Health
Discover facts about health. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Health
How your fist-sized stomach makes room for a feast
The ultimate Thanksgiving survival tool. The lining of your stomach is composed of deep folds called rugae. When you aggressively attack a buffet, these folds…
Discover more
Humans exhale carbon dioxide at 4 percent volume
You inhale an atmosphere with barely a fraction of a percent of carbon dioxide, yet you breathe it out at a vastly multiplied concentration. You are a highly…
Discover more
What the white crescent on your nail really is
The 'lunula' at the base of your nail isn't actually a different color; it is just the visible part of the underlying matrix where the nail is freshly minted.…
Discover more
Why people swish oil instead of using mouthwash
Instead of simply using standard mouthwash, this ancient practice demands you furiously swish viscous sesame or coconut oil back and forth for nearly half an…
Discover more
The tiny patch between your eyebrows has a name
You probably ignore it entirely unless it is growing rogue hairs, but the completely flat, featureless patch of real estate located directly above your nose…
Discover more
The dentist's electric drill is 150 years old
The spine-chilling whine of the dentist's drill has been terrorizing patients for far longer than you'd imagine. George F. Green patented the very first…
Discover more
STACKY FOR IPHONEA bigger world.
One discovery
at a time.
Keep discovering with Stacky. Interesting facts in an app that is always within reach.
One preacher declared war on soft bread
Long before modern carb-phobia, bakers were accused of tearing down civilization. This nineteenth-century fanatic preached that fluffy, commercially baked…
Discover more
Parathyroid glands aggressively monitor calcium reserves
Four tiny dots on your thyroid exist for the sole purpose of hoarding calcium. If levels drop, they ruthlessly strip minerals straight out of your bones to…
Discover more
Chocolate probably isn’t causing your acne
Rejoice, for chocolate has been cleared of its dermatological crimes. Studies dating back to the 1960s have found no direct link between pure cocoa…
Discover more
Riding a moderate intensity rollercoaster can successfully dislodge painful kidney stones in most human patients
Before you agree to expensive ultrasound therapy, try hitting up a theme park. Urological studies confirmed that the erratic, high-velocity thrashing of a…
Discover more
Why an acai bowl can rival a dessert in sugar
Eating an enormous bowl of blended tropical puree topped with honey, toasted clusters, and more sliced fruit is just consuming an ice cream sundae before…
Discover more
Why pinworms make you scratch
Parasites have absolutely no respect for your dignity. Pinworms intentionally venture out at night to lay eggs around the host's anus, triggering intense…
Discover more
Direct sunlight exposure instantly elevates your mood
Stepping outside into the bright sun is the cheapest therapy available. Broad-spectrum light hits your visual receptors and immediately signals your system to…
Discover more
Celery won't give you negative calories
Crunching on sad, stringy greens will not magically erase your dietary sins. The negative energy concept is a complete fabrication designed to sell absurd…
Discover more
Your genes can jump around the genome
Transposons are DNA sequences that can aggressively change their position within the genome. Your genetic code is less of a rigid blueprint and more of a…
Discover more
Your internal sphincter works without conscious control
You actually have zero direct authority over the primary exit gate. An internal, entirely autonomous ring of muscle decides on its own when to open,…
Discover more
Your eyes send your brain an upside-down world
You are essentially walking around interpreting a badly projected movie. Because the cornea is curved, the light entering your eye bends and hits the back of…
Discover more
Why oat milk tastes like cereal-bowl leftovers
Hailed as the eco-friendly king of coffee shop alternatives, this creamy beverage is essentially just a highly processed blend of starch, water, and…
Discover more
Why Jurassic Park's dinosaurs can't be cloned
Jurassic Park is a biological impossibility, and your DNA is to blame. Genetic material is inherently unstable, possessing a half-life of roughly 521 years.…
Discover more
Why there is no single common cold
There is no 'cure for the cold' because the cold isn't one thing; it's an army of invisible shape-shifters. Rhinoviruses alone account for a massive chunk,…
Discover more
Bare feet can let hookworms into your bloodstream
Getting back to nature by ditching your shoes is a fantastic way to invite microscopic vampires into your bloodstream. Hookworms thrive in warm, moist soil,…
Discover more
Hard candy exposes teeth to prolonged sugar attacks
Sucking on a solid block of sweetness is a spectacularly efficient method of destroying enamel. Instead of a quick exposure that washes away, the slow…
Discover more
The ancient workout behind modern medicine balls
Your favorite modern gym accessory is actually ancient technology. Ancient combatants trained by tossing animal skins stuffed with sand to build raw power.…
Discover more
Why humans keep juvenile traits into adulthood
Compared to the broader evolutionary tree, human development severely delays maturation, stubbornly retaining juvenile traits well into adulthood. From a…
Discover more