This is so dumb it can't possibly be true, right? Have you tried the "Hanger Challenge" yet? Because it's all over TikTok . . .
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All you do is take a coat hanger . . . wedge your head in it, so the hook points to one side . . . then close your eyes . . . and your head will involuntarily start turning.  (???)
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Most people who've tried it are shocked when it actually WORKS. And there's some science to back it up.Â
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It's a real thing called the "hanger reflex" that was first documented in 1991.
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A study in 2015 tried it on 120 people, and it worked on 96% of them. For some reason, your head tends to want to turn away from the hook.  (We've seen videos of people's head turning toward the hook too though.)
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Scientists still don't know why it happens, but it's not just about seeing the hook in your peripheral vision. In one study, researchers built a ridiculous-looking hat to test different pressure points on people's heads.  (Here's a video.)
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They were able to recreate the coat hanger reflex with it. So that apparently has something to do with it.Â
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