When you set out to explore the planet, you quickly learn that words are only half the conversation. The other half is made up of 10 weird gestures that locals use to say everything from “welcome” to “watch out” without uttering a single syllable. These body‑language quirks can be as friendly as a wave or as risky as a faux pas, so keep reading to avoid accidental offense and maybe even impress a few natives along the way.

10 Weird Gestures Explained

10 Shaking Hands Over A Threshold

We all think of a handshake as the universal “nice to meet you” in the West, but cultures differ. Some bow, some perform a namaste, and many have their own spin on greeting with the hands.

Even in places where handshakes are common, they’re not seen as unlucky. The idea is simply that each culture prefers its own method of showing respect.

In Russia, however, shaking hands while standing on a doorway’s threshold is believed to invite bad luck. The threshold is thought to be the dwelling’s spirit’s domain, and greeting someone there is thought to disturb that spirit.

So, when you walk into a Russian home, hold off on the handshake until you’ve crossed the doorway. That small pause keeps the house’s ghost happy and your visit trouble‑free.

9 Toasting

One of the greatest joys of traveling is sampling the drinking rituals of different nations. While many places raise a glass and shout “cheers,” some cultures have a very different relationship with toasting.

In Hungary, clinking glasses and shouting a hearty “cheers” is more than just a social nicety—it’s a painful reminder of a dark chapter in the country’s history.

During the 19th‑century revolt against the Austrian Empire, the Austrians celebrated their crushing of the Hungarian uprising by forcing prisoners to toast before they were executed. The memory stuck, and for over a century the practice was banned outright. Even after the ban lifted, Hungarians never really reclaimed the clink‑and‑cheer tradition.

8 Patting On The Head

Patting a child on the head is often a light‑hearted way to say “good job” or to show affection when other gestures feel too intimate.

However, in many Asian societies the head is considered sacred, the highest point of the body, and touching it without permission is seen as a serious breach of etiquette.

Countries with strong Buddhist traditions, such as Thailand and parts of China, treat any unsolicited contact with the head as disrespectful. To stay safe, it’s best to avoid patting anyone’s head unless you’re absolutely sure it’s welcome.

7 Devil’s Horns

Rock fans worldwide recognize the “devil’s horns” hand sign as a badge of metal allegiance, thanks to its popularization by Ronnie James Dio of Black Sabbath.

In most places the gesture is a positive, rebellious emblem, but Italy flips the script entirely.

There, flashing the horns is an insult implying a man’s wife is cheating on him. Depending on the context and how drunk the onlookers are, the sign can spark anything from a heated argument to a full‑blown bar fight.

6 Shake And Nod

If you love hopping from one culture to another, you’ll quickly learn that a simple nod for “yes” and a shake for “no” works in almost every corner of the globe.

That universality, however, has an exception: the Balkans. In Albania, Bulgaria, and a few neighboring nations, the meanings are swapped—shaking your head means “yes” while nodding means “no.”

So, before you flash a confident nod in a Balkan café, double‑check the local custom, or you might end up ordering the wrong dish entirely.

5 The OK Sign

The classic “OK” hand gesture—forming a circle with the thumb and index finger while the other three fingers point upward—usually means everything is fine.

Divers, for instance, use it underwater to signal that their gear is functioning properly, making it a handy safety cue beneath the waves.

But head south to Brazil and many Latin American nations, and the same sign flips to a vulgar insult meaning “screw you.” Even Richard Nixon’s 1950s visit to Brazil turned awkward when he flashed the gesture, prompting a chorus of bewildered reactions.

4 Thumbs Up

Raising a thumb while keeping the other fingers clenched is widely understood as a sign of approval or agreement, especially in the United States.

Travelers quickly discover that in Iraq and parts of the Middle East, the same gesture is a crude way of telling someone to “shove it up his ass,” a meaning that dates back to U.S. troops being jeered during the Iraq War.

Interestingly, the gesture’s origins trace back to ancient Rome, where a raised thumb signaled a condemned gladiator’s fate—though the precise evolution from “kill” to “okay” remains a mystery.

3 Shaking Head At An Angle

While most of the world uses a straightforward nod for “yes” and a shake for “no,” India adds a nuanced twist: a sideways, half‑nod, half‑shake motion that can convey a reluctant or half‑hearted agreement.

This subtle head tilt can be highly contextual, sometimes even dripping with sarcasm, and is best interpreted by listening to the surrounding conversation.

If you spot an Indian colleague giving you that tilted look, you’re likely witnessing a polite, if not entirely enthusiastic, assent.

2 Three‑Finger Salute

Raising fingers in the air is a common way to celebrate—think two fingers for a gun‑like gesture or three fingers for a pop‑culture reference.

Fans of “The Hunger Games” often flash three fingers as a sign of rebellion, but in Thailand that very salute is illegal because it was adopted by protestors against the military government.

If you’re planning a trip to Bangkok, it’s safest to keep your fingers down unless you’re prepared to face possible arrest for political dissent.

1 Cutis

The “cutis” gesture involves forming a fist, tucking your thumbnail under your front teeth, and then flicking it outward. It looks like a goofy party trick, but in India and Pakistan it’s a blunt way of saying “screw you.”

The sign can also be performed with the fingers extended instead of curled, but its meaning stays the same—a direct insult that’s not widely recognized across the entire subcontinent, though it tends to be understood in the northern regions.

Because its usage is inconsistent and potentially offensive, it’s best to avoid the cutis gesture altogether when traveling in South Asia.

When we think about modern medicine, we often picture sleek labs, high‑tech imaging, and evidence‑based treatments. Yet the path to today’s knowledge was paved with a parade of wildly imaginative explanations. In this roundup we’ll explore 10 bizarre ways our forebears tried to make sense of illness, from spooky superstitions to dubious science. Grab a cup of tea and prepare to be both amused and astonished.

10 Bizarre Ways That Shaped Early Medicine

10 Spread Of Diseases Caused By Night Air

During the medieval era a prevailing theory called miasma held sway. Proponents argued that “bad air” – a poisonous vapour rising from rotting organic matter – was the hidden culprit behind scourges such as cholera, chlamydia, and the Black Death. This noxious breeze seemed to intensify around swamps and, oddly enough, after dark. Consequently, people habitually shut their windows and stayed indoors after sunset to escape the alleged threat.

Even towering figures of the American Revolution were not immune to the fear. In 1776, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin found themselves sharing a cramped inn room. Adams, describing his condition in his autobiography, wrote that he “shut the window close” because he dreaded the night air blowing upon him. Franklin, however, persuaded him to reopen it. The fact that a future president could be convinced by the miasma doctrine illustrates how deeply the idea had penetrated educated circles, not just the unlettered masses. Doctors and scholars alike defended the theory for more than a century.

Curiously, while the logic was flawed, keeping windows shut did confer some incidental health benefits. Closed windows reduced exposure to malaria‑carrying mosquitoes and kept out dampness that could chill the body, thereby averting certain fevers. So there was a grain of accidental wisdom amid the misconception.

By the latter half of the 19th century, the germ theory – championed by pioneers like Pasteur and Koch – finally displaced the miasma model, ushering in a new era of microbiological understanding.

9 Epilepsy Caused By Divine Visitation

In ancient Greece, the condition we now call epilepsy was believed to be a direct message from the gods. The very term stems from the Greek verb epilambanein, meaning “to seize or possess.” Physicians labeled it a “sacred disease,” and it wore many aliases: “seliniasmos,” “Herculian disease” (because it supposedly afflicted the demigod Hercules), and “demonism.”

Greek scholars thought the disorder was a form of miasma – a polluted, harmful air – that settled upon the soul. They interpreted seizures as divine punishment, linking the affliction to Selene, the moon goddess, and insisting that offending her could summon the fits.

The Greeks even assigned specific deities to particular seizure characteristics. A fit that featured teeth‑grinding was attributed to Cybele, the nature goddess, while a seizure accompanied by a horse‑like scream was blamed on Poseidon, ruler of the sea, earthquakes, and horses. Healing rituals involved purification ceremonies and the chanting of protective hymns.

8 Leprosy Caused By Divine Retribution

In the Middle Ages, leprosy was widely interpreted as a sign of divine wrath. Those afflicted were thought to be paying for personal sinfulness, a belief reinforced by numerous biblical passages that portrayed the disease as a punishment from God. Leprosy thus became a dual stigma: a physical ailment and a moral indictment.

Society reacted harshly. Lepers were ostracized, forced to wear clanging bells that warned passersby of their approach, and sometimes even attended a funeral mass that officially declared them dead to the community. The combination of spiritual fear and physical revulsion made leprosy one of the most dreaded conditions of the era.

7 Colds Caused By Waste Matter

Hippocrates, often hailed as the father of medicine, made a surprising claim about the common cold. While he famously rejected supernatural explanations for disease, he nonetheless posited that colds resulted from a buildup of waste matter in the brain. According to his view, when this excess overflowed, it manifested as a runny nose and other sniffly symptoms.

The Greek word for the cold, catarrh, literally means “flow,” reflecting the idea of bodily fluids spilling over. This linguistic legacy persists in modern medical terminology, even though Hippocrates’ waste‑matter hypothesis has long been debunked.

6 Mental Illness Caused By Witchcraft

During the medieval period, anyone displaying signs of mental disturbance was often blamed on witchcraft or demonic possession. Exorcism became the go‑to treatment, and during the Renaissance, burning the afflicted was sometimes considered a “cure.”

Women bore the brunt of this suspicion. The prevailing belief was that women, being physically weaker, were more prone to demonic influence. The uterus, in particular, was singled out as a source of evil; it was thought that during menstruation a woman’s blood turned into a venomous substance capable of contaminating others.

Adding another layer of mystique, physicians argued that imagination itself could produce physical changes, equating it with witchcraft. They claimed that the uterus could receive harmful images, while the spleen generated them. Consequently, both organs were deemed potential conduits of pathological visions, giving women a “double source” of supernatural danger compared to men, whose spleen alone was implicated.

5 Hysteria Caused By A Wandering Womb

In ancient Greek medicine, women who exhibited any form of mental distress were diagnosed with hysteria, a condition thought to arise from a “wandering” uterus. The physician Aretaeus described the womb as capable of shifting up, down, left, or right within the body, each direction producing distinct symptoms. An upward migration caused lethargy and vertigo, while a downward drift led to choking sensations, loss of speech, and even sudden death.

Treatments were as inventive as the theory. Physicians applied pleasant aromas, such as honey, to the vagina, hoping the sweet scent would lure the womb back to its proper place. Conversely, foul smells were used to push the organ away from the upper body. Other remedies included chewing garlic cloves, alternating hot and cold baths, frequent sexual activity, and encouraging regular pregnancies to keep the uterus “occupied” and prevent it from roaming.

4 Porphyria Explained As Vampirism

Legends of vampires have haunted humanity for centuries, but modern medicine suggests that a rare genetic disorder called porphyria may have seeded many of these stories. In the Middle Ages, limited scientific knowledge meant that the striking symptoms of porphyria were easily misread as supernatural.

Patients with porphyria are extremely sensitive to sunlight; exposure can cause severe disfigurements to the hands, feet, or face, sometimes resulting in mutilated features, receded noses, ears, or lips, and excessive hair growth that made sufferers resemble wolves or other beasts. The disease can also produce erythrodontia – a reddish hue to the teeth – and gum recession that mimics fangs, reinforcing the vampire image.

Because treatments like heme injections were unavailable, afflicted individuals may have instinctively sought the blood of others to relieve symptoms, inadvertently giving rise to the myth that vampires crave blood. The hereditary nature of porphyria could also explain why “vampire bites” were thought to turn victims into new blood‑suckers.

3 Ulcers Caused By Stress

In the mid‑19th century, William Brinton was among the first physicians to describe peptic ulcers, yet without modern diagnostics the cause remained a mystery. Lacking a bacterial culprit, doctors turned to lifestyle and psychological factors, concluding that poor diet, smoking, and especially stress drove excess stomach acid, leading to ulcers.

Prominent clinicians like Arvey Rogers and Donna Hoel even suggested that an ulcer was a badge of hard work, implying that those who didn’t develop one weren’t stressing enough. Treatments centered on antacids and lifestyle changes, while severe cases sometimes required stomach removal or fatal bleeding.

The tide turned in the early 1980s when Robin Warren identified the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and Barry Marshall, his colleague, boldly ingested the organism to prove causation. Within days Marshall developed gastritis, the precursor to an ulcer, and his self‑experiments finally convinced the medical world that bacteria—not stress—were the true cause, paving the way for antibiotic therapy.

2 Autism Caused By The Lack Of Maternal Warmth

When child psychiatrist Leo Kanner first described autism in a 1943 paper, he went beyond cataloguing symptoms and turned his gaze toward parents. Observing a small group of highly intelligent families, Kanner concluded that autistic children were raised in emotionally frigid households, where mothers and fathers offered little warmth.

He famously claimed that these parents were “just happening to defrost enough to produce a child,” and the notion quickly morphed into the infamous “refrigerator mother” theory. Influential figures like Bruno Bettelheim reinforced the idea, suggesting that parental coldness was the root cause of autism.

By the early 1960s, advocates for autistic families began to challenge the theory, and Kanner eventually softened his stance. Nonetheless, the refrigerator mother hypothesis lingered into the 1970s, and remnants of it can still be found in some corners of the world, including parts of Europe and South Korea.

1 Birth Defects Caused By Maternal Impressions

The theory of maternal impressions held that a pregnant woman’s strong emotions, fears, or desires could imprint themselves onto the developing fetus, shaping its physical appearance. Popular in the 18th century, this idea was employed to explain a variety of birth defects. For instance, a child born deaf might be blamed on the mother having been startled by a loud noise during pregnancy.

The concept traced back even further. Ancient Greek physician Galen asserted that if a mother gazed at a particular statue, her child could inherit its likeness. Consequently, expectant mothers were encouraged to view beautiful artworks, hoping to produce attractive offspring.

Beyond facial features, the theory claimed that a mother’s cravings could dictate birthmark patterns. A woman with a penchant for strawberries might give birth to a child bearing a strawberry‑shaped mark on its skin.

The maternal impressions doctrine persisted through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and into the 18th century before being rigorously challenged by anatomist William Hunter. By the late 19th century the idea was finally discarded, leaving behind a fascinating footnote in the history of medical thought.

Ever found yourself bewildered when a doctor drops terms like “tracheotomy,” “dysphagia,” or “haematopoiesis” and you think, “What on earth does that even mean, and how on earth did they remember it?” You’re definitely not the only one. Even seasoned clinicians can fumble with these wordy beasts at first. The good news? Once you crack the code of how these words are built, they become far less intimidating.

10 Itis’

This sprightly suffix translates to “inflammation.” Think of inflammation as a little internal fire—your body’s way of sending a flood of healing fluids to a wounded spot. Those fluids swell the tissue, turn it red, and make it feel hot, as if a hornet’s nest decided to set up shop inside you.

Now that you know that any doctor who tacks “-itis” onto a word is shouting “Something’s inflamed here,” you can decode a whole slew of conditions. Pair it with “bronch-” (the branching tubes of your lungs) for bronchitis, or “derma-” (skin) for dermatitis, and you’ve got the gist: the organ in question is inflamed.

But beware: “-itis” only tells you that inflammation is present, not the cause. Bronchitis, for instance, is a symptom, not a diagnosis. It could stem from a cold, smoking, or even a bizarre experiment with bleach. The suffix itself won’t clue you into the underlying trigger.

9 From The Greek Word “Haima,” Meaning Blood

Variations like “hemat‑,” “haemato‑,” “haem‑,” and “hem‑” all point toward blood, while “hema‑” and “hemo‑” specifically denote the liquid itself. If you ever hear a clinician utter “hee‑muh” or “hee‑moh,” you now know they’re talking about something involving blood.

A classic example is hematemesis—vomiting blood. This alarming sign can arise from a bleeding ulcer, a tumor in the stomach or esophagus, a hemorrhagic fever (where the brain literally leaks blood), or even severe radiation exposure. If you ever think you’ve coughed up a crimson splash after a bowl of Frosted Flakes, drop everything and rush to the ER.

8 You Are What You Eat

The suffix “‑phagy” means “the act of feeding on” whatever precedes it. It shows up across biology to describe diets. For instance, “coprophagy” is the unpleasant habit of rabbits munching on their own droppings.

Spot the prefix in “hematophagy” and you’ll recognize it as the act of drinking blood—something many fictional monsters love. Real‑world blood‑eaters include the vampire bat (*Desmodus rotundus*) and, of course, the ever‑annoying mosquito.

7 No Job? You Have An‑Income

The little prefix “a‑/an‑” sneaks into countless words, often without us noticing. A prime illustration is “aerobic” versus “anaerobic.” Aerobic processes need oxygen—think of a marathon runner. Anaerobic activities, on the other hand, go without oxygen and tend to be high‑intensity, burning out faster.

When a physician prescribes aerobic or anaerobic exercise, you now know they’re talking about whether your cells will be working with or without oxygen.

6 Try A Junk Food‑Ectomy

The suffix “‑ectomy” signals that something is being cut out of the body. The most common example you’ve probably heard is “appendectomy,” the removal of an inflamed appendix. If you’re wondering what “‑itis” is again, scroll up!

Another familiar usage is “vasectomy,” where the vas deferens—the tube that shuttles sperm from the testes to the urethra—is clamped. The result? No more swimmers, though the body still produces semen; the sperm simply get reabsorbed. Some people find that creepy, others find it fascinating.

5 A Pumpkin Pie‑Otomy Is My Favorite

Related to “‑ectomy,” the suffix “‑otomy” means “to cut into.” A dramatic example is a tracheotomy, where surgeons cut into the windpipe (trachea) to open an airway during a severe allergic reaction.

Another illustration is “gastrotomy,” the act of cutting into the stomach. (Don’t confuse it with “gastrostomy,” which is the insertion of a feeding tube through the abdomen.)

4 A Whole New Meaning For Cold‑Hearted

“Cry‑” (or “cryo‑”) comes from the Greek for “cold.” It appears in procedures like cryoablation, where doctors destroy rogue tissue with freezing temperatures.

I’ve lived this firsthand: I suffered from ventricular tachycardia, a condition where the heart’s main pumping chamber races at an unsafe speed. My doctors performed a catheter ablation, threading a tiny tube to the heart and zapping the errant cells with cold energy, finally giving me some peace.

3 Dys‑Pepsi, The Discomfort In Drinking Pepsi

The prefix “dys‑” signals something bad, difficult, or abnormal. Paired with “‑pepsia,” which means digestion, you get “dyspepsia”—a catch‑all term for digestive distress, ranging from nausea and heartburn to indigestion and an upset stomach (but not diarrhea, which belongs to a different list).

2 This Is Bound To Be Epi‑C

“Epi‑” means “upon” or “above.” It shows up in treatments like epidurals, where anesthetic is injected near the lower spine to numb nerves that would otherwise send pain signals from a birthing uterus to the brain.

Don’t confuse this with the “Epi‑Pen,” which actually delivers epinephrine (adrenaline), not something placed “upon” a body part.

1 Just Drink Water

“Hepat‑” and “hepatic‑” relate to the liver. The study of liver health is hepatology, and the most infamous term you’ll encounter is hepatitis—literally “inflammation of the liver.”

Remember that “‑itis” signals inflammation, so hepatitis is the liver’s version of that fiery response. The most common infectious types are A, B, and C, for which vaccination is advisable. Non‑viral forms include toxic hepatitis (from chemicals), autoimmune hepatitis (where the immune system attacks the liver), and alcoholic hepatitis (from excessive drinking). Prolonged inflammation can lead to scarring (cirrhosis), liver cancer, liver failure, and, ultimately, death.

Next time you’re at a gathering, toss a few of these terms into the conversation and watch eyebrows rise. Just be prepared for a possible side‑eye from any doctor who thinks you’re trying to sound clever.

My name is Rick Loxton, a 21‑year‑old small‑town writer with a habit of diving deep into the internet. You can find me on Twitter @RG_Loxton.

When you hear the phrase top 10 cryptids, images of hulking beasts, eerie silhouettes, and whispered campfire tales probably spring to mind. From the mist‑shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest to the murky depths of Scottish lochs, these legendary creatures have fascinated humanity for centuries. Yet, behind many of these myths lie ordinary animals whose odd appearances or strange behaviors sparked the imagination of early observers. Below, we explore ten famous cryptids and the very real critters that likely gave rise to their fame.

Why These Top 10 Cryptids Capture Our Imagination

Each of the following legends started as a genuine sighting, a misidentified animal, or a disease that altered an animal’s look. Over time, stories grew, photographs were doctored, and folklore turned ordinary wildlife into monsters. By matching each mythic being with its plausible biological counterpart, we can appreciate how the natural world fuels our love of the mysterious.

10 Bears

Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch or Yeti, is perhaps the most iconic of all cryptids—a towering, shaggy primate with massive feet that supposedly roams remote forests. Sightings of this “hairy man” surface year after year, and while many hoaxes have been exposed, the allure of an elusive, intelligent hominid persists in popular culture, especially across North America where it rivals UFO sightings for fame.

Most of the evidence that fuels the Bigfoot craze can be traced back to misidentified bears, especially individuals suffering from mange. When a bear loses its fur or displays patchy, thinning hair, it can appear gaunt and eerily human‑like, leading witnesses to believe they are looking at a giant, bipedal creature. Tracks left in the mud that were once touted as proof often turn out to be bear prints, and several “captured” specimens were actually bears with severe fur loss.

Nevertheless, a handful of enthusiasts still cling to the idea that a surviving population of the extinct giant ape Gigantopithecus could be lurking in the shadows. While this hypothesis adds a tantalizing twist, the bulk of sightings can be explained without invoking any unknown primate.

9 Dog With Mange

The Chupacabra, a name that translates to “goat‑sucker,” has haunted the rural landscapes of Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the broader Mesoamerican region for decades. Legends describe a nocturnal predator that drains livestock of blood, leaving behind baffling, puncture‑filled carcasses. The creature’s eerie reputation has made it a staple of modern folklore and a frequent subject of sensational media.

Most documented encounters, however, boil down to dogs or coyotes suffering from severe mange. This skin disease strips the animal of fur, leaving a gaunt, almost skeletal appearance that can look monstrous in low‑light conditions. The resulting discoloration, combined with heightened night activity caused by skin irritation, creates a perfect recipe for a creature that seems otherworldly to an unsuspecting farmer.

8 Rabbits, Shope Papilloma Virus

The jackalope—a rabbit sporting antlers—has hopped its way into American folklore for over a century. While the notion sounds whimsical, it has roots in real, observable phenomena. People roaming fields occasionally spot hares or rabbits with strange growths that bear a resemblance to tiny horns.

These odd protrusions are caused by the Shope papilloma virus (SPV), a contagious pathogen that induces keratinous tumors on the skin of leporids. Infected animals develop horn‑like growths, usually around the head, that can be mistaken for antlers by a startled observer. The virus, while generally benign, creates a striking visual that fuels the myth of a horned hare.

Because the disease is relatively rare and its symptoms can be dramatic, early naturalists likely seized upon these unusual specimens as evidence of a fantastical hybrid, giving rise to the enduring legend of the jackalope.

7 Giant Squid

The Kraken, a monstrous cephalopod capable of capsizing ships, has haunted sailors’ imaginations since the age of sail. Tales of massive, tentacled beasts pulling vessels beneath the waves were once considered pure fantasy, but modern marine biology has uncovered a very real counterpart.

Colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) and its close relative, the giant squid (Architeuthis dux), can grow to staggering dimensions—up to 14 metres (about 46 feet) in length and weighing as much as 700 kilograms (1,500 pounds). While these giants rarely attack ships, their sheer size and powerful arms match many of the classic Kraken descriptions, explaining why sailors once swore they’d seen sea monsters.

Occasional unverified reports of colossal squid dragging boats or damaging gear keep the legend alive, but the scientific record confirms that such gigantic cephalopods do indeed exist, lending a splash of reality to the myth.

6 Both Real And Impossible

Stories of gargantuan spiders that tower over humans have long populated horror movies and campfire legends. In reality, the planet does host some impressively large arachnids, such as the Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) and various Huntsman species, whose leg spans can reach up to 30 centimetres (about a foot). To many, that size feels truly monstrous.

However, the physics of spider respiration imposes a hard ceiling on how large these creatures can become. Spiders rely on a system of book lungs that exchanges gases through thin membranes, a method that becomes inefficient as body size increases. Even the largest fossilized spiders from the Carboniferous period never exceeded a metre in length, and without a fundamental change in respiratory anatomy, truly colossal spiders remain impossible.

Thus, while we can marvel at the real giants among arachnids, the notion of a spider the size of a housecat or larger belongs squarely in the realm of fantasy.

5 Tartar Sand Boa

The Mongolian death worm, or “olgoi‑khorkhoi,” has haunted the Gobi Desert for generations. Legends describe a massive, blood‑red worm that burrows beneath the sand, capable of delivering lethal electric shocks or spitting corrosive venom at unsuspecting travelers.

Expeditions seeking this fearsome beast have repeatedly encountered a far less terrifying animal: the Tartar sand boa (Eryx miliaris). This sizable, non‑venomous snake resembles a worm in shape and colour, but lacks the supernatural traits attributed to the mythic creature. Its smooth, reddish‑brown scales and subterranean habits likely inspired the exaggerated tales of a deadly desert worm.

4 Owl

The Mothman—a winged, humanoid figure with glowing eyes—has become an iconic American legend, especially after being linked to the tragic 1967 collapse of the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Eyewitnesses described a creature that seemed half‑man, half‑moth, appearing as an omen of disaster.

Closer examination points to a more mundane explanation: large barn owls. These nocturnal birds possess striking, reflective eyes that can appear to glow in low light, and their silent flight and sudden appearances can easily be misinterpreted as something supernatural, especially by frightened observers in remote areas.

While the Mothman myth has woven itself into pop culture, the most plausible sightings align closely with ordinary owl encounters, illustrating how a bird’s natural features can fuel extraordinary stories.

3 Sandhill Crane

The Jersey Devil, a winged, bipedal creature said to haunt New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, has been described as a goat‑headed monster with hooves, a long tail, and an ear‑piercing scream. The legend dates back to the 18th century and has persisted for over two hundred years.

Scholars suggest that the creature’s description matches the Sandhill crane (Antigone canadensis), a tall, long‑legged bird with a large, slightly curved beak and a resonant, trumpeting call that can be unsettling at night. Early settlers, unfamiliar with the bird’s habits, may have exaggerated its appearance and vocalizations, birthing the fearsome Jersey Devil myth.

Despite the legend’s endurance, no credible evidence of a supernatural creature has emerged, and the Sandhill crane remains the most logical, real‑world basis for the story.

2 Manatee And Dugong

Mermaids—half‑human, half‑fish beings—have swum through myth and art for centuries, often portrayed as beautiful, enchanting women luring sailors to their doom. Modern media continues to glamorize these sea maidens, but the origins of the legend are far more grounded.

Two marine mammals, the West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) and the dugong (Dugong dugon), exhibit a graceful, serpentine swimming style and possess a vaguely humanoid torso that can be mistaken for a mermaid when glimpsed briefly from a distance. Their smooth, hairless bodies and occasional surfacing to breathe create the illusion of a human‑like figure emerging from the water.

While the myth has been amplified by fabricated documentaries and artistic renderings, the real creatures behind the stories are these gentle, herbivorous mammals—fascinating in their own right, but far less mystical than the legends suggest.

1 Eels, Greenland Shark, And Many More

The Loch Ness Monster, affectionately nicknamed “Nessie,” remains arguably the most famous cryptid of all time. Described as a long‑necked, plesiosaur‑like creature inhabiting Scotland’s deepest loch, the monster has inspired countless photographs, expeditions, and a thriving tourism industry.

Scientific analyses point to large eels as the most plausible source of many sightings. Eels can reach impressive lengths, possess sinuous bodies, and surface intermittently, creating the illusion of a necked monster. Additionally, occasional sightings of Greenland sharks—deep‑dwelling, sluggish predators—have been misinterpreted as evidence of a massive, unknown creature.

Combined with optical phenomena such as boat wakes, floating debris, and even misidentified birds, the legend of Nessie appears to be a tapestry of ordinary wildlife, human perception, and a healthy dose of myth‑making.

A recent opinion poll suggested that as many as 45% of Americans believe in ghosts or spirits of some kind. Certainly, people have been telling each other ghost stories since the dawn of time. We seem to have a natural inclination to believe that there is a shadow world in which departed loved ones, repentant sinners, or those who have a message for us dwell.

Perhaps this belief simply shows that we need an explanation for everything. When we lived in small groups of vulnerable hunter-gatherers, a sound in the trees at night might mean danger. Something caused it. But what? The noise might be nothing important, or it might be a predator. For survival, it’s better to assume that it could be something dangerous. Add a dash of imagination, and it becomes easy to assume something paranormal exists.

Here are ten explanations for the “creepiest” ghost-hunting encounters we found on YouTube.

Related: Top 10 Ghost Towns Inside Or Near Famous Cities

10 Weird Worley

The hospital in Worley opened in 1928 and closed in the ’70s when it ran out of funds. In 2002, a woman named Carol Peet bought it intending to turn the building into a ministry center. She aimed to create a place where vulnerable individuals could learn life skills. For some reason, the project never came to fruition, but Peet spent a lot of time at the building and said she never saw anything strange.

In our video, the new owner, Chelsea, has a different opinion. Her contractor says that there are demons behind the walls. Notice that the investigator sees a shape on his thermal image camera. He calls the shape “a figure,” this is a little misleading as it’s not a figure—it’s simply a shape. Dust in the air, moved by a draft, has high emissivity and can show up on a thermal imager as the shape we see.

The rest of the video does beg some questions. Is anybody there?

9 Meowwww

In our next video, a ghost hunting expert visited the Ancient Ram Inn in Wotton, Gloucestershire, England. The house is spooky enough—in fact, it looks like a movie set for a film about a haunted house.

The investigators swap observations that have no objective value. One of them says that he hears a cat. Probably the best explanation for hearing a cat is that there is a cat. After all, if it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then it’s probably a duck.

A serious investigation into the paranormal should have to meet higher standards than what is shown in the video. Unfortunately, many similar videos play on our imagination at the expense of rigorous research.

8 Mom, Are You Here?

Our next haunting has the house owner comforted that his deceased mother is still around and fulfilling her last promise to “always look over him.” After the investigation, the owner is no longer scared and deals with the fact of his mother’s presence calmly and with humor.

Naturally, we should want to believe that our departed loved ones are still with us in some way. But does this sentiment lead us to believe that they certainly are? The sound on the tape is not clear and is very brief. Could it be that the son is hearing what he wants to hear?

7 A Shocking Encounter

Land of mists and long winter nights, Scotland has a long history of paranormal phenomena. With typical good humor, our investigators here are using sophisticated equipment to track down Archie, the ghost.

One of the investigators reports that something (Archie?) touched him on the arm, a touch that he describes as being like an electric shock. Could this be simply a nervous reaction to the spooky surroundings? Or maybe wishful thinking?

Certainly, the building looks like an ideal candidate for a ghost haunting.

6 Hauntings x 3

One of the investigators here makes an interesting observation. He says that a place might be haunted, as we would expect, but also a person might be haunted or an object. You might have, he says, “a creepy teddy bear,” or I instantly think of dolls. Yikes.

The three possibilities have different qualities:

1. The Location: A ghost has a special attachment to a place. Once you leave the place, you leave the ghost behind.
2. The Person: A ghost uses a real person as a vehicle. Interestingly, a location can be haunted by good or bad spirits, but a person is usually haunted only by the bad.
3. The Item: An object must have had special significance for the departed. Though, it’s difficult to imagine how a ghost could haunt an inanimate object.

And how can we really know? Sometimes, people, places, and things are simply… people, places, and things.

5 Flicking Streetlights

In this piece, our guide takes us to a haunted town. One of the first events the guide films is a streetlight that flickers before it returns to normal. To be fair, the narrator immediately says that he doesn’t know whether this was paranormal. Probably not. It was simply a flickering streetlight.

This shows that people can be predisposed to interpret evidence as they wish to. It is a sort of confirmation bias where you give more credence to evidence that supports your view than to evidence that might contradict it. In other words, someone who believes in ghosts will readily believe that a flickering light is evidence of paranormal activity. The city maintenance department would be more likely to consider a faulty connection first.

4 Prisoner Ghosts

Well, if they’re looking for ghosts, any evidence is hidden by the fact that the investigators in this video spend a lot of time spoofing each other. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with this, but it can obscure any serious purpose behind their investigation.

The Ohio State Penitentiary defiantly looks the part of hosting ghost hauntings. The word “creepy” often pops up in these videos, and here we find a building that deserves the term. One wonders why this penitentiary hasn’t been converted or demolished.

3 The Willow Weep House

“If it wasn’t evil, it wouldn’t be hurting people,” says the owner of Willows Weep, a house that some say is the most haunted place in America. Whoever built this unassuming house in 1890 constructed it in the shape of an inverted cross. Our narrator, William Shatner, signs off by asking, “Was Willows Weep really built to attract evil spirits?” and asks himself why anyone would want to do this. The answer he offers is that perhaps the idea was to entrap the visiting demons.

The house owner is convinced that there is something inside the place. She points to four suicides and three poisonings that have happened during its history and adds that she and her son had accidents while they were doing some renovation work. Hmm, accidents while renovating. I’ve never heard of that happening. *eye roll*

Without more evidence, we might be tempted to believe that this is a case of having expectations fulfilled. The owner’s comment, “If it wasn’t evil..” presupposes that there is an “it” there.

2 School Is in Session

For this investigation, why the investigative team included four ballerinas is a mystery to me. Their role seemed to be to look decorative and squeal whenever necessary. The rest of the team seems to prep the girls and lead them to expect that this old reformatory school must be haunted.

We’ll leave the ballerinas who don’t seem to add much ghost-hunting expertise alone. But everything else is here. A dark, abandoned place, the word “creepy,” and the essential EMF meter. Why an electro-magnetic field necessarily means that there are ghosts around is a mystery. But these meters seem sufficient for many to believe that paranormal activity exists. (On Amazon, you can buy a meter specifically advertised as a ghost-hunting device.)

The whole atmosphere the narrator creates leads the team to presuppose that there are phantoms in the school. His repetition that nothing is faked is no doubt truthful but irrelevant.

1 Hollywood Hotel Hauntings

I find this one a little difficult to explain away. We will have to assume that the hotel guests are acting in good faith and are not trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

To start, there are scientific explanations of how an ouija board works that rule out the occult (it’s called the ideomotor effect if you want to find out more). But I can’t find an easy explanation for the voice heard in the video. I suppose that even a cynic like myself will have to accept that some things are not easily explained away.

In most of the videos on our list, the viewer can explain most of the phenomena—you just have to watch them with a skeptical frame of mind. Most of these videos lead you to jump to a conclusion and believe what you are expected to believe.

This last video seems a little different; the setting is not “creepy”—it’s a well-lit, modern hotel room in Los Angeles, California. Yet, the history of the Roosevelt Hotel is sinister and full of haunting ghost stories. I’ll just wait for more definitive evidence, I guess.

Cats aren’t dogs; they’re not man’s best friend. But while it may seem like your cat is an a-hole, they’re an a-hole with excuses at least. From treating you like crap to torturing wildlife, here are 10 things your cat does explained.

10. Sleeping All Day

Cats sleep an obscene amount of time by human standards. After the 24-hour sleep of early kittenhood, the average cat will sleep 16 hours a day (until they get old, when they start sleeping more). Why are they so damn lazy? Because they don’t sleep as deep as us humans. 

Unlike us with our clearly defined cycles of rapid/non-rapid eye movement in sleep, culminating in deep REM sleep, cats nap in short periods of slow wave. In other words, they spend most of their time in the shallows of sleep, sleeping deeply for only five minute periods throughout the day. 

Of course, as crepuscular animals, they also have to sleep all day to be active at dawn and dusk. Another explanation, given they evolved in hot climates, is that cats sleep all day to regulate their body temperature.

9. Staring

Be it the world outside the window, the wall, or just into space, cats are big starers. It doesn’t help that their eyes are enormous in relation to their bodies, or that they blink at a fraction of the rate we do (twice per minute vs. our 15-20 times per minute). It’s an unnerving quality to have in a pet.

But cats’ vision differs from ours in ways that sheds light on this question. For one thing, they have a slightly wider field of vision (200 degrees vs our 180 degrees), and an ability to zone in on the tiniest movement. Meanwhile, their visual acuity isn’t as good as ours, meaning we can see more detail at a distance. 

Explanations vary for why cats stare so much. Maybe what to us looks like a wall is, to cats with their super hearing, a complex and stimulating soundboard of pipes, insects, and rodents. It could also have to do with hunting practice, for which patience and focus are key. Probably the least assholey reason, however, is love. Based on multiple studies, Japanese researchers concluded that cats only stare at humans they trust. They also found that, like dogs, cats can notice and follow your gaze.

8. Peeing Outside the Litter Box

There are some truly jerky reasons for peeing outside the litter box. Your cat may feel better smelling more of its urine, or maybe they don’t like the litter (kind of like you pooping on the floor because you don’t like the toilet paper). Alternatively, if you have more than one cat, maybe the one who doesn’t pee on the floor is the real asshole for aggressively hoarding the tray. But even these reasons have excuses. If your cat needs to smell more of its urine, for example, it’s probably a sign of anxiety. And if they don’t like the litter, maybe it just hurts their paws.

There could also be other, more serious explanations. These include urinary tract infections, kidney or thyroid diseases, diabetes, digestive problems, and age-related health problems. 

Or maybe you’re the jerk for not emptying the box enough?

7. Meowing Through the Night

If your cat’s meowing more than usual, it may be a sign of disease. But, in general, it’s their way of getting what they want—from you. Cats very rarely meow at each other. It’s another behavior reinforced by human responses, which we’re afraid means it’s your fault again. Say your cat meows and you feed it, for example; you’ve taught them that meowing gets food. Many of us condition our pets in this way without really giving it thought. 

Cats may even learn to associate different meows—different lengths, different pitches—with different rewards (food, attention, etc.). It’s no coincidence that cats of deaf owners tend to meow less, and that studies suggest mimicry between meowing and the sound of human babies. 

Still, as mentioned, meowing may be a cause for concern. A good way to rule out underlying disease is to look at your cat’s ears and eyes. If their ears are turned sideways or back and/or the pupils are dilated, there’s a good chance your cat is sick or anxious about something.

6. Ignoring You

Why does your cat seem content to ignore you? Unlike dogs, who come running when they’re called, cats don’t even look up. We know they can hear us; studies have shown they can recognize your voice and even their names (at least as precursors to rewards). 

One eight-month study, for example, found that up to 70 percent of the cats involved turned their heads when they heard their human’s voice. It’s just that cat responses are extremely subtle, especially compared to dogs, whose responses are intentionally communicative. 

Basically, we haven’t bred or trained cats in the same way as dogs, which means cat behavior is far more instinctive. Cats in the wild don’t communicate vocally even with their own kittens unless there’s an imminent threat. So unless your cat wants something from you at the moment you happen to call them, they just have no reason to respond.

5. Headbutting You

Also known as bunting or head rubbing, headbutting is when your cat nuzzles their head against you. They also do it to each other. But it can become a nuisance if it gets more aggressive.

Unsurprisingly, dominant cats tend to headbutt more frequently. And this is a clue to the reason. Cats have scent-producing glands all over their bodies—including the chin, mouth, temples, and ears—and the dominant cat in a household of many will headbutt more to spread its scent (the scent of the colony) to all members. 

So, a-holey or not, when your cat headbutts you, they’re marking you out as their tribe—which, by the way, makes them your chief (at least to other cats).

4. Losing Their S*** On Catnip

Cats on catnip are like humans on coke: manic, aggressive, unpredictable, and stupid-looking. It’s just that in cats it’s not quite as hedonistic—or in any case they have an excuse.

As it turns out, there are chemicals in catnip, as well as in silver vine (another plant that causes the reaction), called nepetalactone and nepetalactol that act as mosquito repellants. In a study, researchers allowed cats to rub themselves on paper soaked in nepetalactol, then introduced mosquitos and counted how many cats were attacked. They found a clear correlation between rubbing and getting fewer bites.

It’s thought the drug effect—euphoria attributed to the ?-opioid system—is a response cats evolved to the plant to encourage them to engage with it. It’s not all cats, either; the trait is hereditary. 30 percent don’t respond to catnip and 20 percent don’t respond to silver vine. Tigers have also been found to be indifferent to catnip and even “disapproving” of silver vine.

3. Pushing Their Claws Into You

Kneading soft objects (as though making dough with their paws) is something all cats learn as kittens. It’s a way to stimulate their mother’s milk production by releasing oxytocin. It’s also a form of communication between kittens and their mother, as kneading releases pheromones from scent glands in the paws.

However, it’s common for domesticated cats to continue to knead into adulthood. This is where it gets painful, as many cats will also dig in their claws. In typical cat fashion, this just means they love you. And the more they do, the harder they’ll knead—so you become the a-hole if you punish.

But why do cats continue to knead long after mom is dead and buried? Again, it’s your fault. The retention of juvenile behaviors into adulthood (neoteny) in this case probably comes down to its advantage in socializing with you and other animals in the house.

2. Bringing Dead Animals Into the House

Even if you’re not disgusted, horrified, or guilt-ridden by your cat’s habit of bringing dead birds and rodents into the house, it can still feel like a passive aggressive comment on how much you feed them. The truth is, though, cats are simply born predators. It’s not a question of having to eat, it’s a matter of having to hunt. In fact, it’s the same drive that has your cat chasing laser pointers or feathers on a string. 

But why, once they’ve killed their prey, are they so eager to show it off to you? Sometimes they won’t even just leave it somewhere for you to find but will hold it in their mouth mewing until you come and see. This is down to another drive, which is their instinctive pack animal nature. Female cats in particular are primed to teach their young how to hunt. In other words, they’re not trying to scare you, shame you, or make you throw up; they’re just treating you like a helpless kitten that can’t hunt for itself—but one that they love very much.

1. Playing With Their Prey

Perhaps the most a-holey thing your cat does by far is to play with its prey before killing it. Typically, they’ll bat at the victim with their paws, ensuring a slow and torturous death and leaving us to wonder: How could Mister Cuddles be so cruel?

According to a study in the 1970s, the answer is actually quite simple. Researchers found that cats given rats and mice to prey on played with their victims longer the larger they were. And of course the larger the prey, the more risk for the predator. Researchers therefore concluded that “playing” was actually a strategy to disable from a distance before going in for the kill. Researchers also observed that hungrier cats played with their prey for shorter periods of time. We see the same behavior among big cats in the wild.

But why do cats sometimes not bother killing their played-with prey? The answer here is a little more a-holey: practice.

They’re man’s best friend, but how many humans know what makes their dogs tick? Probably not enough, that’s how many. And given how much of their behavior is intended to communicate—with us, no less—we ought to have our tails between our legs. 

Here are 10 things you’ve seen your dog do but haven’t the faintest clue why.

10. Chasing cats

Contrary to popular belief, dogs don’t hate cats. After all, they’re perfectly capable of sharing a household. So why do they chase them so aggressively?

The reason is your dog’s hunting instinct. Some breeds, especially herders and hunters like Shepherds and Retrievers, chase cats more than others. But even toy breeds instinctively hound moving objects—whether it’s a ball, a stick, or a cat. And, unlike balls and sticks, cats instinctively flee, which of course makes matters worse.

There’s also a language barrier between cats and dogs. While a dog wags its tail to show willingness to interact, a cat usually wags in irritation. In other words, Catese for ‘Go away’ is Doggian for ‘Wanna play?’. Hence dogs have chased cats for millennia.

9. Panting

Ever wondered why your dog pants even when they’re just sitting still? Most of the time they’re not out of breath, they’re usually just hot or dehydrated. Dogs don’t sweat like we do (thank goodness), so they pant to keep themselves cool. What’s happening is they’re rapidly taking in air and humidifying it before exhaling so it evaporates from the nose and lungs—cooling the body from the inside out. 

Obviously they need plenty of air and access to water for this process. It’s how dogs can die within minutes from heatstroke when left in hot cars—even with the windows cracked open. They just don’t have enough air.

This isn’t the only reason for panting, though. Depending on the context, it could also indicate excitement, stress, or pain. Sometimes it’s a side effect from medicine. It could also be indicative of a toxic or allergic reaction. It’s important to be aware of all the possible causes so you know when your dog is in danger.

8. Licking you

When your dog licks you, it’s usually a greeting. Nothing mystifying about that. But if that’s all it is, why don’t dogs lick each other instead of going straight in for their customary butt sniff? 

It’s because it’s a puppy behavior. In the wild, when a mother returns to her pups from a hunt, her dependents will lick around her snout—prompting her to vomit up some food. That’s basically what you are to your dog, a lifelong mother. By providing for all of their needs, we encourage a permanent puppyhood. Such retention of juvenile behavior into adulthood is called ‘neoteny’. Another example is how vocal domesticated dogs are (like puppies) compared to dogs in the wild. 

Keep this in mind if you’re licking-averse. Punishing your dog for licking your face is cold as well as confusing. The best thing to do is let them at it. But if you really don’t like it, try covering your face and rewarding when they lick your hand instead. Or teach them an alternative greeting.

7. Digging (including indoors)

Dogs dig holes for any number of reasons, not just to hide bones like their pre-domesticated ancestors.

One key reason is their instinct for denning. Outside, a hole would keep them sheltered from cold weather and cooler in hot. This is also the reason why you might see your dog scratching as though digging indoors—particularly on their bed. Another reason, especially if your dog was bred for hunting, is an instinct to catch prey (such as gophers) in burrows.

Yet another reason, though, is stress relief. Separation anxiety is common in dogs and if they’re left on their own in the yard all day, they’ll often channel that stress into digging. It keeps them occupied, like OCD. At least until you come home and scold them for a behavior you didn’t understand.

6. Eating grass

It’s a common understanding that dogs eat grass when they want to throw up. You may have seen your own dog chewing the lawn until they vomit yellow foam. This is bile, which builds up overnight and irritates the stomach when it’s empty. The solution is a small evening meal.

But this isn’t the only reason dogs eat grass—or even the primary reason. In fact, according to a study, only 22 percent eat grass until they vomit, and only nine percent seem ill before they start. Clearly, something else is going on. 

Aside from boredom, the main reason why dogs eat grass appears to be dietary deficiency. Grass contains a number of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that they may not be getting from their food but which, instinctively, their once-wild bodies crave. It’s been suggested that fiber is a big one.

5. Tilting their head at you

When dogs tilt their head, you can almost hear a Scooby Doo “huh?”. And that’s kind of what it is (assuming they don’t have a medical problem). Head-tilting usually just means dogs have heard something they don’t understand—but want to. For many breeds, it compensates for their ears. Dachshunds, for example, with their flaps, might tilt to uncover the ear canal. 

But there’s probably more to it than that. After all, hearing isn’t exactly a handicap for dogs; it’s one of the ways they’re better than us. So actually what we’re seeing when they tilt their head may be super hearing in action. According to some experts, dogs tilt their heads to triangulate the source of a sound. 

Obviously this doesn’t explain why they tilt their head at us. Unfortunately it’s not entirely clear. However, it may have to do with their vision, with head-tilting compensating for snouts. That may be why Bulldogs and other short-nosed breeds tilt their heads less than others. It may also be that you’ve unwittingly rewarded this cute dog behavior in the past, encouraging them to do it more often. 

4. Cowering from thunderstorms

All dog owners know the stresses of a thunderstorm. All of a sudden, it’s like your happy-go-lucky best friend is in need of some serious counseling—especially if storms are rare where you live. They’re also likely to be more afraid if their first 14 weeks of life (their socialization window) fell outside of storm season. You freaking out also doesn’t help.

Interestingly, though, it’s not just the noise. Primarily, it’s the static electricity, which runs through their fur and causes discomfort. In fact, it can even cause shocks. 

This is why they hide. It’s not to evade some unseen threat; it’s to ground themselves and minimize the static. Knowing this, there are ways we can help—such as guiding them to a good grounding spot or rubbing their fur with an unscented dryer sheet. It’s important not to be too overbearing, though, since your dog is already unnerved.

3. Moonwalking after doing their business

We’ve all seen it, that strange ritual habit of scratching the ground with the hind legs after taking a dump. To the uninitiated, it looks like an instinct to bury their do-do, hiding their tracks from other dogs. But it’s actually the opposite. Dogs’ toe pads are some of the only places on their bodies with sweat glands, so by wiping them on the ground they’re deliberately leaving their scent. Meanwhile, digging in at the same time with their claws leaves a clear visual mark for other dogs to find. The stronger the mark, the more impressive the dog—which is why they “sign their art” with such gusto. 

You see, for dogs toilet time is a social occasion; every deposit is packed with information. You may want to bear this in mind next time you catch them eating poop. Not only is it a behavior they learned from their mother, they’re communing with the neighbor dog that left it. (If nothing else, there’s minimal risk and it can even provide nutritional value.) 

Dogs sniff pee for much the same reason: Gathering intel. In fact, so data-rich is a puddle of pee that while dogs usually fail the traditional self-awareness test (e.g. putting them in front of a mirror with a mark on their body to see if they try to shake it off), they can easily identify their own urine.

2. Wagging their tail

We learn it in preschool: Dogs wag their tails when they’re happy. But, as you’ve probably learned since, it’s really not that simple. Dogs do wag their tails when they’re happy, but they wag for other reasons too—positive and negative. So all it can be said to reliably mean is your dog is communicating something. And you might want to learn to translate.

It depends on the speed and position. According to PetMD, a slightly upright tail wagging at moderate speed is Doggian for “I’m happy.” As it gets faster and faster—becoming the so-called ‘helicopter tail’—it tells you they’re super excited. No surprises there. But did you know that when the tail is arched over the back it indicates aggression? In this case the speed of the wag is a measure of how much the dog wants to bite you.

There’s also an important difference between wagging to the left side or right. It doesn’t matter what breed your dog is; when their tail is wagging slightly to the left, it means they’re feeling anxious, and when it’s wagging slightly to the right, it means they’re feeling friendly. And as pseudoscientific as this sounds, it has been extensively studied—particularly in the context of left-right asymmetries in the brain.

1. Walking in a circle before lying down

The received wisdom as to why dogs circle their bedding, or the couch, or the floor, or wherever they’re about to rest, is that they’re scanning the horizon for threats. Another common theory is that they’re scaring off vermin and pests. But, according to research, the explanation is actually pretty simple: They’re treading out bumps. Animal psychologist Professor Stanley Coren found dogs were three times as likely to circle on uneven bedding.

But why then do we also see dogs walking in a circle before doing their business outside? Scanning the horizon, right? No. Strangely enough, studies show a clear preference among dogs for pooping in alignment with the Earth’s magnetic field—at least for the fifth of the day when it’s stable. More specifically, they like a north-south alignment and avoid east-west.

Researchers aren’t sure why. Maybe dogs just feel better this way. Other animals, including birds and cows, also align themselves with the magnetic field of the planet. Whatever the reason, though, it seems fair to assume that it also comes into play when they’re circling for rest.