Journey of Everything

Why Humans Get Hiccups and the Man Who Hiccupped for 68 Years


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What if one pig-lifting moment in 1922 triggered 68 years of nonstop hiccups? Explore the tadpole-powered science of hiccups and the wild true story of Charles Osborne in this oddly fascinating episode.

Why do humans get hiccups? Discover the strange science behind this annoying reflex, including the evolutionary tadpole theory and the true story of Charles Osborne, the man who hiccupped nonstop for 68 years after lifting a pig.

From ancient amphibian breathing patterns still wired into our nervous system to bizarre home remedies and what persistent hiccups might signal medically, this episode dives deep into one of the body’s quirkiest leftovers. Babies hiccup in the womb, evolution forgot to delete the glitch, and one unlucky farmer turned it into a lifetime soundtrack—find out why your diaphragm still throws occasional tantrums.

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Journey of EverythingBy Joseph Bogart & Russell Hess