You Can't Lick Your Elbow

Welcome to the human body, an incredibly complex machine that sits atop the food chain. But we humans aren’t stopping there. We’re continuing to unlock our hidden super powers every day. From ways to recover after exertion to how we can walk on fire, learn a few techniques to help you get the most out of… you!

If our bodies were built to survive – how come some of us don’t do such a good job at it? Explore how to get better – and last longer – at the game of survival. Whether you’re faced with a human threat or Mother Nature herself is attacking you – we’ve got your back! We’re going to show you some hacks and tricks that’ll increase your odds of surviving some of life’s more challenging situations.

The pair of organs on either side of your nose is one of your top tools for receiving information from the world around you. Often, our eyes tell us just about everything we need to know. But there are certain situations when the eyes don’t have it. Sometimes our eyes can deceive us — and we’re better off keeping them closed.

Do you control your body – or does it control you? Your body’s many automatic reflexes often make it feel like you're not in the driver's seat. If you’ve ever wanted to stop a sneeze, turn off your gag reflex, see without your glasses, hold your breath longer or be the last one to go pee, this is the You Can’t Lick Your Elbow episode for you.

Your senses tell you about the world around you, but they can be easily fooled. Taste, smell, hearing, sight and touch are not only interrelated – but they’re sometimes at war with each other. Learn the hacks you need to better coordinate and sharpen your senses – and change the way you perceive the world.

Do you control your body – or does it control you? Your body’s many automatic reflexes often make it feel like you're not in the driver's seat, but National Geographic shows you some ways that you can still be the boss of you by stopping a sneeze, turning off your gag reflex, seeing without your glasses, or even holding your breath longer.