Facts About Our Everyday Lives That Will Leave You Speechless

 


The world can be a strange place. Even the most mundane, uninteresting, everyday stuff can turn out to have a weird backstory—or perform something you didn't realize they could.


It turns out, that things you've taken for granted or that appear regular can startle you when you delve a little deeper. With that in mind, here are 10 odd little facts that will most certainly surprise you.


1. Humming while holding your nose is impossible.


To generate the humming noise, you need to send air through your larynx, which is why you can't exhale while holding your nose and closing your mouth. When you can't exhale, you can't do it. Even so, it feels strange.


2. When you shake ketchup, it becomes 1,000 times thinner.


There's a scientific reason to give your ketchup a thorough shake before pouring it on your fries: The more you shake it,  the thinner the consistency becomes. Why? When shaken, spherical tomato particles become thinner ellipses, making your ketchup 1,000 times runnier.


3. Cell phones are loaded with bacteria


While it's doubtful that mobile devices will cause cancer or cause a gas station fire, as legends might suggest, they have been proven to be contaminated with bacteria. According to British scientists, the average cell phone has 18 times more potentially hazardous bacteria than a men's restroom toilet handle. When was the last time your phone was disinfected? 


4.  Dogs can smell cancer


It's not for nothing that they're known as "man's best friend." Researchers discovered that dogs can identify a unique scent produced by cancer in a person that is undetected to humans. So, if your dog is acting strangely around you, it's possible that you need to see a doctor.


5. Naps Could Help You Live Longer


According to studies, taking a nap in the middle of the day can help you be more creative, focused, and alert for the remainder of the day. However, according to one study, they can also lower your risk of a heart attack. Those who napped regularly were found to be 37% less likely than those who worked straight through the day to die of a heart attack or other coronary condition.


6. Newborns Don't Shed Tears


Infants' tear ducts do not fully develop until they are one to three months old, making it impossible for them to shed tears. It's no surprise that kids have to cry a lot to convey their feelings. 


7. The only animals that enjoy spicy foods are humans.


Humans are the only creatures who prefer spicy food, which is an evolutionary enigma that scientists have struggled to explain. Eating painful peppers does not appear to have any health benefits (though some studies suggest it may help fight fungus), so the best argument some have proposed is the thrill factor—similar to the fact that we are the only animals who enjoy roller coasters and scary movies. 


8. Humans are also the only animals with shrinking brains.


Our brains shrink as we age, and cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia can result. However, as far as experts can tell, we are the only species that experience this shrinkage. Other species, even near evolutionary relatives like chimps and rhesus monkeys, have shown no analogous behavior.


9. Sesame seeds were once more valuable than gold.


Sesame seeds were so valuable in the Middle Ages that they were worth more than their weight in gold. They're nutrient-dense and delicious, but many civilizations believed they also had magical or spiritual elements that brought good luck and fortune. Isn't it true that you'll never pick them off your hamburger bun again?


10. Polar bears aren't white; they just have a glow about them.


Polar bears have a reputation for being so white that they can blend in with the snow, but the truth is that they aren't white at all. Their skin is black, and their fur has hollow, transparent hairs. So, why do they appear to be white? When light strikes their fur and becomes caught inside the hollow area of the hair, a reaction known as luminescence occurs. Furthermore, salt particles adhere to the bears' fur and act as light scatterers.



We think we had you rethinking everything you thought you knew for sure! 



Anshika Bansal