When we discuss the looming wave of species loss, the conversation usually centers on protecting the vulnerable. Yet, a handful of organisms are so harmful to human health or agriculture that scientists and governments are deliberately planning their disappearance. This roundup of the 10 animals humans are pushing toward extinction on purpose walks you through each target, the tactics being used, and the ethical dilemmas that come with erasing a species.

10 Animals Humans Target for Eradication

Below you’ll find a numbered list of the ten organisms that have become the focus of coordinated eradication campaigns. The list is ordered from the most controversial to the most unexpected, and each entry includes the latest methods being deployed, the potential ecological fallout, and a snapshot of the science driving the effort.

10 Mosquitoes

If you have ever daydreamed about a world free from the high‑pitched whine and itchy bites of mosquitoes, you’re not alone. These tiny blood‑sucking insects do far more than annoy us; they serve as vectors for deadly pathogens, most notably the malaria parasite that afflicts roughly 216 million people each year, predominantly across sub‑Saharan Africa.

The primary malaria carrier is the Anopheles gambiae mosquito. For three decades, researchers have toyed with the notion that wiping out the mosquito could eliminate malaria. Recent breakthroughs in gene‑editing have finally offered a plausible route: scientists at Oxford University have engineered a strain of A. gambiae that carries a dominant gene rendering females infertile.

Releasing these modified mosquitoes into the wild would see them mate with native populations, spawning successive generations lacking the ability to reproduce. Over time, the infertility gene could sweep through the gene pool, potentially eradicating the species on a continental scale. However, many ecologists caution that removing a species can trigger cascading effects, such as depriving predators of a food source, and note that the long‑term ecological consequences of gene‑driven extinction remain uncertain.

9 Guinea Worm

The dreaded parasite Dracunculus medinensis, commonly known as the Guinea worm, lives up to its gruesome moniker. Its larvae infiltrate humans through contaminated drinking water sourced from lakes, rivers, or ponds. Once inside the digestive tract, male and female larvae traverse the intestinal lining, mate, and the male dies while the female settles just beneath the skin, often in the lower leg.

The female can grow up to 76 cm (30 in) long. About a year after infection, she creates a painful blister that eventually ruptures, allowing the worm to emerge inch by inch over days or weeks. The afflicted person typically immerses the wound in water, causing the worm to release thousands of eggs and perpetuate the cycle.

Since the 1980s, the World Health Organization has spearheaded a global eradication program. By 2017, reported cases had plummeted to just 30, thanks to active case treatment, distribution of water filters, and public education about safe drinking practices. Nevertheless, the worm has resurfaced in dogs, suggesting that total extinction may remain out of reach for now.

8 Wuchereria Bancrofti

These thread‑like roundworms, spread by mosquito bites, can reach lengths of up to 10 cm (4 in). Adult worms take up residence in the lymphatic ducts of human hosts, where they cause blockages that lead to the disfiguring swelling known as elephantiasis—affecting limbs, breasts, or testicles.

According to the WHO, an estimated 120 million people worldwide suffer from this condition. The species Wuchereria bancrofti is the most common cause of elephantiasis and is uniquely human‑specific. Consequently, eliminating the parasite in humans would equate to wiping out the species entirely.

Since 1997, the WHO has pursued mass drug administration campaigns, delivering annual deworming treatments across sub‑Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. To date, 40 of the 73 endemic countries are on track to achieve full elimination, marking a significant stride toward the worm’s possible extinction.

7 New World Screwworm

The New World screwworm represents the larval phase of a fly species whose name alone may not inspire sympathy. Female flies lay eggs near open wounds on warm‑blooded hosts; once hatched, the larvae burrow into flesh, creating painful lesions.

Historically, the screwworm roamed the tropical and subtropical regions of North and South America. In 1972, a joint United States‑Mexico effort eradicated the pest within their borders using the sterile insect technique (SIT). In this method, male flies are irradiated in the lab—rendering them sterile—and then released into the wild, where they mate with females but produce no offspring, causing rapid population collapse.

The U.S. maintains a laboratory on the Colombia‑Panama border that continues to release sterile males, preventing re‑establishment northward. However, a 2016 outbreak in deer on the Florida Keys reminded scientists that the screwworm remains a lingering threat, underscoring the need for ongoing vigilance.

6 Pubic Lice

Although there is no coordinated global campaign to wipe out pubic lice—also known as “crabs”—recent observations suggest their numbers are dwindling, likely keeping them off any future protection lists. These tiny insects belong to the same family as head lice but have adapted to live solely on coarse body hair in the armpit and genital regions.

Transmission occurs primarily through sexual contact, as the lice feed on blood and cause intense itching. Over the past decade, researchers have noted a decline in reported infestations, attributing the trend to modern grooming habits such as shaving and waxing, which reduce the available habitat for the parasites.

Nonetheless, some experts argue that the apparent drop could stem from increased access to over‑the‑counter treatments similar to those used for head lice, rather than an actual threat of extinction. The scientific community remains divided on whether pubic lice face imminent disappearance.

5 Onchocerca Volvulus

The parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus spreads through the bite of black flies that breed near rivers and streams across Africa, parts of Latin America, and Yemen. Infection—commonly called river blindness—causes severe skin itching and can scar the cornea, leading to permanent blindness.

The Carter Center has spent the past two decades partnering with local governments to combat this disease. Their main weapon is ivermectin, a drug that kills the worms within human hosts and halts transmission.

While eradication efforts have been remarkably successful in South America, where river blindness is now virtually gone, Africa still accounts for 99 % of global cases. The WHO estimates that roughly 18 million people remain affected worldwide, indicating that total extinction of the parasite remains a distant goal.

4 Hookworms

Hookworms infiltrate human hosts either by ingestion of contaminated vegetables or, more commonly, through skin penetration when people walk barefoot on contaminated soil. Once inside, the larvae travel via the bloodstream to the lungs and eventually settle in the intestines, where they feed on blood, causing anemia and chronic diarrhea.

Although once prevalent throughout the southern United States, extensive public‑health campaigns in the early 20th century dramatically reduced their presence. Today, hookworms persist in impoverished tropical regions, thriving in areas lacking proper sanitation.

Eradication strategies focus on improving sewage infrastructure, distributing deworming medication, and promoting footwear use. By addressing the environmental reservoirs and providing regular anthelmintic treatments, health officials aim to drive the species toward extinction.

3 Tsetse Flies

Tsetse flies, tiny blood‑sucking insects, transmit the parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness—a disease that produces fever, confusion, weakness, and often death if untreated. Beyond human health, the flies also infect livestock such as cattle, pigs, and donkeys, hampering agricultural productivity and deepening poverty in sub‑Saharan Africa.

The United Nations identifies the tsetse fly as a major driver of economic hardship, as its presence forces farmers to leave fertile land fallow. Traditional control methods—pesticides, traps, and culling of wildlife that serve as hosts—have yielded limited success.

The most promising approach is again the sterile insect technique, wherein radiation‑sterilized male flies are released en masse to outcompete fertile males, leading to a collapse in the breeding population. Continued deployment of SIT could eventually eradicate the fly from entire continents.

2 Bedbugs

Bedbugs are small, wingless insects that hide in mattresses, bedding, and furniture, waiting for unsuspecting sleepers to drift off before they emerge to feed on blood. Though they have coexisted with humans for millennia, a mid‑19th‑century decline in the developed world gave way to a resurgence in recent decades.

Urban centers across the United States and Canada have reported rapid outbreaks that spread quickly and prove difficult to contain. Bedbugs are remarkably resilient; they can survive months without feeding, often nesting deep within walls or floorboards to avoid detection.

Compounding the problem, many populations of bedbugs have begun developing resistance to conventional insecticides. While some municipalities have launched public‑health campaigns to control infestations, the most reliable eradication method remains heating affected spaces to temperatures above 50 °C (122 °F)—a solution that is impractical for many homeowners.

1 Homo Sapiens

Yes, you read that correctly—humans themselves make the top of this list. The Voluntary Human Extinction Movement (VHEMT), led by spokesperson Les Knight, argues that humanity’s relentless exploitation of the planet warrants a voluntary, child‑free existence to allow other species to thrive.

VHEMT’s philosophy is non‑violent; members simply pledge to abstain from procreation, believing that a gradual human decline will reduce environmental pressure and spare countless other species from extinction.

While the logic is stark—if Homo sapiens vanished, the ecological footprint would disappear, potentially rescuing many other organisms—the movement faces an uphill battle. With a global population hovering around 7.5 billion, convincing enough individuals to forgo reproduction seems an almost impossible task. Nonetheless, the group serves as a provocative reminder that no species willingly walks into its own demise.

Do you hate being stuck in traffic? Do you hate walking into a store only to find everything sold out? Do you hate that noisy neighbor? Most of us casually toss the word “hate” at anything unpleasant—people, situations, experiences we’d rather not repeat. But beyond a simple “I’m not a fan,” what does it truly mean to hate something? When you ask yourself what biological purpose hate serves, you’ll discover it’s more than just a negative label.

1 Why Do We Need Hate?

So far, we’ve identified at least one reason for most emotions that get a bad rap. Anxiety can prime you for a big exam, anger can push you to finish a project out of spite. Hate, however, remains a bit of an enigma. Throughout history, we can point to countless atrocities that were fueled by hatred, making it feel like a purely destructive force.

Let’s start by defining hate and asking why Darwin and many modern scholars don’t list it among the universal emotions. Hate often builds on a blend of rage, fear, disgust and deep‑seated resentment. It’s a raw, intensely negative feeling that doesn’t have the subtle layers of emotions like sadness or joy. In its purest form, hate is a single‑minded desire to eliminate the object of that feeling.

Functionally, hate pushes us toward removal. When we hate something, we want to get rid of it—whether that “something” is a person, a group, an idea, or a circumstance. Historically, hate has targeted specific people or communities, leading to brutal outcomes. The common thread is that the hated entity is perceived as bad, wrong, or threatening.

Yet, there are scenarios where hate can be channeled toward a constructive end. Hating those who spread hate for no reason, for instance, can become a catalyst for social change. When the target of our hatred is an oppressor, the emotion may galvanize collective action, reinforcing a sense of justice and purpose. In this way, hate can act as a rallying cry for those who feel marginalized.

From an outsider’s perspective, perpetrators of hate crimes are judged harshly, but in their own minds the hate feels justified—a twisted sense of moral righteousness. This illustrates how hate can masquerade as a form of perceived justice, even when it’s morally bankrupt.

Studying hate in a lab setting is notoriously difficult. Ethical constraints prevent researchers from engineering genuine hatred between participants, so the scientific community often relies on indirect measures or retrospective accounts, which makes the emotion harder to pin down.

Interestingly, hate has been linked to a sense of meaning in certain group contexts. Imagine living under a totalitarian regime; a shared hatred of the oppressive government can bind dissenters together, giving them collective purpose and the drive to fight for change. While this isn’t an ideal way to find meaning, it demonstrates that hate can, paradoxically, provide a motivational spark that fuels positive societal shifts.

Of course, the majority of hate we encounter isn’t directed toward a just cause, and it often wreaks havoc. Still, recognizing that hate can sometimes serve a purpose—however twisted—helps us understand its place in the broader emotional ecosystem.

2 Do We Need Negative Emotions?

If emotions are the engine of survival, why do we need the darker side of the spectrum? Fear alerts us to danger, disgust protects us from toxins, and love encourages reproduction. Negative emotions—hate, anger, anxiety—appear to be purely detrimental, yet they play crucial roles in both body and mind.

Take fear again: it’s a biological alarm that triggers the fight‑or‑flight response, prompting us to flee a fire or confront a threat. Similarly, negative emotions can raise blood pressure, spark anxiety, or even contribute to heart disease, but they also force us to confront uncomfortable realities. Ignoring them doesn’t make them vanish; it merely buries the underlying issues.

Every negative emotion has a root cause. When we turn up the volume on a car stereo to drown out a rattling engine, the problem doesn’t disappear—it only gets louder. In the same way, suppressing anxiety or anger without addressing its source merely amplifies internal tension, making it harder to appreciate the good stuff.

Research shows that it’s not the negative emotion itself that harms us, but our reaction to it. Those who label fear as “terrifying” may experience higher stress, while those who reinterpret the same sensation as an adrenaline rush can channel it into exciting activities like skydiving. The key lies in how we feel about the feeling—our subjective interpretation.

Negative emotions also serve a purpose beyond personal health. They can motivate us to eliminate threats, resolve conflicts, or push us toward growth. For instance, anxiety before a presentation may spur you to rehearse more thoroughly, resulting in a better performance. In this sense, the uncomfortable feeling is the catalyst for positive change.

So, while hate, anger, and anxiety can feel like unwanted guests, they are essential parts of our emotional toolkit. Understanding and managing them—rather than erasing them—allows us to harness their energy for constructive outcomes.

3 Feelings vs Emotions

For what it’s worth, feelings and emotions, though often used interchangeably, are not identical twins. An emotion is a physiological response—think racing heart or sweaty palms—while a feeling is the mental story we tell ourselves about that response. In other words, emotions are the body’s raw data; feelings are the brain’s interpretation of that data.

Emotions tend to be universal across humanity—joy, sadness, fear, anger, disgust, surprise—while feelings are highly subjective. Two people might both feel grief, yet one cracks jokes to cope while the other retreats into silence. The underlying emotion is the same, but the personal feeling shapes how each individual processes it.

This distinction matters because the way we label and interpret our emotions can influence mental and physical health. A healthier feeling about a negative emotion can mitigate its harmful impact, whereas a self‑defeating interpretation can amplify stress and even affect bodily systems.

4 Why Do We Have Emotions?

Before we dive deep into hate, let’s zoom out and ask why emotions exist at all. Charles Darwin was among the first to argue that emotions are hard‑wired survival tools. Fear pushes us away from danger, disgust steers us clear of toxins, love encourages bonding and reproduction—each emotion nudges us toward behaviors that increase our odds of surviving and passing on genes.

Darwin noted that some emotions appear universally, even in isolated cultures that could not have learned them from each other. Joy, anger, sadness, fear, disgust and surprise show up across the globe, suggesting a deep biological foundation. While the six basic emotions are widely accepted, others—like hate—may not be truly universal, emerging more prominently in certain societies.

Modern science views emotions as a three‑part package: biological (triggering heart‑rate changes, hormone releases), psychological (mental appraisal and meaning), and social (shaped by interactions with others). When you feel fear, you might tremble, your brain registers danger, and you might scream for help—all at once.

Even love, that warm, fuzzy feeling, has measurable physiological markers—elevated dopamine, increased heart rate, flushed cheeks. These bodily responses illustrate how emotions are far more than mere thoughts; they are embodied experiences that guide our actions.

In short, emotions are the body’s ancient communication system, alerting us to opportunities and threats. By understanding their roots, we can better navigate the complex landscape of our inner lives.

what biological purpose of hate

When we finally ask what biological purpose hate serves, the answer becomes clearer: it is a potent, targeted drive to eliminate perceived threats, a force that can both destroy and, paradoxically, inspire meaningful action.

There are countless gadgets and goodies that surround us, but not all of them stay true to the purpose they were first built for. In this roundup of the top 10 products, we dive into the quirky histories of items that have completely switched lanes from their original mission. From toys to tools, each entry shows how clever minds repurposed a simple invention into something wildly different.

Why These Are Among the Top 10 Products

10 Doh

Everyone knows Play‑Doh as the bright, squishy modeling compound that fuels countless hours of childhood creativity. Yet the original inventor, Joseph McVicker, never imagined a toy market when he concocted the formula around 1930. Back then it was a practical cleaner for wallpaper, rolled against walls to lift soot and grime.

By the late 1940s, the rise of vinyl wallpaper left McVicker’s cleaning business dwindling. A teacher friend mentioned that schoolchildren struggled with the stiff clay they were using for art projects. Seizing the chance, McVicker offered his pliable wallpaper cleaner to classrooms, where kids found it far easier to shape. By 1955, schools across Cincinnati were receiving the product, and the name “Play‑Doh” stuck, turning a humble cleaning aid into the beloved toy we recognize today.

9 Post‑it Notes

Post‑it notes have become the go‑to reminder for everyone from teachers to CEOs, but their birth was far from sticky‑note fame. In 1968, 3M scientist Dr. Spencer Silver was attempting to engineer a super‑strong adhesive for industrial use. Instead, he ended up with a low‑tack, pressure‑sensitive glue that earned the nickname “unglue” for its apparent uselessness.Four years later, fellow 3M researcher Art Fry faced a personal annoyance: his hymn‑book bookmarks kept slipping out during choir rehearsals. Fry experimented by applying Silver’s weak adhesive to a strip of paper, discovering it would cling lightly to the pages yet peel away cleanly. This simple solution sparked the idea of a reusable, repositionable note.

3M first marketed the product in 1977 as “Press ’N Peel,” but sales were tepid. A year later, the company rebranded it as “Post‑its,” and the world quickly fell in love with these tiny, handy pads. Imagine a world without their bright, scribbled reminders!

8 Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap is a staple of modern packaging and an addictive pop‑puzzle for many, but its origin story begins with a very different vision: wallpaper. In 1957, engineers Alfred W. Fielding and Marc Chavannes at Sealed Air set out to create a textured, cushioned wall covering by sealing two shower‑curtain sheets together, trapping air bubbles between them.

Their “wallpaper” never took off, leaving the duo to search for a new purpose. Two years later, IBM announced a new line of computers and needed a protective material. Fielding and Chavannes proposed their bubble‑filled sheets as a cushioning wrap, and IBM approved the idea.

From that point on, bubble wrap exploded onto the global market, shielding everything from delicate electronics to household appliances. Today, it’s both a shipping essential and a source of endless auditory satisfaction.

7 Super Glue

Super Glue is the go‑to solution when you need an instant, rock‑solid bond, but its genesis was rooted in wartime optics. During World War II, Dr. Harry Wesley Coover was tasked with creating clear plastic sights for military firearms. While experimenting, his team stumbled upon cyanoacrylate, a compound that polymerized instantly upon exposure to air—far too sticky for delicate gun sights.

After the war, Coover revisited the substance in 1951 while working at Eastman Kodak on heat‑resistant polymers for jet engines. An assistant, Fred Joyner, used the same cyanoacrylate to fuse two glass prisms together, observing an almost instantaneous bond. Kodak seized the opportunity, licensing the adhesive to Loctite, which marketed it as “Super‑Bonder,” later popularly known as Super Glue.

Beyond household repairs, the adhesive saw a life‑saving role during the Vietnam War, where medics applied it to seal battlefield wounds, staunching bleeding in seconds and saving countless lives.

6 The Treadmill

The treadmill is a household staple for cardio enthusiasts, yet its earliest incarnation was a mighty winch in ancient Roman cranes. Back then, a “tread wheel” required workers to walk inside a massive wheel, converting human effort into lifting power.

Fast‑forward to the 1800s: farmers, craving a reliable energy source, placed horses on treadmill‑like devices to generate more power than wind or water—coining the very term “horsepower.” In 1818, British engineer William Cubitt adapted the mechanism for prisons, forcing inmates to turn massive wheels that ground corn, turning the treadmill into a punitive labor tool.The penal version faded after the 1889 Prison Act abolished hard labor. Decades later, in the 1960s, Bill Staub and Dr. Kenneth Cooper introduced the first home‑use treadmill, shifting the device from forced labor to fitness equipment. Today, we’re grateful it’s a workout aid rather than a prison punishment.

5 WD‑40

Most of us reach for WD‑40 when a squeaky hinge or stuck bolt needs a quick fix, but the product’s roots lie in aerospace engineering. In 1953, three chemists at Rocket Chemical Company in San Diego set out to develop a rust‑preventing, water‑displacing spray for the aerospace sector. After 40 iterative attempts, they finally perfected the formula—hence the name: Water Displacement, 40th attempt.

The inaugural application was on the outer shell of Convair’s Atlas missile. Impressed by its performance, Convair staff began pilfering bottles for personal use. By 1960, founder Norm Larsen saw commercial potential and began selling the spray to the public.

WD‑40’s reputation skyrocketed when, in 1961, it proved invaluable for repairing vehicles and homes after Hurricane Carla battered the Gulf Coast. By 1969, Rocket Chemical rebranded as the WD‑40 Company, and the product became a household staple—found in roughly four‑fifths of American homes.

4 Chewing Gum

Chewing gum is the sweet, stretchy treat that we pop into our mouths for flavor and fresh breath, but its lineage stretches back to ancient Mesoamerican cultures. The Mayans and Aztecs chewed a natural latex called chicle, using it both as a food source and a breath‑freshening agent.

The modern commercial gum story kicks off in 1869 when American entrepreneur Thomas Adams Sr. learned about chicle from Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. Adams experimented wildly—trying to fashion rain boots, face masks, and even toys from the pliable material, but none of these ventures succeeded.

His breakthrough arrived when he added flavor to chicle, launching “Adams New York Chewing Gum.” By 1870, the company was selling sour‑orange flavored gum as a confection. Subsequent patents for gum‑dispensing machines cemented the industry, giving us the gum we enjoy today—no rain boots required.

3 The Necktie

The necktie is the polished accessory that adds a dash of sophistication to any outfit, yet its origins lie in the battlefields of 17th‑century Europe. During the Thirty Years’ War, French King Louis XIII hired Croatian mercenaries, whose soldiers wore a decorative cloth around their necks to hold up the collars of their jackets.

Enamored with the look, Louis XIII made the accessory a staple at royal gatherings, dubbing it “La Cravate.” Over time, the fashionable neckwear evolved, transitioning from its military roots to the sleek, silk‑filled tie we recognize today—a style that truly cemented itself in the 1920s.

2 Listerine

Listerine is a household name for oral hygiene, trusted by billions to freshen breath, yet it originally served a very different purpose. In 1865, after Louis Pasteur’s germ theory gained traction, Sir Joseph Lister pioneered antiseptic surgery, dramatically reducing post‑operative infections.

Inspired by these advances, Dr. Joseph Lawrence formulated a potent solvent named “LISTERINE” in honor of the pioneering surgeon. Early on, the product was marketed as a floor cleaner, a deodorizer, and even a remedy for various ailments.

It wasn’t until 1923 that Listerine found its true calling as an antiseptic mouthwash, capitalizing on its germ‑killing properties. Today, it remains a leading oral care brand, though its early life as a cleaning agent is a fascinating footnote.

1 The Slinky

The Slinky is the iconic, spring‑coiled toy that mesmerizes children as it gracefully descends staircases, but its invention was accidental. In 1943, mechanical engineer Richard James sought to create a stabilizing spring for naval ship equipment. While working, he knocked a set of his prototypes off a shelf; instead of scattering, the springs uncoiled and gently fell to the floor.

Captivated by the sight, James, with encouragement from his wife Betty, decided to turn the spring’s elegant motion into a toy. Betty scoured the dictionary for a fitting name and landed on “Slinky,” meaning graceful and sinuous in movement. After securing a modest $500 loan, the couple refined the design.

Following a slow start, the Slinky exploded onto the market during the 1945 Christmas rush at Philadelphia’s Gimbels department store, where 400 units sold within minutes. From a maritime stabilizer to a beloved children’s plaything, the Slinky’s journey epitomizes serendipitous invention.

Like them or loathe them, condoms are a part of daily life. Experts predict that 18.6 billion will be used worldwide in 2015. They live in our nightstands, our wallets, our handbags and frequently go where we go, double entendre not intended. But just how much do we know about them?

“Enough” is probably the most popular answer to that question, and a fair answer it would be. But read on anyway, and the next time a conversation about contraception pops up, double entendre again not intended, you’ll be able to amaze or disgust your friends with your knowledge.

10. They’re Ancient

The very first representations of condoms were discovered in a cave in France, and are dated at around 12,000 to 15,000 years old. The oldest extant condom was found in Lund, Sweden. It’s made from pig intestine, is reusable and dates back to around 1640. It came with a handy user manual written in Latin, which recommended washing it in warm milk in order to avoid disease. Keep that in mind the next time you complain about having to use one.

9. They Used to be Hard to Get

Once available in the United States by prescription only, condoms first became available via a vending machine in 1928. Before that prescriptions weren’t easy to get, unless you were a man who happened to enjoy the company of prostitutes. Some doctors, adverse to giving them to women interested in birth control and STD prevention, would happily dish them out to husbands for their extra-curricular activities.

But if you’re famous, the condoms will come to you (like most other things if you’re famous). At the Sochi Olympics, athletes at Olympic Village received 100,000 condoms. That works out to 35 condoms per athlete, or more time spent employing them than actually competing.

8. They Were Developed to Combat Syphilis

In 16th century Italy, a man named Gabriele Falloppio (of Fallopian tubes fame) wrote a paper on syphilis. This was once known as the French disease, a name we’ll leave up to you to decide the fairness of. It was a major killer at the time, and Falloppio performed the first reported test using linen sheaths. These were soaked in a chemical solution, dried and used to cover the glans of the penis, while being held on ever so quaintly with a ribbon. A test involving 1100 participants showed that the men did not contract syphilis. We’re not sure if said test would have been enjoyable given the subject matter, or nerve-wracking given the stakes.

7. The Materials Have Evolved

It’s common knowledge that condoms weren’t always made from latex, but the variety of what they’ve been made from in the past is surprising. Animal intestines, linen, silk and, questionably, leather have been used throughout history. Different countries used different materials. In the Roman Empire goat bladders were the go-to option, while in Japan leather and tortoiseshell were once used. Linen was used in Ancient Egypt as early as 150 AD. Casanova, the notorious womanizer of the 19th century, was also said to have used linen condoms, and referred to them as “English riding coats.” That must rank as perhaps the most graceful of the many nicknames the condom has acquired through the ages.

The latex we all know today was invented in 1920. The London Rubber Company, now known as Durex, was the first European nation to sell latex condoms in 1932.

6. They Were Reusable

In the 1600s, condoms made from animal intestines were first made available to the general public. But due to their cost, they were re-used repeatedly. Until the advances of the 19th century, a single condom cost around the equivalent of several months pay for a prostitute in the United States.

Reusable condoms were popular much later than many might imagine. The invention of rubber vulcanization by Charles Goodyear and Thomas Hancock in 1844 revolutionized the industry, making it possible to mass-produce condoms cheaply and quickly. But these weren’t available worldwide — the rubber would perish on the long journey by sea to isolated places.

Thicker, reusable condoms therefore remained commonplace in New Zealand in the 1950s. And in Japan during World War Two, many of the women who worked in the brothels noted that the most degrading job was “cleaning the condoms at the end of the day.” Your job doesn’t sound so bad now, does it?

5. Condoms Replaced Weasel Testicles

While it’s now the most tried and tested form of birth control, condoms didn’t boom until the 20th century. Before that there are accounts of varied and far more fascinating birth control methods. In Europe during the Middle Ages, women were advised to wear weasel testicles on their thighs or hang an amputated foot from their necks. It was also believed in some quarters that should a woman wish to avoid pregnancy she need only walk three times around the spot where a pregnant wolf had urinated. Quick, easy and none of that awkward pausing or worrying that the condom’s ripped.

A more dangerous method comes from centuries old China, where women would be encouraged to drink mercury or lead. Technically, that was effective, as those who partook generally either died or became sterile.

4. Celebrities Endorse Them

It was announced in 2012 that One Direction had turned down the opportunity to appear on a range of condoms. Their management team was so against the idea that they’re considering a lawsuit against an American brand which released a One Erection range. But history has shown us that not every celebrity feels the same way.

The boy band JLS released a condom range with Durex in 2010. It was announced that every penny made would go back into the JLS Charitable Foundation. Heartwarming stuff. Other celebrities to get involved have included Daft Punk, Kesha and Madonna. There were even commemorative royal wedding condoms. What better way to celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Princess Kate? They were imaginatively titled Crown Jewels, though they were, tragically, a novelty item only. The next celebrity condom endorsement is anyone’s guess, but our money is on Bieber.

3. They Have Surprising Secondary Uses

The average modern condom can hold an astonishing one gallon of liquid, although hopefully they’ll never be called upon to do so. But their reputation for surprising strength, along with their general versatility, has seen them used for other purposes. There are reports of soldiers using them to protect their rifles from water damage. They can even be used to start a fire, help with the application of first aid and be weaponized as part of a slingshot to hunt small game.

After the Indian government began distributing free condoms to combat both HIV and a rapidly increasing population, many of the recipients found purposes for them that the government hadn’t quite intended. Health workers state that road building contractors acquired a large amount in order to mix them with concrete and tar, thereby creating crack resistant and smoother road surfaces. Builders spread beds of condoms along the base of cement plastering to prevent water seepage, while weavers would use them to lubricate and polish their looms. And in the countryside, villagers would use the condoms as disposable water containers to help them wash up after a bathroom break in the field.

2. New Advances Have Been Made

Sexual health and avoidance of pregnancy were long the priority of condom development. With those now covered, companies have been able to move on to attempting to remove the stigma of equating condoms with less enjoyable sex.

The 1990s was a decade to remember for condom enthusiasts. Flavored options appeared, while variations and combinations of lubricated, ribbed, studded, thinner and even glow-in-the-dark condoms emerged as well. An increase in the enjoyment for both partners was the driving motivation behind these creations. The march of progress continues today — Origami Condoms is currently developing the Receptive Anal Intercourse condom, which they call “radical new condoms for the 21st Century.”

1. The Future

From animal intestines to rubber, the condom has been on quite a journey in its history, and the next big step could be just around the corner. Scientists have been working on an “invisible” condom, a gel that hardens when subjected to increased temperatures. Let’s all cross our fingers and hope that science can figure this one out sooner rather than later.

A human can only live for about three days without access to water. We need to drink or we’re doomed. And while our ancient ancestors probably managed just fine with water and the odd squirt of fruit juice, we evolved to enjoy a far more diverse palate. You might even say we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to beverages these days. For evidence, just take a look at all the drinks people will consume on purpose… amazingly, without even being forced to do so. 

10. End of History

The average alcohol percentage in a beer that you’ll find in the United States is about 4.5%. There are some stronger beers out there, but that is pretty standard. The Scottish Brewery known as Brewdog came up with a beer called the End of History that boasts a 55% alcohol content. And interestingly enough, that’s not why it’s interesting. The beer is actually packaged inside squirrels.

Each bottle of limited run beer was inside of a taxidermied squirrel. The company initially released 12 in the UK, and then 10 more bottles were released for Americans.The price per bottle in the United States was $20,000. Technically that wasn’t the price of the beer itself; rather, if you invested $20,000 in their business you would get one of the 10 extremely rare bottles.

9. Pruno

They say that necessity is the mother of invention and that idea was clearly hard at work when pruno was invented. Pruno, otherwise known as prison wine, is what you get when you’re desperate for a buzz but your ingredients and facilities are extremely limited.

Since all that is really needed to create alcohol is some kind of sugary base that can ferment, prisoners were able to develop ways to create alcohol behind bars in secret. The resulting concoction is known as pruno, and it’s one of the most vile drinks ever created.

Ingredients are very limited in prison, which means pruno is often made of things like fruit cocktail, sugar cubes, and ketchup. Everything is mixed together in a ziplock bag and hidden where the prison guards can’t find it. The fermentation process could take a few weeks and you’ll have to find some way to warm your mixture up, strain out all the chunks, and then enjoy the potentially lethal byproducts. The resulting mixture can contain all manner of dangerous bacteria including botulism, not to mention there’s no way to know just how alcoholic the brew might be so it could be dangerously potent as well.

8. Sourtoe Cocktail

If you’re going to list culinary taboos, you can jump right to the head of the line by mentioning cannibalism. There are few things people are willing to  entertain less than the idea of consuming the body parts of another human being. And yet despite that, the sourtoe cocktail is still a thing.

Arguably the most infamous drink in all of Canada, you can find the sourtoe cocktail in Dawson City, Yukon. The name isn’t particularly metaphorical. There’s a real human toe in a shot of whiskey that you can drink.

According to legend, Louie and Otto Linken were running booze back in the 1920s when they got caught in a blizzard. Louie ended up getting his foot stuck in a stream or a puddle when he stepped through some ice and by the time he got home again his foot was frozen. Worst of all was the big toe, which had thoroughly succumbed to frostbite.

In an effort to prevent any more damage, Otto cut his brother’s toe off with an axe. And, as one does, he dropped the newly severed digit into a bottle of booze. Fast forward about 50 years and a man by the name of Captain Dick Stevenson found the bottle, complete with toe, in a cabin.

Stevenson decided to create a little contest where you could gain entry into the Sourtoe Cocktail Club if you had the drink with the toe in it. The only rule is that the toe had to touch your lips. And word is that about 100,000 people have actually done this over the years. 

In the year 2013, one guy actually swallowed the toe. And he wasn’t even the first one. The Downtown Hotel, where the drink is served, has gone through 15 toes so far. Captain Stevenson even willed his own toes to the hotel so that when he dies the tradition will live on. Currently, the bar has 12 toes that they rotate through circulation so they can keep them clean, whatever that might mean.

7. Spirytus Stawski 

Straight out of Poland comes Spirytus Stawski, a 190-proof spirit that is 96% alcohol. That makes it the single strongest drinkable alcohol in the world. To put that in perspective, vodka is generally around 40% alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is often 70% alcohol. Even the infamous Everclear is 95% alcohol. Spirytus Stawski one-upped them with that extra percentage to ensure maximum danger.

You can buy Spirytus Stawski any number of places online, but most of them will point out in the description that this should only be used as a base for other drinks and it is highly recommended that you never drink the stuff straight, for obvious reasons. A 750ml bottle will set you back under $20.

6. Chicha

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Peru you may run across a drink known as chicha. Chicha is made from corn, and so far everything sounds okay. You can make whiskey from corn. Bourbon has a long history thanks to corn. You can even brew vodka from corn rather than potatoes, if you’re so inclined. So far so good, right?

Where chicha gets a little weird is in the preparation. If you are drinking true, traditional chicha then the fermentation process requires that the corn be chewed and then spit out. The old-timey method for making it involved several women sitting around a bucket, chewing up the corn, and then spitting it into that bucket. The saliva, along with a few other ingredients, would activate the fermentation process and eventually it would become alcoholic. There’s no real way to make that sound any better that it is, and it’s definitely an acquired taste. Weirdly enough, it’s still made this way in some parts of Peru and if you buy it from a street vendor you may not know if you’re getting the traditional kind, or a less saliva-filled brew.

5. Baby Mice Wine

In most parts of the world if you were to find a mouse in your drink you would probably have a well-justified freak out and send the drink right back. Well, that wouldn’t be the case if you ordered what’s been called a traditional Chinese health tonic that is colloquially known as baby mice wine.

Apparently these little mice are taken just after birth when their eyes aren’t even open yet and then jammed into a bottle of rice wine. They ferment along with the wine for a solid year, after which time it is said that the brew is able to treat medical conditions like liver disease and asthma. It also apparently tastes something like gasoline, which doesn’t seem unreasonable since it’s just rice wine with the rotting corpses of vermin inside of it. And yes, if you’re wondering, you are expected to actually eat the little mice afterward as well.

4. Kumis

Theoretically, drinking milk is kind of weird if you stop to give it much thought, at least if you’re drinking the milk of a cow or some other kind of livestock. (Really, though… who was the first person to look at a cow’s udder and think, “I’m gonna go suck on that”?)

But, since we have been doing it for centuries and it’s pretty commonplace, we’re used to it. The dairy industry is massive and even if you’re not drinking milk, there’s a good chance you’re enjoying things like butter, yogurt, or ice cream. All of that stuff tends to have one thing in common, in that it’s made from purified, non-alcoholic milk.

If you were to travel around the globe to Kazakhstan you would find a beverage known as kumis, which is made from the milk of horses. Now to a western palate the idea of horse milk probably sounds a little bit weird, but it really shouldn’t if we are okay with drinking milk from cows. However, kumis takes it one step further by fermenting the milk to make it alcoholic. According to reviews it tastes like champagne and sour cream mixed together. That’s one heck of a cocktail. 

Kumis has been made for thousands of years in Central Asia and apparently it’s something that both Genghis Khan and babies enjoyed drinking. You know you’re a hardcore baby when you’re drinking alcoholic horse milk on the Central Asian steppes.

The mare’s milk has a high sugar content naturally, so if you churn it the way you would churn butter it will thicken up and acidify to produce an alcoholic kind of carbonation. And as weird as this might sound, it’s actually preferable to drinking non-alcoholic mare’s milk. The milk, in its natural state, has so much lactose that it’s essentially a high-performing laxative.

3. Poop Wine

There’s no good backstory to this entry. There’s no clever reason why this thing exists. There’s just the knowledge that for some reason, at some point in time, someone fermented actual human poop into a drink and then intentionally drank it. That’s the story of poop wine.

Made from Korean rice wine mixed with the feces of a human child, the drink called Ttongsul has 9% alcohol and is 100% terrible. The concoction is apparently for medicinal use and was said to be able to heal traumatic injuries like bruises, cuts, and even broken bones.

Very few people have heard of the drink even in Korea, but there are one or two who still know the recipe and are willing to make it if you are so inclined to hunt it down. It should go without saying that there is no way this drink is good, or even tolerable.

2. Smoker’s Cough Cocktail

A lot of bars are willing to go out of their way to create signature cocktails that nobody else has on the menu. Sometimes these will be simple mixtures that maybe just have a unique name even though they are available in other locations by different names. But sometimes they are just over the top recipes that mix together ingredients that have no business being in the same place at the same time. That’s likely the story behind one of the most repellent looking and tasting cocktails ever made, the Smoker’s Cough.

The name itself is off-putting, and when you take a look at it you understand why it’s called what it’s called. There are only two ingredients in this cocktail making it deceptively simple but the two ingredients that you need are mayonnaise and Jagermeister. Even without tasting that you can try to imagine those two flavors and textures together in your mouth. If the idea was to mimic the sensation of acrid phlegm, then the person who created the cocktail is actually fairly clever and did a good job.

1. Semen Cocktails

This unsettling entry brings with it an entire recipe book.  The number of people on Amazon.com who reviewed the book and described it as a gag gift may or may not be aware of the added pun in their language choice. Regardless, there is apparently some kind of market out there for drinks that are made with semen. Some of the less than impressed reviews pointed out that most of the recipes in the book are just average everyday cocktails with the secret ingredient added in for no particular reason.

While this truly sounds like a gimmick if nothing else, it’s worth knowing that New Zealand is home to the Green Man Pub in the city of Wellington. Their claim to fame is a beer that  was created from stag semen. Why did this concoction even exist? Probably just to get some press for creating something utterly baffling.