WHY does it smell so good after the rain?

Scholars have really given this scent its own name: petrichor.

Some plants secrete oils absorbed by the soil. When it rains, the oil escapes from the soil along with the waste products of actinobacteria. As a result, a distinctive aroma emerges.

WHY does black absorb more heat than other colors?

According to the physical laws, the color of any object is a spectrum of reflected light. Any object absorbs all waves, but reflects only those of a certain wavelength.

Only black reflects nothing. It represents the absence of light. Thus, all the light and thermal energy that enters it, remains inside of it.

WHY do we feel sleepy after a meal?

After eating, glucose levels rise sharply. High glucose levels suppress activity of orexin, a neuropeptide that controls energy balance in the body.

📌Orexin keeps us energized throughout the day.

WHY does the amount of hair affect a person's intelligence?

An American psychologist took up this question and found out that the amount of body hair affects intelligence: the more of it, the smarter you are.

Back in 1996, Dr. Aikarakudi Alias stated that chest hair is more common among doctors and highly educated people.

WHY do ants move in a chain after each other?

When a scout ant is looking for food, it follows a specific path. And as it returns to the anthill for help, it marks the path with its secretions.

After that, all ants head off to get food, following the trail of the previous scout ant. As a result, the insects follow each other.

WHY do geomagnetic storms affect well-being?

One hypothesis exists, according to which magnetite nanocrystals (Fe3O4) can be found in the human brain structures. Human ancestors used them as an "internal compass".

Magnetic storms act on these particles and irritate receptors, causing human stress.

Another hypothesis is based on the fact that electric currents are involved (from the physical point of view) in nerve impulse transmission. These currents, in turn, interact with the magnetic field of Earth.

WHY are there two straws added to cocktails?

Numerous speculations on this subject. The three most plausible theories are:

1️⃣ To make it convenient to drink multi-layered cocktails without mixing the layers. That's why one straw is slightly longer (it sinks to the bottom of the alcohol), while the other is slightly shorter.

2️⃣ A couple of straws are added to make the drink easier to stir.

3️⃣ Two people can drink the cocktail through the straws, and it looks quite romantic.

WHY do paper cups not get wet?

Almost all paper cups consist of a special plastic film on the inside. Thus, it makes them impossible to recycle.

📌 In some coffee shops, the owners give a discount to customers who bring their own cups. That's how they contribute to the environmen

WHY shouldn't we eat hot bread?

Previously, natural sourdough was used to make bread lush. But these days, when artificial yeast is added, people experience adverse effects after eating fresh and hot bread.

The human stomach has difficulty digesting it, and this may lead to the aggravation of gastritis. Besides, freshly baked bread causes fermentation in the intestines, resulting in the formation of excessive gas, colic and intestinal pain.

WHY do different countries have different outlets?

Back in the days when the electrical system was invented and homes were electrified, inventors came up with different configurations of outlets, and appliance manufacturers adapted to them.

Meanwhile, during the technological revolution, states categorically rejected the inventions of foreign citizens so they had to come up with new shapes of outlets.

📌 In all countries, outlets have different voltages, and plugs allow you to adjust the current supply. That's why various standards were introduced for certain countries.

WHY do flamingos stand on one leg?

The peculiarity of their pose is connected with heat exchange. Feet, not covered with feathers, quickly freeze, especially in the strong wind. Therefore, the birds take turns warming their legs by hiding them in their plumage.

It takes no effort to stand on one leg. A special physiological device prevents the supporting leg from bending, so that it remains extended even without the use of muscular force.

WHY are diamonds so expensive?

Diamonds are called cut diamonds. Their very name is derived from the Greek word "adamas," meaning "indestructible". This description fully conveys its properties. Diamonds have the highest hardness.

Craftsmen give this natural mineral a special shape to thoroughly bring out its natural shine. It takes a great deal of effort and time.

❗️Diamonds do not wear out or deteriorate. Such qualities make jewelry with a mineral a truly precious gift.

WHY do hot drinks help beat the heat?

In summer, when the heat outside is unbearable, the best way to cope with it and quench thirst is to drink hot tea.

Unlike cold drinks, hot beverages raise our body temperature and make us feel cooler.

WHY does the head spin after rotation in place?

As people turn their head, they use their eyes trying to hold their gaze on one object or another. After a while, the nervous mechanism that allows this eye movement (called nystagmus) switches to a self-sustaining mode.

If the rotation stops, the eyes continue to make nystagmatic movements.

WHY does adding salt to pineapple make it sweet?

Scientists have found that salt reacts chemically with malic and citric acids.

As a result, the salt neutralizes the acid, making the pineapple sweeter.

WHY is the sea blue and the water in the glass clear?

It is true that clear water is blue. But the shade intensity is so small that it is impossible to discern it in a small container!

Also, the water in the reservoir reflects the sky, which gives it colors.

WHY is the center of the universe is in Tulsa?

Tulsa is a small city in Oklahoma, a unique acoustic place. "The Center of the Universe" is a 75 cm diameter circle of concrete. It is followed by the next circle of 13 bricks and circular brickwork. The whole area extends to about 2.5 m in diameter.

If you stand in the center of this place, any sound you make will be amplified many times over, and the person standing outside the circle will hear your voice distorted and indistinct.

WHY are tsunamis occurring?

When large underwater earthquakes shake the seafloor, tsunamis appear. And the stronger the shocks, the more powerful the tsunami will be.

Underwater landslides and explosions also cause tsunamis. So-called megatsunamis are caused by above-water landslides or "glacier calving".

📌 Unfortunately, tsunamis, as well as earthquakes, are still impossible to predict accurately.

WHY shouldn't we take a starfish out of the water?

Starfish pump in and out of water through their body surface. This way it breathes.

If you take a starfish out of the water, it will get air into its body, but once submerged, it won't be able to sink to the bottom and breathe normally. As a result, it will die an agonizing death.

❗You cannot pull a starfish out of the water for more than 3-5 seconds.

WHY do you see colored circles while rubbing your eyes?

You may have noticed that every time you rub your eyes, the colored flashes are always of a different shape and color😏

Pressing on the eyeball causes mechanical irritation to the retina and optic nerve.

This signal goes to the visual centers of the brain, which perceive it as a normal signal from the retinal receptors.

WHY is chewing gum hard to digest?

That's why chewing gum labels say you cannot swallow it.

The gum is made of plastic, the gastric acid and enzymes are unable to digest it and it passes through the digestive tract unchanged.

❗Only the plant substances such as additives and flavors are digested. The base material is eliminated from the body naturally.