SO THAT'S WHY WE DO THAT!

Where did all these common habits and inventions come from?

- Karuna Eberl

WALKING 10,000 STEPS (OR AIMING TO!)

This benchmark of maintaining good health started with one of the first personal fitness pedometers. The Manpo-kei hit the market in the 1960s, around the time the Tokyo Olympics boosted public interest in fitness. Its name, which translates to "10,000 steps meter," was a catchy marketing move by manufacturer Yamasa, since the Japanese character for 10,000 (5) looks a lot like a person walking.

While hoofing it obviously improves health, the target of 10,000 steps was never based on actual science. However, several recent studies have proved it to be mostly true. Research shows that middle-aged men and women who walk at least 8,000 steps per day were about half as likely to die prematurely from heart disease or develop dementia. Also, amblers had a greater likelihood of dodging strokes as well as 13 types of cancer. Counterintuitively, anything over 10,000 didn't produce much more benefit, but even walking a total of just 3,000 or 4,000 steps on top of your daily routine can lower your risk of premature death by about 40%. So what are you waiting for? Lace up a pair of sneakers and get outta here.

HAVING ESCAPE-RELEASE LATCHES INSIDE CAR TRUNKS

A few nights before Halloween 1995, Janette and Greig Fennell had just pulled into their garage in Northern California when two armed men forced them into the trunk of their Lexus. As they headed south, Janette clawed at the carpeting, exposing wires, trying to see what had become of their baby, Alex, who was in the backseat at the time of the abduction.