10 gross historical insights into the once‑thriving skeleton trade reveal a world where complete human frames were bought, sold, and even polished for display. In the not‑so‑distant past, the trade in full skeletons and assorted bones flourished. Bone experts learned how to whiten and preserve the most striking skeletons, while medical doctors clamored for complete sets for research and, dare one say, to flaunt their authority.

10 Gross Historical Overview

10 Bone Oils

Maitre Mazzur stood alone in the United States with a very niche talent. Operating out of New York City in 1876, he could “draw the oil out of human bones” so the skeletons displayed wouldn’t reek of decay.

His technique for eradicating the stench was a tightly guarded secret. Mazzur had learned the method while studying in Paris, home to the premier skeleton makers, and he refused to divulge it to anyone stateside. His cramped workshop on Bleecker Street was off‑limits, and he kept to himself.

During his era roughly five hundred skeletons arrived in NYC each year, destined for colleges, medical schools, artists, and odd‑collector enthusiasts. The remainder of displays were assembled locally from assorted sources, often salvaged from hospital waste collected by janitorial staff.

9 Quality Of Skeletons

Skeletons were graded by quality. A No. 1 set represented the premium tier, crafted for affluent physicians who could afford the $800 price tag in 1891.

At the opposite end sat composite skeletons, pieced together from multiple donors. One donor might supply the skull, another the right arm, yet another the pelvis.

These mixes were commonplace, sold to sideshows, theatres, and horror chambers. Their medical value was limited and they often appeared lopsided because the bones differed in size.

A true skull fetched a composite price of about $150, provided it came from a real person. Skeletons that incorporated imitation bones made from compressed paper pulp sold for far less and typically found buyers among secret fraternal societies.

8 Work Dedication

In 1891, M. de Robaire ran a modest shop in Philadelphia. A sign above the storefront proclaimed “Perfumerie”, yet the upper floor concealed a very different trade.

De Robaire was a skeleton merchant. To keep superstitious neighbors at bay, he used the perfume shop as a front.

A solitary Frenchman, he spent most of his time in the second‑floor workroom assembling skeletons for clandestine clubs and societies.

His bedroom, also on the second floor, doubled as storage. The walls were lined with skulls and crossbones; each bedpost was capped with a skull.

De Robaire sourced most of his bones from France, claiming American and German specimens were merely boiled and felt rough. French bones underwent a two‑to‑three‑month cleaning, emerging white and polished.

Upon receipt, he meticulously assembled the bones, creating some of the finest full skeletons in the nation.

7 Preparation Of The Bones

In France, 1892, the preparation of bones for display was a painstaking and grisly undertaking. Starting with a corpse, a scalpel stripped away all fat, muscle, and tissue.

Once the flesh was cleared, the bones were boiled, with careful monitoring to avoid over‑cooking that would render them rough.

Subsequently, the bones were sun‑exposed, bleaching them white and allowing residual grease to seep out.

Finally, a blend of ether, benzene, and secret chemicals imparted a lasting brightness. This treatment set French bones apart, preventing yellowing and foul odors even in heat.

After cleaning, a master bone‑artisan assembled the spinal column using a brass rod, secured the rib cage with brass wires, and attached hinges and hooks to grant the skeleton realistic mobility.

6 London Gets Its Bodies

By 1899 in London, unclaimed corpses from workhouses and hospitals were first dissected, and if all bones remained intact, they were cleaned for full skeleton displays.

Demand outstripped supply, forcing collectors to await battles and harvest whole, unbroken bodies from battlefields.

After the Battle of Omdurman, newspapers reported that dervish corpses were being transformed into marketable skeletons.

Skeleton dealers assured the public that no British soldier bones were used. They claimed the robust dervish bodies produced the finest, whitest skeletons, commanding higher prices than those sourced from London workhouses.

5 The British Grew Terrible Bones

By 1900, curio collectors and physicians scrambled for premium dervish skeletons, while British bones were deemed the lowest quality on the market.

British bones were frequently stunted and bore a persistent yellow hue; bleaching could not fully remove the tint.

Conversely, French bones were prized for their strength and ease of whitening, fetching mid‑to‑high range prices depending on craftsmanship.

The poor condition of British bones likely stemmed from diet and labor conditions, which, while unfortunate, made them less appealing to those who dreaded having their own remains displayed.

4 Sell Your Own Bones

In the early 1900s, selling one’s own skeleton before death was a known way to raise cash. One 1907 story recounts a newly‑wed man who, after a leg‑breaking accident and lingering internal injuries, chose to sell his bones as a final gift to his wife, receiving $50 in advance.

His wife visited him in the hospital, received the money, and the couple said farewell.

Even for the living, profit could be made from others’ bones. Explorers returning from abroad often brought back indigenous bodies, which were sold to bone dealers and then to skeleton manufacturers.

3 Criminal Heads

In France, criminal skulls were frequently preserved because executed bodies were often unclaimed.

By 1913, certain Paris warehouses dedicated a room solely to these skulls, each labeled with the offender’s name and execution date, sometimes accompanied by pamphlets detailing the crimes.

These skulls were available for purchase by curious collectors and physicians, and could also be rented for lectures or macabre public displays for thrill‑seekers.

2 Spare Parts

Spare skeletal parts formed a significant segment of the bone trade. These components were typically harvested from hospitals after amputations or dissections, then stripped of flesh, bleached, and stored in neatly numbered boxes.

While some served to create composite skeletons, most acted as replacements for broken or missing bones—e.g., a dog‑chewed toe could be swapped out by sending the skeleton to a bone warehouse for a fresh piece.

Major European cities each housed one or more secret bone warehouses, kept hidden due to superstitions. With the right connections, collectors could acquire any bone—from infant to adult—at a price.

1 Britain’s Trade Slump

In 1948, three years after World War II, the British Parliament faced a grim reality: exports of human skeletons were rapidly dwindling.

Art schools, hospitals, and medical institutions were desperate for authentic skeleton displays, yet supply had dried up.

Jokes circulated about posters urging citizens to “hurry up and die and help the export drive.” The skeleton industry was clearly fading, prompting dealers to explore plastic replicas, using brass springs and catgut to mimic the mobility of genuine skeletons.

Welcome to the world of 10 gross horrible discoveries that will make you question everything you thought you knew about newborns. From hidden teeth to mysterious fluids, we dive into the quirkiest, most unsettling details that turn the cute factor up to eleven. Buckle up, because parenting just got a lot more interesting.

10 Gross Horrible Facts About Babies

10 Babies Have Two Sets Of Teeth

We’ve all gone through the rite of passage that involves baby teeth, the Tooth Fairy, and the eventual arrival of adult molars. The twist? Those adult teeth don’t just appear out of thin air after we lose the milk chompers. In fact, the entire set of baby teeth is already formed before we even take our first breath.

Once we’re born, a hidden army of permanent teeth begins its quiet invasion, nesting in tiny pockets behind the primary set. They patiently wait until the baby teeth tumble out, at which point they emerge, ready to take over the chewing department. This stealthy swap means a newborn’s gummy grin is actually a secret stash of future dentition.

So the next time you marvel at that innocent, toothless smile, remember you’re looking at a miniature dental workshop, packed with both baby and adult teeth, biding their time behind the scenes.

9 Babies Have More Bones Than Adults

Babies roll into the world with roughly 300 tiny bones, a stark contrast to the 206 solid structures adults eventually end up with. This surplus exists because many of those early bones are actually flexible cartilage plates destined to fuse together as the child grows.

The reason for this bony abundance is practical: a newborn’s skeleton needs to be pliable enough to squeeze through the birth canal. The skull, in particular, is composed of several separate plates that can shift and overlap, granting the head the necessary give‑and‑take during delivery.

Those overlapping plates create soft spots—known as fontanels—where the bone hasn’t yet sealed. While essential for birth, these openings can become a double‑edged sword later on.

If a baby spends too much time resting on the back of a soft spot, the pressure can flatten the skull, giving it a soufflé‑like appearance. Prolonged flattening may even reshape the entire head into a teardrop silhouette.

Fortunately, simple interventions—like giving the infant more tummy time—or, in more severe cases, custom‑made helmets can help correct the deformation and guide the skull back to a healthier contour.

8 Babies Have Huge Eyes

There’s something undeniably magical about the way a newborn’s eyes lock onto you, wide and full of wonder. Those orbs spark an instinctual urge to protect, making us coo, gasp, and melt all at once.

But if you take a closer look, you’ll notice those eyes are almost oversized. A newborn’s ocular size is already about 70 percent of an adult’s, meaning they’re practically full‑grown from day one.

Combine those massive peepers with the fact that babies also carry two full sets of teeth in their tiny jaws, and you have a head that must be proportionally larger—about a quarter of the baby’s total body length—to accommodate everything.

7 Babies Start To Taste And Smell Before Birth

It’s no secret that babies love to shove anything they can grasp into their mouths. What many parents don’t realize is that this sensory quest begins well before they take their first breath.

Inside the womb, the amniotic fluid acts as a flavorful soup, absorbing whatever the mother consumes—vanilla, carrots, anise, mint, even garlic. Research shows that fetuses can detect and even develop a preference for these flavors, meaning they arrive on the scene already primed for certain tastes.

The fluid itself might be a bit icky, but it serves as a rich tasting ground. And the surprises don’t stop there: newborns sport taste buds not only on their tongues but also along the back of the throat, right down to the tonsils, giving them a full‑body palate.

So, while it may feel like a cruel joke, those early taste‑and‑smell adventures are actually a sophisticated way for the baby to start mapping the world of flavors before ever meeting solid food.

6 Babies Are Born Covered In Thick, White Goop

The womb is a constantly moist environment, but the amniotic fluid’s acidity isn’t exactly skin‑friendly. To shield delicate newborn skin, nature equips babies with a protective coating known as vernix.

Vernix is a creamy, cheese‑like substance that looks like a thick, white blanket. It does more than just keep the skin from drying out; it dampens sound, provides insulation, and even acts as a natural lubricant during the birthing process.

Trying to scrub every last speck of vernix off a newborn is practically impossible, and many parents end up feeling a pang of loss when they finally see the baby’s skin uncovered. That coating also helps lock in moisture, keeping the baby’s epidermis supple.

Once the vernix finally disappears, the newborn’s skin begins to dry, and within one to three weeks the first layer of skin typically peels away, leaving a flaky, sometimes crusty surface—quite the opposite of the “soft as a baby’s bottom” myth we grew up hearing.

5 Babies Menstruate

While still nestled in the womb, a baby absorbs a cocktail of hormones from the mother, including estrogen. Newborns, however, lack the capacity to produce these hormones on their own, causing estrogen levels to plummet shortly after birth.

That sudden drop triggers the shedding of the uterine lining—a miniature version of a menstrual cycle. For babies with a uterus, this means they can experience a tiny period within days of entering the world.

Imagine the panic when a parent discovers fresh blood in a newborn’s diaper and rushes to the ER, only to learn that the infant is simply “menstruating” at two days old. It’s a bewildering, yet perfectly normal, physiological response.

4 Babies Are Covered In Hair

Most expect a newborn to emerge bald and smooth, but some babies arrive looking like tiny wolf pups, covered in a fine, soft hair called lanugo. This hair acts as an insulating blanket, helping to keep the fetus warm inside the womb.

Lanugo also plays a role in anchoring the vernix coating, ensuring that the protective goo stays put during the birthing process. Most babies shed this hair before birth, letting it dissolve into the amniotic fluid, but a few retain a noticeable fuzz for a short while after delivery.

3 Babies Pee In The Womb And Then Drink It

Around the tenth week of gestation, a fetus’s bladder becomes functional, allowing the baby to start excreting urine into the surrounding amniotic fluid. This urine becomes part of the fluid’s composition, adding a new element to the baby’s liquid environment.

Five weeks later, the developing baby gains the ability to swallow. From that point on, the infant ingests several ounces of amniotic fluid each day—urine and all—providing a continuous cycle of intake and excretion that helps condition the newborn’s digestive system even before birth.

2 Babies Sometimes Poop In Utero, Too

The first stool a baby produces is called meconium, a thick, tar‑like substance that typically appears after birth. In some cases, however, the infant releases meconium while still in the womb or during the birth canal passage.

Meconium is primarily composed of swallowed amniotic fluid, along with mucus, bile, and lanugo—the fine hair shed before birth. This mixture creates a dark, somewhat unpleasant material that can be alarming for parents and medical staff alike.

When meconium is expelled before or during delivery, it can obstruct the newborn’s airways, leading to breathing difficulties. Nurses must quickly suction the baby’s mouth and nose to clear the passages, ensuring the infant can take its first breaths without obstruction.

1 Science Says You Should Probably Poop On Your Baby During Birth

Most expectant mothers dread the idea of having a bowel movement during labor, but emerging research suggests that a little poop might actually benefit the newborn.

The pelvic muscles used for defecation are the same ones employed to push during delivery. When the baby gets a coating of fecal matter, it indicates that those muscles are working in unison—an encouraging sign that the birth is progressing well.

Beyond the mechanics, exposure to maternal stool can jump‑start the infant’s microbiome, seeding the gut with helpful bacteria that aid digestion and bolster the immune system. Since newborns start life with a nearly sterile gut, this natural “starter kit” can be crucial for healthy development.

For this microbiome boost to occur, some of the stool must make its way into the baby’s mouth, a process that sounds uncomfortable but ultimately supports the child’s long‑term health.

Renee is an Atlanta‑based graphic designer who enjoys researching strange topics and writing the occasional list.

Welcome to the unsettling world of the 10 gross cases that have left neighborhoods bewildered, pool owners horrified, and police baffled. While serial killers dominate headlines, these fecal felons have taken public defecation to a new, nauseating level. From swimming pools to bustling parking lots, each offender left a literal mess in places meant for fun and relaxation. Below you’ll find a countdown of the most notorious serial poopers, complete with vivid details, legal outcomes, and the occasional baffling excuse. Buckle up, keep your nose clipped, and prepare for a deep dive into the dank side of human behavior.

10 The Pool Pooper Of Michigan

Imagine a scorching summer day in Macomb County, Michigan, when you finally slip into the local community pool to cool off after a grueling workweek. The water glistens, kids splash, and you’re ready to relax—until a strange, brown object drifts toward you, bobbing like a misplaced candy bar. That unsettling surprise turned out to be a real-life nightmare in the summer of 2019, when an anonymous miscreant chose a subdivision’s swimming pool as his personal restroom.

The incident first surfaced when the board president of the Buckingham Recreational Facilities Association drafted a memo denouncing the unknown individual who repeatedly defecated in the pool near 23 Mile Road. The memo highlighted multiple pool closures, costly clean‑ups, and growing community outrage. Eventually, a surveillance camera captured the perpetrator in the act, leading to the identification of a community member who was promptly banned for the remainder of the season. The offender’s name remains undisclosed, suggesting a possible minor status.

9 Holly Malone, The Serial Pooper Of Simsbury

Holly Malone’s mug shot tells the whole story: a mix of embarrassment and notoriety. In the fall of 2017, police in East Granby, Connecticut, linked Malone, a 43‑year‑old resident, to a spate of unsavory deposits in a quiet cul‑de‑sac on Kirkstone Drive. The first incident, reported on November 7, involved a fresh pile of excrement in the middle of the street, accompanied by a roll of toilet paper left as a twisted calling card.

Just nine days later, another brown surprise appeared, and a third on December 5, this time captured on a security camera that recorded Malone’s vehicle arriving at the scene. The police arrested her in February 2018 during an unrelated traffic stop. When questioned, Malone claimed she was unable to reach a bathroom in time, citing a dairy‑induced gastrointestinal upset due to lactose intolerance. She publicly apologized for her “stupidity,” acknowledging the community’s disgust.

8 The Parking Lot Pooper

January 2020 brought a fresh wave of outrage to Natick, Massachusetts, when 51‑year‑old Andrea Grocer of Ashland was apprehended for repeatedly leaving her waste in the parking lot of the Natick Outdoor Store. Initially, store staff suspected an animal, but the discovery of toilet paper at the scene forced a different conclusion: a human was behind the mess.

Police set up a stakeout and observed a 2018 Lincoln MKX pull into the lot at around 7 a.m. Confronted by an officer, Grocer defended herself by citing irritable bowel syndrome. Yet witnesses noted that her vehicle lingered for ten minutes before the alleged act, raising doubts about the “just‑in‑time” excuse. Adding to the mystery, Grocer worked as a live‑in nanny a few blocks away, with easy access to a functional bathroom, leaving the community to wonder why she chose the store’s lot as her personal latrine.

7 Brisbane’s Poo Jogger

When you think of Australia’s pristine suburbs, you don’t expect a nightly parade of poop, yet Brisbane’s Greenslopes suburb experienced exactly that between 2017 and 2018. The culprit, dubbed the “Poo Jogger,” turned out to be 64‑year‑old Andrew Douglas Macintosh, a senior executive with the Aveo Group and a board member of Inclusive Brisbane.

Residents, fed up with finding fresh feces on their lawns, installed a night‑vision camera equipped with motion sensors near the most frequently targeted spot. The camera captured a jogger following the same route each night, eventually revealing Macintosh’s identity. He faced a public nuisance charge, was fined $378, and lost his executive position—all because he preferred to relieve himself on the street rather than seek a bathroom.

6 The Bowel Movement Bandit

Akron, Ohio, may be known for LeBron James, but the city also endured a less celebrated menace: the “Bowel Movement Bandit.” From 2012 to 2015, this anonymous pooper targeted at least 19 vehicles in the Kenmore neighborhood, leaving unsightly deposits on cars, front yards, and even children’s toys.

A vigilant resident set up a time‑lapse camera, capturing the bandit’s face as he repeatedly defecated on a family’s vehicle—prompting a bewildered father to ask his son, “Who do you have mad at you?” The bandit’s actions stirred tension among neighbors, with accusations flying and community trust eroding. Despite the clear visual evidence, the perpetrator’s identity remains unknown, and the bandit appears to have vanished after 2015, leaving the neighborhood free of fresh reports.

5 The Staten Island Serial Pooper

Staten Island’s Eltingville neighborhood became the unlikely backdrop for a bizarre public‑defecation saga. In July 2019, 48‑year‑old Andrea Rosenblum went public, pleading for help as an unidentified man repeatedly pooped outside her home after midnight. Police admitted they could do little to stop the nocturnal nuisance.

Determined, Rosenblum installed a security camera, catching a red‑assed man carrying two bags and wearing the same outfit on both July 13 and July 17. The pooper would drop his trousers, deposit his waste, and flee into the night. Despite the clear footage, the identity of the perpetrator remains a mystery, leaving Rosenblum and her two children—aged 12 and 9—still on the lookout for the elusive “poop‑tormentor.”

4 The Pool Pooper Of Lincoln, Nebraska

From Michigan’s lakes to Nebraska’s heartland, swimming pools seem to attract a certain breed of mischief‑maker. In September 2019, the Eastridge Pool in Lincoln posted a security video showing an unidentified woman defecating near the concession stand. The incident unfolded in broad daylight, adding to a five‑year saga of stray feces that began in 2013.

The footage offered a breakthrough, yet the pooper’s image failed to deter future offenses. Pool manager Ryan Rieker expressed frustration, noting that despite the surveillance, the culprit continued to strike. The community hopes that widespread media exposure will finally push the offender into hiding—or at least compel her to use a proper restroom.

3 The Mad Pooper

Colorado Springs witnessed its own bizarre episode in 2017 when a slim female jogger—dubbed the “Mad Pooper”—targeted the Budde family’s front yard. Over seven weeks, she left a fresh pile of poop on their lawn once a week, prompting bewildered laughter from the family and consternation from the police. Sergeant Johnathan Sharketti admitted he’d never encountered such a case, calling it “uncharted territory.”

The incident garnered international attention, even prompting Charmin to offer a year’s supply of toilet paper in exchange for the pooper’s surrender. Later, a YouTube video surfaced featuring a man claiming to represent a woman named “Shirley,” apologizing on her behalf and attributing her actions to a traumatic brain injury that caused uncontrollable bowel movements. The video demanded removal of all other footage, citing constitutional protection. After the video’s removal, the Mad Pooper vanished from public view.

2 Mr. Poop

Tokyo’s bustling Akihabara district, renowned for its neon lights and orderly crowds, faced a baffling series of incidents involving a man known only as “Mr. Poop.” Police reports indicate that, between 2019’s summer months, he left fecal deposits at least ten times across four distinct locations: a gap between a building and a model‑train store, outside a restaurant, the entrance of an office building, and the base of a utility pole.

Eyewitnesses described him as a man in his thirties, wearing black trousers and a blue backpack. His actions prompted local businesses to erect warning signs, and legal experts, such as television‑appearing lawyer Hideo Yamada, suggested he could face charges for business disruption. Despite being caught in the act, Mr. Poop fled each time, leaving the community to grapple with his inexplicable defilement of public spaces.

1 The Super Pooper

At the pinnacle of this grotesque leaderboard sits New Jersey’s “Super Pooper,” a.k.a. the “Pooperintendent.” In May 2018, 42‑year‑old Thomas Tramaglini, then superintendent of Kenilworth Public Schools, was arrested after being caught on surveillance footage pooping beneath the bleachers at Holmdel High School’s football field and track.

Tramaglini, who lived just under five kilometers from the school, claimed the act was driven by runner’s diarrhea—a medical condition that forces urgent bowel movements during exercise. He pleaded guilty to a single public‑defecation charge, paying a $500 fine, while other charges were dropped. The scandal forced him onto paid leave, later culminating in resignation. He received a $100,000 severance despite a $147,504 annual salary, and even sued the Holmdel Police Department over the release of his mugshot—a lawsuit that was ultimately dismissed.

His story rippled through national media, sparking debates about privacy, public health, and the limits of personal accountability. The “Super Pooper” remains a cautionary tale for anyone who thinks a quick jog can excuse a public mess.

When you hear the phrase 10 gross cosmetic products, you probably picture modern cruelty‑free labels, but the reality is far messier. For centuries, women have turned to startling ingredients to achieve the look of the day, often at the expense of health and common sense. From ancient civilizations to the glittering Hollywood era, makeup has played a pivotal role in shaping both public perception and personal confidence.

10 Gross Cosmetic Secrets Unveiled

1 Beetroot Rouge

It may sound absurd, but the humble beetroot once starred in women’s makeup cabinets of the early 1900s. Anyone who’s ever spilled beet juice on a white shirt knows how tenacious the stain can be, and clever ladies of the era harnessed that very intensity to fashion a natural‑looking flush on their cheeks.

Beyond cheek tint, beetroot juice doubled as a daring lip stain until around 1914, when pioneering brands like Max Factor and Elizabeth Arden opened sleek cosmetic counters, allowing respectable women to flaunt makeup openly without resorting to kitchen‑grown pigments.

With the advent of safer, laboratory‑crafted blushes, the beet‑based rouge faded into history, leaving modern consumers to obsess over ingredient transparency and avoid any accidental vegetable‑stained mishaps.

As a former actress turned legal secretary, teacher, and now content writer, I’m fascinated by how quirky practices like beet‑based rouge illuminate the colorful, sometimes messy, evolution of beauty.

2 Wax‑Beaded Eyelashes

Before the advent of false lashes, stage performers and chorus girls craved longer, darker lashes and turned to a labor‑intensive method known as eyelash beading. The technique involved melting brown or black greasepaint, then using a bone‑crafted quill to dab tiny beads onto each lash tip.

Even after false eyelashes entered the market, beading persisted, especially in the fledgling film industry where the cost of manufactured lashes was prohibitive. A typical beading kit consisted of a match‑stick, a candle, and a small spoon—truly the epitome of glamour.

Unfortunately, the open flame required for melting the wax turned theatres into fire‑hazard zones. One infamous incident involved circus performer Joan Bergere, whose skirt ignited while she was beading her lashes, resulting in severe burns.

3 Deadly Nightshade Eye Drops

In Renaissance Italy, a wide, dilated pupil was the ultimate symbol of sensual allure. Women achieved this striking effect by applying drops of belladonna, a plant more famously known as deadly nightshade, to their eyes.

While the Italian word “belladonna” translates to “beautiful lady,” the plant contains potent toxins. The resulting eye drops caused pupils to swell dramatically, creating a seductive, dewy look, but also triggered a cascade of side effects: blurred vision, headaches, hallucinations, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, vertigo, and in many cases, permanent blindness.

Interestingly, the active compound atropine, derived from belladonna, still sees medical use today—but only under strict supervision for eye examinations, far removed from its glamorous, yet perilous, past.

4 Whale Blubber Lipstick

Even as the modern era embraces vegan‑friendly formulations, the 1970s still witnessed women slipping whale blubber into their lipstick tubes. Historically, whale oil served myriad purposes—from leather conditioning to soap making—yet its greasy sheen also made it a popular base for lip color.

When consumers finally learned that their glossy pout was coated in oil harvested from massive marine mammals, a wave of public outcry forced manufacturers to abandon the practice. Despite lingering myths that contemporary brands still sneak whale blubber into products, today’s lipsticks rely on plant‑derived oils such as jojoba, alongside beeswax, cocoa butter, and lanolin.

The shift away from cetacean ingredients underscores a broader industry move toward transparency and ethical sourcing, ensuring that modern makeup lovers can indulge without compromising marine life.

5 Radium Nail Varnish

At the dawn of the 20th century, the luminous glow of radium captivated the public, inspiring manufacturers to embed the radioactive element into watch dials and, surprisingly, cosmetics. Women hired to paint these watch faces—later dubbed the “Radium Girls”—were encouraged to experiment with the glowing paint on their own nails and lips.Within a few short years, these workers began suffering from bone fractures, severe anemia, and other radiation‑induced ailments. One tragic case involved a worker whose dentist, attempting to extract a tooth, inadvertently removed a chunk of her jaw damaged by radium poisoning.

Eventually, the health crisis forced the industry to abandon radium in consumer products, marking a sobering lesson about the perils of unchecked scientific optimism.

6 Tooth Dye

In Elizabethan England, a blackened smile signaled opulence, as sugar—an expensive luxury—caused rampant tooth decay among the elite. Queen Elizabeth I herself reportedly sported a set of darkened teeth, prompting her courtiers to follow suit with a specialized tooth‑dye.

While England lagged behind, Japan had already embraced the practice of ohaguro, using a dark brown lacquer made from iron filings dissolved in vinegar to stain teeth as a status symbol. Both cultures viewed the blackened grin as a badge of wealth and sophistication.

The trend eventually faded as dental hygiene improved and societal tastes shifted toward brighter smiles, leaving a curious footnote in the annals of beauty history.

7 Lead Face Powder

During the 18th century, a porcelain‑white complexion epitomized aristocratic elegance, prompting women to dust their faces with heavy white powders. Though safer alternatives like vinegar and bismuth existed, lead reigned supreme because of its unrivaled opacity and silky texture.

Amid rampant smallpox outbreaks, the opaque powder offered a convenient way to conceal disfiguring scars. Yet the lead‑laden makeup exacted a grim toll: users suffered from tooth decay, baldness, eye inflammation, and a progressive darkening of the skin that demanded ever‑greater layers of powder.

One notorious victim was Catherine “Kitty” Fisher, a celebrated Georgian courtesan who died at just 25. While some attribute her demise to smallpox, others suspect lethal lead poisoning from her relentless powder use.

8 Cinnabar Rouge

Rosy cheeks have long signaled health and vitality, prompting women throughout history to seek vivid pigments for blush. One of the most striking—yet toxic—options was cinnabar, a volcanic mineral rich in mercury.

Ground into a fine powder, cinnabar produced a brilliant red hue perfect for facial rouge. Unfortunately, mercury exposure is notoriously hazardous, damaging the nervous system and muscular tissue, and leading to severe health complications.

Modern regulations now prohibit cinnabar in cosmetics, sparing contemporary users from the tragic mercury‑related deaths that plagued earlier generations.

9 Goatskin Eyebrows

Eyebrow fashions have oscillated wildly, from the barely‑there medieval look to the bold, dark arches of the 1950s. In ancient Greece, a natural, unibrow signified purity and intelligence, yet women with sparse brows resorted to dramatic fixes.

Those seeking a fuller look sometimes adhered false eyebrows crafted from goatskin, affixing them with tree resin. Later, during the Georgian era, fashionistas went even further—plucking their natural brows entirely and replacing them with tiny mouse‑skin strips, as satirists of the day gleefully recorded.

These eyebrow extremes underscore the lengths to which women have gone to conform to ever‑shifting beauty ideals.

10 Bug Lipstick

The quest for the perfect crimson pout led early 20th‑century manufacturers to an unlikely source: the cochineal bug. Female insects, feeding on red cactus berries in South and Central America, produce carminic acid when crushed, which yields the vivid red dye carmine.

At the turn of the century, this insect‑derived pigment became the backbone of commercial lipsticks, allowing women to flaunt bold, glossy lips that symbolized empowerment. Yet the thought of smearing squashed bugs on one’s face would likely have given many early feminists pause.

Using insects for color wasn’t novel—Cleopatra herself reportedly concocted lipstick from pulverized ants and beetles, illustrating a long‑standing, albeit unsettling, relationship between beauty and bugs.

If you thought the human body was just a marvel of biology, think again. This top 10 gross rundown will take you through the most unsettling, slime‑filled, and downright bizarre aspects of our own anatomy. Buckle up, because we’re about to get delightfully disgusting.

Why These Top 10 Gross Facts Matter

Understanding the grotesque side of our physiology not only satisfies a morbid curiosity, it also reminds us how intricately designed (and oddly messy) we really are.

10 A Disgusting Debut

We arrive in the world drenched in blood, mucus, and a splash of amniotic fluid that is anything but refreshing. Labor is an intense, blood‑spattered marathon that would make even the toughest marathoner wince. The “water breaking” moment is really a gush of fluid that looks more like a river of slime than anything you’d find in a spa.

After hours of grueling contractions, the final push begins. Before the baby emerges, many mothers experience an involuntary spray of urine – sometimes at a force that would rival a garden hose. It’s a normal, albeit embarrassing, part of the process.

Then, just when you think the chaos is over, the newborn makes a grand entrance covered in a greasy, cheese‑like coating called vernix. This protective crust keeps the baby’s skin moisturized and shields it from harsh external elements.

The umbilical cord is snipped, the placenta is expelled – often with a little extra help from a diligent nurse who may need to reach deep into the birth canal to retrieve any remnants. Meanwhile, doctors clear the infant’s airways, ensuring the tiny lungs don’t drown in the surrounding fluids.

It’s a miraculous birth, but it’s certainly not a picture‑perfect moment.

9 There’s Something on Your Face

Before you panic, breathe easy – it’s just a legion of microscopic critters making themselves at home on your skin. The human face, with its generous pores and abundant oil glands, offers a perfect habitat for tiny arthropods known as Demodex mites.

Two main species, Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis, spend their entire lives crawling around hair follicles and oil‑rich glands. The former tends to dwell in surface pores and can be a culprit behind beard dandruff, while the latter prefers deeper sebaceous glands and can also inhabit the chest and neck.

These mites are virtually invisible to the naked eye – each is about 0.3 mm long, roughly the size of a pinhead. Though technically insects, they resemble tiny, translucent worms, making them oddly unsettling.

Fortunately, they’re typically harmless. In most people they coexist peacefully, but an overgrowth can provoke skin conditions like rosacea or cause redness and irritation.

So the next time you feel a tickle on your cheek, know that an entire microscopic ecosystem is probably just minding its own business.

8 To Dust We Shall Return

Every minute, the average person sheds roughly 30,000 dead skin cells. Considering that skin makes up about 15 % of body weight and spans roughly 21 sq ft, that’s a massive, constant shedding of biological material.

Those flaking cells, along with hair strands, clothing fibers, pollen, dust‑mite debris, and even tiny fragments of dead insects, combine to form the ubiquitous house dust that blankets our homes. In fact, dead skin accounts for more than half of household dust in many cases.

Our skin also hosts a diverse community of bacteria – around 1,000 identified species – that hitch a ride on the shedding cells, further enriching the dust’s microbial makeup.

On a planetary scale, this constant flaking contributes to an estimated one billion tons of dust suspended in the Earth’s atmosphere, illustrating just how prolific our bodies are at seeding the environment with particulate matter.

So the next time you dust a shelf, remember you’re sweeping away a tiny fraction of everyone’s collective skin.

7 Potty Animal

Over a lifetime, most adults spend about a full year perched on a toilet seat. In that time, the average person produces roughly 320 lb of feces and flushes enough urine to fill two bathtubs.

Urine, primarily water, is less visually repulsive than solid waste, yet it carries its own quirks. Historically, ancient Romans discovered that aged urine could be used as a cleaning agent due to its ammonia‑forming properties, even employing it to whiten teeth.

Feces, on the other hand, is a complex cocktail of water, dead bacteria, undigested food, mucus, fats, salts, and cellular debris. What’s truly fascinating – and a bit unsettling – is that poop remains alive with billions of bacteria that play a crucial role in our gut microbiome.

The composition of these microbes varies with diet, influencing the characteristic odor that can range from mildly pungent to downright offensive.

All in all, our bathroom habits are a testament to the body’s relentless production and disposal of waste.

6 Ladies Worst: Women’s Flatus Stink More Than Men’s

It turns out that, on average, women’s flatulence carries a stronger odor than men’s. Research cited by RealClearScience.com indicates that female farts contain higher concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, the compound responsible for the classic rotten‑egg scent.

Odor judges confirmed that, given similar volumes, women’s farts are noticeably more pungent. The smell profile of any fart typically involves three main chemicals: hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol (which adds a vegetable‑like note), and dimethyl sulfide, which contributes a subtle sweetness.

The speed at which gas exits the anus averages about 10 ft per second (roughly 9.5 km/h). The average human releases around 14 farts per day, enough to inflate a medium‑sized balloon.

Scientists have even measured these emissions using specialized rectal catheters, highlighting just how scientifically fascinating our rear‑end emissions can be.

So whether you’re male or female, the next time you let one rip, remember there’s real chemistry at play.

5 Waxing Unpoetic

Ear wax, medically termed cerumen, is a sticky, yellow‑brown substance that serves as a protective barrier inside the auditory canal. It moisturizes the skin, maintains an acidic environment, traps dead skin cells, kills microbes, and blocks dust and insects from reaching the eardrum.

Composed of dead skin cells, various waxes, and sebum—the oily secretion that also coats unwashed hair—cerumen is produced by specialized apocrine glands known as ceruminous glands.

Two main types of ear wax exist: wet and dry, determined by genetics. Regardless of type, the body employs a clever self‑cleaning mechanism: migrating cells gradually push the wax outward, a process observed by researchers who could track ink dots moving across the eardrum over weeks.

Historically, ear wax found practical uses. Ancient peoples applied it as an ointment for wounds, while others fashioned it into a makeshift lip balm, leading to the cheeky line, “That’s a lovely shade of cerumen you’re wearing.”

So the next time you clean your ears, remember you’re removing a substance that’s been working overtime to keep your hearing healthy.

4 Colostrum Is Gross… Twice

“Colostr‑WHAT?” I asked, bewildered after a sleepless night of new‑parenthood. The nurse had mentioned my wife’s colostrum, and I imagined a quirky cereal brand or a distant relative.

In reality, colostrum is the first milk produced by a mother’s mammary glands, beginning during pregnancy and lasting through the first few days after birth. This thick, gooey fluid is golden‑yellow or orange due to high beta‑carotene levels. Occasionally, blood from milk ducts mixes in, giving it a reddish or rust‑colored tint.

Despite its unappealing appearance, colostrum is a nutritional powerhouse—often dubbed “liquid gold.” It’s packed with antibodies, proteins, and essential vitamins that newborns need for a healthy start. Some mothers struggle to produce enough, leading to hospital readmissions for jaundice or nutrient deficiencies.

Colostrum also acts as a natural laxative, helping infants transition from the first meconium (a black, tar‑like stool) to softer, greener stools typical of older babies. So while it may look like something out of a horror movie, it’s a vital, life‑supporting fluid.

3 Please Don’t Compare a Vital Organ to…

Our lungs are astonishingly delicate, yet they perform the essential task of oxygenating our blood. Air travels through progressively smaller tubes—bronchi, bronchioles—until it reaches the alveoli, tiny sac‑like structures less than a millimeter wide.

Each alveolus is lined with an ultra‑thin membrane, allowing oxygen to diffuse directly into red blood cells. This feather‑light architecture means healthy lungs are almost ethereal, lacking any substantial bulk.

When COVID‑19 strikes, the virus introduces a gummy, yellowish fluid called exudate into the alveoli, turning those delicate sacs into something resembling a marshmallow. This change dramatically alters lung texture and function.

Thus, while lungs may appear robust, their true nature is that of a fragile, airy sponge—perfectly designed for gas exchange, but vulnerable to infection.

2 Foul Mouthed

The mouth is arguably the most bacterial hotspot on the human body. At any given moment, each tooth can host up to a billion microbes, spanning roughly 700 different species. While many of these bacteria are harmless or even beneficial, they can band together with food debris to form dental plaque—a sticky film that, if left unchecked, hardens into tartar.

Plaque and tartar can erode enamel, cause gum disease, and even lead to tooth loss. The tongue, another major surface, harbors its own microbial community, further contributing to the oral ecosystem.

What’s especially concerning is the mouth’s direct connection to the rest of the body. Pathogenic bacteria from gum disease have been linked to systemic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, pneumonia, and even neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Maintaining rigorous oral hygiene—brushing, flossing, and regular dental check‑ups—helps keep this bustling microbial metropolis under control.

1 Going Out With a “Blecch.”

When the final breath departs, the body embarks on a rapid self‑destruction process known as autolysis. Deprived of oxygen, cells experience an acidic surge as toxic by‑products accumulate, causing membranes to break down.

Enzymes, especially those abundant in the liver, begin digesting cellular structures. The brain, rich in water, softens quickly, while other tissues—including the lungs—follow suit, turning the body into a leaking, odorous sack.

Our gut’s bacteria, the most prolific component of the microbiome, seize the opportunity to feast from the inside out, breaking down intestines and nearby capillaries. Subsequently, the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen succumb as well.

Meanwhile, the body’s temperature drops, and the proteins responsible for muscle contraction—actin and myosin—run out of energy, leading to rigor mortis. This stiffening starts in the eyelids, jaw, and neck before spreading to the limbs.

In the end, the corpse resembles the messy, blood‑stained, and stiff version of the living being that first entered the world—gross from start to finish.

The human body is an astonishing machine. When you get a cut, it stitches itself up in just a few days. A woman’s body can even grow a whole new human inside her. Our eyes sparkle with countless colors, and every scientific breakthrough shows us just how resilient and adaptable we truly are. Yet, alongside all this marvel lies a collection of truly gross companions – the top 10 gross things you might find living on your own skin.

Why the Top 10 Gross List Matters

Knowing what lurks on your scalp, skin, and even inside your ears can help you spot problems early, keep you from embarrassment, and maybe even save you a doctor’s visit. Below, we count down the bizarre, the itchy, and the downright disgusting residents of your body.

10 Dandruff: The Great White Way

Dandruff is a scalp skin condition that triggers itchiness and flaking. Your scalp continuously creates fresh skin cells, shedding the dead ones as part of normal renewal. In dandruff‑prone folks, this shedding speeds up, and the scalp’s natural oil clumps the cells together, leaving those unmistakable white specks on shoulders or in hair.

Why does this happen? A common culprit is seborrheic dermatitis, which makes the skin red, greasy, and covered in flaky white scales. It tends to appear on oily zones like the scalp, behind the ears, the sides of the nose, and occasionally the armpits. Treatments usually involve medicated shampoos, creams, or lotions, and regular washing helps—since infrequent shampooing lets oil and dead cells accumulate, prompting more flakes.

Although dandruff can feel embarrassing, it’s a widespread annoyance that many people endure. It’s simply one of those weird, yet harmless, things you might notice on your body.

9 Holy Moly

Moles are benign skin growths that can appear as bumps or flat spots on the surface. You can be born with them or develop them later in life. Their colors range from brown to black, and they may be hairless or sprout tiny hairs. Typically, they’re round and can look a bit reddish.

Most moles stay harmless, but any change in size, shape, or color warrants a visit to the doctor. If a physician suspects malignancy, they’ll perform a biopsy—removing a small piece of the mole for lab analysis. Should cancer cells be found, surgical excision of the mole and surrounding tissue becomes necessary.

Even when simply cosmetic, doctors can remove moles with a tiny incision. The procedure leaves a small scar that gradually fades, making the mole disappear without lasting marks.

8 Ula

Lice are tiny, wingless parasites that sip blood from their host. These miniature hair vampires are so small they’re hard to spot, and they cling to scalp hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, and even the groin. Their presence is definitely unwanted.

The real troublemakers are the nits—lice eggs that are smaller than a pinhead and often mistaken for dandruff. These eggs are the key to a lingering infestation, as they hatch into new lice. If anyone in the household has lice, it’s crucial to comb meticulously for nits and to inspect the home and car, where eggs can hide.

And a timeless rule: never share hats, helmets, or hair accessories. Doing so can easily spread these unwelcome guests.

7 Ring Around the Worm

Ringworm isn’t a worm at all; it’s a fungal skin infection. Various fungi can cause it, most commonly Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton. The infection can affect many body parts, forming circular, red, scaly patches.

Although it spreads readily, it’s generally less dangerous than many other contagious diseases. Your body’s outermost protein, keratin, lines hair, nails, and skin, acting as a natural barrier that keeps the fungus from penetrating deeper tissues.

Doctors may diagnose ringworm by shining a blacklight—some fungi fluoresce under UV—but many don’t. Often, a skin scraping is mixed with a potassium hydroxide solution. This solution dissolves human skin cells while leaving fungal cells intact (thanks to their chitin-rich walls), allowing the clinician to spot the fungus under a microscope.

6 Bacteria, Virus, and Microbial‑Related Cells

Surprisingly, only one in ten cells in your body is actually human. The remaining ninety percent consists of trillions of microbes—bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms—that call you home. Together, they help keep you healthy, aid digestion, and protect against invaders.

Not all microbes are friendly; some can cause disease. For example, Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium linked to stomach ulcers. While many people once carried it, its prevalence is dropping; roughly half of the world’s population still harbors it. Most infected individuals show no symptoms, but some develop painful ulcers in the digestive tract.

5 Snot Galore

Boogers might seem gross, but they serve a vital purpose. Mucus traps viruses and bacteria before they can slip into your respiratory system—so, no, don’t eat them. Interestingly, we naturally swallow about a quarter of our snot each day as the mucus that isn’t expelled drips down the throat and into the stomach via the sinus passages.

When you’re sick, mucus production can double, thickening the protective layer. This extra mucus warms the air you breathe, adds humidity, and captures foreign particles, keeping your airways cleaner.

Even though the idea of ingesting boogers is unappealing, the sticky substance plays a crucial role in defending your health.

4 Lipoma Livin’

A lipoma is a benign tumor made of fat cells that nests between skin and muscle. Though they’re often visible as soft, movable lumps, lipomas can also grow deeper, even within abdominal organs. They grow slowly and usually cause no symptoms, requiring no medication.

The exact cause remains unclear, but lipomas aren’t linked to being overweight, and they rarely run in families. They can appear at any age, and many people discover them incidentally.

If a lipoma becomes painful, infected, or simply bothersome for cosmetic reasons, doctors can remove it in an outpatient procedure. After a local anesthetic injection, a small incision lets the surgeon extract the fatty mass, then the wound is stitched closed, leaving a minimal scar.

3 Twinkle Toes

Your toes frequently encounter the dirtiest surfaces on Earth, collecting countless microbes each day. This exposure can lead to fungal growth on the nails, turning them yellow. When you spot a yellow toenail, you’re actually seeing the fungus that’s made a home there. Regular trimming helps keep the nail surface less hospitable to these invaders.

2 Waxy Differences

Earwax isn’t a one‑size‑fits‑all substance. Genetics dictate whether you produce wet or dry wax, each with distinct textures. This wax, produced by glands in the outer ear canal, lubricates the ear and traps dust, debris, and other foreign particles that could harm the eardrum.

Having too little wax can make ears itchy and more prone to infections, while an excess can clog the canal, leading to mild hearing loss, earaches, or the ringing sensation known as tinnitus. A blocked ear may feel full, and the buildup can invite infections.

Balancing earwax—neither too much nor too little—helps maintain healthy hearing and comfort.

1 Bat Your Lashes

Think your face is squeaky clean after a wash? Tiny Demodex mites actually reside in the pores of your skin, especially along the eyelashes. They feed on oils and dead skin cells, thriving as you age. Though invisible to the naked eye, they’re constantly at work.

Two main species exist: Demodex folliculorum, which lives in hair follicles and consumes dead skin, and Demodex brevis, which dwells deeper in the skin. The former is most commonly found on the face.

These mites usually stay harmless, but they can aggravate conditions like rosacea. An overabundance may contribute to skin complications, so managing them becomes important for overall skin health.

Say the word “cult,” and you might imagine people holed up in a compound somewhere, convinced that the end is nigh. But in ancient times, cults were taken more seriously and often involved entire populations. This list looks at previously unseen discoveries that added even more mystery or gore to what we already know. From the correct etiquette for boiling a head to a naughty story written by a priest, here are ten finer details about ancient cults you probably didn’t know!

10 A Rare True Cross Scroll

The “Cult of The Cross” describes the rituals and beliefs surrounding the True Cross (the cross on which Jesus died). In 2021, an extremely rare artifact was discovered. Unfortunately, it was not a splinter from the True Cross, but it was a parchment closely linked to this chapter of Christianity.

Researchers have always known about the 500-year-old scroll. However, it kept disappearing into the hands of private collectors, meaning it could never be examined. When it was recently rediscovered, the artifact revealed a smorgasbord of exquisite illustrations that provided more insights into the Cult of the Cross. But two more things stunned the researchers.

First, such prayer rolls, which were constantly unfurled, touched, and kissed by worshipers, rarely survive to the present day. For one of them to remain intact 500 years later is remarkable in itself. Then there’s the intimate link with the lore of the True Cross. The prayer roll was likely created at Bromholm Priory in Norfolk. This place once attracted pilgrims because the priory’s own cross was said to contain a fragment of the True Cross. Called the Rood of Bromholm, the cross is now missing, but it appears as a crucifixion painting in the scroll.^[1]

9 A Cult Buried with Their Pharaoh

In 2021, archaeologists were digging at Saqqara, an ancient Egyptian burial ground, when they found a temple. The stone temple had three warehouses lined up on one side. These mud-brick storage areas and nearby shafts contained items that provided insights into a cult that worshiped a royal couple.

The temple was a funerary building constructed in honor of Queen Nearit. The building was next to the pyramid of her spouse, Pharaoh Teti, who ruled Egypt roughly between 2323 BC and 2291 BC. The shafts were also near the pyramid and contained the bodies of those who belonged to the cult. It would appear that they desired to stay close to the pharaoh, even in death.

The cult seemed to have flourished for over 1,000 years. Some of the items found inside the burial shafts provided clues about what mattered to them. An incredible papyrus, measuring 13 feet long (4 meters), contained a chapter from the “Book of the Dead,” a guide on how to navigate the underworld. Other objects also showed that people named their children after royal family members and that the gods Osiris and Anubis were important to them.^[2]

8 A Religion Older Than the Incas

We are still trying to piece together everything about the Incas, a complex society that once ruled the pre-Columbian Americas, from Columbia to Chile. Long before the Incas, however, there was an even more mysterious and elaborate society. This empire was the Tiwanaku state, and very little is known about them.

In 2013, researchers explored Khoa Reef in Bolivia’s Lake Titicaca. The reef lies near the Island of the Sun, a pilgrimage site for the Incas, who adorned the island with offerings and ceremonial buildings. However, as artifacts older than the Incas were found near the reef, it recovered a big piece of Tiwanaku culture. In short, they practiced a mystery religion that pre-dates the Incas by 500 years.

Besides beating the Incas to the lake, the Tiwanaku people also designed their offerings to be submerged in the lake. This clue came from anchors found near the items. The offerings included incense burners shaped like pumas, gold ornaments, shell and stone trinkets, and young llama remains. All this suggested that the Tiwanaku performed sophisticated rituals from boats and that the puma and the god Viracocha (found on gold medallions) were also important religious symbols to them.^[3]

7 Ramses II Had a Ram Cult

Recently, excavations at the ancient Egyptian city Abydos revealed a gruesome sight. Long ago, a single ritual had sacrificed 1,200 rams, and their heads were left behind in honor of Pharaoh Ramses the Great.

The ram heads were discovered in a storage area and needless to say, it’s a very unusual find. Some of the skulls were even wrapped in cloth, and one animal still had a bell around its neck. Not being able to resist, someone jostled the item, and amazingly, despite having been quiet for 2,000 years, it rang. The rare artifact might’ve been created especially for the ritual because it was decorated with symbols representing gods.

But at the end of the day, the discovery points to a ram or Aries cult that centered itself around Ramses II. One that potentially worshiped the popular king for 1,000 years after he died. Ramses II took the throne in 1279 BC and maintained power for nearly 70 years. He was known for so many great things that nine other pharaohs chose to call themselves Ramses too.^[4]

6 A Mysterious Skull Cult

Göbekli Tepe is a famous ancient site in Turkey. Built roughly 11,000 years ago, the builders were known for producing intricate carvings, tall pillars, and large stone rings. But they also left a few mysteries behind. There are no graves and no evidence that people even lived there, despite the fact that the site kind of looks like a town.

That doesn’t mean that human remains weren’t found. Over the years, 691 human bone fragments surfaced. However, seven skull pieces from three adults had experts flummoxed. First, they were found in a backfill mixture inside a stone structure. Nobody can explain why the skull bones ended up there. Deliberate carvings and drill marks on the fragments also pointed to a skull cult at Göbekli Tepe, but the markings gave no clue as to the purpose of such a cult.

But here’s the weirdest thing. The people of Göbekli Tepe created stunning structures and art. Compared to that, the skulls were crudely carved. Perhaps the deep grooves allowed decorations to be added—or the skulls were deliberately disfigured to punish the dead individuals.^[5]

5 The Temple That Became a Tomb

Spain’s Carmona necropolis is packed with burials from the 1st to the 2nd century AD. One of its most famous structures is the Elephant’s Tomb (someone found an elephant statue inside). When researchers first looked at the grave, it became clear that the burial wasn’t a normal six-foot-under affair. Instead, the building’s elaborate design hinted at another purpose besides being a tomb. Eventually, Spanish archaeologists discovered strong evidence that a cult once used the structure. Indeed, the “tomb” had all the hallmarks of a Mithraeum, a temple dedicated to the Roman god Mithras.

For example, during the spring and fall equinoxes, sunlight would’ve entered the window so that the center of the chamber filled with light, possibly illuminating a now-missing statue of the god. Two of the cult’s most important constellations, Scorpio and Taurus, also lined up with the building. Other features it shared with known Mithraeums included a fountain and a room divided into three sections.

Experts now believe that, at some point, the devotees started to lose interest in the temple. Once the Mithraeum was abandoned by the cult, the structure was repurposed as a tomb.^[6]

4 Inca Worshipers Weren’t Equal

During the early 15th century, the Inca developed an elaborate solar cult to worship the Sun. Many of their rituals and beliefs have surfaced in recent years, but in the late 1990s, researchers uncovered something that hadn’t been recorded before—something that wasn’t very flattering. In short, not every devotee of the cult was considered equal during worship.

It started with the discovery of large stone pillars. Archaeologists have always known that the Inca had such ritual pillars, thanks to records indicating that they once existed in the Inca capital of Cusco. These pillars recorded the Sun’s location near the horizon during the June and December solstices, which were important days on the cult’s calendar.

While surveying the Island of the Sun, an Inca ritual hotspot in Lake Titicaca, researchers found the first pair of these solar pillars. They also discovered a platform nearby. All research showed that both features were designed to separate the elite from the lower classes during rituals. While the king and other ranked individuals worshiped inside the sanctuary, the rest gathered on the platform to observe the mesmerizing spectacle of the Sun setting directly over their rulers and the pillars. Such a sight would’ve cemented the elite’s power even more.^[7]

3 A Naughty Story

In 2012, experts deciphered a curious ancient papyrus. Written in an old form of Egyptian called Demotic, the text was not your typical story that praised a pharaoh or a god. Nope. This was a story about sex. Researchers believe that the author might even have been a priest. However, this wasn’t a case of a perverted priest writing erotica in his spare time. Instead, the papyrus might have served a very important purpose.

The fictional story includes singing, feasting, drinking, and ritual sex. All these activities are happening in the name of the Egyptian goddess Mut as acts of worship, not revelry. In other words, the tale wasn’t written to entertain anyone. Instead, the discovery suggests that such “cult fiction” existed to ease the discussion around controversial sex rituals and other contentious topics among priests.^[8]

2 A Cult the Size of Poland

In the 1960s, a survey team noticed a couple of rectangular stone structures in north-western Saudi Arabia. At the time, nobody realized the scope and cult-related significance of the buildings, which were later named “mustalil.” It wasn’t until more recently that tantalizing facts about the ruins began to emerge.

About 1,600 mustalil were found sprinkled across 116,000 square miles (300,000 square kilometers). Some had so many stones that they weighed more than the Eiffel Tower. Others were the length of four football fields and as wide as two. The monumental structures were all 7,000 years old, which made them older than the Giza pyramids and Stonehenge.

Their construction also showed the builders understood local materials and engineering and had a widespread belief system that demanded sacrifices. Stuffed inside small chambers of the mustalil were countless animal skulls. Since no other body parts were found, this suggested that the sacrifices happened elsewhere. Ritual artifacts found at the site also support the idea that this mysterious cult once spanned an area the size of Poland.^[9]

1 How to Boil a Head

In 2019, archaeologists were doing field work along the coast of the Red Sea. The team was excavating the ancient Egyptian port of Berenike when they discovered the remains of a temple. The two-room shrine had an Egyptian design and decorations—but the people who once worshiped there were not Egyptians. They belonged to a mysterious semi-nomadic group called the Blemmyes.

Almost nothing is known about the Blemmyes, so it was interesting to note that the temple suggested that they had adopted Egyptian beliefs. In this case, the building’s purpose was to worship the Egyptian falcon-headed god Khonsu. The discovery also revealed the cult’s etiquette for boiling heads.

An inscription found inside the temple read, “It is improper to boil a head in here.” Since many decapitated falcon skeletons were found inside, it’s safe to assume that the cult did not hack off human heads but, instead, those of birds. The rule also implied that worshipers had to boil falcons before offering them to Khonsu. Perhaps the heads were cooked, too, only it was forbidden to do so within the sacred walls of the temple.^[10]