There is a bird found in Kea that is over two feet long. This bird can be found in New Zealand. It has also been observed that it enjoys eating the strips of rubber found around car windows.
100 Mind-Blowing Be Facts
Dogs and cats also have a dominant side like humans do. A research study from Washington, D.C. states that these animals can be left or right-handed. They favour either the left or right paw when they move.
A British submarine once kept a fully grown reindeer aboard the vessel in WWII. This reindeer was kept on the HMS Trident for six weeks straight. They took care of it because it was said to be a gift from their Russian allies.
A human being can live with only one kidney. A person may have one kidney removed to treat an injury or disease. Even with one kidney, they may still be able to lead normal and healthy lifestyles.
Certain fruit flies are resistant to getting drunk. However, this is only so if they have an inactive version of what scientists call the ‘happy hour’ gene. Scientists have found that this gene can be used to treat alcohol abuse in humans.
Orange is not the only word in the English language that cannot be rhymed. Other words include silver, purple, and month. Go on, try to think of anything that rhymes with them.
There was a month-long plague in 1518 called Dance Fever. This phenomenon describes people dancing themselves to death for no reason. Hundreds of people were affected by this phenomenon which continues to be unexplained until today.
The shortest complete sentence in the English language consists of only two letters. This sentence is “Go”. This word is an active verb and can also be used to interpret a mood.
The word ‘pants’ was once considered to be a dirty word. This was considered a vulgar statement during the 1880s in England. Any topic regarding the word was also frowned upon.
Over 2 billion pencils are manufactured annually in the U.S. If these pencils were laid down from tip to tip, they would be able to circle the globe nine times. The average lead pencil will draw a line that is 35 miles long.
Oak trees cannot produce acorns if they are under 50 years of age. While all oak trees produce acorns, they are not to be referred to as acorn trees. Some species of oak trees, such as the pin oak, can produce its first few acorns at a much younger age.
The tree of life is another name for the baobab tree. This tree can store between 1,000-120,000 litres of water in its large trunk. It can also be used to provide clothing, shelter, and food.
The oldest wine bottle can be found in Germany. This wine dates before to AD 325 and can be found displayed in the Speyer Historical Museum.
The heartbeat of a blue whale can be heard from two miles away. This mammal is the largest on the entire planet and weighs over 150 tons. Its heart is roughly the size of a small car and weighs over 1,300 pounds. The blue whale’s heart only beats 8-10 times per minute.
A footlong from the subway is not one foot long. The subway footlong is made to be the registered trademark of the sandwich company. The restaurant states that it was not made to be used as a measurement of length.
Hydrofluoric acid is the least acidic but remains the most dangerous. This can be fatal when swallowed or breathed. It is also dangerous when coming into contact with the skin.
An encrypted monument stands outside of the CIA headquarters in Virginia. This monument was created by artist Jim Sanborn and features four inscriptions. 3 of 4 of the inscriptions have been cracked already. However, no one seems to be able to crack the final code to this day.
Large banks use computers to process checks and debit card charges by the highest amount first. This is because checks with higher amounts of value need to be thoroughly double-checked first before clearing. This explains why it may take a few working days before clearing can be issued.
The longest musical performance in history still occurs today. This is taking place right now at the church of St. Burchardi in Germany. The performance of John Cage’s Organ ‘as slow as possible’ isn’t scheduled to be finished until the year 2640.
10% of the world population is left-handed. Our first of our did you know facts are about left-handed people. It is said that men are more likely to be left-handed than women. Various studies have also suggested that the handedness of a person can be determined by the time they spend in the mother’s womb. Some studies also suggest that one’s heritage may also play a role in determining if someone will be left or right-handed.
Birds require gravity to swallow. Birds cannot chew their food and instead swallow their prey whole. The oesophagus of a bird is wide enough to swallow larger meals. They depend on gravity to push their food down the oesophagus and then later be propelled into their stomachs.
Around 8% of the world’s population has an extra rib. This is known as the cervical rib and it comes from the seventh cervical vertebra. This is considered a congenital abnormality that is located above the normal first rib. There is a 1 in 500 chance that a person will be born with this condition.
Honey never spoils. Here’s one of our sweetest did you know facts about food. When honey is heated strained and sealed properly, it will not be able to absorb moisture and therefore will stay as it is forever. The oldest jar of honey ever found is stated to be over 5500 years old today.
Ducks cannot walk without bobbing their heads. Ducks often bob their heads to signify moods or emotions. At times, it may also be used to signify flirting during the mating season.
The human tongue heals the fastest compared to all body parts. This is due to the rich supply of blood that circulates the tongue. It may also be because the mouth is constantly replenishing your taste buds.
The Aztecs invented popcorn. Originally, they used this as an ornament and was used in headdresses. This ornament would be used as a way to praise their God Tlaloc, the God of maize and fertility.
Cat jaws cannot be moved sideways. They are mainly built for killing prey and can open very wide to ensure their kill. Cats also cannot easily chew their food.
A group of frogs is called an army. They can also be called a chorus or colony. A group of toads, on the other hand, can be called a nest or a knot.
India owns over 200 million cows. The cow is greatly worshipped and taken care of in India. In Hinduism, it is considered that the cow is a sacred symbol of life and therefore should be protected and revered.
Wine spoils when exposed to light. This is why wine bottles are often tinted to protect the quality of the wine. Ideally, despite the dark-tinted bottles, they should still be stored in a cool and dark place like a cellar.
It takes 3 alligators to make a pair of boots. The main parts of the alligator that are used in boot making are the belly, its tail, and the flank. Depending on the size of the alligator, fewer animals could be used to make a pair of boots.
The only mammals that can fly are bats. The legs of bats are too weak for them to be used for walking, so instead, they use their wings to travel around. Rather than flying, bats mainly glide from one place to the other.
Moths do not have stomachs. This may be because most species of moths do not eat at all. Some moths such as the Luna moth emerge from their cocoon and never eat. This species lives for about a week long.
The Dead Sea is an inland lake. It runs along Jordan’s western edge and can be travelled to within an hour from Amman. The Dead Sea is also linked to Aqaba by the highway which makes it accessible to most people living nearby the area.
The most commonly bitten body part by insects is your feet. Here’s the last of our did you know facts. The most common places to be bitten by insects are by the ankles. This is because this area is rarely noticed by us when insects land on our skin.
Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a “Friday the 13th”. Friday the 13th may just be another day for you, but some cultures are very wary of this number for its supposed bad luck.
Color-blind people have better night vision. Since colour-blind people perceive colours differently, they can see “camouflage” colours that can’t be detected by regular eyes.
The close door button on an elevator doesn’t do anything. Most elevators in the U.S. are modelled after the Americans with Disabilities Act. Namely, they come with braille and voice prompts. Additionally, these elevators are made to close in 3 seconds. The default time ensures that people with disabilities can board safely. The button you jab in a rush doesn’t even do anything: the actual close-door function can only be accessed by workers and emergency respondents with a key.
An awkward silence takes 4 seconds to be considered awkward. In the U.S., a 4-second lull in conversation quickly turns into an awkward silence. However, it differs with each culture.
18 newborns can be switched at birth daily. If you’ve ever worried whether you were switched at birth, it may be likely. On average, 18 babies can be sent to the wrong delivery rooms. However, cases of being switched at birth are usually identified immediately.
Hamburgers weren’t named after ham. If you’ve ever been a curious kid, you probably wondered where the ham was in hamburgers. Now, your inner child would be happy to know that hamburgers were named after the German city of Hamburg.
Margarine used to be pink. In the 1880s, margarine was dyed pink to prevent buyers from confusing it with butter.
Films used to be hand-painted to have colour. As early as 1902, films were colourized by a lengthy process of hand-painting each frame.
Talking in your sleep is known as a somniloquy. Sleep talking is scientifically known as somniloquy. Much like sleepwalking and sleep paralysis, it is a sleeping disorder. It’s not a serious condition, but it can be treated and avoided.
Talking uses 100 muscles. Introverts, you’re all valid. Talking is a chore – not just mentally, but physically. To form a few phrases, the body must use 100 different muscles from the chest, neck, jaw, tongue, and lips. Imagine how buff and chatty people would be if these muscles bulked up too?
The Fender Guitar company makes 90,000 guitar strings a day. Fender may be one of the biggest music companies, but its founder, Leo Fender, did not know how to play any instruments.
The inventor of the television banned TV from his home. When Philo Farnsworth invented the television in 1927, he intended for it to be a learning instrument that could end wars. However, once TV was commercialized, he came to regret his invention. As a result, he did not allow his household to watch television. One of the ironic yet interesting facts.
Back in Medieval Times, bedrooms weren’t private. Aside from absurd, ominous art, we can all agree that the Medieval Ages was a weird time. During this period, beds were placed in areas where guests could see them. Usually, beds would be placed by a window, so passersby can admire whoever is sleeping. Sounds like something out of a thriller movie by today’s standards.
Every odd number has an “e” in it. Trying to find an odd number without the letter “e” would be like attempting to beat God.
The Chinese invented paper currency. During the Tang Dynasty which ruled between 618 and 907, China invented paper money. There used to be a warning written right on the bills that all counterfeiters would be decapitated.
Hell is real. There’s an actual village in southern Norway named “Hell.” however, it may not be true to its name: The weather in Hell is consistently below 20°C, with lows dropping to negative temperatures.
Peanuts are used to make dynamite. Aside from giving some people explosive diarrhoea, peanuts can also be used to make actual explosives. Once peanut oil is processed, it can create glycerol – which, in turn, can be used to make nitroglycerin – one of the main components of dynamite.
Vin Diesel is a seasoned voice actor. Vin Diesel might be known by many as Dominic Torreto of the Fast and the Furious franchise, but he’s got pipes of a different kind: He voices Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy film series, and voiced the Iron Giant.
Game of Thrones Night’s Watch cloaks are made from Ikea rugs. Creating something like Game of Thrones takes a lot of painstaking attention to detail to take people to the rugged, sooty world of Westeros. However, you’d be surprised that some of the production designs are just from everyday things. Namely, IKEA rugs for the Night Watch’s cloaks. IKEA has since released a tutorial for how to make GoT cloaks.
Friday the 13th was filmed at an actual camp, and people kept scaring campers away. Camp Crystal Lake might be fictional, but it was shot in a fully functional summer camp. Because of Friday the 13th, people used to scare children away from the camp to the point that the Camp Nobebosco website used to have a disclaimer against using the film to scare kids.
The Millennium Falcon was inspired by a burger. Sometimes, little everyday things can inspire the big ones. For the Millennium Falcon, that little thing was a burger. The side cockpit is said to be based on an olive. Since then, the Millenium Falcon has gotten flak from generations of Star Wars characters for being affectionately dubbed as a piece of junk.
The Simpsons creator intended for Homer Simpson to be Krusty the Clown. If you follow The Simpsons, you’ll notice how Homer Simpson and Krusty the Clown look almost identical. Simpsons creator Matt Groening was planning to reveal Homer Simpson behind all that clown makeup. However, to avoid the plot from getting too complex, he scrapped the idea.
The CDC website has a zombie preparedness section. The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention contain and monitor epidemics. However, you’d be surprised that their websites have sections devoted to preparing for the Zombie apocalypse.
Cans of diet soda will float in water, regular soda cans will sink. It sounds ironic, but this funny fact is proven. Cans of regular soda tend to be more dense than water, so they sink. Cans of diet soda are usually less dense than water, so they float.
Big Brother U.S. only showed news from the outside world for one day. One of the main gimmicks of Big Brother is that the contestants are not allowed to be a part of the outside world. Communication was barred from their loved ones and they weren’t allowed to keep up with current events. However, the producers of Big Brother delivered the news to housemates just once during the 9/11 attacks.
Lachanophobia is the fear of vegetables. The word originates from the Greek lachno (vegetables) and phobos (fear or aversion). This may be one of the funny facts that sound like we’re just making things up, but there is a medical diagnosis for the fear of veggies. In 2009, a woman was diagnosed with the condition. However, since she had a baby to care for, she overcame her phobia.
George Lucas got stuck in the Jaws shark’s head. During a set visit, George Lucas thought it would be funny to stick his head in Bruce The Shark’s head. Steven Spielberg closed the jaws of the animatronic shark, and George Lucas got stuck inside. So much for funny facts.
There is a Starbucks cup in all frames of Fight Club. Move aside, Game of Thrones. David Fincher directed Fight Club at the height of Starbucks cafes popping up everywhere. He claimed it was “too much of a good thing,” and put a Starbucks cup in every shot of the film. Starbucks allowed its products to be shown in the ‘90s cult classic, as long as their shop was not destroyed on film. For the cafe scene, Fincher used the fictional Gratifico Coffee instead.
Woody was supposed to be a ventriloquist doll in Toy Story. Woody was originally written as the antagonist of the film, a “sarcastic bully” trying to pit the other toys against Buzz.
Reality TV phone calls are almost always fake. Phone calls are a familiar reality TV template, but there’s not much reality to them, either. It’s relatively easy since the fake conversation can be shot for each speaker and then edited together.
In Russia, competitive slapping is a sport. In March 2019, Russia held its first-ever competitive slapping contest. The winning contestant must deliver the hardest slap and endure the longest time being slapped. The contest was tournament-style, with winners for each match facing other winners until one man was left standing. The first-ever champion turned out to be Vasiliy Kamotskiy, nicknamed Pelmen or “Dumpling.” the 370-pound man won 30,000 Russian Ruble (US$470).
A farmer once grew a 910-pound pumpkin and turned it into a boat. People can be strange. One of the craziest funny facts is an actual news headline: For 4 years, Tennessee farmer Justin Ownby grew an almost 1,000-pound pumpkin. When he reached his goal, he hollowed it out and rode it as a boat in a nearby pond.
An octopus can eat its tentacle. When an octopus is stressed, it may suffer from autophagy or self-cannibalism. In some cases, a stressed octopus can eat its arms. However, an octopus can lose an arm without pain and regrow it with no problem. Imagine if we did the same when we got stressed. Now that would be one for funny facts.
Monica and Joey were supposed to be the main F.R.I.E.N.D.S. romance. The ‘90s hit show had fans swooning over the romance arcs, but the pairings that ended up together weren’t the original plan. Originally, Monica and Joey were supposed to be the endgame. Joey was also supposed to be extra sleazy, even hitting on Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe. However, Matt LeBlanc suggested toning down Joey’s character to only flirting with girls outside the main cast. This made Joey way more likeable and gave way to the romances that ended up developing through the course of the series.
People used to dream in black and white. The world may not be black and white now, but there was a time when even dreams were. Before colour TV was invented, 75% of people said their dreams were in black and white. However, only 12% do now.
Horizontal refreshment used to be the 19th-century slang for sex. I mean, if you think about it, it makes total sense.
Nutmeg can be poisonous. Who doesn’t love a little nutmeg in their hot chocolate? It may seem unlikely, but in certain amounts, nutmeg can be fatal to humans. Compared to other plants and herbs, nutmeg contains higher amounts of a narcotic substance called myristicin. Consuming more than 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg at once can cause side effects such as wild hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and a syncopated heartbeat. In large amounts, it can also lead to organ failure.
The Eiffel Tower was supposed to be in Barcelona. The Eiffel Tower may be an iconic tourist spot for lovers and travellers alike, but it wasn’t so loved in its first years. When Gustave Eiffel pitched it to Barcelona, the officials thought the design looked too ugly, so Eiffel pitched it to Paris instead.
Bananas glow blue under UV light. Bananas may be associated with yellow, but according to one study, the fruit glows an “intense” blue colour under black light (or UV lights). Scientists later found that the degradation of chlorophyll as the fruit ripens causes the blue glow.
Tug of war, live pigeon shooting, and pistol duelling used to be in the Olympics. In the early 1900s, tug-of-war, pigeon shooting, and pistol duelling were the Olympics. However, by 1920, all of these events were excluded. Tug of war was no longer considered athletics, and the animal rights movement had live pigeon shooting banned.
There is only one Blockbuster store left in the world. Video rental services may be a thing of the past, but there’s still one Blockbuster store left standing. This Blockbuster store in Bend, Oregon is now considered an American tourist site.
The Katzenklavier was a piano made out of cats. No, it wasn’t made out of their skin or bones, but it’s still one of the most disturbing WTF facts: Designed in the 17th century by Athanasius Kircher, it was a piano that had a row of caged cats with different pitches. This cat piano would then be played with the traditional keyboard that drove nails into their tails instead of into strings.
Cats can be manipulative. When cats need food or affection, they’ve been shown to exhibit “solicitation purring,” or more baby-like meows. According to a study, humans perceive this solicitation purring as more urgent than their usual cries.
Wimbledon tennis balls must be stored at perfect room temperature. Wimbledon tennis balls must be kept at 68 degrees Fahrenheit because the temperature affects how it bounces. If it’s warmer gas molecules inside the ball expand, which makes it bounce higher. If it’s cooler, the molecules will shrink, making the ball bounce lower.
The 7-fold paper is a myth. Maybe with a small piece of square paper, it would be hard to make more than 7 folds. However, the myth that a piece of paper can’t be folded over 7 times has been disproved many times.
A pharaoh once bathed his slaves in honey to keep bugs away from him. Whenever King Pepi II would get bothered by insects, he would command that one of his servants be covered in honey to lure the bugs away from him.
Less than 20% of laughter comes after jokes. Sometimes, we may not be laughing at jokes at all.
Playing the accordion used to be required for teachers in North Korea. In the 1900s, it was required that all school teachers learn the accordion. It was often referred to as The People’s Instrument and was prized for its portability.
Dentures used to be made of dead people’s teeth. In other dark WTF facts: the things we associate with old people used to be made of dead people or animal teeth. Can you still smile after this?
Anna Mae Dickinson cheated death 5 times. Anna Mae Dickinson survived both the Titanic and Lusitania, the Hindenburg explosion, the Pearl Harbor bombing, and the destruction of her apartment during 9/11. She must be part cat.
Heroin used to be sold as cough medicine. The Bayer pharmaceutical company distributed heroin as a cough medicine from 1898 to 1910. It was also marketed as a non-addictive substitute for morphine. Thank God for modern medicine.
Honey can be used for torture. Scaphism was an ancient torture method where the victim was covered all over with honey and then left at the mercy of large amounts of insects.
Pigs have free speech in Florida. The 1838 Constitution of Florida guarantees the right to privacy, the freedom of speech, and the right of pregnant pigs to be free from cages.
France has 12 time zones. Technically, Russia has the most extreme time zones – one person could be waking up at 8:00 AM while another person in some other part of the country is going to bed at 11:00 PM. However, France has the most time zones.
Beethoven could still hear after going deaf. If you’re wondering how Beethoven still managed to be a great composer even when he was deaf, it was because of this method: He bit onto a metal pole connected to his piano. He then felt or heard his music through the vibration in his bones.
Shaq only made one three-pointer in his whole career. Shaquille O’Neal may be one of the most iconic NBA players in the game, but you’d be surprised that he only made one three-point shot in his entire career.
Detroit undercover cops once fought another group of undercover cops. In an undercover drug ring bust, a group of undercover cops posing as members fought with another group of undercover cops posing as members in 2017. In the end, internal affairs had to be contacted to investigate both groups.
Paint used to be kept in pig bladders. In the 19th century, pig bladders were used to store an artist’s paint. The organ would be sealed with a string and pricked to get the paint out. Because it would often break open, the American painter John G. Rand eventually made paint tubes from tin and screw caps.
The most teeth extracted from a person is 526. A 7-year-old boy in Chennai, India had 526 teeth removed from his mouth after complaining of severe jaw pain and swelling. When doctors examined his mouth, they found a sac in his lower jaw filled with abnormal teeth, which they had to surgically remove. The entire procedure took 4-5 hours, and it took 3 days for the boy to be discharged from the hospital.
In a 2007 study in Taiwan, about 59.3% of children studied had been forced to convert from left-handedness. Asia is notorious for collectivist societies, and this shows how some parents might force their children to change handedness to be more “normal”.
Tootsie Rolls used to be part of WWII rations. Tootsie Rolls were put in soldiers’ rations in World War II because of their durability in different weather conditions.
Topeka used to be called ToPikachu. To celebrate Pokemon’s U.S. Debut in 1998, Topeka, Kansas, renamed itself “ToPikachu.”
The U.S. flag was designed by a 17-year-old for school. In junior high school, Bob Heft designed the U.S. flag. He made a 50-star flag for the class project. However, the U.S. only had 48 states at the time, so Heft got a B minus for his work. However, his prediction that two more states would be added ended up being true. Heft wrote 21 letters and called the White House 18 times. Eventually, President Eisenhower called to tell him his design would be used. The design for the current U.S. flag was made official on July 4, 1960.
Bald eagles don’t sound like in the movies. If you’ve seen a Western film, the iconic bird screech comes to mind. However, you’d be surprised that it’s not the sound of a bald eagle. The piercing call that most people associate with the bird is a sound made by another bird of prey: the red-tailed hawk. Hollywood uses the red-tailed hawk’s cry because it has a more dramatic effect. Real bald eagles would chirp rather than screeching.
A cockroach can live for weeks after its head has been cut off. If you’ve ever been assaulted by a cockroach, your instincts would be fight or flight – and the brave few who would fight can probably agree that cockroaches can be ridiculously hard to squish and kill. Even with its head cut off, a roach would survive because of its open circulatory system or using tiny holes in its body called spiracles to breathe. Additionally, cockroaches don’t need food like we do, so they’d be able to go for weeks without it.