Random Facts So Interesting You will be amazed to know Part 1
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Bees are notorious for their stings, but humans aren't the only ones who experience this pain in the neck (or the arm, or the leg…). In protecting their hives from outsiders, some "guard bees" will stay by the entrance and sniff the bees that come in, says Marianne Peso from the biology department of Macquarie University. If there's a rogue bee from another hive trying to steal some nectar, the guard bee will bite and even sting the intruder.
2. Kids ask 300 questions a day.
A 2013 U.K. study from online retailer Littlewoods.com observed young children and recorded the questions they asked the adults around them. The children tended to turn to their mothers for answers, and these moms could end up answering an average of nearly 300 questions per day, or one question every two-and-a-half minutes, the study found. The moms reported that the hardest questions they were asked included "Why is water wet?" and "What are shadows made of?"
3. The total weight of ants on earth once equaled the total weight of people.
Entomologists have estimated that there are at least one million trillion insects and only one percent of that number is ants, according to the BBC. And if you took all those ants (about ten thousand trillion) and put them on one side of a giant scale, you could almost put all of the people in the world onto the other and balance things out. Unfortunately, as humans have become heavier, this probably wouldn't hold up today—but it once did. Francis Ratnieks, professor of Apiculture at the University of Sussex, told the BBC this might have held true around 2,000 years ago.
4. "E" is the most common letter and appears in 11 percent of all english words.
Try writing out a few sentences—anything at all. Now take a minute to look at how frequently each letter in the alphabet appears. Chances are you'll see a lot of the letter "e." That's because the commonly used vowel appears in around 11 percent of all words in the English language, according to Oxford Dictionaries. The next most popular letter was "a," which appears in around 8.5 percent of all words. The least common letter is "q," which appears in just 0.2 percent of words.
5. A dozen bodies were once found in Benjamin Franklin's basement.
But were you aware of the fact that multiple skeletons were found in the basement of Benjamin Franklin's London home? The bones were discovered during a 1998 renovation of the house and were identified as being from nearly a dozen people, including six children. "The most plausible explanation is not mass murder, but an anatomy school run by Franklin's young friend and protege, William Hewson," wrote The Guardian.
That's not to say there wasn't any funny business going on. "The resurrection men could deliver bodies stolen from graveyards to the Thames wharf at the bottom of the street, while there was a weekly public execution at the gallows on the other side of the garden wall," the publication reported.
6. The healthiest place in the world is in Panama.
A small valley near Volcán in Panama has garnered the distinction of being the world's healthiest place to live, according to a 2018 report by International Living. Called Shangri-La Valley, the area is home to beautiful scenery, a low cost of living, and a significantly longer life expectancy than the surrounding areas. All in all, the world's healthiest areas have some common factors, according to the ranking: a warm climate, an active social scene, healthy food, and a slower pace of life that makes for less daily stress.
7. A pharaoh once lathered his slaves in honey to keep bugs away from him.
The pharaohs of ancient Egypt were believed to be literally divine. The word pharaoh itself means "great house," as in the house of God. In fact, King Pepi II, who supposedly ruled for 90 years, thought so highly of himself that when he was bothered by insects, he would command that one of his slaves be covered in honey to lure the flies away from himself.
8. Some people have an extra bone in their knee (and it's getting more common).
If you were under the impression that the human body had finished evolving, think again. It turns out that some people have a bone in their knee called a fabella. And while this particular little bone with an unknown purpose was once fading away, over the last century and a half, it's gotten more common. Back in 1875, nearly 18 percent of people examined had a fabella. That number dropped to 11 percent by 1918. However, by 2018, 39 percent of individuals had this mysterious bone.
9. Pringles aren't actually potato chips.
The next time you see a can of Pringles, take a closer look—you won't see the word "chip" anywhere on the packaging. That's because Pringles aren't made of thinly-sliced potatoes, but instead dehydrated potato flakes pressed into their signature parabolic shape. That's what makes them less greasy. But when other potato chip manufacturers complained, the Food and Drug Administration ruled that Pringles couldn't be marketed as chips. The company eventually settled on "potato crisp."
10. There's a giant fish with a transparent head.
The deepest levels of our oceans are some of the least explored areas of the planet. Because of the extreme pressure, cold, and dark at these depths, only the very strangest of creatures can survive there. These include giant tube worms, vampire squids, goblin sharks, and viperfish with teeth so long that they can't close their mouths. Perhaps the strangest, though, is the barreleye, a large fish with a completely transparent head.
Apples originally come from Asia. The first pies were baked in Medieval Europe. Even the concept of putting apples in pie traces back to a recipe from England in 1381. Nevertheless, the phrase "as American as apple pie" turned up by 1924 and became a common saying during the years of the Second World War.
12. Pigs are constitutionally protected in Florida.
First written in 1838, the Constitution of the state of Florida guarantees the right to privacy, the freedom of speech, and the right of pregnant pigs to be free from cages. Unlike many crazy or outdated laws, this amendment is recent (passed in 2002) and comes from a well-meaning place: the prevention of cruelty to animals. During pregnancy, a pig must not be caged or even tethered such that it can't turn around freely.
13. Mr. Cherry breaks all the records you've never heard of.
Japan's record breaker for most records broken is Cherry Yoshitake, a children's entertainer who goes by "Mr. Cherry." In 2018 alone, Mr. Cherry set one-minute records for the most pairs of underwear pulled on (36), the most baked beans eaten (71), and the most apples bobbed (37).
14. Sweat doesn't actually stink.
You might notice that any sweat you produce right after a shower doesn't smell so bad. That's because your sweat itself isn't stinky; it's the bacteria on your skin that breaks the sweat down that causes the odor. Additionally, you'll find that the sweat on your arms and legs doesn't smell as much as your armpits. That's because sweat glands in your armpits secrete more protein into a dark, damp environment—the perfect place and food for bacteria.
15. Some planets produce diamond rain.
Saturn and Jupiter are gas giant planets that produce a truly unique form of weather. Recently, scientists discovered that there is plenty of carbon in these atmospheres. When carbon soot gets hit by lightning, it hardens into graphite and falls downward, where the pressure of the atmosphere hardens it further, until it becomes… a diamond! Storms on these planets may literally rain diamonds as big as a centimeter across.
16. Sharks can live for five centuries.
Greenland Sharks are known to be some of the oldest living animals in our world. Researchers did carbon dating on a Greenland Shark that was caught in 2014 and found it to be around 392 years old. Further testing revealed that our fishy friends could be up to 500 years old. Yes, that would mean that our geriatric friends would have been alive when Leonardo Da Vinci painted the "Mona Lisa."
17. There's an entire town under a rock.
If you've ever been accused of "living under a rock," you'll feel right at home in Setenil de Las Bodegas in Spain. Many of this tiny town's 3,000 residents live and work and play in a gorge beneath a huge rocky outcropping, where homes are built right into the rock. It provides so much shelter that historians think this area has been occupied by human settlements since the Stone Age.
18. It is illegal to sell a "bounceless" pickle to somebody in Connecticut.
This law put Connecticut Librarians in quite the pickle. The law actually arose as a legend and the people demanded the truth. For hours, librarians in the state scanned past archives of laws within the state until one librarian eventually found the truth in the Hartford Courant. The law was in fact an ordinance that was created in 1945 to thwart pickle packers Moses Dexler and Sidney Sparer. These two men were selling inedible pickles, so laboratories conducted experiments and found that if it doesn't bounce, don't eat an ounce!
19. The Bermuda Triangle isn't any more likely to cause a mysterious disappearance than anywhere else.
This area in the North Atlantic Sea is also called "The Devil's Triangle" because it is an area of the ocean that stretches between the tip of Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. It has been thought to seemingly swallow up ships and aircrafts. Explorers as far back as Christopher Columbus have reported odd occurrences, like fireballs in the sky (that turned out to be a meteor crashing).
But historians, scientists, and the U.S. Coast Guard have proven that vessels are no more likely to disappear in the Bermuda Triangle than they are anywhere else in the ocean. Many prior disappearances have been demystified as remains of numerous wrecks were discovered or explained by weather patterns in the area at that time.
20. There's a world record—and a happy ending—for the greatest distance thrown in a car accident.
This is one world record you may not want to try and top. A car traveling 70 miles per hour struck Matthew McKnight, an off-duty paramedic, when he stopped to help out with an accident on the side of an interstate in 2001. He was thrown 118 feet, almost half a football field.
Your angsty teenage dreams of being the most original, unique person alive could actually come true! Grab a deck of cards and shuffle. Most likely, you will have created a combination of cards that had never existed yet until that moment. Any math experts out there know that this is because the probability comes out to 52 factorial or 52! (52 x 51 x 50 … x 2 x 1). The probability that two card shuffles are exactly the same is so small, it likely will never happen.
22. There is an immortal jellyfish.
When it's an adult, the "Immortal Jellyfish," scientifically named Turritopsis dohrnii, can transform its cells back to its childhood state. This usually happens when it is physically harmed, sick, or even when it is starving. The jellyfish evolved this skill in order to survive throughout history, specifically when latching onto ships. Since it can hitchhike, its DNA has spread and the not-so-rare species is emerging all over the world.
23. America accidentally dropped an atom bomb on South Carolina in 1958.
In March 1958, a B-47 plane was headed to the United Kingdom and was armed with an atomic bomb. This bomb was even bigger than the "Fat Boy," the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki.
During the flight, the pilots noticed a fault light, so one of them decided to check it out. In doing so, he accidentally released the emergency pin, watching in horror as the bomb dropped to the ground. The good news was, the critical part of the bomb needed to set it off was still on the plane, so it never exploded.
24. Baby blue whales grow 200 pounds per day.
Blue Whale calves grow 200 pounds per day for the first year they are alive. They can move at a brisk pace of five miles per hour when fully grown, but can get up to 20 miles per hour if need be. They can also hear up to 1,000 miles away in the ocean.
25. Actor Bill Murray uses a 1-800 number instead of an agent or manager.
Bill Murray is famous for starring in movies like the original Ghostbusters (1984) and Groundhog Day (1993). But anyone in Hollywood who's interested in working with him must first navigate a somewhat strange situation in order to get his attention. That's because the star uses a mysterious 1-800 number instead of an agent or manager.
"You just call the 1-800 number," filmmaker Theodore Melfi, who directed Murray in St. Vincent (2014), told USA Today. "You have to record the message and send the message. I started calling once a week … He never called back. I finally called his lawyer and said, 'I'm trying [to] reach Bill.' And he goes, 'What number do you got?' And I go, 'I've got the 800 number.' And he goes, 'Well, that's what I got.'"
26. Cats once delivered mail in Belgium.
In the 1870s, the city of Liège, Belgium, attempted to employ 37 felines as mail carriers, according to the BBC. Messages were tucked into waterproof bags that the kitties would carry around their necks. However, while one cat apparently made it to its destination in under five hours, the other felines took up to a day to complete their journeys. Due to the fact that the cats weren't particularly reliable and definitely weren't speedy, the service didn't last very long.
27. It's a myth that people are either "left-brained" or "right-brained."
You may have been told at some point in your life that you're either left-brained or right-brained. The story goes that "people who are left brain dominant are more quantitative, logical, and analytical, while right-brained individuals are more emotional, intuitive, and creative free spirits," writes Psychology Today.
However, this theory isn't true. "On the contrary, most behaviors and abilities require the right and left sides of the brain to work together to achieve a common objective," the website explains. So while you may have certain qualities and characteristics that define you who are, they have nothing to do with which side of your brain you use more. You can thank both sides of your noggin for contributing to your unique personality.
28. Women are attracted to the scent of Good & Plenty licorice candy and cucumber.
Perfumes and colognes offer alluring aromas, but it turns out that there is another smell combination that is likely to turn a lady on. One 2005 study by the Smell and Taste Treatment Research Foundation found that the most "attractive" scent for women was Good & Plenty licorice candy combined with cucumbers. The smells of cherries and barbecue were turn-offs, but "banana nut bread also had positive effects."
29. There's a device that creates energy from snowfall.
It's pretty darn impressive that scientists have been able to harness energy from the sun, wind, and water, providing us with all kinds of alternative sources of power. And now they've managed to create energy from snowfall. According to a 2019 study in the journal Nano Energy, engineers and chemists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have developed a device made of silicone that can harness a charge from static electricity.
"Snow is positively charged and gives up electrons, while silicone is negatively charged and accepts the electrons," IFL Science explains. "So, as the snow lands on the silicone, a charge is produced and then captured." Think of it like the spark of energy you create when you rub a balloon against your hair.
30. A mermaid "documentary" once fooled so many people that the U.S. government had to issue a statement.
In 2013, Animal Planet aired Mermaids: The New Evidence, a documentary—or rather, a mockumentary—that "proved" the half-human-half-fish beings exist. And while the program was fake, plenty of the 3.6 million viewers that watched believed that the fictional claims were real. In fact, so many people were fooled that the U.S. government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a statement on its website addressing the confusion, saying: "Mermaids: The New Evidence is just entertainment. No evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found."
You may not recognize the name Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, and that's because he was famously (or infamously) known by his nickname, the Sundance Kid. The American outlaw, who was born in 1868 and was killed in 1908, took his now-historical moniker from the only town that put him behind bars: Sundance, Wyoming. He was jailed there when he was just 15 years old for stealing a horse and was sentenced to 18 months. The Sundance Kid went on to join the Wild Bunch, a group of robbers and rustlers who ranged through the Rocky Mountains in the late 19th century.
32 Eating your offspring may be a sign of good parenting in some species.
The thought of any creature devouring its babies may be horrific to us, but for some animals, such as certain fish, reptiles, and amphibians, that's not the case, according to 2019 research published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. Among these creatures, sacrificing some of their young via cannibalism may be a way to help their other offspring survive when overcrowding becomes a problem.
33. The word "MacGyvered" is in the Oxford English Dictionary.
The original MacGyver series that ran from 1985 until 1992 featured a main character who could fashion pretty much whatever his heart desired with random objects. As a result, we've been using the word "MacGyvered" as an adjective meaning "adapted or improvised in an ingenious or expedient way." And in March 2019, the term was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary. It only took 34 years!
34. Kentucky has more bourbon than people.
If bourbon is your drink of choice, then you might want to plan a road trip to Kentucky. The state is not only responsible for 95 percent of the world's bourbon, according to The Atlantic, but there is also so much of it that the 4.7 million barrels in the state's distilleries outnumber the 4.3 million people living in the area.
35. Jupiter's red spot is getting taller and smaller at the same time.
Jupiter's red spot is almost as well-known as the planet's remarkable rings. But the spot, which is, in fact, a storm, has been shrinking for a century and a half. Although NASA can't predict what will happen to the storm that was "once big enough to swallow three Earths with room to spare," they do know that it "seems to have increased in area at least once along the way, and it's growing taller as it gets smaller."
36. Scientists have partially revived disembodied pig brains.
In April 2019, a team at Yale was able to restore partial functionality to the brains of decapitated pigs for 10 hours or more after the animal's death. Neuroscientist Nenad Sestan, who participated in the experiment, explained that the result might allow us to "better understand how brain cells react to circulatory arrest" and "test whether some cellular functions can be restored in the brain after death."
37. Astronauts in space are exposed to the same amount of radiation as 150 to 6,000 chest x-rays.
When astronauts leave Earth, they face a range of factors that affect them physically. That includes the intense amount of radiation that they're exposed: According to NASA, it's the equivalent of anywhere between 150 to a staggering 6,000 chest X-rays.
38. Beaver bum goo is occasionally used to enhance vanilla flavorings.
The next time you eat something that flaunts the rich flavor of vanilla, you might want to be aware of—or do your best to ignore—the fact that castoreum, a goo that beavers excrete to mark their territory, is sometimes used to enhance the flavor of vanilla in food, according to National Geographic. The goo is "generally regarded as a safe additive" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but you'll probably never come across it in real life because it's difficult and expensive to collect.
39. The U.S. almost went to war with Canada over a pig.
In 1859, the U.S. almost went to war with Canada because of a pig. Just a few years after the Oregon Treaty was signed to end a border dispute between America and Britain (which still ruled over the area that came to be known as Canada), things got a little heated on San Juan Island where citizens from both countries were located. Historic UK explains that "a pig belonging to the British accidentally wandered onto the land of Lyman Cutlar, an American farmer. When Cutlar noticed the pig eating some of his potatoes he was incensed, and in a fit of rage shot and killed the pig."
Despite efforts to resolve the situation between the two men, things spread into the rest of the community and got to the point where the governor of British Columbia sent three warships to the area. The two sides continued to increase their military force over the following month until British Navy Admiral Robert L. Baynes arrived and ended things by stating that he would not "involve two great nations in a war over a squabble about a pig."
40. Tornados used to be called "twirlblasts" and "twirlwinds" in the 18th century.
If you lived in the 18th century, you might have referred to tornados using the words "twirlblast" or "twirlwind." Honestly, we might need to bring these back!
Do you get the feeling that there are more twins around these days than there used to be? No? Well, you should, because according to a new study in the journal Human Reproduction, the "twinning rate" has increased by one-third since the '80s—up from 9 to 12 twins per 1,000 deliveries. Currently that adds up to about 1.6 million twins born each year across the world—meaning one out of every 42 babies is a twin. Helping drive this is the increasing use of medically assisted reproduction, and the delay in childbearing (twinning has been found to increase with a mother's age).
42. A narwhal's tusk reveals its past living conditions.
Much like the rings of a tree can tell you its age and provide clues about the life it has lived, so too does the long tusk of the narwhal. Recent research led by a bioscience professor at Denmark's Aarhus University has shown that this peculiar arctic whale adds a layer to its distinctive tusk each year. And not only do these layers offer insight into the age of the narwhal (they've been known to live up to 50 years) but the conditions in which they lived—such as level of pollution, temperature levels, and even what their diet consisted of. You are what you eat!
43. The first person convicted of speeding was going eight mph.
According to Guinness World Records, the first person to be charged with speeding was Walter Arnold of the English village of Paddock Wood, Kent. On Jan. 28, 1896, Arnold was spotted going four times the speed limit in his 19th-century Benz—but since the speed limit at the time was just two miles per hour, that meant he was not going too fast by today's standards. The constable had to chase him down on his bicycle, issuing a ticket for £4 7s and earning Arnold the speedy distinction.
44. "New car smell" is the scent of dozens of chemicals.
Few odors are as pleasing as "new car smell"—and not just because it's nice to be in a brand new car. But while the scent may be strangely satisfying, the fact is that it's pretty much just a combination of 50+ chemicals (known as "volatile organic compounds") that are released into the car, decaying quickly over time. The concentrations found in a typical new car aren't dangerous, but among the VOCs that make up much of that new car smell are those found in nail polish, auto fuel, and petroleum.
45. The world wastes about 1 billion metric tons of food each year.
Food waste is a huge problem. How big? About 931 million metric tons. That's how much food that researchers with the United Nations estimate was wasted in 2019, according to the Food Waste Index Report 2021, which surveyed 54 countries, finding that the majority of wasted food (61%) comes from homes while restaurants and other food services produce 26% of wasted food. Grocery stores make up just 13% of food waste. If you need a pick-me-up, read through these 50 Feel-Good Facts Guaranteed to Make You Smile.
46. The severed head of a sea slug can grow a whole new body.
It sounds like something out of a horror film, but it's all too real: The Elysia cf. marginata, a type of sea slug, has been found to not only survive decapitation, but to be able to grow a whole new body from it. Ecologists at Nara Women's University in Japan found that, a few hours after having their heads severed from their bodies, the snails' heads were already nibbling on algae as if nothing had happened. In about 20 days, one-third of the sea slugs studied had fully grown back their bodies—heart included.
47. Hair and nails grow faster during pregnancy.
A surprising side effect of pregnancy is that nails and hair grow faster than usual. This is due to changes in hormones as well as increased blood circulation and metabolism supplying nutrients. According to Amy O'Connor, writing for What to Expect, a pregnant person's hair also "might feel thicker and look more shiny and healthy than usual." Though she warns that it can occasionally mean that the expecting "may suddenly sprout strands in places [they'd] rather not."
48. The world's smallest reptile was first reported in 2021.
Those who think everything on the planet has already been discovered might just not be looking close enough. A tiny chameleon discovered in northern Madagascar and measuring just 28.9 millimeters is believed to be the smallest reptile on Earth. The itty bitty chameleon was recently discovered and reported in the January 2021 issue of Scientific Reports. But there's one thing about these critters that's big for its size: The genitalia of the males measures almost 20% of its body length.
49. Many feet bones don't harden until you're an adult.
Feet are enormously complex parts of the body. Each foot contains 26 bones, as well as 33 joints and 19 muscles, which work together to allow for a huge range of motion and movements. But many of these bones remain cartilage throughout a person's childhood, slowly ossifying into bone as the years go on. According to the Ontario Society of Chiropodists, all of the bones in the foot don't completely harden until a person is about 21 years old! And for more trivia to keep you sharp, sign up for our daily newsletter.
50. Some sea snakes can breathe through their skin.
You might think that it's just fish that have gills, but there are several species of sea snake that breathe through their skin as well. For example, the Hydrophis cyanocinctus has been found to breathe through the top of its own head. It has a small hole and collection of blood vessels at the top of its head for picking up oxygen from the seawater and sending it to the reptile's brain while it moves underwater.
51. The heads on Easter Island have bodies.
The iconic stone heads protruding from the ground on Easter Island are familiar to most, but many don't realize what lies beneath the surface. In the '10s, archaeologists studying the hundreds of stone statues on the Pacific Island excavated two of the figures, revealing full torsos, which measure as high as 33 feet.
52. The moon has moonquakes.
Just as earth has earthquakes, the moon has—you guessed it—moonquakes. Less common and less intense than the shakes that happen here, moonquakes are believed by U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists to occur due to tidal stresses connected to the distance between the Earth and the moon.
53. Goosebumps are meant to ward off predators.
Why do we get goosebumps? In this physiological reaction, small muscles attached to individual body hairs contract, which leads the hair to stand on end. We inherited this ability from our ancestors in part as a way for our (then) coat of body hair to capture air beneath it and in that way retain heat. But, as George A. Bubenik, a physiologist and professor of zoology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, explained to Scientific American, it also caused our ancestors to appear bigger than they were, helping to ward off predators when they were frightened or on the defense. With modern humans having less body hair, goosebumps no longer cause us to look that much more intimidating.
54. There's no such thing as "pear cider."
"Wait," you're probably thinking, "I had pear cider last week." Actually, "cider" is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented apples, and only apples. Alcoholic beverages can be made from pears, but that drink is known as "perry." The drink was popular in England for centuries but fell out of favor during the second half of the twentieth century. That turned around in the 1990s when the drink was rebranded as pear cider.
55. Pineapple works as a natural meat tenderizer.
The fruit is packed with the enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein chains, making it an ideal marinade for meats when you don't have a lot of time. But for the same reason, pineapple does not work for jams or jellies, since the enzyme breaks down gelatin as well. The bromelain is so strong that pineapple processors have to wear protective gloves, otherwise over time the enzyme eats away at the skin on their face and hands, leaving dry skin and small sores.
56. Humans are the only animals that blush.
We are also believed to be the only animal that feels embarrassment—a complicated emotion requiring understanding others' opinions and other factors. Charles Darwin called blushing "the most peculiar and most human of all expressions," while Mark Twain said, "Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to."
57. The feeling of getting lost inside a mall is known as the Gruen transfer.
We've all heard how casinos are designed to deliberately disorient visitors, causing them to lose track of time and where exactly they are. But did you know that there's a similar strategy behind the design of shopping malls as well? Officially known as the "Gruen transfer," this phenomenon was named after Austrian architect Victor Gruen, who identified how an intentionally confusing layout could lead to consumers spending more time and money in a shopping venue (though he would later disavow the approach).
58. The wood frog can hold its pee for up to eight months.
Talk about having to go! Wood frogs in Alaska have been known to hold their urine for up to eight months, sticking it out through the region's long winters before relieving themselves once temperatures increase. The urine actually helps keep the animal alive while it hibernates, with special microbes in their gut that recycle the urea (urine's main waste) into nitrogen.
59. The hottest spot on the planet is in Libya.
Specifically, the hottest spot ever recorded on Earth is El Azizia, in Libya, where a temperature of 136 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded on Sept. 13, 1922. While hotter spots have likely occurred in other parts of the planet at other times, this is the most scorching temperature ever formally recorded by a weather station.
60. You lose up to 30 percent of your taste buds during flight.
This might explain why airplane food gets such a bad reputation. The elevation in an airplane can have a detrimental effect on our ability to taste things. According to a 2010 study conducted by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics, the dryness experienced at a high elevation as well as low pressure reduces the sensitivity of a person's taste buds to sweet and salty foods by about 30 percent. Add that dry cabin air affects our ability to smell, and our ability to taste is reduced further.
61. Your nostrils work one at a time.
When we breathe in and out of our nose during the day, one nostril does most of the work at a time, with the duties switching every several hours. This "nasal cycle" is dictated by the same autonomic nervous system that regulates heart rate, digestion, and other unconscious bodily functions and is the reason why—when our nose gets stuffed up—it does so one nostril at a time.
62. Only two mammals like spicy food: humans and the tree shrew.
While humans have long had the rare distinction of being the only mammal that actually enjoys spicy food, that list has seen a new addition, as a study by Chinese researchers found that tree shrews have a mutation in their ion channel receptor, TRPV1, which makes it less sensitive to the "hot" chemical in chili peppers. As a result, the adorable critters happily gobbled up corn pellets laced with capsaicin (the compounds that give peppers their spice) while other mammals in the study avoided them.
63. A chef's toque contains 100 folds.
Most diners are too busy looking at their food to look all that closely at what the preparer is wearing, but the toque—the traditional hat worn by chefs—actually contains exactly 100 folds. This is not just a nice, round number: it is said that these folds represent the number of ways to cook an egg, though an investigation by Bon Appetit failed to track down where that saying originated.
64. Rabbits can't puke.
Unlike cats or other animals that can cough up hairballs when they digest too much fur and other indigestible materials, rabbits are incapable of spewing. Their digestive system only goes one way, so the furry critters swallow plenty of roughage, which keeps things moving in the right direction.
65. The "M's" in M&Ms stand for "Mars" and "Murrie."
That would be Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie, the two businessmen who created the candy-coated chocolates. The two actually had a very contentious relationship, as Mars leveraged Murrie out of his 20 percent share in the company in 1949—years before M&Ms would become the best-selling candy in the U.S., paying him just $1 million for a share of business that would quickly be worth billions.
66. The human body literally glows.
It might be hard to see with your naked eye, but everyone you pass by every day is literally glowing. The human body emits a small quantity of visible light ("visible" in the technical sense—the illumination is about 1,000 times less intense than levels of light that we would actually be able to see). Researchers in Japan used a special camera to track this glow and found that it fluctuates throughout the day, with the body emitting its lowest levels of light around 10 a.m. and highest at around 4 p.m., a rhythm the scientists attribute to the changes in one's metabolism.
67. Copper door knobs are self-disinfecting.
Copper and its alloys, such as brass, have long been popular materials for manufacturing door knobs. It turns out, this may not just because the metal's hue makes it look nice. In fact, the material has been found to kill bacteria. According to one study from the National College of Kathmandu in Nepal, "the metal ions denature protein of the target cells by binding to reactive groups resulting in their precipitation and inactivation. The high affinity of cellular proteins for the metallic ions results in the death of the cells due to cumulative effects of the ion within the cells." In other words, brass sterilizes the bacteria that can build up from all those (potentially unwashed) hands that grip it.
68. Cotton candy was invented by a dentist.
It is not known whether William Morrison had an ulterior motive for inventing the soft confection, but the dentist no doubt helped ensure others in his profession continued drawing in plenty of customers. In 1897, he partnered with candy-maker John C. Wharton to develop the cotton candy machine (which at the time was known as "Fairy Floss"), and it's been bringing kids cavities ever since.
69. Marie Curie is the only person to earn a Nobel prize in two different sciences.
The pioneering researcher won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 (shared with her husband) for her study of spontaneous radiation, and then won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911 for her work in radioactivity. That makes her one of just six recipients to receive multiple Nobel prizes, and the only person to receive it in two different sciences. (Chemical engineer Linus Paulding earned a Nobel Chemistry Prize and Nobel Peace Prize, but all other multiple winners received theirs in the same category).
70. Fingernails don't grow after you die.
Despite what you may have seen on other lists of random trivia, your fingernails and hair do not, in fact, continue to grow after you die. To grow, these must have a steady supply of glucose, which is cut off after the heart stops beating, preventing any further growth. In fact, the skin around the hair follicles and nails dehydrates after death and partly retracts, which can make them appear longer.
71. The English word with the most definitions is "set."
According to Guinness World Records, "set" has the largest number of meanings of any word in the English language, with 430 different senses listed in the 1989 edition of Second Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. The word "sets" the record with an entry running 60,000 words, or 326,000 characters, and no other English word has come close since.
72. Creedence Clearwater Revival has the most No. 2 Billboard hits—without ever hitting No. 1.
John Fogerty's swamp rock band has the odd distinction of having seen more of its singles hit No. 2 on the charts, without ever hitting No. 1, than any other musical act. Between March 1969 and Oct. 1970, the band scored five No. 2 singles on the Billboard Top 100—"Proud Mary," "Bad Moon Rising," "Green River," "Travelin' Band," and "Lookin' Out My Back Door"—but never saw one of its songs get to the top spot. No other act has topped this dubious honor since.
73. Pigeons can tell the difference between a painting by Monet and Picasso.
In a 1995 study published in the Journal of Experimental Analysis of Behavior, researchers reported being able to train pigeons to discriminate between paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso when shown slides of their works that they had previously never seen before. When the Picasso images were inverted, the little art connoisseurs could still tell it was a Picasso. Maybe that's why they like landing on statues so much.
74. The dot over the lower case "i" or "j" is known as a "tittle."
That tiny dot above lower case "I" and "j" letters has an actual name: tittle. It is thought that the phrase "to a T" is actually derived from the phrase "to a tittle"—a phrase that was used in the same sense dating back to the early 17th century. (The first recording of the phrase is in the 1607 play Woman Hater by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, in which the line reads, "I'll quote him to a tittle.")
75. Chewing gum boosts concentration.
Next time you are having trouble focusing, you might want to reach for a stick of gum. A 2013 study in the British Journal of Psychology found that those subjects who chewed gum while taking part in a memory challenge were able to stay focused for longer periods of time than those who did not chew gum.
76. Superman didn't always fly.
The original comic book Superman could leap tall buildings in a single bound. But then he had to come right back down to Earth—because he didn't fly. It wasn't until the 1940s, when animators for a new animated series decided it would be too difficult to routinely draw him bending his knees, that it was decided that Superman could take off into the air. Readers got to see smooth animation, and a superhero gained a new power.
77. The first computer was invented in the 1940s.
These days, supercomputers are everywhere—and they really don't need much space at all. Have an Xbox One posted up in your living room? That's a supercomputer. A laptop-tablet hybrid in your bag? That's a supercomputer, too. (Don't even get us started on the thing in your pocket…) But when supercomputers first came around, they needed much, much more space. Just take a look at the world's first one: The Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC).
Originally built at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering, in 1946, ENIAC weighed 60,000 pounds and took up a room larger than most studio apartments (1,500 square feet). Shortly after construction, ENIAC was sent off to the military, where it was used to calculate ballistic trajectories (translation: launch missiles) with frightening accuracy. Today, computer experts at Penn credit ENIAC with heralding in the "dawn of the information age."
78. Space smells like seared steak.
When you see footage of astronauts floating peacefully in space, do you ever wonder, What do space smells like? Well, according to some former astronauts, space does have a distinct odor that hangs around post-spacewalk. They've described it as "hot metal" or "searing steak."
79. The longest wedding veil was the same length as 63.5 football fields.
When Maria Paraskeva, a woman from Cyprus, got married in August 2018, her goal wasn't just to say "I do." She was also determined to set a record.
"My dream as a child has always been to break the Guinness World Record title for the longest wedding veil," she explained. She fulfilled her dream by wearing a lace veil that stretched 22,843 feet and 2.11 inches, or as long as 63.5 football fields.
80. The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.
While Scotland proudly boasts the Loch Ness Monster, one of the world's most famous fabled creatures, the country opted to make another mythical beast its national animal: the unicorn. Although this might seem like an odd choice, Visit Scotland explains that unicorns played an integral role in the country's history. Back in the 12th century, William I used the "proud beast" in the Scottish royal coat of arms.
81. There's a decorated war hero dog.
While in the trenches of World War I, the U.S. First Infantry Division found themselves unable to communicate with other troops because shellfire had damaged the telephone wires. A young private came up with a unique solution: Rags, a mixed breed terrier whom the soldiers had adopted in Paris, would carry the messages from one division to the next tucked into his collar. He saved many lives, and when Rags passed away—in Maryland, at the very advanced age of 20—he was buried with military honors.
82. Showers really do spark creativity.
Showers aren't just good for your hygiene—they're good for your creativity, too. For a 2012 study published in the journal Psychological Science, researchers gave volunteers creativity problems to solve followed by a period of rest. During that period, some were assigned demanding tasks, while others did simpler tasks that allowed their minds to wander (just like a shower does). Those doing the simpler tasks during the resting time were more likely to solve the original creativity problems.
83. Abraham Lincoln's bodyguard left his post at Ford's Theatre to go for a drink.
You already know that Abraham Lincoln was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth while watching a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. But what you might not have been aware of is that the president had a bodyguard named John Frederick Parker with him on that fateful night, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Unfortunately, Parker was a police officer with a less-than-stellar reputation. After arriving three hours late for his shift, the officer left his post protecting the president to get a drink at the Star Saloon next door to the theatre. It was during this time that Booth entered the box seats where Lincoln was sitting and shot the president.
84. Dolphins have been trained to be used in wars.
Dolphins are known widely as adorable, intelligent animals. What is not as widely known is that these crafty creatures were used by the U.S. and Soviet Union during the Vietnam War and the Cold War. Both countries studied the creatures for their sonar capabilities, but also trained them to detect mines, bring equipment to divers, find lost equipment, and guard submarines amongst other nifty tricks.
85. Playing the accordion was once required for teachers in North Korea.
The most popular instrument in North Korea is the accordion, so much so that all teachers used to be required to play to get their teaching certifications. Because the accordion is portable in a way that, say, a grand piano isn't, it was thought of as the "people's instrument" that could be taken outside and played for laborers in the fields.
86. Children's medicine once contained morphine.
If you were a baby in the middle of the 1800s and you cried while teething, your parents might have given you Mrs. Winslow's Soothing Syrup. This "medicine" claimed that "it soothes the child, it softens the gums, [and] allays all pain." It may have done plenty of soothing, but it was also extremely dangerous—this concoction, like many patent medicines of the time, contained morphine.
87. Plastic Easter eggs and plastic Easter grass were invented by a man who holds more patents than Thomas Edison.
If you've ever enjoyed an Easter basket with plastic eggs and grass, then you can thank Donald Weder, the man who invented both. Weder not only holds the patents on these holiday staples, he also holds a total of 1,413 U.S. patents—including ones for water-based inks, flower-pot covers, and decorative wrappers. That's compared to Thomas Edison, who held just 1,093 U.S. patents.
88. Water makes different pouring sounds depending on its temperature.
If you listen very closely, hot water and cold water sound slightly different when being poured. The heat changes the thickness, or viscosity, of the water, which changes the pitch of the sound it makes when it's poured. What we feel as heat comes from the molecules of the water moving faster. Cold water is thicker and therefore makes a slightly higher-pitched sound.
89. Most laughter isn't because things are funny.
Every culture in the world laughs, but surprisingly, most of our laughter isn't necessarily a response to humor. Less than 20 percent of laughter comes after jokes, according to neuroscientist Robert Provine; the rest is a reaction to regular statements and questions like, "How have you been?" The ensuing laughter, however brief, helps form social bonds since people who laugh together grow closer.
90. One man has saved more than 200 people from suicide.
It's a sad fact the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is a site where many suicides take place. However, one California Highway Patrol officer has done more to combat this problem than any other individual. Officer Kevin Briggs, who battles depression himself, has personally talked more than 200 people down from the proverbial ledge throughout his career. After retiring in 2013, Briggs wrote a book called Guardian of the Golden Gate and now goes on speaking tours to encourage public discussion of suicide and mental illness.