The world is a crazy place. Even the most ordinary, boring, everyday things can hold within them some astonishing and fascinating facts that may seem strange to some.
For example, did you know that worms eat four to six times their body weight every day? Or that trained pigeons can tell the difference between works of art by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso?
However, some facts also come with risks — such as the fact that your mobile phone is crawling with bacteria.
Some things that once seemed completely normal to you can surprise you with hidden truths.
With that in mind, here are 20 strange little facts that will probably surprise you:
1. Humans Are the Only Creatures That Enjoy Spicy Food
Amazing facts about the foods humans eat
It’s a mystery that scientists have struggled to explain, but humans are the only creatures that actually enjoy eating spicy food.
There don’t seem to be any direct health benefits to eating hot peppers (although some research has found they may help resist the growth of fungi in the body). So, the best explanation scientists have come up with for why humans love spicy food is the thrill factor — the fact that we’re the only species that enjoys exciting and fear-inducing experiences, like roller coasters or horror movies.
2. Humans Are the Only Creatures Whose Brains Shrink
Amazing fact: humans are the only species whose brains shrink
As we age, our brains tend to shrink and can suffer from cognitive issues such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
But, according to some of the best researchers, we’re the only species this happens to.
Tests on other creatures have shown no similar phenomenon. Even animals that share some traits with us, like chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys, show no signs of brain shrinkage with age the way humans do.
3. Potato Chips Cause More Weight Gain Than Any Other Food
A Harvard University study of more than 120,000 people found that potato chips are one of the top foods responsible for significant weight gain. They were linked to an average gain of 1.69 pounds per person over four years.
Other snack foods that contribute to weight gain over four years include:
Potatoes (1.28 lbs)
Sugar-sweetened beverages (1.00 lb)
Unprocessed red meats (0.95 lb)
4. Some Types of Bananas Cannot Reproduce
The bananas we all know and love — called Cavendish bananas — are actually a hybrid of two other plant species.
They have no seeds and can only reproduce with the help of farmers in greenhouses, who remove and plant parts of the banana stem to cultivate and produce the Cavendish bananas we enjoy.
5. Authors Aldous Huxley and C.S. Lewis Died on the Same Day as President John F. Kennedy
The two famous British authors, Aldous Huxley and C.S. Lewis
The deaths of these two famous British authors (who died within about ten minutes of each other) were remarkable events in the literary world.
However, their passing was overshadowed by a much bigger and more dramatic event: the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
It was difficult for the death of the author of Brave New World to receive more attention than the assassination of the American president.
Within an hour of their deaths, Kennedy was shot, and that became the dominant headline.
6. Mobile Phones Are Full of Bacteria
Although it hasn’t been proven that mobile phones cause cancer or ignite fires at gas stations (as some believe), it has been proven that they are packed with bacteria.
According to research by British scientists, an average mobile phone carries 18 times more harmful germs than a toilet handle.
So here’s the question: When was the last time you disinfected your phone?
7. Amazing Fact: Termites Are the Longest-Living Insects
Insects have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. And while dinosaurs went extinct — along with many insects and animals — the termite queen has managed to live longer than any other insect species on Earth.
Some scientists estimate that these creatures can live up to 100 years.
8. Chewing Gum After Meals Reduces Heartburn
It turns out that saliva stimulated by chewing gum becomes more alkaline, which effectively prevents acid reflux that causes heartburn while soothing the esophagus.
So chewing gum after meals is actually good for your overall health.
9. Amazing Fact: Dogs Can Smell Cancer
They don’t call them “man’s best friend” for nothing.
Researchers have found that dogs can detect a specific odor produced by cancer in humans — something humans themselves cannot sense.
So if your dog is acting strangely around you, it might be you who needs a checkup with the doctor.
10. Amazing Fact: Bees Can Detect Bombs
If you think that’s impressive, bees can detect bombs with their tongues.
Just as security forces train dogs to detect explosives, bees can also be trained to detect landmines.
11. Friends Do More Housework Than Spouses
A survey of 17,000 people in 28 countries found that after marriage, the amount of time men spend on weekly housework decreases significantly.
However, when living with friends, people tend to put in more effort with household chores.
12. Amazing Fact: LEGO Is the World’s Largest Tire Manufacturer
LEGO produces around 306 million tires every year, far more than any other manufacturer in the world.
It may be funny that these are tiny toy car tires, but the fact remains true.
13. Amazing Fact: A Nap Can Save Your Life
Research has found that a midday nap can make you more creative, focused, and refreshed for the rest of the day.
But one study also found that regular napping can reduce the risk of heart attacks specifically.
People who napped daily were found to be 37% less likely to die from heart attacks or other coronary diseases compared to those who worked straight through the day without napping.
14. You Sleep More Deeply in a Hammock Than in a Bed
Swiss scientists discovered that the rocking motion of a hammock helps people fall asleep faster and enjoy longer periods of deep, restful sleep compared to sleeping on a traditional bed.
15. Newborn Babies Don’t Shed Tears
Tear ducts do not fully develop in infants until they are between one and three months old, making it impossible for them to shed real tears before that time.
No wonder they have to express their emotions by crying loudly instead.
