People Break Down The Most Random Animal Facts They Know

Did you know that the blue-and-yellow macaw can live between 65 and 70 years? To put it simply: it will likely outlive a bunch of you (including me). It can also talk and bond very closely with humans.

It’s a pretty striking and fascinating animal. They’re also pretty readily available. I ran into a woman in the park the other day who had one perched on her shoulder!

But guess what? That’s just one of the multitudes of animals on this planet, and each one is cooler than the last.

That’s what we were so kindly reminded about after Redditor SerialNarcissist asked the online community:

“What random animal fact should everyone know?”

“If you’re camping…”

“If you’re camping and you hear an animal moving around, it’s probably a skunk or a beaver or a porcupine. Bears, moose, and other large animals are surprisingly sneaky.” ~ TypicalCricket

“The ones who don’t make it…”

“A Tasmanian Devil gives birth to dozens of babies, however, the mother only has four nipples. So it’s a race for those babies to reach one of them. The ones who don’t make it are then eaten by the mother.” ~ downvotecitybitch

“Dragonfly nymphs…”

“Dragonfly nymphs are aquatic and can launch their lower jaw like a grappling hook. They use this for hunting other pond-dwelling creatures before they leave the water. Probably the most badass thing in nature for a set of wings.

“That said they have a ridiculous hunt success rate, somewhere above 90%, so you best watch out if you’re a fly just enjoying your day.” ~ TheMadMellom

“You can tell which one…”

“Elephants can be left tusked or right tusked, similar to how humans are right or left-handed. You can tell which one an elephant is by the shorter tusk, if it’s a short right tusk then they’re right tusked and vice versa.” ~ CubsFan30

“A drone bee dies…”

“A drone bee dies immediately after mating with a queen due to powerful ejaculation, causing his penis to eject from his abdomen. He dies having the best orgasm of his life.” ~ insideoutcollar

“If a male clownfish loses his partner…”

“If a male clownfish loses his partner, he will develop female reproductive parts and mate with his male offspring.” ~ [deleted]

“An owl’s eyes…”

“An owl’s eyes are so large that they are immobile, they never develop any muscles for moving their eyes inside their sockets. Instead, they move their entire head.” ~ i-throw-socks-at-a-cat

“Penguins have a gland…”

“Penguins have a gland behind their eye that converts salt water into freshwater.” ~ Ozymandias200

“Leave them alone.”

“A moose will kill you. Like… Leave it alone.”

“It will gore you. It will kick you. It will headbutt you until you’re just a shredded corpse hanging from its antlers.”

“It will kill you in your car. It will kill you in a forest. It will kill you in a swamp.”

“You can’t just run one over with your car if it’s on the road. You can’t run away once it’s spotted you.”

“They are not nice, calm, or gentle creatures. They are massive, terrifying beasts. Leave them alone.” ~ [deleted]

“If you get bitten by a cat…”

“Cat bites are way more dangerous than most people think. A cat bite might not look like much from the outside, but their long, pointy teeth penetrate deep and are much more likely to cause an infection than a dog bite.”

“If you get bitten by a cat (like when trying to pet their tummy), always disinfect the wound, even if it doesn’t look bad.” ~ WarKiel

“They are part of a group of birds…”

“European magpies are the only non-mammal species able to recognize themselves in a mirror test.”

“They are part of a group of birds called Corvids which is basically the crow family, birds such as crows, ravens, rooks, magpies, jays, and jackdaws. Corvids are the most intelligent of all the birds and some of the most intelligent animals on earth.”

“Studies are revealing more and more about this amazing group of birds and their cognitive power easily rivals apes and monkeys –– if not surpasses them. Go check out some documentaries or read up on them… it’s fascinating!” ~ Spawkee

“Orcas hunt out of boredom…”

“Orcas hunt out of boredom and will often toss the dead body of a seal around as if it was just a ball.” ~ IDAbaffal

“Some species of shark…”

“Some species of shark, like the grey nurse shark, eat their siblings (or the egg cells that would have become their siblings) while still in the uterus, meaning they become cannibals before they’re even born.” ~ Poorly-Drawn-Beagle

“They don’t even have feet…”

“Maggots can climb walls. Those don’t even have feet but god damn they hustle around the room.” ~ iremovebrains

“Call ducks were bred…”

“Call ducks were bred to aid their owners in hunting. They make loud noises to lure predators.”

“They’re cheeky, scared cutie-pies. They waggle their tail when they’re happy. They have oil from their butt which they use to clean themselves and keep themselves dry.”

“In some areas, it is illegal to own only one call duck because they’re a very social bird. They’re the cutest pets with personalities of their own.” ~ cteduck

“They are fertile only…”

“Female pandas ovulate only once a year. They are fertile only two or three days of the year.” ~ awesomecutepandas

“Generally…”

“CATS DO NOT DRINK ENOUGH WATER!!! Generally, cats don’t drink enough water to keep themselves properly hydrated.”

“In addition to the fact that their tongues aren’t designed to scoop water like dog tongues, it’s also possible for them to feel too anxious to drink from their bowl.”

“Cats in the wild derive most of their water intake from the moisture in their food. If all you feed is kibble, your cat is in a perpetual state of dehydration, which can lead to an overwhelming amount of health issues for them.” ~ OhBee86

How many of these awesome animal facts did you know?

All of them?

None of them?

Few of them?

The world is a fascinating place, isn’t it? We truly take it for granted.

We should probably stop that, especially if we want others to enjoy the wonders of the animal kingdom for years to come.

People Break Down The Most Random Science Facts

I love science.

Although I hated it in high school, now that I’m old… I mean an adult, I love it.

Why you ask?

Because the more science you learn, the more you can understand what’s happening around you and live better.

But science has sadly been under attack for the last several years.

So let’s be our own Bill Nye and absorb a bit of science for our own good.

Redditor Look_Under_The_Bed went to Reddit for all the best science on offer and asked:

“What’s a random science fact that you know?”

So let’s talk science…

You never know when you’ll need to spit out some random facts to impress people at parties.

And if nothing else, we’ll be better prepared for Jeopardy!.

Cry me a River…

“When you cry really hard, your nose runs because it’s connected to the same pipes as your tear ducts, so your nose is also helping you get your tears out.” ~ Threspian

“On a similar note, your nose runs when it’s cold out because you have created a heat gradient.”

“Warm air can hold more water than cool air so as you exhale, the water condenses at the end of your nose and so your nose runs.”  ~ wolfmoral

LOOK OUT BELOW!!!

“Squirrels can survive falling from terminal velocity.”  ~ terrariapro117

“I learned this after witnessing a squirrel hit the ground after a presumably long fall.”

“It made a loud SMACK as it hit the ground, scared the crap out of me and the dog, then scampered away, up another tree like nothing happened.”  ~ _cocophoto_

Time after Time…

“Time is slightly slower between higher altitudes and lower altitudes, to infinitesimal fractions of a second.”  ~ Redditor

“The designers of the GPS satellites had to compensate for this, since the entire system is built around ridiculously precise timekeeping.”

“It was calculated theoretically first as a consequence of general relativity, and then confirmed experimentally.” ~ Murgatroyd314

 Strength in opposing directions…

“Muscles can only contract. Muscle tissue can’t push.”

“Doesn’t sound like a big deal until you realize that actions like sticking your tongue out of your mouth are completely the result of pulling, not pushing.” ~ fd1Jeff

“I teach anatomy. Always fun to watch students work through this information for the first time.”

“That is a series of pulling and relaxing and the opposite movements are also pulling and relaxing.”

“i.e…triceps vs biceps.”  ~ Warlock2017

2 every solar system turn…

“Venus the only planet to spin clockwise.” ~ siglawoo

“Sun’s axis rotates a full turn about every 27 Earth days but since the Sun is not solid but a ball of plasma the rotation speeds are different at different latitudes.”

“At the equator it’s surface rotates faster, every 24 days.”

“Another fun fact: the orbital plane of the planets is tilted about 7 degrees in relation to the Sun’s axis mentioned above.”

“This should not be the case because of the way planets form around a star.”

“Astronomer’s suspect that the orbital plane of the planets tilted as a result of the gravity of a large planet size object that is no longer around.”

“Existence of this planet is hypothetical so it was given a name Planet X (or sometimes Planet 9). Other anomalies had been observed that could also suggest existence of such an object.”

“Example: grouping of planetoids on the outskirts of the Solar System.”

“The reason that the planet hasn’t been observed directly is that it’s so far away beyond Neptune that it doesn’t reflect enough sunlight to be seen with available technology.”

“Another proposed explanation for the orbital plane tilt is existence of a nearby planet-sized black hole which orbits the Sun but hasn’t been detected yet.”

“The new James Webb space telescope that will be launched soon should help to answer those questions.”  ~ aykontakt

“Makes you wonder. What if something hit Venus?”

“In Dynamics if two objects hit each other and their center of gravities aren’t along the path each was traveling, one will spin clockwise and the other counterclockwise.”

“Maybe Earth and Venus are the same size because we’re the result of two roughly similar sized objects hitting each other in space. Idk.”  ~ detectiveDollar

Within Reach…

“You’re closer to space than you are to anything more than about an hour’s drive away.”

“Most folks take “space” to be “outside of Earth’s atmosphere.”

“There’s no precise boundary to where Earth’s atmosphere ends and space starts, but a lot of people take the Kármán line to be as good a point as any to split atmosphere vs. space.”

This line is 100km/62 miles up, which is roughly the distance your grandma can drive in an hour on the highway.”  ~ meatfrappe

I see the resemblance…

“Tyrannosaurus was closer in time to Humans than to Stegosaurus.”  ~ jsreyn

“That explains why my arms are so short.”  ~ TransientFeelings

“Haha same! When I sit on a chair, I never know what to do with my arms.”

“If I put them on my legs near my hips, I end up slouching because I can’t sit straight and put my hands on my thighs.”

“So I cross my arms and then people say I look defensive.”  ~ Zealousideal9151

Human Waste in Orbit…

“If you bleed more than 100ml/min on the international space station, they write you off and say any medical supplies spent on you is a waste.”  

“It’s been years since I saw the article but I believe the only plan at that point was ‘get the astronaut to earth ASAP’ which, you know… isn’t done in a few minutes, soooo.”  ~ Wit-wat-4

Square cut or pear shaped…

“Diamonds aren’t forever. In fact, they are dust at 500 degrees in your oven for a few hours.”

“Diamonds aren’t pressure/temperature stable at the surface. If you heat them without also applying incredible pressure, they become CO2 and a little pile of carbon.”  ~ Driftmoth

Veggies keep you level…

“If you ever get a cut and it won’t seem to stop bleeding chances are you’re low on vitamin K as it’s the one that helps your blood clot. Vitamin K can be found in most vegetables.”  ~ orion284

“Especially leafy greens! Which is why people on warfarin (and certain other anticoagulants IIRC) need to be mindful of their greens intake… ideally.”

“They should eat them only in moderation and aim for the same amount every day to keep their warfarin levels stable.”  ~ sheepthechicken

Always Sunny, Everyday

“The sun rises on the ISS every ~90 minutes which is the time it takes to orbit the earth and so astronauts experience about 16 mornings everyday.”  ~ pseud0human

I feel like my IQ points just jumped exponentially.

There is definitely enough information there to make me look a tad more sophisticated at parties.

There is no such thing as useless knowledge! The more you know, the more you grow.

Maybe I should write for Hallmark…

Anyway, knowledge of science can be fun and keep us from making foolish mistakes or bad decisions.

Remember that kids.

Fascinating Facts to Put Your Thoughts on Hyperdrive

There’s a pretty good chance that one of the reasons you follow this page is because you love facts of all kinds – and we all know we could go on for days if started listing all manner of random facts.

These 10 facts are some that are not only wild, but will get your brain juices flowing in a way that will have you clicking onto another page, then another, and another, until oops! Rabbit hole.

We’re not going to apologize, though, because we love a good rabbit hole, right?

10. We have created a zonkey.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Why? Apparently because we can – it’s what you get when you breed a zebra and a donkey.

I guess if it works it can’t be too much against nature.

9. A mysterious, vintage Coke machine used to live in Seattle, WA.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

For decades, there was a vintage Coca-Cola machine in Seattle, and if you put in 75 cents, it would give you a mystery can of soda. Sometimes you’d get a newer can, but other times your prize would be a can of soda that had been discontinued years earlier.

No one knows who stocked and maintained the machine – or who removed it in 2018. It was there for nearly 30 years, and then it wasn’t.

8. The oldest animal alive was born in 1832.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Jonathan the Tortoise has lived his whopping 189 years in the Galapagos Islands.

7. Sperm whales don’t like to sleep alone.

Image Credit: Pexels

They sleep in large pods, and they all snooze while vertical.

I’m not sure why I never imagined whales sleeping, but I never would have guessed they sleep like this, either!

6. Shakespeare may have lost his head.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

A group of archaeologists got together in 2016 and used ground-penetrating radar to study the contents of Shakespeare’s grave, and get this – he doesn’t appear to have a head.

This seems to confirm a tall tale that circulated for years, that a group of thieves in 1794 broke into the coffin and stole Shakespeare’s head in order to sell it for 300 pounds.

It doesn’t, of course, tell us where that head might be now.

5. The world’s oldest wine survived for almost 2,000 years.

Image Credit: Speyer

The 1700-year-old bottle from a gravesite in Speyer, Germany, is still in its liquid form, which is basically unheard of.

Experts think it was able to survive so long because they poured olive oil into the bottle to seal it off from the open air before placing the cork.

4. During prohibition you could get a prescription for whiskey.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Pharmacists were allowed to fill prescriptions for “medicinal whiskey,” which basically gave them a monopoly on selling alcohol during prohibition.

Running a pharmacy was quite lucrative at the time because of that fact, drugstore owners (like, say, Jay Gatsby) were essentially making money bootlegging whiskey.

3. There was a backup speech in case the moon landing didn’t go as we hoped.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

It’s always good to be prepared, and of course no one knew what would happen if Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made it to the moon but couldn’t make it home.

Here is the full text:

Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.

These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.

These two men are laying down their lives in mankind’s most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.

They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.

In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.

In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations.

In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.

Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man’s search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.

For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.

2. A frog in your milk can keep it fresh.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Before modern refrigeration was a thing, people in Russia dropped brown frogs into their milk because they claimed it made it stay drinkable and fresh for longer.

It sounds crazy, but Russian brown frogs actually secrete a gooey substance that has strong antibacterial properties.

So, I have no idea how the first person to figure this out did it, but they weren’t wrong.

1. Some very inept thieves tried to ransom the FIFA Cup in 1966.

Image Credit: Mpilcher84

The cup was stolen in London, just a few months before the tournament was set to begin. The police received a ransom note and the public began to panic, but before anyone could decide what to do about the 15,000 pound ransom, the trophy was found.

The hero of the day was a dog named Pickles, a collie who sniffed the trophy out in a bush while on his evening walk – proving once again that dogs are the absolute best.

 

I’ve got to go find out some more details on some of these myself, I swear.

What’s the best rabbit hole you’ve tumbled down lately? Share with us in the comments!

The post Fascinating Facts to Put Your Thoughts on Hyperdrive appeared first on UberFacts.

Get Ready For Your Next Trivia Night With These 50 Amazing Facts

There’s nothing better than a group of friends who enjoys a robust trivia night, right?

The friendly competition, maybe a drink and some snacks, and of course, being the one who knows the most random facts at the end of the night – perfection!

If that sounds like an ideal outcome for you, you’re going to want to take notes on our list below, because you won’t find 50 more amazing facts anywhere you look!

50. There’s a storm rating scale known as the “Waffle House Index.”

Image Credit: Pexels

Waffle House has a reputation for staying open in extreme weather – so much so that FEMA informally  uses the Waffle House Index” to gauge how severe a storm is expected to be.

Like, maybe if Waffle House isn’t closing it’s not all that serious?

49. Why Mr. Rogers always said aloud that he was feeding his fish.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Fred Rogers had a reputation for being kind and inclusive, so when a young, vision-impaired viewer wrote to him with a concern that she couldn’t see the fish to make sure they were ok.

He immediately changed the way he went about his routine.

He always mentioned aloud that he was feeding the fish so that little girl – and anyone else who couldn’t see his visual cues – could be sure his pets were properly cared for.

48. Nerf’s first sales pitch might have been their best.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Nerf revolvers and darts have had many slogans over the years, at least a few of which weren’t bad and managed to do their job of sticking in people’s heads.

“It’s Nerf or never,” and “Nothing but Nerf” come to mind – but if you ask me, their initial thought was probably the one they should have stuck with for the duration,

You just can’t outdo “Nerf: You can’t hurt babies or old people!” in my mind.

47. There is a “League of Extraordinary Communities.”

Image Credit: David Prasad

The funny thing is, it’s a coalition of a bunch of towns that aren’t extraordinary at all – Boring, Oregon, Dull, Scotland, and Bland Shire, Australia.

The sound like super fun places to visit, don’t you think?

46. The manchineel tree is actually deadly.

Image Credit: David Stang

The manchineel tree is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates, usually in brackish, swamp-type water. They’re in Florida, the Caribbean, and all throughout the coastal areas of Central and South America.

You might want to take a good look so you can avoid touching any part of it at all – known as the “Tree of D**th,” touching any part of the tree can leave chemical burns on your skin.

If you decide to take a bite of the fruit you could get seriously injured from the toxins, and burning its bark can cause blindness.

Let’s hope all of the other trees don’t catch on and start eliminating the humans ala The Happening anytime soon.

45. Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt were gal pals.

Image Credit: Public Domain

They were also bada$s bi*ches, which you probably know, but if you want receipts, we’ve got them.

They once sneaked out of a White House event together, commandeered an airplane, and took it on a joyride to Baltimore.

I mean, they could have gone somewhere cooler, but I’m still going to write the lesbian fanfic.

44. A portion of Route 66 plays “America the Beautiful.”

Image Credit: David Thornell

A short section of Route 66 – a stretch that traverses part of New Mexico – will play you a rendition of “America the Beautiful” via its rumble strips.

There’s a catch, though: it only works if you’re adhering to the 45 mph speed limit.

43. There’s a word for when you’ve dreamed something before.

Image Credit: Pexels

We all know about the phrase déjà vu, right? It’s the strange feeling that you’ve experienced an event or a conversation or a brief moment in time before?

Did you know there’s a phrase for when you’ve previously experienced an event or a conversation or a brief moment in time before in a dream, though?

There is, and it’s déjà rêvé. Go ahead and use it in a sentence!

42. Russian cosmonauts always pack heat.

I mean, maybe this tidbit doesn’t surprise you, but it’s a little shocking they admit to it.

It’s not just in case they encounter space aliens that need a little Earth discipline, though – it’s in case they land in Siberia on their return and need to teach manners to a bear.

Always be prepared!

41. Moonshiners leave hoofprints in the woods instead of footprints.

Image Credit: Public Domain

During Prohibition in the States, no one was allowed to brew or sell booze while the government was banning its sale and use across the board. There have always been those willing to break the law for the greater good, though.

Bootleggers brewing booze in the woods would cover their shoes with cow hooves in order to make it look like a hoofed animal had been in the woods, not a human. Nothing to see here!

Modern day moonshiners continue the tradition of wearing “cow shoes” in order to avoid being caught by the fuzz.

40. Space has a smell.

Image Credit: Pexels

You might think that nothing could have a scent in a vast, cold vacuum, but if you’ve ever turned on your own vacuum and gotten an unpleasant whiff, you should know that’s not true.

Astronauts report that space actually has a very distinct smell of diesel fumes, g*npowder, and barbecue, which NASA scientists believe is created by dying stars.

Sad and poetic, just like space!

39. The 100 folds in a chef’s hat mean something.

Image Credit: Pexels

A chef’s hat, in case you didn’t know, is called a “toque,” and nothing about it is an accident – each of the 100 folds represents one of a hundred ways to cook an egg.

I don’t know about you, but I’m off to Google. And to buy some eggs.

38. The Seven Dwarfs had alternative names.

Image Credit: Disney

Call me old fashioned, or a purist, but Chesty, Tubby, Burpy, Deafy, Hickey, Wheezy, and Awful are, well. Awful.

And also more than a little offensive, honestly.

37. Lots of suds gets lost in a beard.

Image Credit: Pexels

Each year in the United Kingdom, more than 93,000 liters of malty beverage are lost in men’s bushy beards.

That’s a dang shame, y’all.

36. Sharks bite fewer people than people do every year.

Image Credit: Pexels

Just in New York, human beings bite 10x more other human beings than sharks bite worldwide.

This is just more proof that you should be more afraid of humans than sharks. This girl already was, though.

35. The Queen could fix your car (probably).

Image Credit: Public Domain

Yes, that Queen – the Queen of England (etc).

Queen Elizabeth II is a trained mechanic, and worked on aircraft during WWII.

She remains the only female royal to have served in the British Armed Forces.

34. Actor Charles Bronson received an inheritance from a fan.

Image Credit: CBS Television

Listen, y’all. If you have money to leave when you die, and don’t have any family or friends who you think deserve the funds, don’t leave it to someone who already has more than enough of their own.

Charles Bronson wasn’t hurting for cash, but that didn’t stop a fan from Louisville, KY, from leaving him around $300k in 1997.

They’d never even met.

33. Volvo could have held the patent on a seatbelt.

Volvo came up with the patent for the revolutionary three-point seat belt in 1962, but instead of monetizing it, chose to give it away for free.

They believed the greater good of saving lives was worth more than money.

And you know. A little free publicity never hurt anyone.

32. Carly Simon is a famous Simon indeed.

Image Credit: Alan Light

Carly Simon is, of course, a famous singer – but it turns out she also comes from wealthy stock.

Her father, Richard L. Simon, is the “Simon” in Simon and Schuster publishers. He co-founded the company.

31. Parrots aren’t the only birds that can carry on a conversation.

Image Credit: Pexels

As if it weren’t enough that one bird could speak human, it turns out that ravens – who are so smart they should scare the heck out of you – can also be taught to talk in captivity.

Better than parrots, they say, and definitely better than my 2yo.

30. Ben & Jerry learned how to make ice cream through the mail.

Image Credit: Dismas

It’s an indisputable fact that Ben & Jerry make the best ice cream money can buy (don’t @ me), but their amazing flavors are even more incredible when you learn how they got into the business in the first place.

They SPLIT a correspondence course on how to make ice cream from Penn State.

It cost a total of $5.

29. Bela Lugosi really identified with his role as Dracula.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Bela Lugosi starred as Dracula in 1931, and the role (and film) became instantly iconic.

So much so that Lugosi himself literally never let it go – he was buried in the full costume, cape and all.

28. The plural of Prius is Prii.

Image Credit: Pixabay

There is a certain (growing) subset of people who love a good Prius, and who definitely needed to know what a bunch of them were called (presumably in anticipation of taking over the world).

After an official online vote in 2011, Toyota announced the winner – it’s a row of Prii, folks.

27. It should be impossible to get lost in Central Park.

Image Credit: Tdorante10

Central Park is a huge and varied swath of nature smack in the middle of the island of Manhattan, and if you’re not a native, it can seen impossible to navigate without an online map or help from a friend.

Luckily, the designers thought of that – just look to the lampposts.

Each one contains a set of four numbers that can help you get out if you’re lost.

The first two indicate the nearest street, and the last two let you know whether you’re closer to the east or west side of the park (even for east, odd for west).

I feel better about wandering now!

26. You shouldn’t actually “shake it like a Polaroid picture.”

It might surprise you to know that you can’t necessarily take advice from singers like OutKast, but Polaroid definitely cautions you against shaking an actual picture.

Their official statement on the matter read that “shaking or waving can actually damage the image.”

25. There is one remaining Blockbuster Video in existence.

Image Credit: Coasterlover1994

I know, I didn’t believe it either, but Bend, Oregon is kind of known for being set in a time warp.

You can visit the only Blockbuster store in the world that’s still operational there – for now, anyway.

24. Only one person has ever earned a Nobel Prize in two different sciences.

Image Credit: Public Domain

In 1903, Marie Curie was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in conjunction with her husband, Pierre, for their work with spontaneous radiation.

In 1911, she was awarded a solo Nobel Prize for Chemistry for her work in radioactivity.

23. If you give blood in Sweden, you’ll know if and when it is used.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Everyone likes to know that their gift is getting good use, right?

The Swedes figure that extends to the gift of donated blood, so they send you a thank you text message when your blood is used to help or save someone else.

Neat!

22. The Starry Night is Van Gogh’s view from his asylum window.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Vincent Van Gogh created some of the most recognizable art in the world, but he also famously struggled with mental illness for the majority of his life.

In 1888 he cut off his left ear in attempt to silence the voices in his head, gifting it to a female acquaintance.

Following that incident he ended up spending a little more than a year in Saint-Paul-De-Mausole, an asylum in France.

While there, he painted like mad, churning out masterpieces that include The Starry Night, arguably his most well-known work.

21. Rap battles are nothing new.

Between the 5th and 16th centuries in England and Scotland, verbal throw downs called “flyting” were popular.

In them, people exchanged witty and insulting verses (like a rap battle!), so you know.

I don’t think Hamilton was as much of a stretch as some people seem to think.

20. Army ants will follow each into a “d**th spiral”.

Image Credit: Geoff Gallice

No one would accuse ants of being rocket scientists, but they do have a sense of order and commitment that’s hard to doubt.

That goes double for army ants, who can misinterpret scent trails left by other ants and end up marching in circles.

Sometimes, as more and more ants follow the wrong leader, the end up in spirals from which there is no escape.

No escape the ants can see, anyway.

19. In Australia, the trees receive love letters.

Image Credit: ABC

The purpose behind Melbourne assigning email addresses to some of its trees was so that residents could have an accurate reference when reporting issues.

People do report issues, but more of them send letters professing their love for the trees.

18. A solar eclipse once brought about (temporary) peace.

Image Credit: Pexels

There was a solar eclipse in 585 BCE, and of course no one knew it was coming.

People were so surprised when the sky suddenly darkened during a battle between the Lydians and the Medes (in modern Turkey) that the fighters, who had been battling for going on six years, decided it was a sign.

They stopped the battle, but I don’t know how long it was before sh%t started back up again.

17. Some people leave their estate to their dogs.

Image Credit: Pexels

An estimate 1 million dogs just in the United States have been named the primary beneficiary in their owner’s wills.

One man in the UK left $13m to his cat, so I guess they still win.

16. Wendy’s founder Dave Thomas dropped out of high school.

Image Credit: James Davidson

Kids, you should totally stay in school!

That said, the man who founded Wendy’s dropped out – but he did earn his GED (in 1993).

His GED class, likely on a lark, voted him Most Likely to Succeed.

15. The Julian Calendar caused a snafu at the 1908 Olympics.

Image Credit: Asmdemon

The world had transitioned to the Gregorian calendar by 1908, but Russia was holding out.

Their stubborn use of the Julian calendar meant they were 12 days late to the Olympics that year, and likely cost their athletes a few chances at medals.

14. At least two signers of the Declaration of Independence passed on July 4.

Image Credit: Graysick

In an odd twist of fate, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson moved off this moral plain exactly 50 years after they put their signatures on the Declaration of Independence.

They were also Presidents #2 and #3, respectively.

It was July 4, 1826.

13. In Japan, people ask Sumo wrestlers to make their babies cry.

Image Credit: Nesnad

While most of Western opinion has turned toward not letting babies cry when it can be helped, the 400-year-old Nakizumo Festival in Japan believes the exact opposite.

At the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo, sumo wrestlers hold babies aloft as they wail, so that they will be closer to heaven as their tears ensure good health for years to come.

Parents across Japan consider having a sumo wrestler make your baby cry a good omen for their future.

12. Dogs can understand up to 250 words.

Image Credit: Pexels

Dogs are about as intelligent as the average two-year-old child, and are able to understand around 250 words and gestures made in “human.”

How hard they try to communicate that understanding depends on the breed, but rest assured, your pup knows what you’re saying and what you want, even if they want to act like they don’t.

11. The yellow peanut M&M has a famous voice.

If the yellow peanut M&M sounds familiar to you, that’s because J.K. Simmons has given it its voice since the 1990s.

Btw… if you don’t remember who J.K. Simmons is… he played J. Jonah Jameson in the 2000s Spider-Man movies, and also won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2015 for his role Whiplash.

10. If you’re planning a long bath, add plenty of bubbles.

Image Credit: Pexels

I love a long, steaming bath – the hotter the better at the end of a long, tough week.

If you do, too, take note: putting bubbles into your bath keeps the water warmer longer.

The soap essentially forms a barrier between your nice, hot water and the cooler air in your house, preventing the heat from escaping too quickly.

9. Sesame Street’s The Count comes by his love of numbers honestly.

Traditional vampire folklore says that vamps have arithmomania, which is a compulsion to count.

Which is just to say, Count von Count would definitely have gotten staked in his shallow grave back in the day.

8. People in Pompeii could have ordered takeout.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Recent evidence found at the buried archeological site of Pompeii suggests the ancient city had our equivalent of take-our restaurants.

At least, until they were all covered in ash.

7. Portland got its name in a coin flip.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Some people just can’t make decisions, so a coin flip is the fastest and least disputed way to go.

That said, when making important choices like the name of a city, most people tend to take a bit more care.

Not those naming Portland, Oregon though – which could have been Boston, Oregon, if that quarter had landed on the other side.

6. Fried chicken isn’t Southern (or American).

Image Credit: Pexels

Scottish immigrants brought fried chicken across the sea, which just doesn’t fit with our image of the delicious dinner treat today, do you think?

That said, my own Scots-Irish grandma could make a mean fried chicken!

5. Winnie the Pooh is named after a real bear.

Image Credit: Pexels

During WWI, a Canadian solider tamed a black bear, bringing her back to London after the conflict.

He named her Winnipeg (Winnie for short) and Winnie remained an adored part of the London Zoological Gardens for decades afterward.

One of her most ardent fans was a boy named Christopher Robin, the son of author A.A. Milne.

He would, of course, go on to write a book about his son’s adventures with his teddy bear, named after the beloved Winnie.

4. There were 48 years between the patent for the tin can and the patent for the can opener.

Image Credit: Pixabay

It was 1810 when Peter Durand patented the tin can, which had to be pried open with chisels and hammers until 1858, when Ezra Warner patented the dedicated can opener.

3. Sleep literally cleans your brain.

Image Credit: Pexels

Every article on being a healthier person includes the demand for good and restful sleep, but did you know your brain is literally being cleaned while your snooze?

While you dream, cerebrospinal fluid flushes through the brain, washing away harmful proteins and toxins that build up during the way.

This is one reason most people tend to be clearer in the head and be more motivated first thing in the morning.

2. Politicians were never very good at predicting the future.

Image Credit: Pexels

A 1965 Senate subcommittee predicted that, by the year 2000, Americans would go to work only 20 hours a week and enjoy 7 weeks of vacation every year.

If only, right? *sobs*

1. Neil Armstrong almost didn’t make it to the moon.

Image Credit: Public Domain

Neil Armstrong has a lot of admirable qualities, but timeliness may not be one of them – he submitted his astronaut application a week past the deadline.

NASA may never have seen it at all had a friend at the hiring office not slipped his form in with all of the others that were submitted on time.

I’m putting all of these in my back pocket, y’all.

What’s your favorite random fact? If it’s not on this list, share it in the comments!

The post Get Ready For Your Next Trivia Night With These 50 Amazing Facts appeared first on UberFacts.

Great Facts That We Think Will Impress You

It can be hard to sort through the endless information out there on social media and the Internet.

Where’s the good stuff? The interesting stuff? Heck, where’s the REAL stuff?

Well, look no further, because we consistently bring you great fact sets that will pique your curiosity and, most importantly, IMPRESS YOU.

Hey, it’s what we do!

Here are 10 more facts that we know will impress you.

Enjoy and feel free to share these with your friends and family!

1. That’s pretty wild!

All from the “mother tree”.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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2. I think we might need to bring these back…

For kids and adults! We all need to lose weight!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1

3. Keep this in mind.

A lot of psychos out there.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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4. She ruled as a king.

What a life story.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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5. More than friends?

It sure seems like it…

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1

6. Yikes. That looks horrible.

No wood in there.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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7. Which type are you?

I think I might be the Hemingway.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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8. Watch it in slow-motion.

It’s always fun!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

9. The Sea Peoples.

Who were they?

Photo Credit: did you know?

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10. The Angel’s Glow.

It saved their lives.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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Now we want to hear from you!

Have you seen anything online lately that has really impressed you?

Facts? Stories? Charts? Great photos?

Please share them with us in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!

The post Great Facts That We Think Will Impress You appeared first on UberFacts.

This is Where the Saying “Take It With a Grain of Salt” Comes From

When someone tells you to take something with a “grain of salt,” you should be skeptical about what you’ve heard, because your source may be unreliable.

A grain of salt is tiny. It is also a reflection of not putting too much belief in something that has already proven itself worthy of reservation.

But where does the association between salt and skepticism come from? We’ll tell you what we know, but you take this information with a grain of… well, you know.

Photo credit: Pixabay

The phrase itself goes all the way back to 77 A.D. It’s earliest recorded use comes from Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny the Elder, who created an antidote to poison in his Naturalis Historia—it called for figs, walnuts, rue (an herb), and a “grain of salt.”

It didn’t appear to have a symbolic meaning until a few hundred years later.

In the 17th-century, Anglican Bible commentator John Trapp included it his A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments as a metaphor concerning his own writing.

Just what its meaning was to Trapp, however, is still unclear.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Over the years, the phrase continued to make its way through the English language in literal and figurative speech, but wasn’t used in its current incarnation until just after the Second World War.

It was then that became widely used by Americans and the British, who slightly altered the phrase to a “pinch” of salt.

In 1948, English author F.R. Cowell first included it with this particular meaning in his book, Cicero & the Roman Republic. According to Cowell, Cicero and those around him “took more than the proverbial pinch of salt before swallowing everything written by these earlier authors.”

Photo credit: Pixabay

Do you use this idiom or know of others with equally fascinating origins?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post This is Where the Saying “Take It With a Grain of Salt” Comes From appeared first on UberFacts.

This is Where the Saying “Take It With a Grain of Salt” Comes From

When someone tells you to take something with a “grain of salt,” you should be skeptical about what you’ve heard, because your source may be unreliable.

A grain of salt is tiny. It is also a reflection of not putting too much belief in something that has already proven itself worthy of reservation.

But where does the association between salt and skepticism come from? We’ll tell you what we know, but you take this information with a grain of… well, you know.

Photo credit: Pixabay

The phrase itself goes all the way back to 77 A.D. It’s earliest recorded use comes from Roman naturalist and philosopher Pliny the Elder, who created an antidote to poison in his Naturalis Historia—it called for figs, walnuts, rue (an herb), and a “grain of salt.”

It didn’t appear to have a symbolic meaning until a few hundred years later.

In the 17th-century, Anglican Bible commentator John Trapp included it his A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments as a metaphor concerning his own writing.

Just what its meaning was to Trapp, however, is still unclear.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Over the years, the phrase continued to make its way through the English language in literal and figurative speech, but wasn’t used in its current incarnation until just after the Second World War.

It was then that became widely used by Americans and the British, who slightly altered the phrase to a “pinch” of salt.

In 1948, English author F.R. Cowell first included it with this particular meaning in his book, Cicero & the Roman Republic. According to Cowell, Cicero and those around him “took more than the proverbial pinch of salt before swallowing everything written by these earlier authors.”

Photo credit: Pixabay

Do you use this idiom or know of others with equally fascinating origins?

Let us know in the comments below!

The post This is Where the Saying “Take It With a Grain of Salt” Comes From appeared first on UberFacts.

Killing a House Centipede is NOT a Good Idea

You’re gonna want to pay attention to this.

Countless house centipedes have met their fates at the receiving end of a rolled-up magazine, a cup, or a shoe.

But they’re getting a bum rap.

While they’re indeed creepy and crawly, and they’ve certainly sent the heartiest of us out a room screaming, they’re good to have around. If you can get past your squeamishness, it’s best to let them live.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Centipedes are on a constant search for their next meal. They dine on mostly unseen and more problematic insects, including silverfish, termites, moths, flies, and cockroaches.

House centipedes can have anywhere from 15 to 177 pairs of legs, depending on the species. They use them to stun and capture prey with a technique called “lassoing.” With the pair closest to their head, they poison their victims with venom and wrap themselves around the dying insect for a satisfying meal. This bug is also one of the few that doesn’t have a nest or web and isn’t problematic in terms of disease or destruction to your home.

Photo credit: iStock

If you can’t live with house centipedes, the best defense is a good offense.

Start by getting rid of their food. This means reducing moisture with a fan or dehumidifier, sealing off cracks where pests are prone to settle and lay eggs, and keeping trash indoors to a minimum.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Sure, the occasional centipede will still find his way in, no matter what you do. Just resist the urge to whack one out clean out of existence. You’ll reap the benefits of fewer pests and walk away with improved karma.

Do centipedes make you uncomfortable? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Killing a House Centipede is NOT a Good Idea appeared first on UberFacts.

Killing a House Centipede is NOT a Good Idea

You’re gonna want to pay attention to this.

Countless house centipedes have met their fates at the receiving end of a rolled-up magazine, a cup, or a shoe.

But they’re getting a bum rap.

While they’re indeed creepy and crawly, and they’ve certainly sent the heartiest of us out a room screaming, they’re good to have around. If you can get past your squeamishness, it’s best to let them live.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Centipedes are on a constant search for their next meal. They dine on mostly unseen and more problematic insects, including silverfish, termites, moths, flies, and cockroaches.

House centipedes can have anywhere from 15 to 177 pairs of legs, depending on the species. They use them to stun and capture prey with a technique called “lassoing.” With the pair closest to their head, they poison their victims with venom and wrap themselves around the dying insect for a satisfying meal. This bug is also one of the few that doesn’t have a nest or web and isn’t problematic in terms of disease or destruction to your home.

Photo credit: iStock

If you can’t live with house centipedes, the best defense is a good offense.

Start by getting rid of their food. This means reducing moisture with a fan or dehumidifier, sealing off cracks where pests are prone to settle and lay eggs, and keeping trash indoors to a minimum.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Sure, the occasional centipede will still find his way in, no matter what you do. Just resist the urge to whack one out clean out of existence. You’ll reap the benefits of fewer pests and walk away with improved karma.

Do centipedes make you uncomfortable? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Killing a House Centipede is NOT a Good Idea appeared first on UberFacts.

Great Facts That Will Arouse Your Curiosity

It’s important to be curious about our planet and to always want to learn more about this special place that we inhabit.

That’s why I like to call myself a “lifelong learner.”

And I think it’s something that we should all strive for! Don’t you?

Let’s keep the train a-rollin’ with another great set of facts that will make you think and will definitely arouse your curiosity.

Enjoy!

1. Let’s bring it over here!

I love a good nap!

Photo Credit: did you know?

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2. A sign of wealth.

We need to make this happen again.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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3. Does this describe you?

Let’s be friends, okay?

Photo Credit: did you know?

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4. They don’t work.

And they never will.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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5. Can’t do both.

She was a wild child.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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6. Public Enemy Number One.

He was a true gangster.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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7. Across the universe.

That’s pretty wild.

Photo Credit: did you know?

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8. This is amazing.

“The ones who help humans.”

Photo Credit: did you know?

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9. I sure hope so…

This is good news!

Photo Credit: did you know?

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10. That makes me sad.

I hope they don’t have too many problems…

Photo Credit: did you know?

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Those facts are great, don’t you think?

Now we’d like to hear from you.

In the comments, please share an interesting fact or a fascinating article or story that you’ve seen lately.

Thanks in advance!

The post Great Facts That Will Arouse Your Curiosity appeared first on UberFacts.