11 Little-Known Body Facts We Wish We Had Known Before

Our bodies are very mysterious. There are so many things we can do, some of which we don’t even know about! From the ability to bend to a great extent to being able to hear even the subtlest pitch, it is definitely a wondrous thing.

1. Solving a Rubik’s Cube is definitely remarkable.

As little as 6% of the population can actually solve a Rubik’s Cube. Some say it’s talent, other’s say we might have been born knowing how to use our fingers in this way. What is clear, though, is that you need both talent and great control over your fingers, in order to solve such a puzzling game.

Because of its complicated nature, solving a Rubik’s Cube has even become a sport! Doing it fast is even more baffling, and definitely requires a lot of practice, as well as knowing your body very well.

2. You can flare your nostrils.

Body tricks can be done with any part of the body. And nostrils are no exception. 30% of people can flare their nostrils with ease! Nose flaring implies moving one’s nostrils very fast.

The muscle that participates in this movement is called the Nasalis muscle, which compresses the bridge of the nose. It can often be witnessed when taking deep breaths, or in very emotional states.

3. Not everyone can wiggle their ears.

Try wiggling your ears really fast. If you can, we have some good news for you. You’re part of the 10% to 20% of the population that can do this body trick!

This is actually called a ’Vestigial Feature,’ and it involves the muscles of the ear, which scientists call the auricular muscles. This movement is very common among animals, and it turns out even humans can do it. You might just discover something new you can do with your ears.

4. Thumbs can be bent to great extents.

Not many people can do this trick with their thumb. The so-called “Hitchhiker’s Thumb” is the ability to bend one’s thumbs so far, that it can actually make a 90-degree angle! This is due to the interphalangeal joint, where our thumbs are connected.

This is a form of hypermobility of the thumb. It’s not painful, though, and it does not pose any threat to the person who has it, health-wise. If you can do this trick, you’re definitely lucky!

5. There are people who have chimp-like feet.

Our feet are innately quite bendy. However, only 1 in 13 people have chimp-like feet. This means their feet are very adapted to climbing trees! This is due to the flexibility of some ligaments, which let us bend our feet in ways in which some other people might not be able to.

The ligaments can be found at the level of the ball of the foot and the heel. Whereas most of us have a small ligament there that can only stretch but so far, the people that possess chimp-like feet actually have a way softer ligament. This is what permits them to bend their feet in this way!

6. Some people have never had a headache.

Headaches are very common among humans. In reality, there is a small group of people who have never had a headache. Or so they may think.

About 96% of the population has experienced headaches, or even migraines, at one point in their life. The other 4% may not know what that sensation feels like. This may be due to their pain tolerance, making the headaches very mild or even unnoticeable.

7. There are people who can use both hands to write.

You may be using your right hand or your left hand in your day-to-day life. You might even be using one to scroll through the article right now! However, there are people who can use their left hand just as well as they do their right hand! These are called ambidextrous people. Approximately 1% of the population is truly ambidextrous — that is, they have no dominant hand whatsoever.

The study of ambidexterity is still ongoing, though. What scientists have concluded so far, is that being ambidextrous is not linked to genetics. This ability has more to do with the brain hemispheres that control hand movement.

8. Not many people can identify the Perfect-Pitch.

If you can correctly identify the pitch of a note right away, then you might just possess the ’Perfect Pitch’!

The topic is quite broad, as many studies have been done on it. Though one thing is clear, this ability is quite rare. Out of every 10,000 people, 1 to 5 of them have actually shown signs of having the perfect pitch. But it turns out that speaking Mandarin actually helps. It has been shown that up to 60% of Mandarin-speaking students could perfectly identify the correct pitch!

9. Some people possess ultraviolet vision.

Our eyes have some spectacular abilities. Genetic conditions concerning the eyes can sometimes create unique images of one’s surroundings. One of these conditions is called Aphakia.

This condition is caused by the absence of the eye lens. This eye lens protects us from ultraviolet colors, and without it, one can see these colors, otherwise called ’ultraviolet vision’. In other words, this condition makes us see beyond human limits!

10. There is such a thing as a super-taster.

Another genetic condition has to do with our taste buds. Depending on their numbers, one can be categorized as having more taste buds than average, or even less. Among these, the people that possess more taste buds than normal are called supertasters.

Approximately 25% of the population has this condition. The amount of taste buds makes eating more intense and can even produce picky eaters!

11. We have mites living in our eyelashes.

Eyelash mites, also known as demodex, are tiny bugs that live at the base of our eyelashes. While they are normal and usually harmless, having too many of them may cause irritation. The best way to avoid it is to maintain good hygiene.

Can you do any of the tricks mentioned? What other quirky body facts are you aware of?