@RandomHooman in July 2021

Did you know that a U.S. Park Ranger once got hit by lightning seven times🌩️⚡ That would be Roy Cleveland Sullivan, a park ranger at the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, who between 1942 and 1977 was struck by lightning on seven different occasions, earning him an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records and the nickname "Human Lighting Rod." He survived all of them and lived to the age of 71. #DidYouKnow

Did you know that Queen Elizabeth wouldn't sit on the Iron Throne👸👑 When Queen Elizabeth paid a royal visit to the set of Game of Thrones in Northern Ireland, she refused to sit on the Iron Throne for legal reasons. As David Benioff told Esquire, "Apparently the Queen of England is not allowed to sit on a foreign throne… This is an esoteric rule we didn't know about until that moment." Source: 38. https://bestlifeonline.com/crazy-random-facts/

Did you know that Dolphins have actual names🐬 Early in life, a dolphin creates a unique vocal whistle that allows it to be identified by other dolphins in its pod. A team of researchers at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland found that the animals responded when their specific call was played back to them. Source: 25. https://bestlifeonline.com/crazy-random-facts/

DYK?🤔 Bubble wrap was originally invented as wallpaper🧱 If you can't wait to pop every air-filled pocket the minute you pull a piece of bubble wrap out of a package, can you imagine how irresistible it would be if it were covering your walls? Engineer Al Fielding and Swiss inventor Marc Chavannes probably didn't consider that when, in 1957, they invented bubble wrap while trying to create a textured wallpaper by sealing two shower curtains together to trap air bubbles.…

Did you know that Instead of saying "cheese" before taking a picture, Victorians said "prunes." 📸 We say "cheese" because the word leaves us with a big smile on our faces, but if Victorian-era folk were to see our gleeful expressions, they'd scoff. Once upon a time, smiling in photos was considered undignified and reserved for the poor and the drunk. To retain a more serious look in their photos, they would say "prunes," a word so dull, the chances of it inciting a smile…

Did you know that Pandas fake pregnancy for better care🐼 A Chinese panda named Ai Hin was believed to be pregnant (showing signs like an increased appetite and less movement), and zookeepers ensured she was well taken care of with extra food, a single room with air conditioning, and more. But then they realized she was not pregnant at all. Researchers believe it may have been a deliberate fake out in order to get the better treatment and treats. Source: 48.…

Did you know that there was a chicken that almost live for 2 years without a head😬 Mike the Headless Chicken🐔 Mike the Headless Chicken was a male Wyandotte chicken that lived for 18 months after his head had been cut off. After the loss of his head, Mike achieved national fame until his death in March 1947. In Fruita, Colorado, an annual "Mike the Headless Chicken Day" is held every May. Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_the_Headless_Chicken

DYK? The Aurora Borealis has a sister phenomenon in the southern hemisphere called the Aurora Australis.🌌 The Northern Lights get a lot of hype, often stealing the spotlight from the Southern Lights, which are visible from New Zealand, Tasmania, and Antarctica. Aurora Australis, like Aurora Borealis, occurs when solar particles collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere. Also like the northern lights, the best time to see this magnificent light show is in the winter— southern…

Did you know that The Netherlands is so safe, it imports criminals to fill jails🇳🇱 The Netherlands has enjoyed a steady drop in crime since 2004, and has become so safe that it's closed down one jail after another—23 prisons shut their doors since 2014. To help mitigate the job losses that this has created, the country has taken to importing prisoners from other countries, bringing 242 inmates from Norway in 2015. Source : 17. https://bestlifeonline.com/crazy-random-facts/

Did you know that a pig was once executed for murdering a child in France🐖👶 Before you roll your eyes, this happened during the Middle Ages, when animals were regularly tried for human crimes. One example of such a trial took place in the French village of Fontenay-aux-Roses in 1386. The defendant, a young pig, was arrested for attacking a baby's face. When complications from the injuries ultimately killed the three-month-old, the pig was sent to jail and later, publicly…

Did you know that Scotland has more than 400 words for "snow"🌨️❄️ Few people would call the Scottish poetic, but they sure are creative. When linguists from the University of Glasgow compiled the first Historical Glossary of Scots, one of Scotland's three official languages, they were blown away at the bountiful ways to express the concept of snow. Some of those words include "snaw" (snow), "feefle" (swirls of snow), and "flindrinkin" (a light snow shower). And that giant…

Did you know that a Canadian woman who lost her wedding ring while gardening found it 13 years later growing on a carrot💍 Mary Grams always loved gardening, but not as much as she loved her husband. That's why she couldn't bear to risk breaking his heart by telling him she lost her wedding ring in the garden. Instead, she went out and bought a cheap replacement. More surprising than the fact that her husband never noticed the difference, is the fact that 13 years after the…

Did you know that the Beloved children's book author Roald Dahl was a spy🕵️‍♂️ Though best known as the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach, the author put in time as a spy for the British Security Coordination gathering intelligence during World War II. One of his specialties was using his charm to seduce society ladies, possibly for intelligence gathering, possibly for his own leisure. #DidYouKnow

Did you know that Indians spend 10+ hours a week reading, more than any other country in the world.📚 Social media and digital consumption have become so overwhelmingly popular in most parts of the world that it's easy to forget that for some people, reading is still a primary form of entertainment. According to a 2017 study, the average Indian spends 10 hours and 42 minutes per week reading. Compare that to America's five hours and 42 minutes per week. The other countries…

Did you know that Penguins Used to Be Six Feet Tall🐧 Those tiny tuxedo birds we know and love today used to be the size of a high school linebacker. According to a 2017 report published in Nature Communications, there's evidence that extinct Kumimanu biceae penguins once stood close to 6 feet tall and weighed more than 200 pounds. Source: 10. https://bestlifeonline.com/awesome-facts/

Did you know?🤔 The Word "Tragedy" Comes from an Ancient Greek Word Meaning "Goat Song" While "tragedy" is the word we use for a terrible event or a sad outcome, it has roots from the Middle English word "tragedie," which can be traced back to Medieval Latin's "tragēdia" and the Latin "tragoedia." That word originates from the ancient Greek word "tragōidía," meaning "goat song," according to Oxford Dictionaries. A commonly accepted theory for the etymology is that Greek…

Did you know that The Lines on the Inside of Your Wrist Have a Name✋ If you look at the skin on the inside of your wrists, you'll see a few lines that become deep creases when you bend your hand inwards. These grooves have a name—rasceta—in case you ever find a need to refer to them. #DidYouKnow

This is a Lyrebird🦚 Lyrebirds could easily win a talent show for their ability to mimic sounds in their environment. True, this trait exists in other birds, but lyrebirds take things to a whole new level. They can imitate just about any sound, including industrial equipment and power tools. Found in Australia, the birds are also known for their flamboyant mating displays; the males show off their long tail feathers while dancing and using their superb vocal abilities to…

Did you know that An Apple Can Last up to 10 Months🍎📅 According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, if you pick an apple off a tree, it'll last a few weeks before it starts to soften and rot. But if you store an entire harvest under "controlled-atmosphere conditions," it'll last up to 10 months. Source: 6. https://bestlifeonline.com/awesome-facts/

Did you know that Ostriches Can Outrun Horses🐴 Ostriches' elastic tendons mean they have to exert less energy to run than your average animal does. According to research published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, this low energy expenditure means they could outrun many animals capable of running long distances, like horses. #DidYouKnow

Your Dog Is as Smart as Your Toddler🐶 According to the American Psychological Association, dogs are approximately as intelligent as your average two-year-old and can understand more than 150 words. Also much like a toddler, dogs can deceive people and other animals when they want a treat. #Animals

Did you know that It's Impossible to Hum While Holding Your Nose👃 Go ahead and hum whatever tune pops into your head. Now, hold your nose and try to hum that same tune. Notice anything? While you still might be able to push out an awkward sound, it's no longer humming. That's because when you're humming, you're actually making the same sound as a prolonged M consonant, which is done by moving air through your nasal passages. In fact, when you hum, you should feel a little…

Did you know that One Year on Uranus Is 84 Years on earth🌎 It takes Earth around 365 days to complete a trip around the sun, which is why a year on our planet lasts for that many days. However, over on Uranus, which is a lot of farther away from our star and follows a wider path around it, a single orbit takes 84 years. That means one year on Uranus lasts for nearly a century on Earth. Source: 179. https://bestlifeonline.com/awesome-facts/

Did you know that Queen Elizabeth used to be a Mechanic?🧰 Near the end of World War II, Queen Elizabeth worked as a truck mechanic. According to History.com, the woman then known as Second Subaltern Elizabeth Windsor donned a pair of coveralls and trained in London as a mechanic and military truck driver. She's the only female member of the royal family to have entered the armed forces and is the only living head of state who served in World War II. #DidYouKnow

Did you know that Yawning Cools Your Brain 🧠 Research conducted at the University of Vienna suggests that yawning may play an essential role in cooling our brains. But yawning to cool the brain is "not functional" when the outside temperature is as hot as the body, explained the study's lead author Jorg Massen. And if you're wondering: Yes, sleep deprivation does increase brain temperature, which could be a factor in why we yawn more when we're tired. #DidYouKnow

There is a Hot Pink Lake in Australia Western Australia's Lake Hillier has a naturally-occurring pink hue. While scientists aren't entirely sure why this is, it likely has to do with the carotenoid pigments produced by microalgae in the water. #DidYouKnow

A Cat's Ear Has 32 Muscles🐈 If you've ever wondered how your cat seems to hear every little noise from rooms away, blame it on their highly-developed ears. A cat's ear contains 32 muscles, some of which account for their aural aptitude, providing their ears with a wide range of motion to detect sound. #Animals

Did you know that There's a Word for When You Can't Remember a Word🤔 Imagine forgetting this word😂 There's actually a word for when you're trying to say something and suddenly forget a specific word. It's "lethologica." But is there a different word for when you can't remember the word for when you can't remember a word? Not yet! #DidYouKnow

Our mind is a limitless sky and we can only be an albatross flying in the vast expanse to occasionally discover the joys of sublimity.🌌

Did you know that You Need 10 Years of Cheesemaking Experience to Even Apply to Become a Master Cheesemaker🧀 The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program isn't for amateur dairy lovers. The prestigious program is so elite that candidates are required to have had a Wisconsin cheesemaker's license for at least 10 years before they're even eligible to apply. You also have to pass a series of courses on subjects like Cheese Technology, Cheese Grading (not grating), and another on…

Otters Hold Hands🤝 Otters like to keep close company, even in the water. Not only do otters link arms to avoid floating away from one another, the Asian small-clawed otter mates for life. #DidYouKnow

Did you know that The Earth Weighs About 13,170,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 Pounds⚖️🌍 Earth may be too big to pop on a scale, but, according to NASA and the California Institute of Technology's Cool Cosmos, scientists have used their knowledge of the laws of gravity and applied that to some fancy-schmancy mathematical equations to figure out that our planet weighs about 13,170,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 pounds. Source: 68. https://bestlifeonline.com/awesome-facts/

Parrots will selflessly help each other out.🦜 Parrots may be associated with pirates, but it turns out African grey parrots are nothing like the infamously greedy, treasure-seeking criminals. Instead, researchers have discovered that the colorful birds will "voluntarily help each other obtain food rewards" and perform "selfless" acts, according to a 2020 study published in Current Biology. Study co-author Auguste von Bayern noted, "African grey parrots were intrinsically…

"She Sells Seashells by the Seashore" Was Likely Written About a 1800s Female Paleontologist Who Sold Dinosaur Bones While "she sells seashells by the seashore" is a terrifically tricky tongue-twister, it's also a bit of history. The saying is thought to have been inspired by Mary Anning, a woman who was born in 1799 and ran a little fossil stand on Dorset Beach in England, a location that's also known as the Jurassic Coast due to the plentiful amount of dinosaur bones in…

Did you know that The Largest Sand Castle Ever Can Be Seen from Space🏰⛱️ In February 2019, artists in Dubai spent more than 2,400 hours creating the largest sand image ever constructed. At 170,890 square feet—the equivalent of more than 12 Olympic-size swimming pools—the image carved out of natural sand is so massive that it can be seen from space. Titled "Prince of Humanity," the piece features the image of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of the State of…

Prairie dogs kiss😗💕 Prairie dogs are quirky creatures for a number of reasons: They're giant rodents, they dig massive interconnected underground homes, and they kiss. While they're actually touching their front teeth in order to identify each other when they seem to be sweetly sharing a smooch, the BBC explains that scientists believe prairie dogs "'kiss and cuddle' more when they are being watched by zoo visitors," because they "appeared to enjoy the attention." #Animals

Baby Tasmanian devils make life-long friendships❤️ If you have best friends who have been around since you were a child, then you have something in common with Tasmanian devils. Research has shown that Tasmanian devils form bonds when they're young that last for the rest of their lives. As Zoos Victoria's Marissa Parrott told IFL Science, "In the wild, when baby devils leave their mums, we believe they all socialize together." As the website notes, "young devils have their…

Did you know that A grizzly bear's bite is strong enough to crush a bowling ball🐻 Those who find themselves in the presence of a grizzly bear will surely want to stay out of reach of this animal's super sharp claws. But they'll certainly also want to keep out of the grizzly's mouth, because these creatures "have a bite-force of over 8,000,000 pascals," according to National Geographic. That means grizzly bears can literally crush a bowling ball between their jaws. Yikes!…

DYK? There Are Frogs Smaller Than Your Fingernails🐸 In March 2019, three new species of incredibly itty-bitty frogs were discovered in Madagascar, according to the journal PLOS One. The largest of the frogs was a teensy-weensy 1.4 centimeters in length, while the tiniest is 0.8 centimeters, which is smaller than your fingernail. The frogs are now thought to be among the smallest vertebrates on the planet and have been added to an appropriately named genus that was made up…