Human Body

The human body is an amazing structure made up of many fascinating parts and systems. Learn about the human body and how its systems work together.

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Scientists Discover Protein That Could Help Restore Hearing

For over 40 years, scientists have been searching for the protein that allows us to hear. Its recent discovery might help people regain their hearing.

By Jesslyn Shields Sep 4, 2018 Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat / Ear

Please Stop Flushing Your Contacts!

Contact lenses fragment into microplastics that slip through water filtering systems and ultimately end up in the oceans.

By Stell Simonton Aug 23, 2018 Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat / Eye

More Americans Than You'd Think Smell 'Phantom Odors'

About 1 in 15 Americans over 40 smell odors that aren't there, according to a new study. And the reason why is still a mystery.

By Alia Hoyt Aug 22, 2018 Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat / Nose & Throat

Does Everyone Have the Ability to Become a Genius?

Sudden savant syndrome can make you a math whiz or musical prodigy instantaneously. But how?

By Jesslyn Shields Aug 14, 2018 Body Systems / Brain & Central Nervous System

HowStuffWorks: Eyebrow trends over the last 100 years

Eyebrow trends over the last 100 years

Human Body / Body Parts

Ever Stand Up and Get Dizzy?

It happens to almost everyone and there are lots of possible explanations.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky Jul 3, 2018 Body Systems / Brain & Central Nervous System

Do Blue Light-blocking Glasses Even Work?

Blue light-blocking glasses are super popular these days. But do they even work the way marketers promise?

By John Perritano Jun 18, 2018 Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat / Eye

Every Coffee Drinker Is Unique

What's behind the fact that you can drink three cups of coffee and still feel sleepy while your coworker feels jittery after one cup? Our bodies all process caffeine differently. Here's why.

By Laurie L. Dove Jun 18, 2018 Body Systems / Brain & Central Nervous System

The Man Whose Blood Saved More Than 2 Million Babies

James Harrison's blood contains a rare and powerful antibody that's saved millions of Australian babies. Now, at age 81, after donating 1,173 times, he's hoping someone else will pick up where he left off.

By Christopher Hassiotis May 18, 2018 Body Systems / Circulatory System

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Your Belly Button

Whether you have an innie, an outie, or none at all (you'll have to read the article to find out how that's possible), we've got you covered.

By Dave Roos May 7, 2018 Human Body / Body Parts

This Year's Must-have for Music Festival Season: Ear Plugs

Music festivals are a blast, but research shows they can also be a bummer for your ears. One study even says that alcohol, coupled with loud music, can make the hearing loss worse.

By Dave Roos May 1, 2018 Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat / Ear

A Compendium of Fart Facts, Plus One Gaseous Podcast

Enter the Fartonomicon with the guys from Stuff to Blow Your Mind. You're guaranteed to have a gas.

By Robert Lamb Apr 18, 2018 Body Systems / Digestive System

New Human Highway 'Organ' Identified

The discovery of a new interstitial "organ" may explain how cancers metastasize, how acupuncture works.

By Stell Simonton Apr 11, 2018 Human Body / Body Parts

How Long Does LASIK Last?

You had LASIK surgery a few years ago, and your vision has started to blur again. Is this normal?

By Nathan Chandler Apr 5, 2018 Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat / Eye

Take Care of Those Hammies

Hamstrings are a group of three muscles running down the back of the thigh, and they have a lot to do with your flexibility.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus Apr 4, 2018 Body Systems / Musculoskeletal System

When Sound Makes You Sick

Diplomatic staffers in Havana, Cuba, recently began to suffer from a series of health problems. Were they sound-related?

By Patrick J. Kiger Mar 15, 2018 Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat / Ear

Holding Hands Can Ease Pain

Holding hands can help regulate responses to stress, increasing trust and emotional well-being.

By Shelley Danzy Mar 14, 2018 Body Systems / Brain & Central Nervous System

What Happens If You Don't Poop for 47 Days?

What would happen if you didn't (or couldn't) move your bowels for several weeks? Let's just say you'd be in a crappy situation.

By Alia Hoyt Mar 12, 2018 Body Systems / Digestive System

Concentration Makes the Face Grow Cooler

Thermal imaging shows that as a person engages in intense mental tasks, their face, and in particular the area around the nose, becomes cooler.

By Amanda Onion Mar 7, 2018 Body Systems / Brain & Central Nervous System

Pooping: Not All Animals Are Created Equal

The human system for excretion is actually pretty great, especially when you start looking at what other animals have.

By Robert Lamb Feb 12, 2018 Body Systems / Digestive System

Doctors Provide Yet Another Reason to Never Hold in a Sneeze

In case you needed one.

By Robert Lamb Jan 16, 2018 Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat / Nose & Throat

Many Animals Eat Grass So Why Don't Humans?

Does it just taste bad or are there other reasons?

By John Perritano Jan 3, 2018 Body Systems / Digestive System

'Man Flu' Could Be a Real Thing

Although women often think men exaggerate their symptoms when they have a cold or flu, a Canadian scientist has found that men are more susceptible to respiratory complications than women.

By Alia Hoyt Dec 12, 2017 Body Systems / Immune System

Quiz: Do You Know Where Body Parts, Like the Spleen, Are Located?

A study asked participants to determine where a number of body parts such as the spleen, liver and thyroid were located in the human body. The only part everyone got correctly was the brain. Think you can do better? Take this quiz and find out!

By Alia Hoyt Human Body / Body Parts