The food coma is real
Why Do We Feel Sleepy After Eating?
Feeling sleepy after eating is caused by blood flow shifts, hormone changes, and certain foods. Here is what is actually happening in your body.
Biology & Digestion
Why Does Your Stomach Growl?
Stomach growling is your intestines moving air and fluid through an empty or active gut. The medical name is borborygmi, and it happens even when you are not hungry.
Biology & Digestion
Why Do We Burp?
Burping releases swallowed air and fermentation gas from the stomach. The sound comes from the vibration of your upper esophageal sphincter as air rushes past it.
Biology & Digestion
Why Do We Fart?
Farting is the colon releasing gas produced by bacteria fermenting undigested food. Most of the gas is odorless. The smell comes from a tiny fraction of sulfur compounds.
Animal Behavior
Why Do Cats Eat Grass?
Cats are meat eaters, yet many still chew grass. The habit may help with hairballs, digestion, and an old instinct that never disappeared.
Human Body
Can the Human Body Digest Bones?
Your stomach acid is strong enough to dissolve metal. So what actually happens when you swallow a bone? The answer is more nuanced — and more interesting — than you expect.