When we look back at humanity’s attempts to decode the planet’s most violent tantrums, the phrase 10 myths humans instantly springs to mind. Long before seismographs and satellite imaging, cultures across the globe spun vivid stories to answer the whys behind earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions and other catastrophic forces. Below, we travel from island coasts to high mountains, unearthing ten legendary explanations that once helped people make sense of nature’s raw power.

10 myths humans: A Global Tour of Disaster Legends

10 Tsunami From A Sea Spirit

The Moken, a seafaring people scattered across islands off Myanmar and Thailand, preserve a centuries‑old tale of the sea spirit Katoy Oken. According to the legend, Katoy Oken unleashes “monster waves” – known locally as Laboons – to cleanse the community both spiritually and physically. The story recounts how the ground trembled, sending coconuts tumbling from palms, a clear sign that the dreaded “wave that eats people” had awakened. Villagers gathered the fallen fruit, set out in boats hoping the wave would ignore them, and then observed the sea recede dramatically, prompting an elder to shout for everyone to look shoreward. The water pulled back, revealing a towering wall of surf that rose to the tops of coconut trees, yet miraculously spared every Moken life.

This oral tradition endured for generations. When the 2004 magnitude‑8.9 earthquake triggered a massive tsunami across the Indian Ocean, the Moken’s ancestral memory saved them. As the water withdrew, the islanders instantly fled to higher ground, recalling Katoy Oken’s warning. Of the roughly 200 Moken living on the directly impacted island, only one perished, a stark testament to the power of myth‑driven preparedness.

9 Namazu Shakes The Earth

Japanese folklore introduces Namazu, a colossal catfish whose massive tail is said to rattle the ground, spawning earthquakes and tsunamis. Initially, Namazu served as an omen, warning of impending floods or heavy rains. Over time, however, the creature evolved into a Yo‑kai—an embodiment of misfortune—kept restrained beneath a gigantic capstone by the deity Kashima. When Kashima’s vigilance wanes, Namazu’s tail thrashes, shaking the earth and sending waves crashing ashore.

Later interpretations cast Namazu as a moral equalizer, punishing the avaricious. His tremors would topple the wealthy’s holdings, redistributing wealth to the poor. Modern retellings even liken Namazu to a bureaucratic coward, a symbol of officials who shirk disaster‑relief duties, letting the catfish’s fury run unchecked.

8 A God’s Baby Trapped Underground

In Māori cosmology, the Sky Father Ranginui and Earth Mother Papatuanuku were separated to bring light to the world, a separation that left them sorrowful. Their children, seeking relief for their parents, turned Papatuanuku over so she would no longer gaze upon Ranginui. The youngest, Ruaumoko, was still nursing at his mother’s breast when the shift occurred, leaving him trapped beneath her. In the darkness and chill, he was gifted fire to keep warm, ultimately becoming the patron deity of volcanoes and earthquakes.

When Ruaumoko awakens, his fury manifests as violent eruptions and tremors, only soothed by his mother’s lullaby. Some versions claim he was never born; instead, the restless stirring within Papatuanuku’s womb itself generated seismic activity, making the very act of creation a source of earthquakes.

7 Battling Aztec Gods End The World

The Aztec myth of the Five Suns tells of a divine duel between Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, who birthed four children representing the cardinal directions: Huizilopochtli, Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Xipe Totec. These offspring fashioned the world, but it lacked a sustaining sun. To create one, each child took turns becoming the sun, and each succession ignited a cataclysmic disaster that heralded a new era.

The first sun, Tezcatlipoca, was overthrown by Quetzalcoatl, prompting jaguar attacks that devoured humanity. The second sun saw Tezcatlipoca turning humans into monkeys, only for Quetzalcoatl to unleash hurricanes and floods. The third sun, Tialoc, suffered when Tezcatlipoca stole his wife, causing creatures to become turkeys, dogs, and butterflies, which Quetzalcoatl tried to erase with fire and ash. The fourth sun, a sister of Tialoc, faced jealousy from Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca, resulting in a flood that turned people into fish. The current, fifth sun—Nanahuatzin—is foretold to end in a massive earthquake.

6 A Vengeful Earth Mother

Across Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, Indigenous communities honor Pachamama, the Earth Mother, as a fertility deity who nurtures plants and animals. Historically, worship involved offerings ranging from livestock to human sacrifice; today, the tradition has softened to include dried llama fetuses, rice, or peanuts placed in the earth.

Yet Pachamama possesses a fierce, vengeful side. When humans neglect or abuse the land, she is believed to unleash earthquakes, landslides, and lightning—often depicted as a dragon or serpent—punishing those who fail to care for the environment.

5 Freedom Fighter Trapped Between Mountains

Bernardo Carpio, a legendary figure from the Philippines, is remembered either as a giant or as a man of extraordinary strength. In many tellings, he joined a resistance movement—most famously against Spanish colonizers—using his prodigious power to aid the cause, pulling nails from floorboards with bare hands and felling trees alongside his father.

A local shaman, fearing his might, trapped Bernardo between Mt. Pamitinan and Mt. Binacayan. Even the weight of the earth could not fully restrain him, yet he remains bound. Each time he strains to break free, the surrounding region experiences an earthquake, linking his struggle directly to seismic activity.

4 Kagutsuchi’s Corpse Made Volcanoes

Kagutsuchi, a Shinto fire deity born of the creator gods Izanami and Izanagi, caused his mother’s death in a blaze of flame at birth, consigning her to Yomi, the realm of the dead. Grief‑stricken, Izanagi entered Yomi to retrieve her, only to discover she was rotting and infested with maggots. Enraged, Izanagi fled and, in retaliation, sliced Kagutsuchi into pieces with his sword.

From Kagutsuchi’s severed body and the blood that dripped from the blade, new deities sprang forth—warrior gods Takemikazuchi‑no‑kami and Futsunushi‑no‑kami, as well as the rain god Kuraokami‑no‑kami. Moreover, each fragment of his corpse birthed a mountain deity, manifesting as volcanoes that now spew fire and heat just as Kagutsuchi once did in life.

3 Plagues From “The Crouching Darkness”

In pre‑Christian Ireland, the deity Crom Cruach—whose name translates to “crouching darkness” or “bent gloom”—was both feared and revered. Ancient verses from the Metrical Dindshenchas depict him as a grim figure demanding human sacrifice, with worshippers offering firstborn children, pouring their blood around his hill‑top idol, and invoking his favor for milk and corn.

Although some view Crom Cruach as a fertility god, his wrath was equally terrifying. Failure to appease him was thought to bring blighted harvests, pestilence, and disease. One tale recounts worshippers forcing the Gael’s firstborns to be smashed against his idol, warning that neglect would unleash a devastating plague upon their crops and livestock.

Thus, the “crouching darkness” embodied the ancient Irish attempt to rationalize sudden, inexplicable calamities that struck their agrarian societies.

2 Storms Stirred Up By The Thunderbird

The Thunderbird, a recurring figure among numerous Native American cultures, wielded dominion over weather. Its massive wings generated thunder, rain, and fierce gales, yet the creature often acted as a protector rather than a harbinger of disaster. Different tribes offered distinct twists on the myth.

For the Winnebago, the Thunderbird was not a solitary being but a species capable of shapeshifting into human warriors. The Passamaquoddy imagined it as a lightning‑controlling shapeshifter who never turned its power against people, only against villains. The Quillayute told of a benevolent Thunderbird that arrived amid a storm, bearing a whale to feed a starving community before vanishing back into the clouds.

1 Senseless Cause Of Disease And Pestilence

Ancient Mesopotamia’s pantheon featured Nergal—also known as Erra—a deity of calamity whose volatile temper manifested as disease, plague, and indiscriminate death. While early myths portrayed Nergal as a necessary force balancing the cosmos, later stories emphasized his senseless wrath, striking without moral cause.

One vivid tale recounts Nergal deciding to assault Babylon merely for amusement. He approached the city, feigning surprise at the god Marduk’s attire, and offered to guard Babylon so Marduk could change his clothes. When Marduk left, Nergal unleashed a ruthless onslaught, slaughtering citizens indiscriminately.

Summoned before the divine council, Nergal defended his actions with a stark confession: “When I get angry, I break things.” His admission underscored the ancient belief that some disasters were the result of capricious divine fury rather than human fault.

The world of modern medicine is filled with astonishing breakthroughs, yet a handful of puzzling phenomena continue to elude definitive explanation. In this top 10 baffling list we dive into the most curious cases that keep researchers awake at night, ranging from fleeting student fears to astonishing post‑mortem revivals.

10 Medical Student Syndrome

Nearly everyone has experienced that eerie moment when a harmless bodily sensation suddenly feels like a red‑flag symptom of a serious, unknown disease. For medical students, this feeling intensifies: after poring over countless disease manuals, they sometimes convince themselves they are living the very illness they are studying. This uncanny self‑diagnosis is popularly dubbed “medical student syndrome.”

The hallmark of this syndrome is the temporary belief that one is manifesting the signs of a disease currently under review. Unlike chronic illness‑anxiety disorders, the delusion typically fades once the coursework ends or the student’s focus shifts.

Researchers remain unsure why this happens, but the prevailing theory suggests that immersive learning creates a mental schema. When students internalize the disease’s characteristics, ordinary sensations can be misinterpreted as pathological, leading to a brief but vivid misperception.

Surveys reveal that as many as 78.8% of randomly sampled medical students report experiencing some form of this phenomenon. For a subset, the anxiety can become debilitating, prompting unnecessary doctor visits and costly tests. Despite widespread awareness, medical student syndrome persists, affecting hundreds of future physicians each year.

Why This Is One of the Top 10 Baffling Medical Mysteries

9 Chemo Brain

Many cancer survivors describe a foggy, sluggish feeling they label “chemo brain,” a catch‑all term for the cognitive hiccups that follow chemotherapy. Symptoms swing from trouble focusing to short‑term memory lapses, and even difficulty juggling multiple tasks at once.

For years, the medical community debated the legitimacy of chemo brain, with many clinicians dismissing it as mere stress. Over time, however, a growing body of patient reports and observational studies convinced physicians that the syndrome is real and can significantly impair quality of life.

The root cause remains a mystery. While chemotherapy drugs undoubtedly play a role, researchers suspect a cocktail of factors—including inflammation, hormonal shifts, and oxidative stress—contribute to the brain’s temporary dysfunction. Despite intensive investigation, a clear mechanistic explanation has yet to emerge.

8 Klippel‑Trenaunay Syndrome

First chronicled in 1900, Klippel‑Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is an ultra‑rare vascular disorder that simultaneously affects blood vessels, bone, and soft tissue. The condition’s classic trio includes a port‑wine stain birthmark, overgrowth of bone and soft tissue—often producing oversized limbs—and abnormal venous malformations that can predispose to large clots.

Celebrity cases have shone a spotlight on KTS. Billy Corgan, frontman of The Smashing Pumpkins, and professional arm‑wrestler Matthias Schlitte both live with the syndrome. Schlitte’s right forearm, for instance, is roughly 33% larger than his left, granting him a Popeye‑like advantage in the ring. Despite these high‑profile stories, no cure exists, and the underlying genetic or developmental trigger remains largely undefined.

Patients often grapple with chronic pain, mobility challenges, and the psychosocial impact of visible skin lesions. Ongoing research seeks to decode the molecular pathways that drive the abnormal growth, but for now, treatment is limited to symptom management and surgical correction when feasible.

7 Rip Van Winkle Syndrome

Despite its fairy‑tale name, Rip Van Winkle syndrome—more formally known as Kleine‑Levin syndrome (KLS)—is a genuine, though exceedingly rare, neurological disorder. Patients experience periodic bouts of extreme hypersomnia, sometimes sleeping up to 22 hours a day for weeks on end.

The first documented case involved 13‑year‑old Stephen Maier, who fell into a deep, unresponsive sleep following an upper‑respiratory infection. Extensive testing, including brain imaging and EEG, returned normal results, yet Maier endured days of near‑continuous slumber, punctuated only by brief, confused awakenings. A later case described a 17‑year‑old Pennsylvania girl who slept for an astonishing 64 consecutive days, waking only to eat, use the bathroom, and wander in a sleep‑walking state.

Beyond the staggering sleep, affected individuals may display increased appetite, vivid hallucinations, childlike behavior, anhedonia, and even hypersexuality during episodes. Between attacks, they return to baseline health. Theories about causation range from viral triggers to autoimmune dysregulation, but no definitive mechanism has been confirmed.

6 Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

First reported in 2004, Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) confronts chronic cannabis users with relentless nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distress—paradoxically the opposite of marijuana’s well‑known anti‑emetic properties. All documented patients share a history of long‑term cannabis consumption.

The scientific community has yet to pinpoint a single cause. Two leading hypotheses dominate: one suggests toxic accumulation of cannabinoid metabolites overwhelms the body’s detox pathways; the other implicates dysregulation of the brain’s cannabinoid receptors, leading to a rebound hyper‑emetic response. Strikingly, many sufferers report temporary relief after taking a hot shower or bath, hinting at a thermoregulatory component.

Resolution hinges on complete cessation of cannabis use. Most patients notice improvement within one to three months. Episodes typically last one to two days, but the condition’s rarity and contradictory nature—marijuana both soothing and provoking nausea—make CHS a perplexing puzzle for clinicians.

5 Abscopal Effect

The abscopal effect describes a baffling scenario where localized radiation therapy or immunotherapy triggers shrinking of metastatic tumors situated far from the treated site. The phenomenon first captured headlines when a melanoma patient receiving ipilimumab and targeted radiotherapy experienced dramatic regression of distant lesions.

Initial speculation in 2004 linked the effect to an immune‑mediated cascade: radiation might release tumor antigens, priming the body’s defenses to attack cancer cells systemically. Yet, despite growing anecdotal evidence, a concrete mechanistic explanation remains elusive, and reproducibility in clinical trials is limited.

Researchers continue to explore combinatorial strategies—pairing radiation with checkpoint inhibitors—to harness the abscopal effect deliberately. If fully understood, this could revolutionize cancer treatment by turning a localized therapy into a body‑wide anti‑tumor weapon.

4 The Lazarus Phenomenon

An 11‑month‑old infant at the University of Rochester Medical Center was declared dead after an aggressive resuscitation effort that included seven epinephrine doses, two fluid boluses, and four chest compressions. Following two minutes of asystole, the official time of death was announced at 1:58 PM.

When the family requested removal of the breathing tube to spend a final moment with their daughter, the tube was withdrawn fifteen minutes later. In a stunning reversal, the infant spontaneously began breathing, her heart resumed beating, color returned, and gag reflex reappeared—an event that left the medical team bewildered.

This rare occurrence, dubbed the Lazarus phenomenon, was first described in 1982 and draws its name from the biblical figure who rose from the dead. Proposed explanations include delayed drug action, hyper‑kalemia‑induced cardiac standstill, or gradual restoration of circulation after cessation of CPR. Nonetheless, the precise trigger remains a medical mystery.

3 Smoking Aversion From Hepatitis

While countless smokers chase various cessation strategies each year, an unexpected trigger for immediate smoking aversion has emerged: infection with hepatitis A. During the prodromal phase of the illness, patients often experience nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, and a pronounced dislike for smoking.

The disease’s early stage is usually asymptomatic, but as the virus replicates, the second phase brings systemic symptoms, including a sudden, intense aversion to nicotine. This reaction appears to be tied to the liver’s inflammatory response and the body’s overall malaise, yet the exact neuro‑biological pathway remains uncharted.

Given the global burden of smoking addiction, understanding why hepatitis A sparks such a strong anti‑smoking response could unlock novel cessation methods. However, current research offers only descriptive observations, leaving the underlying cause of this peculiar aversion shrouded in uncertainty.

2 Meat Allergy From Ticks

In recent years, clinicians across the United States have grappled with an alarming rise in anaphylaxis triggered by a sugar molecule called alpha‑gal, found in red meat. The twist? Every documented case shares a history of bites from the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum).

Alpha‑gal allergy manifests 3–6 hours after eating beef, pork, lamb, or related products, producing hives, gastrointestinal upset, and itching, but notably sparing the throat—unlike classic anaphylaxis. Standard allergy panels often miss the culprit because they do not screen for anti‑alpha‑gal antibodies, leading to frequent misdiagnoses.

The connection was first illuminated by Dr. Thomas Platts‑Mills, who also noted that some patients experienced severe reactions to cetuximab, a cancer drug containing alpha‑gal. While the tick’s role in sensitizing the immune system is clear, the precise immunological mechanism—how a bite translates into a meat‑specific allergy—remains an unresolved enigma.

1 Cellular Memory

Cellular memory proposes that body cells, not just the brain, can retain information about past experiences. Though the concept leans toward pseudoscience due to limited empirical evidence, several intriguing anecdotes keep the debate alive.

One line of inquiry links phantom limb pain to residual memory within the affected limb’s cells, while another explores organ‑transplant recipients who inexplicably adopt preferences or traits of their donors. A University of Hawaii study examined ten heart‑transplant patients, discovering that each displayed two to five personality shifts mirroring their donor’s history—ranging from new food cravings to altered artistic tastes.

Perhaps the most striking case involves Claire Sylvia, who received a donor heart from an 18‑year‑old motorcyclist. Post‑surgery, she developed an intense craving for beer and chicken nuggets and began dreaming of a man named Tim L., later identified as the donor’s name. Further research at Tufts University demonstrated that even a decapitated worm, once trained, could retain learned behavior after regrowth, hinting at a distributed memory system beyond the brain.

While these findings are compelling, the field lacks a solid mechanistic framework, leaving cellular memory firmly in the realm of mystery. Nonetheless, the recurring patterns across transplant stories underscore an unresolved puzzle that continues to challenge conventional neuroscience.

The Bermuda Triangle has long haunted sailors and pilots, and today we’ll dive into the 10 best theories that attempt to unravel its baffling mysteries. From scientific explanations to out‑of‑this‑world ideas, each theory offers a unique lens on why vessels vanish in this infamous stretch of ocean.

10 Best Theories About the Bermuda Triangle

One of the more sci‑fi‑friendly explanations for the Triangle’s oddities is the wormhole concept. Picture a shortcut through space‑time that could whisk a ship or plane out of our reality without a trace. While the idea thrills enthusiasts, researchers have yet to uncover concrete proof that such portals exist in these waters. Still, the notion persists among those seeking a dramatic answer.

History offers eerie anecdotes that fuel the wormhole imagination. In 1941, the Navy vessel U.S.S. Proteus, carrying 58 souls and cargo, vanished without a whisper. Merely a month later, the U.S.S. Nereus, with 61 aboard, met the same fate. Neither ship sent a distress call, and exhaustive searches turned up nothing—no wreckage, no bodies, just an empty stretch of ocean.

9 The Methane Gas Theory

In 2016, geologists uncovered massive craters along Norway’s coastline, each roughly half a mile long and 150 feet deep. They traced these pits to colossal methane eruptions bubbling up from the seabed. This discovery gave rise to the methane gas hypothesis for the Triangle’s mysteries.

Scientists have since noted that methane concentrations vary across the ocean floor. When a sudden release bubbles into the water, it can drastically lower the water’s density, causing a ship to lose buoyancy almost instantly. Aircraft flying low could also be affected, with the gas disrupting lift. The result: a rapid, silent sinking that leaves no time for SOS signals.

8 Electromagnetic Interference

Just as the Gobi Desert can throw a compass off‑course, the Bermuda Triangle is believed to host pockets of intense electromagnetic activity that scramble navigation instruments. This interference could explain why vessels suddenly lose their sense of direction.

Compasses have behaved oddly for decades in the region. In 1895, seasoned solo sailor Joshua Slocum vanished while sailing from Martha’s Vineyard toward South America. Experts attribute his disappearance to a magnetic anomaly that could have led even an experienced mariner astray.

Later, in 1945, a squadron of five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers encountered a similar problem. Their leader, Lieutenant Charles C. Taylor, noticed his compass spinning wildly and, convinced they were heading toward Florida, steered northeast instead—right into the heart of the Triangle. Communication faded, and the aircraft disappeared without a trace.

7 Waterspouts

Waterspouts—essentially tornadoes that form over water—have been spotted frequently within the Triangle’s boundaries. When one erupts, it can hurl water upward at terrifying speeds, creating a violent column that can capsise a ship or shred an aircraft in moments.

Compounding the threat, the Gulf Stream’s edge brushes the Triangle, generating colossal, sudden waves that can tower hundreds of feet. These rogue swells strike without warning, capable of crushing vessels and even destabilizing low‑flying planes.

A striking illustration comes from the post‑World II disappearance of Flight 19. Pilots reported bizarre visual phenomena, describing a “white water” that seemed to swallow the sky. Their final transmission vanished, leaving the Navy baffled and the incident forever linked to the Triangle’s eerie reputation.

6 Aliens

Whenever a mystery outpaces scientific explanation, extraterrestrials swoop in as an easy scapegoat. Some claim the Triangle is a cosmic crossroads where alien crafts abduct unsuspecting crews for research.

Historical anecdotes add fuel to the fire. Christopher Columbus, during his maiden Atlantic crossing, recounted a sudden flare that struck the sea, followed by an eerie, lingering light that persisted for weeks. Could this have been an early alien encounter?

Pop culture reinforces the idea; Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” culminates with pilots returning unharmed from an alien vessel—an imaginative nod to the notion that the Triangle might be a UFO waypoint.

5 Atlantis

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvpwtd45QT

Another outlandish theory links the Triangle to the legendary lost city of Atlantis. Some writers suggest that the sunken metropolis, with its purported “fire crystals” still humming beneath the waves, could be generating strange energies that interfere with modern navigation, leading to the region’s notorious disappearances.

4 No Mystery

Critics argue that the Triangle isn’t a supernatural hotspot at all; it simply sees as many incidents as any heavily trafficked ocean corridor. With thousands of vessels criss‑crossing the area each year, a handful of mishaps are statistically inevitable.

Proponents of the “no mystery” stance point out that many disappearances can be chalked up to human error, severe weather, or the relentless Gulf Stream. In short, the Triangle is just another busy slice of the Atlantic, not a realm of the uncanny.

3 The Human Errors Theory

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the most accurate. Human error—miscalculations, fuel mismanagement, or confusion among the myriad islands peppering the Triangle—can easily lead to tragedy. Even seasoned captains can falter, especially when faced with ambiguous charts or faulty equipment.

2 Rogue Waves

Rogue waves—towering walls of water that can reach 100 feet—are another formidable foe. When storms from opposite directions collide over the Triangle, they can spawn these monstrous swells, capable of smashing ships and destabilizing aircraft in an instant.

1 Pirates

Modern piracy may sound like a Hollywood plot, but authorities warn that rogue vessels still operate near the Bahamas, potentially targeting unsuspecting ships that stray into the Triangle’s waters.

1 Conclusion

The Bermuda Triangle remains one of the planet’s most puzzling regions. While countless theories vie for supremacy—from wormholes and methane eruptions to pirate raids—none have yet provided a definitive answer. Whether future research finally cracks the code or the mystery endures, the intrigue continues to captivate imaginations worldwide.

The human body remains one of nature’s most intricate puzzles, and even with today’s cutting‑edge science, we’re still scratching our heads over countless oddities. Among the countless cases that flood emergency rooms and research labs, there are a handful of phenomena that truly stand out—what we’ll call the “10 medical miracles” that continue to stump physicians.

From people who cheat death in ways that sound like science‑fiction, to bizarre neurological quirks that turn language on its head, these stories remind us that biology can be stranger than any thriller. Some recoveries are miraculous, some are downright creepy, and all of them leave the medical community reaching for their textbooks—and still finding no clear answers.

So buckle up as we count down the most puzzling, awe‑inspiring, and outright bewildering medical miracles that doctors still can’t fully explain.

10 Medical Miracles Unveiled

1 Ask and Ye Shall Receive

When Greg Thomas turned 56, doctors delivered the grim verdict: an inoperable, head‑and‑neck cancer that left him with a funeral plan in hand. The prognosis was bleak, and the medical team urged his family to start making arrangements.

Refusing to surrender, Thomas began visiting a crumbling, locked‑up church near his home, praying at its doors each day. After a bit of sleuthing, he managed to strike a deal with the owners: he would restore the aging sanctuary in exchange for unlimited access to its interior for prayer.

As he labored to bring the building back to life, his own health took a surprising turn. His oncologist was stunned, noting that the cancer, once deemed hopeless, entered remission. Four years later, the church gleamed like new, and Thomas claimed, “While I was restoring the church, God was restoring me.”

2 Pathological Generosity

After a stroke robbed João of his previous career as a human‑resources manager, his brain rewired in a way that made generosity compulsive. He opened a modest French‑fries cart, but rather than selling the snacks, he handed them away for free, day after day.

Even when a customer handed over cash, João would promptly pass the money to nearby beggars or children, draining his own resources. His newfound altruism was so intense that his family slipped into relative poverty, all while he continued to give without pause.

Neurologists who examined him concluded that the stroke had induced a condition they labeled “pathological generosity”—a relentless, uncontrollable drive to give that defied ordinary social norms and left the medical community searching for answers.

3 The 36‑Year‑Old Fetus

Imagine discovering at age 36 that you have been sharing your abdomen with a living twin you never knew existed. Sanju Bhagat thought a mysterious lump in his torso was a tumor, but when surgeons opened him up, they encountered something far more astonishing.

Inside, they found a mass of bones, limbs, hair, and even tiny jaws—an entire malformed twin, known medically as a fetus‑in‑fetu, thriving beside him for three decades by siphoning his blood. The surgeon described the scene as “shaking hands with somebody inside,” a chilling yet fascinating revelation.

Fetus‑in‑fetu is exceedingly rare; most cases result in death before birth. Bhagat’s situation, however, allowed both the host and the parasitic twin to survive for 36 years, with the latter even growing nails as a grotesque testament to its persistence.

4 Dead for Forty‑Five Minutes

Ruby Graupera‑Cassimiro’s story reads like a page out of a thriller. After a harrowing incident, her husband described seeing her “gray, cold as ice, with no color in her lips”—the classic signs of clinical death. Yet, astonishingly, she lingered for 45 minutes without a pulse.Doctors attempted to restart her heart five times, each effort leaving her unscathed by burns or brain injury. When she finally awoke, she recounted a vivid, almost spiritual encounter with an unseen being, a moment that defied conventional medical explanation.

Her inexplicable revival, combined with the absence of any lasting neurological damage, leaves physicians baffled and underscores the profound mystery surrounding the boundary between life and death.

5 Foreign Accent Syndrome

Imagine waking up after a stroke and suddenly sounding like you were raised on the other side of the world, even though you’ve never set foot there. Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare neurological condition where patients adopt a completely new accent, often from a region they have never visited.

Cases vary widely—some speakers acquire a British twang, others a Southern drawl—yet the underlying brain mechanisms remain elusive. Researchers continue to grapple with why a localized injury can so dramatically reshape speech patterns, making each case a baffling puzzle.

6 Gluten Delusions

A 37‑year‑old woman in Massachusetts, pursuing a Ph.D., suddenly descended into severe hallucinations and paranoid delusions. Antipsychotic medications proved useless, and her mind spun wildly, turning doctors into imagined conspirators.

After a thorough work‑up, physicians identified celiac disease as the hidden trigger. When she adopted a strict gluten‑free diet, her psychotic symptoms evaporated within weeks. A brief lapse—an accidental bite of gluten—sent her spiraling back into murderous thoughts, only to subside again when she resumed the diet, even while incarcerated.

The New England Journal of Medicine notes that the exact neuro‑immune pathways linking gluten to such extreme psychiatric manifestations remain under investigation, leaving the medical community with more questions than answers.

7 The Dancing Plague

In the summer of 1518, the streets of Strasbourg erupted with an inexplicable frenzy: hundreds of citizens began dancing uncontrollably, some for days on end, some to the point of collapse and death. Historians call this the “Dancing Plague,” a phenomenon that still lacks a definitive medical explanation.

The outbreak started with a single woman who danced in the streets, and soon the contagion spread like wildfire. Contemporary accounts are vague and steeped in superstition, making it impossible to determine exact casualty numbers, yet the event’s reality is undeniable.

8 The Toxic Woman

Gloria Ramirez, dubbed “The Toxic Lady,” walked into an emergency department in February 1994 with heart palpitations, only for her presence to become a lethal mystery. As staff treated her, her skin acquired a greasy sheen, and two odd odors—garlicky and ammonia—filled the room.Medical personnel soon experienced nausea, light‑headedness, and one nurse even fainted, followed by a doctor. The bizarre chemical reaction surrounding Ramirez caused 23 staff members to fall ill, five of whom required hospitalization.

Ramirez succumbed that night, and while investigators suspect a link to her use of dimethyl sulfoxide, the precise mechanism behind her “toxicity” remains unresolved.

9 Phineas Gage

Phineas Gage’s name is synonymous with brain injury lore. At 25, while working as a blasting foreman, an iron tamping rod blasted through his skull, ripping out a substantial portion of his frontal lobes.

Remarkably, Gage survived the accident and retained his memory and general intelligence. However, his personality underwent a dramatic shift—becoming impulsive, profane, and socially reckless, as documented by his physician who described him as “fitful, irreverent, and obstinate.”

Over the ensuing years, Gage’s bizarre behavior gradually mellowed, offering a rare glimpse into the brain’s capacity for plasticity and the enigmatic relationship between neural structures and personality.

10 Decapitated and Survived

Internal decapitation, also known as atlanto‑occipital dislocation, is a terrifying injury where the skull separates from the spine but remains tethered by soft tissue. Though 70% of victims die instantly and another 28% within hours, a tiny 2% survive—often with severe paralysis.

One astonishing case involved nine‑year‑old Jordan Taylor, who suffered an internal decapitation in a 2008 car crash. Defying the odds, he regained near‑full function within three months, eventually walking out of the hospital unaided.

Jordan’s mother, Stacey, summed up the miracle: “He’s like a little boy again…he is walking—I have to tell him to slow down. This is the best Christmas miracle that I could ever imagine.”

We’ve all heard at least one ghost story in our lifetime. It seems that everyone and every place has come in contact with the paranormal. Statistically, around 45% of Americans believe in ghosts, and as many as 18% of the American population says they’ve actually come in contact with a spirit. That’s a pretty significant number for what could be considered by some as a total hoax.

Many theories have been proposed as to what ghosts actually are. Are there possible scientific explanations for that shadow following you in an empty house? How about that tingling sensation on the back of your neck in a dark room? Lastly, what about demons? Do they really invade our world to leave claw marks on our backs while we sleep?

Let’s investigate ten possible theories for these paranormal wanderers that are rooted in science rather than the supernatural.

10 Scientific Theories Explained

10 Sleep Paralysis

Probably the most common explanation for why we see ghosts is sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis “is like dreaming with your eyes open,” says Dr. Baland Jalal, a neuroscientist at the University of Cambridge. He points out that during REM sleep our eyes dart rapidly beneath closed lids, yet the rest of the body stays immobile—an evolutionary safeguard to keep us from acting out vivid dreams. When this safeguard glitches, people awaken feeling trapped, often reporting a heavy presence on their chest, phantom touch, or even scratches that feel supernatural.

A great many classic hauntings—hallucinated figures, the sensation of someone sitting on you, or the infamous “demon scratches”—can be traced back to this neurological quirk. In short, you’re likely experiencing a terrifying, awake‑dream state rather than an actual specter.

9 Power of Suggestion

The power of suggestion is a heavyweight in the realm of paranormal reports, and modern experiments have started to unpack its influence. In 2003, psychologist Richard Wiseman staged two séances for the British Journal of Psychology, asking whether believers would be swayed by subtle cues. A faux medium claimed a table had moved; about a third of participants later insisted they saw the motion, even though the table never budged.

Further trials showed that believers were more prone to accept the medium’s insinuations, but only when those suggestions aligned with pre‑existing paranormal beliefs. For instance, when the fake medium asserted that an object stayed still—when it had actually been nudged—both believers and skeptics reported similar rates of acceptance. Roughly one‑fifth of all participants walked away convinced they’d witnessed genuine paranormal activity.

It remains unclear whether the verbal hints altered perception, memory, or both. Nonetheless, the data illustrate that a pre‑existing belief system makes people more likely to report phenomena that never occurred, driven by suggestion, demand characteristics, or subtle expectations from the experimenter.

8 One Mysterious Planet

It might feel like cheating to credit the planet itself, but many ancient “supernatural” events can be linked to ordinary geological processes. Take the Oracle of Delphi, where the Pythia entered trance‑like states that people once deemed divine communication. Modern geologists now agree that volatile gases seeped from the bituminous limestone beneath the sanctuary, likely inducing hallucinations.

Researchers from Wesleyan University identified ethane, methane, and ethylene in spring water near the oracle’s cave. These toxic fumes could easily have altered the priestess’s mental state, creating the illusion of prophetic visions. In an era of poorly regulated furnaces, rampant mercury, and flickering candlelight, such natural emissions could easily be woven into mythic narratives.

Over centuries, those stories were retold, embellished, and eventually cemented as classic ghost tales, showing how everyday earth chemistry can masquerade as the paranormal.

7 Low Frequency Sounds

If you’ve binge‑watched ghost‑hunting TV, you’ve probably heard about EMF meters. While those devices are notoriously fickle—cell phones and camera batteries can trigger false readings—there is a genuine physiological response to certain sound frequencies that can feel “ghostly.”

The culprit is infrasound, a low‑frequency vibration below roughly 20 Hz that our ears can’t consciously hear but our bodies still sense. Exposure can provoke unease, chills, and an inexplicable sense of dread, often described as a “fear frequency.”

Lecturer Vic Tandy demonstrated this at Coventry University, where a 14th‑century cellar long rumored to host a spirit showed elevated infrasound levels. The unsettling sensations reported by students were traced back to this acoustic phenomenon, suggesting that the “ghost” was actually their bodies reacting to invisible sound waves.

6 Mold and Fungus

Walking into a crumbling hospital or an abandoned mansion inevitably puts you on edge, but the real culprit may be something far less dramatic than a specter—mold. Toxic indoor fungi thrive in damp basements, decaying ceilings, and sealed rooms, releasing spores that can affect the brain.

Associate Professor Shane Rogers of Civil & Environmental Engineering notes that while the link between mold exposure and psychological effects isn’t fully mapped, many alleged hauntings occur in structures perfect for mold growth. The presence of black mold, asbestos, or ergot‑contaminated grain could easily produce hallucinations, dizziness, and other eerie sensations.

What some investigators label “demonic activity” might simply be a physiological reaction to poor air quality. When victims feel choking, headaches, or nausea, they often feel relief after stepping outside for fresh air—hardly the work of a malevolent spirit, but a clear sign that their bodies are warning them about contaminated environments.

5 Mind/Body Disconnect

Ever feel a presence nearby without any visual cue? This can stem from a mismatch between how the brain registers the body’s position in space and the actual physical reality. When self‑awareness falters, the brain can generate a second, “ghostly” representation that feels external.

Swiss neuroscientists explored this by scanning the brains of patients who reported ghost encounters. All showed abnormal activity in three regions responsible for self‑awareness, movement, and spatial positioning. To test the phenomenon, healthy volunteers were blindfolded and asked to move their arms while a hidden robot mirrored their motions on their backs.

When the robot’s movements were perfectly synchronized, participants reported nothing unusual. However, introducing a slight delay caused many to sense an unseen presence, with some even claiming full‑blown hauntings. A few withdrew from the study, unable to tolerate the unsettling sensation. This experiment underscores how a simple temporal mismatch can conjure the feeling of a spirit.

4 Pareidolia

Pareidolia is the brain’s penchant for imposing familiar patterns on ambiguous stimuli—think seeing a face in a cloud or the Virgin Mary on a toasted sandwich. This natural tendency helped early humans spot predators, but it also explains many ghost sightings.

When light, shadow, or fog creates vague shapes, our visual cortex fills in the gaps, often producing human‑like silhouettes or eerie figures. Carl Sagan highlighted this in “The Demon‑Haunted World,” arguing that many apparitions are simply our brains stitching together incomplete information.

Thus, the “ghost” isn’t a hidden entity; it’s our own mind constructing an image where none exists, especially in dim, foggy, or otherwise ambiguous environments.

3 Energy Displacement

Some researchers have tried to shoe‑horn Einstein’s conservation of energy into the ghost narrative. Paranormal author John Kachuba suggests that because energy cannot be destroyed, it must transform after death—perhaps into a lingering spirit.

Modern physics, however, shows that when a body dies, its stored chemical energy is released as heat, and the organic matter becomes food for microbes, plants, or other organisms. Even cremation turns bodily energy into light and heat. There’s no evidence that this energy remains as a coherent, electromagnetic “ghost.”

Animals and plants certainly don’t turn into spectral cows or haunted venus flytraps, illustrating that the post‑mortem energy simply re‑enters the ecosystem, rather than hovering as a sentient apparition.

2 Unprocessed Trauma

Trauma can warp perception, leading some to interpret internal hallucinations as external hauntings. A seminal study of 88 psychiatric patients (1974‑1984) by Dr. Lenore Terr linked many ghost reports to severe stress, PTSD, and other mood disorders.

Individuals with PTSD frequently report sensory experiences—seeing, hearing, or feeling presences—that they attribute to spirits. Some children, after animal attacks, describe being “haunted” by the creature’s spirit. These manifestations often arise as the brain attempts to process overwhelming emotional memories.

When trauma remains unprocessed, the mind may externalize the distress as ghostly visions, offering a compelling, albeit misdirected, explanation for the experience. Confronting the underlying trauma can, in many cases, dissolve the haunting.

1 Positive and Negative Ions

While it sounds like something straight out of “Ghostbusters,” ion research does have a scientific foothold. Positive ions (atoms missing an electron) and negative ions (atoms with an extra electron) populate our atmosphere, generated by weather, solar radiation, and even radon gas.

Some paranormal investigators claim that spirits disrupt ion balances, while others argue that ghosts harness ion energy to manifest. In practice, ion meters are fickle and heavily influenced by mundane sources like electronics, making them unreliable for ghost hunting.

Nonetheless, ion concentrations do affect human mood: negative ions can promote calmness, whereas an excess of positive ions may trigger headaches, nausea, and fatigue. Such physiological responses could easily be misread as paranormal activity in a “haunted” house.

The world may feel like a place where science has a tidy answer for almost everything, but there’s a fringe of human experience that still leaves researchers scratching their heads. In fact, the phrase 10 people abilities captures a handful of individuals whose extraordinary talents defy conventional explanation. From photographic recall that turns a helicopter ride into a twenty‑foot sketch to a man who claims he hasn’t slept in four decades, these cases push the limits of what we think is biologically possible.

10 people abilities That Baffle Modern Science

10 The Memory Man

Stephen Wiltshire’s claim to fame isn’t just that he draws cityscapes; it’s that he can reproduce an entire aerial view after a brief twenty‑minute helicopter tour over New York. He unfurled a twenty‑foot sheet of paper and, without a single reference photo, rendered every skyscraper, every window, every street line with astonishing precision.

The secret behind this feat is his photographic memory. Wiltshire can lock a visual scene into his mind and later replay it with the fidelity of a high‑resolution camera, allowing him to sketch exactly what he saw, down to the smallest architectural detail.

Born in London during the 1970s, Wiltshire struggled with speech and social interaction until an autism diagnosis clarified his unique wiring. Teachers quickly noticed his obsessive love for drawing, first sketching animals and buses before moving on to the intricate facades of London’s buildings.

By age seven, he was already obsessed with capturing architecture. A year later, the British Prime Minister commissioned him to render Salisbury Cathedral, a testament to his early mastery. Over the decades he has become one of the UK’s most celebrated artists, revered for his uncanny ability to turn memory into art.

9 Sleepless in Vietnam

Science tells us that a few days without sleep will force the body to shut down. Yet Thai Ngoc, a 75‑year‑old Vietnamese farmer, insists he has gone without a wink of sleep for forty‑two years, ever since a mysterious illness in 1974 left his internal clock permanently switched off.

Ngoc’s story has been featured on Vietnamese television, cited in a National Geographic blog, and repeatedly resurfaced in media reports. Despite the lack of sleep, he continues to tend his fields, care for his pigs, and lead a routine that would normally crumble under severe sleep deprivation.

Medical examinations at Danang Hospital revealed only an old war‑time injury; no neurological disorder or hormonal imbalance could explain his condition. Doctors remain baffled, as his body shows none of the typical symptoms—fatigue, cognitive decline, or immune suppression—associated with chronic insomnia.

8 My Samurai Senses Are Tingling

In a scene that looks ripped from a Hollywood blockbuster, Japanese swordsman Isao Machii sliced a high‑velocity bullet in half at a Los Angeles shooting range in 2011. The Guinness World Records footage, slowed 250 times, captures the blade cleaving a projectile moving at 0.088 km/s (0.0547 mi/s) with surgical precision.

Machii’s record‑breaking career includes the most sword cuts on a tatami mat and a staggering 1,000 cuts on a straw mat in just over 36 seconds. He also performed a series of aerial cuts, slicing a mat mid‑air before it hit the ground, reducing it to ragged threads.

Scientists suspect Machii possesses a sensory acuity beyond ordinary sight and reflexes, but standard clinical tests have failed to pinpoint any measurable anomaly. His lightning‑fast perception continues to mystify researchers worldwide.

7 The Ice Man Cometh

Wim Hof, the Dutch “Iceman,” has amassed a litany of Guinness World Records for withstanding extreme temperatures. He has trekked across frozen waterfalls in shorts, sprinted through deserts hotter than 50 °C without water, and endured nearly two hours encased in ice—all without shivering or showing signs of dehydration.

Hof attributes his resilience to a combination of controlled breathing, cold exposure, and meditation—a regimen now known as the Wim Hof Method. The method appears to modulate the autonomic nervous system, granting practitioners a degree of control over immune responses and thermoregulation.

Scientific studies involving Hof and dedicated participants have shown modest improvements in inflammatory markers and cold tolerance, but the full extent of his physiological mastery remains partially unexplained.

6 Call Him Mr. Mistoffelees

Animal behaviorist Kevin Richardson, affectionately dubbed “the Lion Whisperer,” has forged an uncanny rapport with big cats. He can coax lions, hyenas, and leopards into sitting, rolling, or even allowing him to place his forearm into a lion’s open mouth without injury.Raised in Johannesburg, Richardson initially pursued zoology but faced setbacks that nearly derailed his scientific aspirations. A chance encounter with lion cubs at age twenty‑three reignited his passion, steering him toward a career that blends wildlife activism with performance.

Now a television personality and sanctuary owner, Richardson uses his seemingly telepathic connection to advocate for conservation, demonstrating that a deep, respectful bond can bridge the gap between humans and apex predators.

5 Real‑Life Iron Man

Ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes boasts a stamina that borders on superhuman. He’s completed 350 miles nonstop, tackled fifty marathons in fifty consecutive days, and raced across the South Pole’s icy expanse—all without the typical signs of exhaustion.

Karnazes’ journey began after a spontaneous tequila‑fueled decision at age thirty to test his limits. Since then, his body has displayed an extraordinary ability to flush lactic acid rapidly, never experiencing the muscle cramps that plague most endurance athletes.

Typical exercise generates lactic acid, which accumulates and triggers fatigue. Karnazes’ metabolism appears to sidestep this bottleneck, allowing him to sustain high‑intensity effort far longer than average runners.

Medical examinations reveal a lower-than‑average body fat percentage and a unique physiological profile, yet these factors don’t fully account for his iron‑like resilience. His feats continue to intrigue both fans and scientists alike.

4 Seider Sees Spot Run

German dentist Veronica Seider possesses a visual acuity that far exceeds normal human limits. While studying at university, researchers discovered she could clearly discern details over a kilometer away—equivalent to spotting a moving object across twelve football fields.

Such long‑range vision contradicts established biological understanding, yet Seider’s tests have repeatedly validated her remarkable sight. Her ability earned her a spot in the Guinness World Records, cementing her status as a modern-day “super‑seer.”

Today, Seider balances her dental practice with her extraordinary gift, perhaps giving her an edge when detecting the tiniest plaque deposits hidden from ordinary eyes.

3 Biba the Battery Man

At seventeen, Slavisa “Biba” Pajkic discovered he could survive and even thrive under electrical currents that would fry a typical human. In 1983, he set a Guinness record by withstanding a 20,000‑volt discharge, and in 2003 he boiled water to 97 °C in just 1 minute 37 seconds using his own body as a conduit.

Scientists remain perplexed by his feats. Biba can illuminate bulbs, fry sausages, and ignite alcohol‑soaked material without injury, suggesting his physiology somehow redirects electricity around, rather than through, his vital organs.

Medical professionals attribute his powers to a rare genetic defect that leaves him without sweat and salivary glands, effectively turning his skin into a natural insulator. Hugging Biba, therefore, is an act of bravery.

2 The Monk with an Exoskeleton

Shaolin monk Zhao Rui has turned his body into a living exoskeleton, displaying feats that would make even the toughest action hero jealous. He can hold a power drill to his temple for ten seconds without breaking skin, bend iron bars against his throat, and lie on sharpened arrows without injury.

His performances also include breaking stones with his head and enduring extreme pain thresholds that ordinary humans cannot survive. The monk attributes his invulnerability to rigorous meditation and disciplined training from childhood.

Despite his claims, scientific investigations have failed to identify any measurable physiological anomaly, leaving the true source of his seemingly impenetrable skin a tantalizing mystery.

1 Uri Geller Bends Metal With His Mind

Psychokinesis— the alleged ability to move objects with the mind— finds a high‑profile champion in Uri Geller. Since childhood, Geller has demonstrated spoon‑bending, metal‑twisting, and the uncanny ability to reveal hidden details about objects without seeing them.

He famously bent a spoon in the U.S. Capitol, sparking debate over whether his feats are magic tricks or genuine paranormal phenomena. While skeptics point to sleight‑of‑hand techniques, Geller maintains that his powers have been consistent for decades, adding another layer to the mystery.

Mysterious sounds trigger something primitive in our brains. They take us right back to our hunter-gatherer days, when deciphering a weird ‘bloop’ in the jungle might have helped us survive (as it may be a new type of predator). While that’s hardly the case anymore, that part of the brain still works the same way.

Mysterious sounds still pique our interest in a way that other senses don’t. There’s something plain creepy about a sound whose origins you can’t completely ascertain, made even creepier by just how many sounds there are nowadays; from classified radio signals to industrial machines most of us haven’t even heard of. Most of them, however, could be explained by ‘everyday things making everyday noises you just hadn’t noticed before’.

It gets weird, though, when a sound is heard multiple times by multiple people, and none of them can establish where it’s coming from. Some of the most bizarre sounds we’ve ever heard still remain unexplained, despite entire sections of the Internet dedicatedly looking for their origins.

This is an encore of one of our previous lists, as presented by our YouTube host Simon Whistler. Read the full list!

This article features some mysteries of human behaviour that science can’t explain. The ten things we don’t understand about humans. Scientists have split the atom, put men on the moon and discovered the DNA of which we are made, but there are some mysteries of human behaviour which they have failed to fully explain. Why do we dream, kiss, blush or shy? These are the basics of human behaviour, scientists still don’t have a clue.

The Following are 10 Mysteries of Human Behaviour scientists still can’t explain.

10. Shyness

The feeling of apprehension, lack of comfort, or awkwardness experienced. when a person is in proximity to, approaching, or being approached by other people, especially in new situations or with unfamiliar people. Shyness may come from genetic traits, the environment in which a person is raised and personal experiences.

9. Art

Painting, dance, sculpture and music could all be the human equivalent of a peacock’s tail in showing what a good potential mate someone is. However, it could also be a tool for spreading knowledge or sharing experience.

For instance, a study by Geoffrey Miller at the University of New Mexico shows that women prefer creativity over wealth when their fertility is at its peak. Others believe the drive to seek out aesthetic experiences evolved to encourage us to learn about different aspects of the world – those that our brain’s have not equipped us to deal with at birth.

8. Adolescence

Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychological human development generally occurring during the period from puberty to legal adulthood. The period of adolescence is most closely associated with the teenage years. No other animal undergoes the stroppy, unpredictable teenage years. Some suggest it helps our large brain reorganize itself before adulthood or that it allows experimentation in behavior before the responsibility of later years.

7. Picking Your Nose

One in four teenagers engage in the habit, at an average of four times a day, a study found. The unappealing but common habit of ingesting ‘nasal detritus’ offers almost no nutritional benefit. So why do a quarter of teenagers do it. on average four times a day? Some think it boosts the immune system.

6. Superstition

Superstition is a pejorative term for belief in supernatural causality. That one event leads to the cause of another without any physical process linking the two events. such as astrology, omens, witchcraft, etc. that contradicts natural science.The unusual but reassuring habits make no evolutionary sense. however, ancient humans would have benefited from not dismissing a lion’s rustle in the grass as a gust of wind. Religion seems to tap into this impulse.

5. Altruism or Selflessness

Doing good deeds is part of human nature. They just can’t decide why we do them. Altruism or selflessness is the principle or practice of concern for the welfare of others. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core aspect of various religious traditions. though the concept of “others” toward whom concern should be directed can vary among cultures and religions.

After all, what is the point of helping others, if they are not guaranteed to return the favor  Robert Trivers of Rutgers University in New Jersey argues that natural selection favored our altruistic ancestors because they could expect to benefit. However these tendencies became misguided as we developed a globalized world.

4. Kissing

The act of pressing one’s lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, peace and good luck, among many others.

There are theories that it is associated with memories of breastfeeding and that ancient humans weaned their children by feeding them from their mouths, which reinforced the link between sharing saliva and pleasure. Another idea is our foraging ancestors were attracted to red ripe fruit and so developed red lips to tempt sexual partners.

Kissing has been shown to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increase the bonding hormone oxytocin, so is good for our health and happiness.

3. Laughter

An involuntary reaction to certain external or internal stimuli. Laughter can arise from such activities as being tickled, or from humorous stories or thoughts. It is considered a visual expression of a number of positive emotional states, such as joy, mirth, happiness, relief, etc. On some occasions, it may be caused by contrary emotional states such as embarrassment, apology, confusion or courtesy laugh.

Laughter boosts levels of feel-good endorphins, helping us bond with others. ‘Laughing at’ can be used to push people away.

2. Blushing

A uniquely human trait. Blushing, the involuntary reddening of a person’s face due to embarrassment or emotional stress. It has been known to come from being lovestruck, or from some kind of romantic stimulation. It is thought that blushing is the result of an overactive sympathetic nervous system.

Charles Darwin struggled to explain why evolution made us turn red when we lie, which alerts others. He called it the most peculiar and the most human of all expressions. However, some think it originally used it to diffuse aggressive approaches by more dominant individuals. Over time it became associated with higher emotions such as guilt and embarrassment.

1. Dreaming

Dream, the experience of envisioned images, sounds, or other sensations during sleep. Dreams help us process and consolidate emotions without the rush of stress hormones that would accompany the real experience. They also help with memory and problem-solving. People are better at recalling lists of related words and links between them after a night’s sleep than after the same time spent awake in the day. It was recently discovered that we can dream even outside of REM sleep. REM dreams were found to involve long stories with more emotion, while non REM dreams often involved friendly interactions.

Sigmund Freud’s theory of dreams expressing our subconscious desires have been generally discredited and it is recognised that they help us process emotions, but the reason why we see such strange visions has not been properly explained.