body emits a small amount of radiation due to naturally occurring elements like potassium-40 and carbon-14, which are present in body tissues.

While this natural radioactivity is harmless, it’s still measurable. A single human body can emit around 7,000 particles per second—enough to trigger some sensitive detectors.

Image: Chaozzy Lin

Called haemolacria, it’s a rare condition where blood mixes with tears. Its causes can include infections, injuries, tumors, or hormonal changes.

Though quite dramatic and certainly alarming, some cases are benign. It has been documented in both adults and children, and it is often linked to extreme stress.

Image: MJH SHIKDER

Even just walking through a room, you leave behind a cloud of genetic material—skin cells, saliva, and sweat—all rich in your DNA.

Sometimes called a "biological fingerprint," this material is enough to identify you. Law enforcement and forensic scientists can even recover DNA from air filters or dust!

Image: Robina Weermeijer

Some people are born with supernumerary organs—extra kidneys, spleens, or even, in extremely rare cases, hearts. These additional organs are often non-functional but can still be detected.

For example, an estimated 1 in 1,000 people has an extra spleen, often discovered by accident during unrelated scans or surgery.

Image: Anshita Nair

Lack of sleep triggers glial cells in the brain to break down and consume parts of synapses—literally "cleaning house" in an extreme way.

This self-cannibalization can lead to cognitive decline and has been linked to neurodegenerative diseases in chronic cases.

Image: Alessandro La Becca

Osteomas are benign bone tumors that can sometimes protrude through the skin, resembling small "horns." Most appear on the skull or jaw.

Though rare, some osteomas can grow several inches. Surgical removal is usually performed for cosmetic reasons unless the growth interferes with normal function.

Image: Ümit Yıldırım

The human mouth can harbor over 700 different types of bacteria—many more than you'd find on a toilet seat.

Most of these bacteria are harmless—and even essential for healthy bodily functions—but under poor hygiene or illness, they can cause infections, tooth decay, or even contribute to heart disease if they enter the bloodstream.

Image: Robina Weermeijer

In extremely rare cases, a type of tumor called a teratoma can develop in the lungs and contain hair, teeth, or even eye-like tissue.

Teratomas are usually benign but still quite bizarre. They form from germ cells and can grow almost any tissue type due to their stem cell origin.

Image: Harlie Raethel

Even the hardest bones in your body are porous like a sponge. Under a microscope, they reveal a honeycomb structure filled with blood vessels and bone marrow.

This structure makes bones both strong and lightweight. However, in conditions like osteoporosis, those holes widen, weakening the bone from the inside.

IN GOOD SPIRITS

Do You Know The Origin Of These 10 Alcoholic Beverages?

Image: Adam Wilson

You probably know many alcoholic beverages that you enjoy drinking alone or combined in different cocktails, but do you know where their names come from? From whiskey and gin to rum and absinthe, the origins of spirits have fascinating stories to tell. Are you ready to explore them? You will surely learn some curious facts to share at your next party!

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Whiskey is one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages in the world. It is produced by distilling malt fermented with cereals such as wheat, barley, corn, and rye, and the resulting spirit is subsequently aged in white oak barrels.

In the Middle Ages, alcoholic beverages were classified into two main groups: "aqua ardens" (burning water) and "aqua vitae" (water of life). Whiskey falls into the category of "aqua vitae." The Latin term was translated into Middle Irish as usque beatha, which in turn derived into usquebaugh, pronounced: "wiskyba," giving rise to "whisky" (Scotland) and "whiskey" (Ireland and the United States).

Image: Timothé Durand

The word brandy is an abbreviation of brandywine, an English term dating from the early 17th century. It comes from the Dutch brandewijn, meaning "burnt wine" or "burning wine," referring to the distillation process.

Brandy is made from the distillate of wine or fermented fruit pulp, primarily grape skins. There are different types of brandy. Perhaps one of the best known is cognac, a high-quality wine distillate, named after the city in France where it is produced.

Image: John Fornander

Gin is a distilled drink made from juniper berries, among other ingredients. The term gin is an abbreviation of the Old English word genever, which in turn derives from the Dutch jenever and the French genièvre. Moreover, all these words trace back to the Latin word for juniper, juniperus.

This drink emerged among European monks during the Middle Ages as a medicinal liquor. Then, in the 17th century, gin gained popularity in England and transitioned into the modern drink we know and love. Nowadays, gin is used to prepare different cocktails, including Tom Collins, Negroni, and the popular Gin & Tonic.

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The first references to this drink date back to the mid-17th century in Barbados, a small Caribbean island with sugar plantations that was under British rule for several centuries. When rum began to be produced on a large scale in the colonies, the English imported it to Europe and popularized it throughout the continent.

There are many theories about the origin of the word rum. The most accepted one suggests that it comes from the English slang word rumbullion which means "great tumult." This term might have originated in the Devonshire area on the southwest coast of England. From rumbullion, it became known as rum in English, rhum in French, and ron in Spanish.

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Vodka is an emblematic drink of Eastern European countries and is used to prepare a multitude of cocktails, including the Martini Vesper, Moscow Mule, White Russian, Cosmopolitan, and Bloody Mary, among others. The word vodka comes from the Russian word voda, which means "water." The ending -ka makes it diminutive, translating to "little water."

Vodka is a distillate that comes from the fermentation of potatoes, wheat, barley, grapes, beets, or any plant rich in starch. Originally, the aim was to obtain a simple, alcoholic liquid composed of ethanol and water, with no pretensions in terms of aroma or flavor. It also needed to have a high alcohol content to cope with the harsh Russian winters. Traditionally it has a graduation around 40º, although there are vodkas that reach 80º and up to 96º. It is hard to believe that it’s simply called water!

Image: Ryan Parker

This distillate made mainly from corn, was first introduced in the United States in the 18th century. The first known producer was Reverend Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister. Legend has it that the clergyman established the first distillery in Fayette County, Kentucky, with the help of a Southern farmer who provided surplus corn from his harvest.

Although it was born in Fayette, this variety of whiskey was named after another nearby county, Bourbon County, where the spirit began to be produced on a large scale. The names of both Kentucky counties have their origin in the same historical figure: Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat related to the House of Bourbon.

Image: Giorgio Trovato

The word vermouth comes from the German word wermut, which means "wormwood," one of the main herbs used to make this beverage. This fortified wine, flavored with different botanicals (flowers, herbs, roots, and spices), has been used since ancient times for medicinal purposes. However, the modern version we know today was first introduced in Turin, Italy, in the 18th century.

In the 19th century, vermouth became a global trend thanks to the rise of bars and cocktails, as it was —and still is— an essential ingredient to prepare classic drinks such as Martinis, Negronis, and Manhattans.

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Tequila is, without a doubt, a staple of Mexican culture and a famous drink around the world. In ancient times, it was considered a gift from the gods. Today it’s served as an aperitif or combined with other beverages and ingredients to prepare cocktails.

This spirit is produced from the distillation of fermented juice obtained from the heart of a plant known as "blue agave." Its name comes from the Nahuatl word Tekilan, which means "place of the workers."

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This popular anise-flavored spirit, made from wormwood oil and other herbs, has a high alcohol concentration. With a bitter taste, absinthe’s color is usually pale green. Its name derives from the Latin absinthium, which in turn comes from the Greek apsínthion, meaning "wormwood."

The use of wormwood to make alcoholic beverages dates back to the 1st century, but it was not until the end of the 18th century, in French-speaking Switzerland, that the drink we know today was created. At the end of the 19th century, absinthe, often called "Green Fairy," was the most popular spirit in Europe, enjoyed by all social classes, especially artists and bohemians. However, years later its consumption was limited because it could cause hallucinations, which gave birth to the term absinthism.

Image: eKokki

Peru and Chile, neighboring South American countries, share many things: the Andes mountain range, common ancestors, customs, and, notably, the debate over the origin of pisco. The true birthplace of this spirit has long been questioned, with both countries claiming it as their own. What we do know is that the name pisco may derive from the Quechua word Pisku, meaning "bird."

Peruvian and Chilean pisco are different varieties but have in common that they are grape distillations, made similarly to brandy and cognac. Despite the ongoing controversy, no one should miss trying a good pisco sour!