Alia Hoyt

Alia Hoyt

Contributing Writer

Alia is an Atlanta-based freelance writer who has contributed content to HowStuffWorks for going on a decade now, with a specialty in health writing. She’s also been published by TLC, Animal Planet, and a number of corporate clients. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!), and might someday get around to setting up a professional website. Until then, check her out on LinkedIn.

She and her husband are proud parents to three handsome, too-smart-for-their-own-good boys. Alia is a passably not terrible tennis player, lover of all things dance and music, brownie-obsessed, avid reader and off-key car singer. Her two favorite types of people are those who have a healthy sense of humor and those who actually read articles in their entirety before posting comments.

Recent Contributions

A new study shows that belief in perceiving patterns correlated strongly with belief in conspiracy theories and the supernatural.

By Alia Hoyt

You've probably had ice stick to your hand when you pull it out of the ice maker. But why is that?

By Alia Hoyt

Next time the cat starts sneezing, should you look for your umbrella or check her out for allergies? There are many superstitions out there about animals and weather prediction. Which ones hold water, and which ones are for the birds?

By Alia Hoyt

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Liminal spaces, like empty corridors or abandoned malls, can seem eerie and mysterious, yet compelling. Why do they have that effect on us?

By Alia Hoyt

Many items enjoyed by people of all abilities were originally designed to help people with disabilities. Here are some inventions you may use every day that were originally for the disabled community.

By Alia Hoyt

In the last few decades, there's been a sort of arms race to build ever-taller skyscrapers. Which seven currently rank as the world's tallest buildings?

By Alia Hoyt

Cream of tartar isn't just for angel food cake! In fact, cream of tartar uses go well beyond the kitchen, helping you remove stubborn stains, relieve constipation, and so much more. Read on to explore its possibilities.

By Alia Hoyt

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A tiny critter with a snout, known as the weevil bug, may be crawling around your pantry. And if there's one, there could be thousands! But how do you get rid of weevils? Let's find out!

By Alia Hoyt

Sure you can shove your food on any shelf in the fridge it will fit on. But stacking it the right way will help the food last longer.

By Alia Hoyt

You may have spotted these insects in your home. But are they bad to have around? And how do you get rid of them?

By Alia Hoyt

Winter time often means hauling out the humidifier to improve air quality. But ignoring the cleaning instructions could add to your health problems.

By Alia Hoyt

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This pretty flower has been known for centuries to have chemicals that can regulate your heartbeat but also poison you.

By Alia Hoyt

It's not uncommon for your bathroom to occasionally have bad odors. But when you smell sewage, that's usually not a good sign.

By Alia Hoyt & Beth Brindle

Indigo children are either here to save the world or need help with their undiagnosed ADHD, depending on your point of view. We explore this New Age concept in more detail.

By Alia Hoyt

Although not as annoying as itchy bump-inducing mosquitoes or stinging wasps, the so-called "June bug," or June beetle, can still bring its own brand of trouble, come late spring.

By Alia Hoyt & Austin Henderson

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Orchids might be the sexiest flower in the greenhouse. Its very name comes from the Greek word for "testicle!" And its reproduction methods are pretty exotic too.

By Alia Hoyt & Desiree Bowie

If the garment you bought at a close-out sale turns out to be too large, or if you've lost weight, it's better to shrink clothes than to buy new ones. So how do you do it?

By Alia Hoyt

Although the day of turkey, football and gathering together has remained a distinctly American holiday, the shopping day afterward has gone global in a big way. How did that happen?

By Alia Hoyt

You may know that baking soda can be used to clean stuff and to make toothpaste, but we've rounded up 13 creatives uses for the product, many of which might be new to you.

By Alia Hoyt

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An unsightly stain on your favorite shirt or dress can be such an annoyance. Learn how to get stains out of clothes.

By Alia Hoyt & the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Zulu Time is a shorthand for describing a time that is the same no matter where you are in the world. So, how does that work?

By Alia Hoyt

Everyone's familiar with the green-eyed monster called jealousy. But why do people have those feelings?

By Alia Hoyt & Sascha Bos

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Does everyone have a double out there somewhere that they don't know about? Science says the odds are pretty slim.

By Alia Hoyt

This white-hot metal not only makes beautiful jewelry, it's coveted for industrial, medical and military purposes too.

By Alia Hoyt & Desiree Bowie