11 Most Pointless Scientific Studies Ever

8. Why Woodpeckers Don't Get Headaches

To be fair, it's a good point. You'd probably get a headache if you spent all day smacking it against a tree, so what's the deal with woodpeckers?

Luckily, Ivan R Schwab became the hero that none of us asked for and made it his business to find out.

He begins, rather prosaically, with "Sometimes it seems that you are simply banging your head against a brick wall, as the frustrations of contemporary life seem to conspire against you", proving that, not only is he an upstanding member of the scientific community, but also the voice of a generation.

Spoiler alert: It's because their brains are packed tightly into their skulls, limiting lateral movement and reducing the risk of injury. The more you know...