Some suggested that the pharaoh's curse was biological in nature.

• Lab studies have shown some ancient mummies carried mold, including Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus, which can cause congestion or bleeding in the lungs.


• Bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus may also grow on tomb walls, causing lung problems.

However, the idea that an underground tomb, after 3,000 years, would have some microorganism in it that would kill somebody weeks later is highly unlikely.

The difference between Denmark and the rest of Europe may be attributed to their time spent interacting with their communities because Danes leave work early whereas most Europeans stay at work until 5:30 p.m., leaving no time for after-work gatherings or family dinners due to long hours at the office.

It isn’t surprising that hygge (the Danish way of creating intimacy) involves spending time with loved ones since touching others makes us feel warm and secure by releasing oxytocin into our bloodstreams, which causes bonding feelings between parents and children.

You can think of the dialogue you write as being the conversations that real people have—the kind you would overhear someone having if you were hiding in a closet in their house."

One of the best ways to get a feel for how people actually talk is to pay attention to how people talk in the real world.