Life's Little Mysteries

Life's Little Mysteries answers fascinating questions about the world around you and the stuff in it, from things in the news and on your mind to crazy questions you didn't even know you had.

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How Do Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles Work?

November 30, 2017 | Article

How do intercontinental ballistic missiles — including the one North Korea launched Tuesday (Nov. 28) that flew more than 10 times higher than the International Space Station — work?
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How Long Can a Person Survive Without Water?

November 29, 2017 | Article

Without water, things go downhill fast.
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What's the Difference Between the Right Brain and Left Brain?

November 28, 2017 | Article

You may have heard people describe themselves as strictly "right-brained" or "left-brained," but what exactly does that mean?
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Why Do People 'Twitch' When Falling Asleep?

November 21, 2017 | Article

The phenomenon, known as a hypnogogic jerk, is named in reference to the hypnogogic state — the transitional period between wakefulness and sleep. Hypnagogic jerks are also commonly known as hypnic jerks or sleep starts.
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Can You Turn Fat into Muscle?

November 10, 2017 | Article

Simply put, your body can't turn fat into muscle. And the reverse is also true: Your body can't turn muscle into fat, either. Here's why.
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How Big Would an 'Alien Megastructure' Have to Be?

November 08, 2017 | Article

Any aliens building around Tabby's star would have to be thinking very big.
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Do Animals Have Humor?

November 06, 2017 | Article

Between verbal jokes, slapstick comedy and tickling, there are numerous reasons we laugh. But are humans the only species with a sense of humor?
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What Would Happen If You Played Tug-Of-War in Outer Space?

November 03, 2017 | Article

What would happen if you played tug-of-war in outer space? Would you be able to stand and pull with all your might, as you would on Earth, or would something entirely different happen?
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Why Do We Get Addicted to Things?

October 17, 2017 | Article

What makes a particular habit or substance an addiction?
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Do Animals Have Menopause?

October 03, 2017 | Article

Female killer whales reproduce between the ages of 12 and 40 years but can survive into their 90s.
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