Interesting Facts To Talk About
One of the best things about being a human being is collecting all kinds of random knowledge and trivia throughout our lives. Random fun facts are great for breaking the ice, impressing a date, and winning a pub quiz.
One of the best things about being a human being is collecting all kinds of random knowledge and trivia throughout our lives. Random fun facts are great for breaking the ice, impressing a date, and winning a pub quiz. But you don't have to have a use for this little tidbits of mind-blowing information to make knowing them worthwhile. Just reading these totally random facts that will make your jaw drop at least once.
More human twins are being born now than ever before
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.
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 but the conditions in which they lived such as level of pollution, temperature levels, and even what their diet consisted of.
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 £47 and earning Arnold the speedy distinction.
"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.
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.
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. Elysia 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 with heart included.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
