Jennifer Walker-Journey is a lifelong writer of most anything, including travel destinations, psychedelic and prescription medicines, public health issues and exotic foods. Aside from HowStuffWorks, her work has been featured in USA Today, Psychedelic Spotlight, PlanetSHINE, Better Homes and Gardens, Health, Shape, and Sea Island Life and Omni magazines. When she is not writing, she is running toward her last best time in hopes she'll be foolish enough to attempt another marathon.
Recent Contributions
There are eight major blood types and some are more common than others. But what's the rarest of them all?
Craft beer is big business. And breweries are banking on non-alcoholic beer as their new cash cow. But how do they brew beer without alcohol?
Saliva is not exactly the most appetizing of subjects, but it plays an important role in everything from how food tastes to how it is digested.
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If you think chainsaws were first invented to take down a swath of trees, think again. The real story is much more cringe-worthy and involves cutting bones during childbirth.
The Kola Superdeep Borehole is the deepest man-made hole on Earth. It's so deep, locals swear you can hear the screams of souls tortured in hell. Why did the Russians dig this deep, and why did they stop?
You might be surprised at how little of the world's oceans scientists have investigated.
Every December 23rd in the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, radishes come to life, as carvers compete for cash and bragging rights in this veggie-style Christmas tradition.
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Crinkle crankle walls undulate, mimicking the shape of a snake's slither. But what's the purpose of these wavy walls?
Adrenochrome has been linked to schizophrenia and the LSD counterculture movement. Now QAnon conspiracy theorists say it's part of a child sex-trafficking cult. So what's the truth behind this chemical compound?
Remember when seven strangers were picked to live in a house to work together and have their lives taped? We did find out people stop being polite and these 11 reality TV shows helped prove it.
Native Americans have quarried red pipestone from the land that is now Pipestone National Monument for centuries. What makes this particular stone so sacred?
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Pipes have a long history for Native Americans, and they're still revered and powerful. Just please don't call them peace pipes.
Nearly every cell in your body has the same DNA. It's the hereditary material located your cells' nucleus. But what does it do and why is it so important to all living beings?
We all know what Viagra does and why men use it — not to mention how much money this particular prescription drug has made over the years. But does it improve sexual health for women, too?
You may have heard of kava, or kava kava, and its calming effects, but how much do you know about its history and the risks associated with taking it?
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Is polio making a comeback in the United States and, if so, are you at risk? We talk to a doctor, who says that vaccination is key.
Your home is your most important asset. So shouldn't you know how likely it is to flood or burn in a wildfire? This interactive website will tell you. And it includes the effects of climate change in its answer.
From dining in the gondola of a hot air balloon to eating under the sea, here are five unique dining experiences you may not believe, but may want to try.
Believe it or snot, almost every living creature has some kind of mucus — because mucus does so many things. A study found mucus was so beneficial to mammals, it evolved independently in species.
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Haboobs are giant walls of dust that can come seemingly out of nowhere. How are they created and are they different from sandstorms?
Imagine being trapped in a cave or being completely blind. Would you know when to sleep and wake? And how would that throw off your body clock?
There's a lot of bad news on the internet and social media. And maybe you can't stop looking at it. Why is that and what can you do about it?
The tiny toy testers are the most valuable workers at Fisher-Price Play Lab. And they're behind some of the most successful toys in the business.
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Your mom may have told you to put bananas or peaches in a brown paper bag to help them ripen faster. But does this really work? And why would it?
Trovants, found only in a small town in Romania, are stones that actually seem to move and grow. But are they alive?