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Health

Why only 20% of people can wiggle their ears and doctors say it's a 'superpower'

It's more than just a fun party trick.

wiggle ears, doctors, evolution
via Canva

A man holding his ear forward.

Do you know someone who can wiggle their ears, either up and down and back and forth, but whenever you look in the mirror and try to do so, you flare your nostrils like a bunny, but nothing moves? According to Popular Science, only about one in five people can wiggle their ears, and it’s most likely not because they practiced all day in the mirror. For most people, it’s genetic.

In a recent video, Dr. Monica Kieu calls being able to wiggle your ears a “rare superpower.” Kieu is a board-certified specialist in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, California. “Moving our ears is a vestigial trait, meaning that it's a relic from our previous ancestors,” she says in a YouTube reel. “Although these movements help us localize sound, it doesn't really have much function.”

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Why can some people wiggle their ears?

If you have a dog or a cat, you’ve noticed that when there is a loud noise in the house, their ears perk up and then, like radars, scan the home and beyond to find the location of where the sound came from and what it might be. As humans, we’ve lost the need for such sensitive hearing over millions of years, so the auricular muscles (those attached to your ears) have become weaker. They are now considered vestigial or something that either didn’t finish developing or, through evolution, has become useless.

The auricular muscles aren’t the only thing evolution has left us from the past. The wisdom teeth are left over from when humans had to chew a lot more raw food. The appendix was used to digest tough plants, and goosebumps are left over from when we had fur.

Those who can wiggle their ears have not just developed vestigial ear muscles; their brains are wired to allow them to do so. They still have neural pathways in their brains that enable them to move those muscles, while others may have lost them a few branches back on the family tree. According to Popular Science, significantly more men than women can move both ears at the same time.


How to wiggle your ears.

Do you dream of being able to wow people at parties and entertain small children by wiggling your ears? Daniel J. Strauss, a professor of neuroscience and neurotechnology at Saarland University Hospital in Germany, says it’s possible. "In a recent study, we provided visual feedback — some sort of display of muscular activation on a screen — which could help people 'train' specific ear muscles,” Strauss told Life Science.

Gillian Margonis, a popular TikTok user, claims she taught herself how to wiggle her ears while bored in high school. Here’s her step-by-step process for getting the wiggles going.

1. Notice when your ears move

If you feel a slight movement of your ear muscles when holding back a smile, those are the muscles you should focus on. "After you recognize when it happens, look out for it," Margonis says.

2. Focus on your newly-discovered muscles

"Try to use those same muscles and see if it makes your ear move," she said. "You're probably only going to be able to do one or two wiggles until you gain control of the muscle enough to wiggle your ears as much as you want."

@gillianmargonis

I know my ears are big!!! thank u for 550k :-) ily

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Popular

Dad's heartfelt lunch message shows how simple, everyday acts can change lives

You can make a huge difference by using O Organics.

via Meg Sullivan (used with permission) and Canva/Photos

A volunteer hands out food in a food bank and Meg Sullivan shares her dad's kind gesture.

When we consider people who have had a positive impact on the world, we often think of those who have made grand gestures to improve the lives of others, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Greta Thunberg, or Mahatma Gandhi. Unfortunately, that type of effort is out of reach for the average person.

However, O Organics would like to remind everyone that they can positively impact the world through small, consistent acts of kindness that add up over time. Much like how a small creek can create a valley over the years, we can change lives through small, consistent acts of kindness.

O Organics is dedicated to the well-being of all by nourishing people everywhere with delicious organic foods grown by producers who meet USDA-certified organic farming standards.

Upworthy's Instagram page recently posted a touching example of everyday kindness. Meg Sullivan shared how her father, Tom, peeled oranges for her lunch just about every day from kindergarten through high school. But on the final day of her senior year of high school, he sent his 17-year-old daughter unpeeled oranges with a touching note about how she’d have to start peeling them for herself.



“It’s Time Baby Girl,” he wrote on a wikiHow printout on how to peel an orange with a drawing of himself crying. For the father, this daily ritual was about more than just making lunch; it was about showing that he cared by going the extra mile. “I could have put money on her lunch account,” Tom told Today.com. “But it’s one of those little things I thought was important, that she knows somebody’s taking the time to take care of her.”

The small, daily gesture taught Megan an essential lesson in kindness.

The post reminded people how their fathers’ small acts of kindness meant so much to them. “My dad peeled my oranges until I graduated high school, too. Now, I peel my daughter’s oranges and will for the next 7 plus years,” Katie wrote in the comments. “Love this. My dad peeled mine, too. When I moved out, he gave me an orange peeler gadget,” Mary added.

o organics, albertson's giving backO Organics has a wide array of foods and flavors covering almost everything on your shopping list.via Albertson's

Did you know that every time you go to the supermarket, you can also change the world through small gestures? O Organics not only allows you to feed your family delicious and nutritious organic food, but each purchase also gives back to help people and communities facing food insecurity.

Through contributions from customers like you, O Organics donates up to 28 million meals annually. The company’s contribution is essential when, according to the USDA, 47.4 million Americans live in food-insecure households.

O Organics has a wide array of foods and flavors covering almost everything on your shopping list. “Over the years, we have made organic foods more accessible by expanding O Organics to every aisle across our stores, making it possible for health and budget-conscious families to incorporate organic food into every meal,” Jennifer Saenz, EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer at Albertsons, one of many stores where you can find O Organics products, said in a statement.

O Organics now offers over 1500 items, from dairy products such as eggs and milk to packaged meats and breakfast staples such as cereal bars, granola and oatmeal. You can also enjoy affordable organic produce with O Organics’ fresh salads and fruit.

Everybody wants to make the world a better place. With O Organics, you can feed your family healthy, organic food every time you go to the market while paying it forward by contributing to the company’s efforts to end food insecurity nationwide. That’s a small, daily gesture that can amount to incredible change.

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Parenting

Mom shares 4-part secret to making her home "the house" for her son and his friends.

Con: They eat all your food. Pro: You'll learn to know and trust the people they spend their time with.

hi.im.amywhite/Instagram

I grew up in "the house." In high school, my home was the designated place where my friends gathered, sometimes in big groups, sometimes just my small core squad. My three best friends spent the night there almost every Friday and/or Saturday night for four years straight. We devoured Totino's frozen pizzas by the dozens, inhaled soda, and laid waste to any snacks or leftovers that were brave enough to exist somewhere in the kitchen. Not only that, but my house was pretty small — four teenage boys took up a lot of space in the living room (the whole thing) and made a lot of noise playing video games deep into the night. It must have driven my parents and older brothers crazy. It's a wonder anyone put up with it.

Or, so I thought when I was younger. When I became a parent myself, I started to understand a little more why my mom and dad were so willing to host and feed me and all my friends every single weekend. Why the outrageous grocery bill and constant chaos in the house was probably a small price to pay.

One mom has perfectly encapsulated why turning her home into "the house" for her son and his friends was so valuable and exactly how she did it.


Giphy

Amy White shared a reel on Instagram showing her college-aged son hanging in her dining room with a group of friends playing cards. The text overlay reads "What makes your kids high school friends want to come over, play cards & spend the night on their College Christmas Break". I think most parents can agree that we want our kids to keep coming home as long as possible! So how exactly did White pull this off?

Her explanation in the caption was spot-on.

First, White says that you have to start early. Become "the hang out house" in high school or even earlier. Then you have a better chance of holding onto the mantle into your kid's college years.

Next, be ready to stock the house with snacks and drinks, and don't make a fuss when your kid's friends have at it. "The kids knew we had food," she writes, "BUT they also knew I didn't care what they had. They knew they could eat anything in my pantry and fridge."

Third, and this is a big one, don't mistake being the "cool house" for being "the house." Some parents choose to allow their underage kids and friends to drink alcohol under their supervision, but you don't have to bend your morals and the law to lure the squad over to your place. Pizza and Coke is plenty to keep most teens happy. "We were not the house that served alcohol or even allowed the kids to bring alcohol to our house. And Guess What?? The kids still came and wanted to hang at our house!"

Fourth, always say Yes (as often as possible, anyway) when your kids want to have friends over. "They know my answer is 99% of the time YES," White writes. "You have to have your kids take the leadership of offering your home and if your home was 'open' to their friends in high school, they know it will be 'open' to their friends in college."

As a bonus tip, White pleas with parents not to worry about the mess having friends over makes. "I love a clean house and organization, BUT I would much rather have a crazy messy house for the kids where memories are made than a quiet house with nothing going on just to keep my house 'clean.'"

White writes, "It's worth being 'the house', so let go of control & get to know your kids friends." Commenters agreed.

White's video went viral to the tune of 8.5 million views and hundreds of comments. Parents shared their own experiences of what it's like being the default hang out house.

"Our house was the high school hangout for my son and friends... every weekend... I loved it!! Miss it now that they are all college graduates and have moved away. I love seeing them when they do come home for the holidays"

"A wise man once said don't be the house with the alcohol. Be the house with the food."


Teenagers will ravage your kitchenMichael Richards Eating GIFGiphy

"Amy 1000% agree!!! My house is full of teenagers on the weekends and I love every bit of it. Even though I wake up to a kitchen that looked much different from when I left it"

"we never allowed alcohol, drugs, bad language, always respectful, and guess what, our house was always the house where the kids hung out. First my daughter, then my son. Through grade school, high school, then when my kids went out of state for college their college friends would come spend a couple weeks during the summer. I always thought of it this way, I loved knowing my kids friends and, who knows, maybe some of those kids, especially during the younger years, just maybe those kids just needed an adult to care. Anyway, it was always fun to have them here!"

"It used to crack me up when my daughter would bring over a bunch of her friends (girls and boys) in high school and instead of hanging out in the family room they all wanted to crowd into either the kitchen with me or our tiny office and happily share all the gossip with me."

Experts say that knowing your kids' friends, and their parents, can have huge benefits. Not only will it bring you the peace of mind of knowing where your kid is and who they're with when they get to those crucial high school years, it has been shown to tangibly improve kids ability to create positive relationships and problem-solve collaboratively. Plus, it can actually be really fun! Kids and teens are the funniest, silliest, most interesting people on the planet. Having a house full of them is messy and loud, but it's always a good time.

Just "Don’t feel bad if your house isn’t the chosen house," one commenter reminds us. "Just be happy your kid has a good group of friends and be thankful they have somewhere safe to hang out."

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Music

Usher reveals his most requested song ever in the UK. It has Americans and Brits questioning reality.

"This song is the Beans on Toast version of Usher!"

Ames Friedmanderivative|Wikimedia and Gage Skidmore|Wikimedia

Usher reveals UK's most requested song; Americans never heard it.

Everyone has their favorite song by their favorite artist. Oftentimes, it's a song that's so familiar to other people that it's fun to sing along at karaoke or to shout in unison at a concert because nearly everyone knows the lyrics. International superstar, Usher Raymond, who only uses his first name, has been making hits since he was just 13-years-old, so it's hard to find a song in his discography that you haven't danced to.

Recently Usher sat down with Disney alum, Keke Palmer on her podcast, Baby, This is Keke Palmer, where she asks the singer burning questions fans want to know. One of the questions was, "What's one song from your discography that you're tired of performing but fans won't let go of?" Palmer immediately jumps in to follow up with, "Is there any song that you feel that way about with all your songs?"

The answer to the question didn't just shock and confuse Palmer, it caused bicontinental confusion when the episode aired: "When I'm in Europe they like me to perform a song called 'Pop Ya Collar,'" the singer shared. Palmer admits to not remembering the song and asks him to give a demonstration on what it sounds like but after reluctantly hitting one or two notes, Usher immediately appears miserable and stops singing.

gif of Usher saying "Yeah, Man" Try It Team Usher GIF by The VoiceGiphy

A British woman, Yasmin Evans shared the clip on TikTok with her confused reaction to hearing the song is only popular in the UK. "What is happening? You're telling me people in the US or other places in the world don't rate 'Pop Ya Collar'? I cannot. I cannot. Hold on," she exclaims before playing a clip of the music video.

Evans is in for an even larger shock. Not only is the song not popular in the United States, most people haven't even heard of it all on this side of the pond. Turns out the song was never released outside of the UK, so Americans haven't had any exposure to it and they were quick to point that out in the comments.

@yasminevans__ I’m SHOOK. I did the research and this is true facts?! Well, I’m here to tell you you’ve been missing out and I now consider myself top 5 Usher fans in the entire world. Anyway, see you April 2nd bestie 🫶🏽 @Usher Raymond ♬ original sound - YasminEvans__

"Sorry to that song…it could be playing on the radio and I wouldn’t know a thing," somebody writes, cleverly referencing one of Keke's greatest moments-turned-meme.

"America here. From Atlanta. Usher fan. Never heard this song before," another says.

"USHER DONT EVEN KNOW THE SONG WE ALL CONFUSED," one person exclaims in all caps.

"I’ve seen usher twice and have been listening to him since a child. I’ve never heard this song before in my life," another American shares.

gif of Usher performingUsher GIF by Recording Academy / GRAMMYsGiphy

Another Brit chimed in with equal confusion as Evans, "This is criminal! How can she not remember Pop Ya Collar?! Such a tune."

Someone else from the UK is also in disbelief, "WHATTTTTTT im outraged. That’s like my fave usher song."

Another user shares that the song went platinum in England and was constantly played on MTV. People on two separate continents were absolutely flabbergasted and feeling a bit bamboozled. Someone suggested that England must be in a different universe because it appeared that Usher didn't even know the song in question. But there's a simple explanation for why this song that seems so uncharacteristic of Usher is popular in the UK and unheard of in the US–musical preference.

Turns out the song was leaked in the United States before it came out and it was extremely unpopular it so it didn't get officially released. But in the UK, the song became the lead single on the 8701 album and fans learned the words to "Pop Ya Collar" while Americans were belting "U Remind Me" lyrics. So, no, there's not alternate universe, nor is there an Usher doppelgänger in the UK. This is all the result of a Napster leak that ultimately revealed Americans were not the right audience for that song.

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Celebrity

Selena Gomez is once again a reminder on why we shouldn't comment on people's bodies

Someone else's body is none of your business.

Photo Credit: Condé Nast|Wikimedia

Selena Gomez is a reminder on why body comments are off limits.

Commenting on someone's body should be off limits. Whether someone loses weight, gains weight or a stranger is larger than average or smaller than average, it's generally ideal to keep the opinion of someone else's body to yourself. But it seems that this is a hard lesson for people to learn, especially when it comes to celebrities.

Selena Gomez is often under scrutiny because of her appearance. Growing up in the public eye, people know she's has always been on the thinner side and feel obligated to point out when she gains weight without taking into account that she's no longer a 14-year-old child. The speculation and comments had reached such a point that Gomez decided to tackle it head on.

The "Love You Like a Love Song" singer took to social media and addressed her changing appearance in February 2023 where she explained that her lupus medications cause excess water retention.

"When I’m taking [the medicine], I tend to hold a lot of water weight and that happens very normally, and then when I'm off of it I tend to kind of lose weight," the star says in a resurfaced video of her TikTok live.

But for some reason, viewers once again seem to feel the need to discuss how thin she has gotten after seeing her on the red carpet for the SAG Awards. Several people accused the star of being on Ozempic, a diabetes medication that has been controversially used in recent years to double as a weight loss drug.

When an X account dedicated to updates on the star posted a side by side of Gomez last year and this year exclaiming that she's "aging like fine wine" and critics wasted no time to jump into the comments, with one writing, "I don't think ozempic is good for her lupus...."

Another writes, "Ozempic at work. I’ll put her on my Deadpool list," while another says, "Sag Awards proved all the Hollywood starlets are on Ozempic."

Many of the medications used to treat lupus cause weight gain, especially prolonged use of steroids like prednisone, which is often prescribed to treat lupus flares. As Gomez explained in 2023, the medications cause weight gain often through water retention and not an actual increase in fat deposits, so it makes sense that when she is no longer taking the medications, she drops the weight quickly.

The general public has also gone after Lizzo for her slimmer appearance in recent months, which has left some of Lizzo's fans confused. In previous years she was consistently attacked for being "too fat" while not being afraid to show off her larger figure. The singer became vegan in 2020, increased her dedication to working out and drinking plenty of water, and slowly began shedding the pounds over the years. Once her weight loss was evident, she too has been accused of using Ozempic by those who have not been following along on her five-year weight loss journey.

This sort of stuff doesn't just happen to celebrities either. You'll notice comments on social media about a stranger's body or witness it happen in the wild. I recently encountered this at a local nail salon when the woman was finishing up my manicure and during the hand massage portion decided that it would be the appropriate time to tell me I needed to eat something because, "your hands are so boney they're hurting me to massage you." Seems like a strange thing to say to someone who hasn't left a tip yet, but also strange to say to a stranger you've never met before, or to anyone at all.

Like Gomez, anyone could be going through something you know nothing about, whether it be an autoimmune disorder, which Gomez and I have in common, an eating disorder, chemotherapy, PCOS, or insulin resistance. There are many reasons people's bodies are thin, fat, or fluctuate but unless that person specifically asks for commentary on their physique, it's rarely ever appropriate to opine on someone else's body.

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Family

Emotional video shows a dad having one last hug with his son before an arm amputation

Nothing can change the love shared between them.

Photo credit: Canva

Certain moments hit different when you know they'll be your last.

Rarely in life do we get the gift of knowing certain moments will be our last. Imagine how we might savor them, if we did. It would probably look a lot like this video below, shared by Isla Rachel on TikTok, which shows her husband Shaun enjoying one last cuddle with their son before receiving an arm amputation.

In an interview with Newsweek, Isla shared that her partner was diagnosed with sarcoma in May of last year, which resulted in a tumor that had developed in his chest that affect blood supply to his right arm. Unfortunately, after several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation surgery was the only viable option. And with that, very little chance of being able to spare the arm.

While Shaun was apparently “at peace” with the situation, it obviously didn’t make it less emotional. And in the clip, which quickly racked up nearly 600,000 views, we can feel that as he uses both arms to lift his child in the air, and offer his copious hugs and kisses.

@islarachael The bravest, strongest, most incredible man that we’re so lucky to call ours. #cancer #sarcoma #amputation #surgery ♬ These Memories - Hollow Coves


"It meant everything to him to be able to lift Archie up and see him smile. It gives him the motivation to get through anything," Isla told Newsweek. "I felt very emotional watching it happen, but so proud of my brave and courageous husband."

Understandably, people were moved. And so many, including those who have had similar experiences, reached out to offer support.

“It’ll just be a different kind of huggle,” one person encouraged. Meanwhile another shared, “my dad has sarcoma and had his left arm amputated at shoulder two years ago! He has adapted well. Yes things are harder but he finds a way. Wishing you guys nothing but good vibes and healing thoughts.”

Many also tried to reassure Shaun that while life might look a little different, his kid will love him all the same.

“My kids have seen my wife go through cancer. While she didn’t lose limbs, she did change a lot physically. Throughout it all, they have been amazing with her. Kids don’t care. They just love,” one person wrote.

Another shared, “My dad had a horrible accident before I was born. All I knew was him after the accident, he was a great dad. Your kiddo will only know dad after, and will look up to and love their dad just the same.”

Still another echoed, “I know it’s not the same but if it eases your minds to know about how your kids will feel, my father was born missing his arm at the elbow and his other hand was missing a digit and the hand and arm were a bit differently formed. My sister and I never thought about it twice. He still hugged us and we played and roughhoused and lived it up. It was just one more cool thing about my dad that made him awesome.”

And just to drive this point home, Isla recently posted a follow-up video of Shaun, post-surgery, holding his boy while jumping joyously on a trampoline.

@islarachael Replying to @oliviaaaasl amen!! #cancer #sarcoma #amputation #amputee @Shaun Lemberg ♬ Sweet Love - Myles Smith

Life changes, but love can be an amazing stabilizer during even the most difficult of transitions.

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Science

5 reasons platypus are the world's weirdest mammals, not including the egg laying thing

They have venomous spurs and sweat milk?!?

Photo credit: Canva

Platypus are like the Frankenstein's monster of the animal kingdom.

The diversity of life on Earth is mind-boggling. Scientists have identified over a million different species, but they estimate that it's less than 15% of the total number of species that exist in our world. We've barely scratched the surface of what creatures we share the planet with, and yet the variety of animals we know about is absolutely wild.

Among nature's weird animals, though, one stands out at perhaps the strangest—the platypus. The famed oddity from Down Under is known for being one of the tiny handful of mammals that lay eggs, but that's only the beginning of their weird quirks. Here are five reasons platypus might just be the most anomalous animal ever.

1. British scientists thought they were a hoax

Perhaps the most telling indicator that platypus are weird is that even actual animal researchers were in disbelief when they were first introduced to them.

Around 1799, biologist George Shaw was working in the natural history department of the British Museum when he received a pelt and drawing of a mysterious creature from the continent of Australia. It appears to be part duck, part otter, and part beaver—a Frankenstein's monster of an animal, essentially—and it was so strange that Shaw and others questioned if it was even real. After cutting into the pelt in various places to look for stitches, he determined that it was not a scientific hoax but a genuinely unique species.

drawing of a platypusDrawing of a platypus from 1799Frederick Polydore Nodder (public domain)

To be fair, it genuinely does look like it's just a bunch of random animal parts all stitched together, so we can't really blame them for being skeptical.

2. They're venomous

At least the males are. Spurs on the back of male platypus feet look a bit like dog's canine tooth and contain a clear, slightly venom. If you get stung by a platypus, you won't die, but you will be in a lot of pain—worse than childbirth, according to a woman who was stung by one—that could last for weeks. The localized swelling can last for months, and if you're super lucky you'll get some muscle wasting as well. Morphine and other standard analgesics won't relieve the pain, either, but nerve-blocking drugs can help. Neat, huh?

You're not likely to be attacked or stung by a platypus, however. The main thing to remember is to never pick up a male platypus from below, as touching its belly can trigger the spur response. (Or, you know, play it safe and just don't try to pick up a platypus.)

3. They 'sweat' milk

Platypus are mammals, which means they produce milk to nurse their young. Only problem is they don't have nipples. How does that work?

two baby platypusEven as babies, platypus look like a weird mish-mosh of a creature.Photo credit: Canva

Specialized mammary glands produce milk that oozes from a platypus's skin, much like sweat. As aquatic animals, they don't actually sweat at all, but it's the easiest way to describe how their milk comes out. As it's secreted, it pools into creases in the platypus mother's skin, where her babies—colloquially and adorably known as puggles—lap it up from her fur.

4. They're almost completely blind and deaf when they hunt

Platypus have eyes and ears that work fine on land, but these semi-aquatic creatures hunt in the water. When they go underwater, they keep their eyes closed most of the time, and flaps covering their ears close, rendering them mostly blind and deaf. So how are they able to locate the bottom-dwelling invertebrates they feed on (insect larvae, crustaceans, worms, and mollusks) when they can't see or hear?

Platypus use electroreceptors in their bills that detect electrical fields in their prey. Waving its head back and forth in the water like a metal detector, it can sense the direction and distance of its snacks.

platypus underwaterPlatypus use electroreception to hunt.Photo credit: Canva

5. They glow under black light

Platypus are about as "boring brown" as an animal can come, which allows them to blend into their natural environment easily. However, that drab coat is hiding a fun little secret: it glows under UV light.

Biofluorescence is common among some species, but exceedingly rare among mammals. Flying squirrels and opossums were the only two mammals known to glow this way prior to the discovery that platypus do it. Black lights make platypus glow a lovely blue-green color and no one knows why. Another delightful mystery.

All of that on top of the fact that they're a monotreme—a mammal that lays eggs—one of only five species with that claim to fame. No wonder they continue to surprise researchers just by being their cute, quirky selves.

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