Humans might think of ourselves as the most advanced species on the planet, but when you really get down to the nitty-gritty, we’re actually full of bizarre quirks, strange behaviours, and creepy biological facts.
From odd things our bodies do to unsettling psychological patterns, there are plenty of eerie details about human nature that you probably don’t think about too often. Once you learn them, though, you won’t be able to forget them. These are just a few of the strange things that won’t leave your brain once you learn them.
1. Your body is covered in millions of tiny mites.
Right now, microscopic mites are crawling all over your skin, living in your hair follicles and even on your eyelashes. These tiny creatures, called Demodex, are completely harmless and feed on dead skin cells.
While that might sound unsettling, they actually help keep your skin clean by removing debris. The creepy part? You’ve probably had them your entire life, and you’ll never even notice them. That being said, research has discovered a link between Demodex and rosacea, so if you suffer from this skin condition, it’s worth digging deeper (and perhaps getting an ivermectin prescription).
2. Your brain can create false memories.
You might trust your memory, but the truth is, your brain often fills in gaps with made-up details. This means that some of your most vivid memories might not have happened exactly as you recall. Psychologists have studied how easy it is to implant false memories, even making people believe they committed crimes they never did. The idea that your brain can rewrite your past without you realising it is pretty unsettling.
3. You produce enough saliva to fill multiple bathtubs a year.
Your mouth is constantly working to keep itself moist, producing around one to two litres of saliva every single day. Over the course of a year, that adds up to enough spit to fill two full-sized bathtubs. Saliva plays a crucial role in digestion and keeping your mouth healthy, but when you think about how much your body produces, it’s kind of weird to imagine all that liquid collecting in one place.
4. Your bones are constantly dissolving and rebuilding.
Your skeleton might seem solid and unchanging, but it’s actually in a constant state of renewal. Your bones are breaking down and regenerating all the time, meaning that every ten years or so, you essentially have a brand-new skeleton. This process helps keep bones strong, but it also means that the bones you have right now are completely different from the ones you had a decade ago. You’re literally not the same person you once were, at least on a skeletal level.
5. You shed millions of skin cells every day.
Right now, as you read this, your body is shedding tiny flakes of dead skin. In fact, you lose about 30,000 to 40,000 skin cells every minute without even noticing. By the end of a year, you’ll have shed around eight pounds of dead skin. That’s right—your house is basically full of tiny bits of you floating around in the air and settling on surfaces. Sleep well knowing that.
6. Your brain keeps working after you die.
For a short period after death, the human brain can remain active, with electrical signals still firing and brain cells continuing to function. Some research suggests that for a few moments, people might even have awareness that they’ve died. Scientists are still trying to understand what exactly happens in those final seconds, but it’s a chilling thought to consider.
7. Your gut bacteria outnumber your human cells.
Your body is home to trillions of bacteria, and in fact, they outnumber your human cells. Most of them live in your gut, playing a crucial role in digestion and overall health. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to process food properly, but it’s strange to think that you’re more bacteria than human on a cellular level.
8. You can smell fear (and other emotions).
Humans can unconsciously pick up on the scent of fear, stress, and even happiness. Studies have shown that people can detect chemical signals in sweat that indicate different emotions. This explains why some people feel uneasy around anxious people; it’s not just body language, but an actual scent your brain is processing without you realising it.
9. Your heart has its own electrical system.
Your heart can keep beating even if it’s completely removed from your body. That’s because it has its own electrical system, allowing it to contract independently of the brain. As long as it has oxygen, a detached heart can continue beating for a short period. This is part of what makes heart transplants possible, but it’s also one of the eeriest facts about the human body.
10. You swallow a surprising amount of mucus.
Every single day, your body produces about a quart of mucus, which helps keep your airways clear and protects you from bacteria and viruses. The creepy part? Most of it ends up getting swallowed without you even noticing. It might sound gross, but it’s actually a key part of your immune system.
11. Your muscles can still move after death.
After a person dies, their muscles can continue to twitch and contract due to remaining nerve activity. This can lead to unexpected post-mortem movements, which have been mistaken for signs of life. It’s not just a horror movie trope; this phenomenon has been observed in morgues and hospitals, making for some seriously creepy moments.
12. Your eyes have a blind spot, but your brain hides it.
Each of your eyes has a blind spot where the optic nerve connects to the retina, meaning there’s a small area where no visual information is processed. Your brain cleverly fills in the gaps so you never notice, but in reality, there are tiny portions of your vision that simply don’t exist. Your brain just tricks you into thinking you see everything.
13. You’re always just one step away from death.
Your body is constantly keeping you alive through a delicate balance of chemicals, electrical signals, and biological processes. A tiny disruption, such as a blood clot in the wrong place, can change everything in an instant. It’s a sobering thought, but also a fascinating reminder of just how complex and fragile human life really is. The fact that everything in your body works so seamlessly is nothing short of amazing.
