WHY are millipedes the most useful insects in your home?
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Lots of people panic, scream and run away if they encounter nasty millipedes in their homes. However, they are among the most advantageous insects that can breed in human dwellings.
The fact is that a millipede's diet usually consists of insects of other species, including cockroaches, flies, moths, scales, termites, and just about all of the other parasites massing in your home.
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Also, millipedes aren't harmful to humans. They eat plants carrying diseases or affecting homes in a destructive way, and the purpose of their life is, you could say, to rid your own home of any other insects or pests.
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Lots of people panic, scream and run away if they encounter nasty millipedes in their homes. However, they are among the most advantageous insects that can breed in human dwellings.
The fact is that a millipede's diet usually consists of insects of other species, including cockroaches, flies, moths, scales, termites, and just about all of the other parasites massing in your home.
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Also, millipedes aren't harmful to humans. They eat plants carrying diseases or affecting homes in a destructive way, and the purpose of their life is, you could say, to rid your own home of any other insects or pests.
WHY are energy drinks detrimental?
Energy drinks contain plenty of sugar (more than 9-10 cc per 200 ml) - otherwise, the caffeine will reek of bitterness. Sugar, in turn, leads to tooth decay, obesity, diabetes and numerous other diseases.
Consumption of energy drinks greatly increases systolic blood pressure and causes heart rhythm abnormalities - while drinking pure caffeine has no such effects.
In the long run, such consumption affects almost all systems of the body and is highly detrimental to health, up to and including pathologies.
Energy drinks contain plenty of sugar (more than 9-10 cc per 200 ml) - otherwise, the caffeine will reek of bitterness. Sugar, in turn, leads to tooth decay, obesity, diabetes and numerous other diseases.
Consumption of energy drinks greatly increases systolic blood pressure and causes heart rhythm abnormalities - while drinking pure caffeine has no such effects.
In the long run, such consumption affects almost all systems of the body and is highly detrimental to health, up to and including pathologies.
WHY does the heart run for a lifetime without tiring?
The secret is that the heart, although it works throughout a person's life, still "finds" time to rest. Our heart consists of two atria and two ventricles.
The fact is that the ventricles and atria never contract simultaneously - they always work in alternating shifts.
If we calculate the time during which the heart remains in a relaxed state, we get that it rests for approximately the same amount of time as it works.
The secret is that the heart, although it works throughout a person's life, still "finds" time to rest. Our heart consists of two atria and two ventricles.
The fact is that the ventricles and atria never contract simultaneously - they always work in alternating shifts.
If we calculate the time during which the heart remains in a relaxed state, we get that it rests for approximately the same amount of time as it works.
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WHY do lions wear manes and other felines not?
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Possibly due to their way of life.
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Unlike other cats, lions lead prides, a community consisting of a male, several females, and cubs of different ages. Pride members encounter each other constantly, not only during the breeding season. In such a way of life, signals regulating aggression are useful, including the ability to determine the sex of a tribe mate from afar.
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The mane, a distinctive feature of the adult male, serves this purpose.
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Possibly due to their way of life.
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Unlike other cats, lions lead prides, a community consisting of a male, several females, and cubs of different ages. Pride members encounter each other constantly, not only during the breeding season. In such a way of life, signals regulating aggression are useful, including the ability to determine the sex of a tribe mate from afar.
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The mane, a distinctive feature of the adult male, serves this purpose.
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WHY is whiskey brown?
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Most whiskies initially lack the noble reddish-brown hue which is admired as amber by whisky connoisseurs. Fully prepared drink is as transparent as vodka or moonshine.
The color is added at the end of production by heating the oak casks so that a "red layer" forms on the wood from the inside, thanks to the wood sugars and caramelized tannins. These substances are absorbed by the whisky and give it a hint and taste of oak.
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Most whiskies initially lack the noble reddish-brown hue which is admired as amber by whisky connoisseurs. Fully prepared drink is as transparent as vodka or moonshine.
The color is added at the end of production by heating the oak casks so that a "red layer" forms on the wood from the inside, thanks to the wood sugars and caramelized tannins. These substances are absorbed by the whisky and give it a hint and taste of oak.
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WHY does a cat catch mice and bring them to its owners?
Researchers believe it can be explained by one of two possible reasons:
1. A sign of affection for the owner. Cats love to hunt and play with mice, maybe so do you?
2. Parental instinct. Cats are known for their tendency to share food with family members.
It's a way of expressing their care and love.
Researchers believe it can be explained by one of two possible reasons:
1. A sign of affection for the owner. Cats love to hunt and play with mice, maybe so do you?
2. Parental instinct. Cats are known for their tendency to share food with family members.
It's a way of expressing their care and love.
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WHY is the navel concave or convex?
In 90% of people the navel is sunken (hidden inward) and forms a dimple on the abdomen, while 10% of people have a convex navel (clearly visible from the outside).
Congenital anomalies accompanied by a deformity of the umbilical zone are detected immediately after birth. In infants with a cutaneous umbilicus, the skin of the abdominal wall passes over the adjacent part of the umbilical cord.
As a result, after the umbilical cord falls off, a noticeable bulge is formed. As the baby grows, the bulge sometimes retracts, the appearance of the belly button normalizes. However, some patients have a convex navel for the rest of their lives.
In 90% of people the navel is sunken (hidden inward) and forms a dimple on the abdomen, while 10% of people have a convex navel (clearly visible from the outside).
Congenital anomalies accompanied by a deformity of the umbilical zone are detected immediately after birth. In infants with a cutaneous umbilicus, the skin of the abdominal wall passes over the adjacent part of the umbilical cord.
As a result, after the umbilical cord falls off, a noticeable bulge is formed. As the baby grows, the bulge sometimes retracts, the appearance of the belly button normalizes. However, some patients have a convex navel for the rest of their lives.
WHY do humans have 32 teeth?
Geneticists have theorized that our ancestors originally had 44 teeth each. The reason was that they consumed mostly solid foods.
Subsequently, due to the fact that the human diet has become dominated by soft foods, the size of the lower jaw decreased, and there was not enough space for molars.
So they sometimes remain in their infancy, and sometimes they erupt incorrectly and break down quickly. Nowadays, we don't consume that much coarse food, and 20-22 teeth are enough to process it.
Geneticists have theorized that our ancestors originally had 44 teeth each. The reason was that they consumed mostly solid foods.
Subsequently, due to the fact that the human diet has become dominated by soft foods, the size of the lower jaw decreased, and there was not enough space for molars.
So they sometimes remain in their infancy, and sometimes they erupt incorrectly and break down quickly. Nowadays, we don't consume that much coarse food, and 20-22 teeth are enough to process it.
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WHY do coins feature notches on their ribs?
Originally, the value of coins was equal to the amount of metal they contained. And crooks used to cut such money from the edges, misappropriating gold and silver. It was incredibly hard to catch them, since no one carried a scale, and it was unrealistic to determine this by eye.
Strangely enough, the solution to this problem was suggested by the not infamous Sir Isaac Newton, who, it turns out, was also an employee of the British Royal Mint. He suggested making thin notches on the edges of the coins, which made the worn-out edges immediately visible.
This procedure is still carried out today, although it was no longer necessary.
Originally, the value of coins was equal to the amount of metal they contained. And crooks used to cut such money from the edges, misappropriating gold and silver. It was incredibly hard to catch them, since no one carried a scale, and it was unrealistic to determine this by eye.
Strangely enough, the solution to this problem was suggested by the not infamous Sir Isaac Newton, who, it turns out, was also an employee of the British Royal Mint. He suggested making thin notches on the edges of the coins, which made the worn-out edges immediately visible.
This procedure is still carried out today, although it was no longer necessary.
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WHY did Heineken produce bottles shaped like bricks?
In 1960, Alfred Heineken, grandson of Heineken's founder, visited the Caribbean island of Curaçao and saw thousands of Heineken bottles lying around. Alfred grieved so much that he decided to produce bricks which would solve two problems: poor citizens could build their homes out of empty square bottles and the planet would become less polluted.
Later they produced 100,000 bottles in the form of bricks, but due to the high cost of their production and customer dissatisfaction (square bottles are uncomfortable to hold in your hand) the plant ceased their production. Nobody knows how many houses were built with these bottles.
In 1960, Alfred Heineken, grandson of Heineken's founder, visited the Caribbean island of Curaçao and saw thousands of Heineken bottles lying around. Alfred grieved so much that he decided to produce bricks which would solve two problems: poor citizens could build their homes out of empty square bottles and the planet would become less polluted.
Later they produced 100,000 bottles in the form of bricks, but due to the high cost of their production and customer dissatisfaction (square bottles are uncomfortable to hold in your hand) the plant ceased their production. Nobody knows how many houses were built with these bottles.
WHY do more people drown in fresh water than in salt one?
If you inhale salt water, the high concentration of salt prevents the water from penetrating the lung tissue. When people drown in salt water, that's generally cause they can't get oxygen or expel carbon dioxide. Breathing in salt water creates a physical barrier between air and the lungs.
Fresh water is more "diluted" with ions than the fluid inside the lung cells. Fresh water does not penetrate skin cells because keratin essentially makes them watertight, but water rushes into unprotected lung cells to try to equalize the concentration gradient on the cell membranes. This may cause serious tissue damage, so even if water is removed from the lungs, chances are you won't get better.
If you inhale salt water, the high concentration of salt prevents the water from penetrating the lung tissue. When people drown in salt water, that's generally cause they can't get oxygen or expel carbon dioxide. Breathing in salt water creates a physical barrier between air and the lungs.
Fresh water is more "diluted" with ions than the fluid inside the lung cells. Fresh water does not penetrate skin cells because keratin essentially makes them watertight, but water rushes into unprotected lung cells to try to equalize the concentration gradient on the cell membranes. This may cause serious tissue damage, so even if water is removed from the lungs, chances are you won't get better.
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WHY do golf balls need indentations?
These "indentations" on the ball are necessary to increase the range of the ball. So air flowing around an uneven ball reduces the vacuum trace created due to velocity.
And the boundary layer of air in a smooth ball doesn't have time to go behind its back side, so it creates a zone of reduced pressure, which means less velocity.
These "indentations" on the ball are necessary to increase the range of the ball. So air flowing around an uneven ball reduces the vacuum trace created due to velocity.
And the boundary layer of air in a smooth ball doesn't have time to go behind its back side, so it creates a zone of reduced pressure, which means less velocity.
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WHY do girls love diamond wedding bands so much?
For five centuries, the diamond has established itself as the most expensive and desirable stone for jewelry. And since the 19th century, it has been considered the most popular stone for engagement and wedding rings.
This tradition was established by De Beers, which monopolized the diamond market in the late 19th century and just after World War II explained in an advertising campaign of historic proportions that diamonds are forever.
Naturally, marketers drew parallels with love and marriage and suggested that men should spend three wages for an engagement ring. The monopoly lasted until the mid-1990s. Today, the once-great "diamond syndicate" owns only 40% of the market.
For five centuries, the diamond has established itself as the most expensive and desirable stone for jewelry. And since the 19th century, it has been considered the most popular stone for engagement and wedding rings.
This tradition was established by De Beers, which monopolized the diamond market in the late 19th century and just after World War II explained in an advertising campaign of historic proportions that diamonds are forever.
Naturally, marketers drew parallels with love and marriage and suggested that men should spend three wages for an engagement ring. The monopoly lasted until the mid-1990s. Today, the once-great "diamond syndicate" owns only 40% of the market.
WHY do we sleep on a pillow?
One of the reasons we use pillows is the anatomy of the human body. When we stand, our head, neck and spine are on the same vertical line.
This line must also be maintained when lying down. That is, for a comfortable sleeping position, the head and the cervical spine should also be on the same line.
One of the reasons we use pillows is the anatomy of the human body. When we stand, our head, neck and spine are on the same vertical line.
This line must also be maintained when lying down. That is, for a comfortable sleeping position, the head and the cervical spine should also be on the same line.
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WHY don't people still inject themselves with endorphins (happiness hormones) intravenously?
Actually, they do.
It's called "heroin addiction". The chemical structure of opiates is totally unlike our own endorphins (otherwise they wouldn't be able to get from the blood vessels to the brain), but they act exactly the same way on the receptors.
And there is nothing good about this idea, since the brain is instantly hooked on the artificial sensation of concentrated happiness and demands repetition. And after a number of repetitions it reduces the production of its own endorphins.
Actually, they do.
It's called "heroin addiction". The chemical structure of opiates is totally unlike our own endorphins (otherwise they wouldn't be able to get from the blood vessels to the brain), but they act exactly the same way on the receptors.
And there is nothing good about this idea, since the brain is instantly hooked on the artificial sensation of concentrated happiness and demands repetition. And after a number of repetitions it reduces the production of its own endorphins.
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WHY doesn't a person start boiling in a sauna?
In a sauna, the temperature reaches 130 degrees. A person is not boiling in a sauna as he sweats profusely. Evaporating in the dry atmosphere of the sauna, the sweat cools the body, allowing it to maintain a normal temperature.
However, this mechanism cannot work for a long time, so a person is only able to stay in the sauna steam room for a short time.
In a sauna, the temperature reaches 130 degrees. A person is not boiling in a sauna as he sweats profusely. Evaporating in the dry atmosphere of the sauna, the sweat cools the body, allowing it to maintain a normal temperature.
However, this mechanism cannot work for a long time, so a person is only able to stay in the sauna steam room for a short time.
WHY does the homing pigeon always find its way home?
Judging from numerous experiments, pigeons use various principles of orientation, testing one by another. Close to home, they rely mostly on landmarks - say, they may fly along familiar freeways, repeating their curves.
When returning home from an unfamiliar place, pigeons, according to most researchers, orient themselves by the celestial lights (the sun and the stars), as well as by the magnetic field of the earth, which they sense directly thanks to the small magnetic particles in the upper part of their beaks.
Judging from numerous experiments, pigeons use various principles of orientation, testing one by another. Close to home, they rely mostly on landmarks - say, they may fly along familiar freeways, repeating their curves.
When returning home from an unfamiliar place, pigeons, according to most researchers, orient themselves by the celestial lights (the sun and the stars), as well as by the magnetic field of the earth, which they sense directly thanks to the small magnetic particles in the upper part of their beaks.
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WHY does alcohol harm sleep?
Alcohol retards brain activity and exerts a sedative effect that may cause feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. Yet alcohol consumption is actually associated with poor quality and shortened sleep duration.
Although drinking alcohol can lead to falling asleep more quickly, it can affect different stages of sleep, reducing its overall quality.
If you want to get a good night's sleep, sound advice is to avoid drinking alcohol.
Alcohol retards brain activity and exerts a sedative effect that may cause feelings of relaxation and sleepiness. Yet alcohol consumption is actually associated with poor quality and shortened sleep duration.
Although drinking alcohol can lead to falling asleep more quickly, it can affect different stages of sleep, reducing its overall quality.
If you want to get a good night's sleep, sound advice is to avoid drinking alcohol.
WHY is there no cure for color blindness?
Unfortunately, no cure for color blindness exists. There are special glasses and corrective lenses on the market that, according to advertisements, help with color recognition, but they come with undesirable side effects.
Lenses improve color recognition in one part of the spectrum, but in the other part, they worsen it. Many patients also experience unnaturally bright colors during the day and can barely distinguish their surroundings at night. In addition, lenses can ruin depth perception.
For this reason, most people with color blindness learn to adjust. They have no problem with everyday activities.
Many companies these days also consider the needs of people with color blindness: video games and apps often have special modes of operation for colorblind people.
Unfortunately, no cure for color blindness exists. There are special glasses and corrective lenses on the market that, according to advertisements, help with color recognition, but they come with undesirable side effects.
Lenses improve color recognition in one part of the spectrum, but in the other part, they worsen it. Many patients also experience unnaturally bright colors during the day and can barely distinguish their surroundings at night. In addition, lenses can ruin depth perception.
For this reason, most people with color blindness learn to adjust. They have no problem with everyday activities.
Many companies these days also consider the needs of people with color blindness: video games and apps often have special modes of operation for colorblind people.