We’ve all drunk, at least once, to the point where the room starts to spin uncontrollably. Or rather, the point where it feels like the room is spinning uncontrollably, which begs the question: What is alcohol doing to us that makes it feel like we’re on a...
Consuming too much of just about anything can lead to vomiting, but alcohol is in its own league. This is because there’s an entire section of the brain dedicated to monitoring levels of potentially toxic substances in the body and purging them if necessary, but how does...
What is it about wintertime that turns our immune systems to mush? Even if you’re not in the depths of winter common colds can spread like the bubonic plague. Primary care physician Dr. Marc Leavey explains that the cold weather isn’t what’s making us sick—it’s what we...
I once believed that vigorously brushing my teeth for long periods of time kept them extra-clean: I was wrong, and my dentist was furious. Overly-thorough brushing, it turns out, isn’t only unnecessary—gentle scrubbing for two or three minutes at a time is more than enough to remove...
Love it or hate it, you can’t go anywhere this time of year without hearing that old familiar tune: “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose…” Unfortunately, sometimes it feels like Jack Frost is not content with nipping at your nose—it feels...
There’s a reason some animals just say “screw it” and hibernate through winter, but while it might force you indoors and freeze your eyeballs, the cold has some surprise benefits, too. It Literally Freezes Your Ass Off The cold boosts your body’s production of brown fat—which burns...
Unlike teeth, the stoic gatekeepers of our mouths, a succulent pair of lips has an inviting presence, enticing others to press their own kissers against them. Unfortunately, their subtle and delicate makeup also leaves them prone to being cracked, discoloured and mangled. On the upside, whatever shape...
Just Relax The bladder is very complex in its design. Once the bag-like organ nestled in your pelvic area has sent a signal to the brain to let you know it needs emptying, and you reach a desirable spot and comply, the detrusor muscles contract to squeeze...
Humans are officially more obsessed with bums than ever before. If you need further proof, just take one look at this selfie stick that allows you to easily take photos of your very own rear end. And hell, why not? Everyone likes a shapely rear. But (with...
We’ve written before about how the average toothbrush is believed to be harbouring more than 10 million bacteria, including particularly nasty stuff like Staph and E. coli. This is partly due to the number of bacteria that live in your mouth—anywhere between 100 to 200 different species—but...
As you may have discovered during a relentless tickle attack, it’s really tough not to laugh, even when you hate it. According to Dr. Alan J. Fridlund, an expert on nonverbal communication and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University...
Beer is said to be the nectar of the gods, and as such, you’d think it would be life-giving. But can you actually live on just beer? Dr. Aaron White, senior scientific advisor at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, says only a hopeless drunk...
