“To keep your he-man jaw muscles from smashing your precious teeth, the only set you have, the body evolved an automated braking system faster and more sophisticated than anything on a Lexus. The jaw knows its own strength. The faster and more recklessly you close your mouth, the less force the muscles are willing to apply.”

American author of popular science and humor

Mary Roach is an American author of popular science and humor. She is known for writing bestselling books that turn science into accessible, often playful nonfiction. 138 quotes on the site. Her books include Stiff, Spook, Bonk, Packing for Mars, Gulp, Grunt, Fuzz, and Replaceable You, all New York Times bestsellers. Her work often explores unusual corners of science, from human cadavers and the afterlife to sex, space, digestion, war, nature, and anatomy.