Jessika Toothman

Jessika Toothman

HowStuffWorks

Jessika has lived all across the U.S. — in Washington, New York, Wisconsin, Colorado and, of course, Atlanta. There, she earned two undergraduate degrees from Georgia State University, one of which is in print journalism, but after spending some time in the newspaper biz, she decided the web was where it's at.

As a former staff writer and blogger for HowStuffWorks, Jessika enjoys painting, expanding her vegetarian recipe repertoire, walking her cat and spending afternoons by the pool. She's also a junkie for modern American literature, although she pours over nonfiction books from time to time, too.

Recent Contributions

After years of hard work and loyalty, some computers must finally retire. But since they can't take a pension and move to Florida, where do old computers end up?

By Jessika Toothman & Desiree Bowie

Distressed birds will peck out their feathers until they expose their flesh to infection. Whales will die stranded on beaches for no obvious reason. But do animals willingly end their own lives?

By Jessika Toothman

All animals might not be able to speak, but they certainly have other ways of communicating. How do animals pass on information to their own species, and how do they pick up cues from other members of the animal kingdom?

By Jessika Toothman

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Letting a house slip into disrepair is a surefire way to decrease its value -- but what are some of the more subtle qualities that can lower a home's worth?

By Jessika Toothman

Kids go crazy with the crayons? Co-workers leave a trail of scuff marks wherever they walk? Erasers made with melamine foam might be just what you need. How do these erasers get the stains out? And are they really magic?

By Jessika Toothman

You may not have given it much thought, but your hair dryer is specially designed to prevent bad things from happening to you and your head. Why is it that your hair dryer doesn't get too hot to hold? And how does it avoid burning your scalp?

By Jessika Toothman & Ann Meeker-O'Connell

Can your mirror lie? Though loved ones reassure you that your appearance is normal, all you see is your flawed, monstrous reflection. This is life with body dysmorphic disorder.

By Jessika Toothman

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There's no livestock in space farming, but growing plants in space could allow for long-term exploration and settlements. And with this farm, you don't need to watch where you step.

By Jessika Toothman

The blood in your veins is blue. Glass is a slow-moving liquid. If you touch a baby bird, its mother will abandon it. Not so fast –- if you learned any of those "facts" in school, what you learned was wrong.

By Jessika Toothman

Human activities (such as leaving a campfire unattended, discarding lit cigarettes, debris burning and intentional arson) are among the top causes of wildfires.

By Jessika Toothman & Yara Simón

It's not cool when a ghost drags you out of your hotel bed. Unless, of course, you're into that kind of thing. What hotels provide such fright?

By Charles W. Bryant & Jessika Toothman

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Before leaving work, you'll need to check the traffic report. Lately, a disruptive T. rex has meant some adjustments to your commute. What other changes would be in store if dinos roamed the Earth?

By Jessika Toothman

We'd like to think we're pretty clever, but when you correct for body mass, dolphin brains aren't far off from our own. What cognitive skills do dolphins possess, and could they really be our intellectual equals?

By Jessika Toothman

The birds stop chirping, and the wind chimes are silent. This eerie calm that's invaded your neighborhood is just a temporary pause before the shrills and shrieks of the incoming storm.

By Jessika Toothman

Witch homicide aside, Dorothy was lucky that her home safely traveled to Oz after the tornado. Many people who lived through the storms on our list were left with nothing.

By Jessika Toothman & Nicholas Gerbis

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Happiness is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, it can also be elusive due to stress or depression. However, strategies abound that you can use to trick yourself into being happy. Ready for 10 of them?

By Josh Clark & Jessika Toothman

Pollen grains are, in essence, plant sperm. But how do the grains get where they need to go, and what's the advantage of trusting your genetic future to the winds?

By Jessika Toothman

Famine might bring to mind historical tragedies or modern media coverage of tiny children with swollen bellies. But how does the unimaginable -- a widespread loss of food -- actually happen?

By Jessika Toothman

A society run by women doesn't have to be the mirror opposite of one run by men. What does a matriarchy look like, and is it possible you're already living in one?

By Jessika Toothman

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Once scientists discovered that some members of the great ape family could recognize their reflections in mirrors, academics began to wonder whether these animals were actually conscious of themselves. That debate continues today.

By Jessika Toothman & Sascha Bos

Never wish a jockey good luck by saying "break a leg." Horses with broken legs might face a grim future, but does that mean they must be euthanized?

By Alia Hoyt & Jessika Toothman

The only thing that's lurking in the shadows during a lunar eclipse is the moon. When Earth's shadow blocks sunlight from directly illuminating a full moon, you're witnessing a lunar eclipse.

By Jessika Toothman

If your idea of photographing the stars has nothing to do with Hollywood, you might be interested in astrophotography -- the sky's literally the limit.

By Jessika Toothman

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Smokejumpers are the men and women who specialize in fighting blazes their ground-bound peers can't reach. So who are they, and what's the "Mutilator"?

By Jessika Toothman

You can't flush and forget with a composting bucket toilet, but you can rest easy knowing you're turning a dangerous waste product into something potentially beneficial. But what are the logistics, and how do composting toilets differ from latrines?

By Jessika Toothman