Throughout the course of history and society, countless strange phenomena, inventions, and majestic natural wonders have emerged around us. No matter how knowledgeable you think you are or how exceptional your intellect may be, there will always be an endless expanse of knowledge that can never be fully filled.
Surprising Facts Around Us That Not Everyone Knows
- 1. A Messy Bed is Better for Our Health
- 2. Men Have Longer Tongues Than Women
- 3. The Eiffel Tower Can Be Up to 15 cm Taller in Summer
- 4. YouTube Originally Started as a Dating Application
- 5. Men with Daughters Live Longer
- 6. Homework Was Once Considered Harmful to Children’s Health
- 7. Lobster Was Once Considered Prison Food
- 8. Erasers Were Invented 200 Years After Pencils
Therefore, regardless of age, there will always be some truths that surprise us about this world. While they may not significantly impact our daily lives, they certainly leave us astonished by the objects and events around us.
1. A Messy Bed is Better for Our Health
Maintaining tidiness and cleanliness certainly makes our living environment more spacious and comfortable. However, making the bed seems to contradict this standard.
According to a recent study from Kingston University, leaving the bed unmade can kill about 1.5 million dust mites, thereby protecting our health better than neatly folding the sheets after getting up.
2. Men Have Longer Tongues Than Women
The common misconception that women talk more than men is hard to substantiate. However, when it comes to tongue length, men definitely have the advantage. A study conducted at the University of Edinburgh found that the average tongue length for adult females is 7.9 cm, while for males, it is 8.5 cm.
3. The Eiffel Tower Can Be Up to 15 cm Taller in Summer
One of the most famous landmarks in Europe is undoubtedly the Eiffel Tower. In addition to its iconic status, the slight seasonal height change of this architectural wonder also surprises many.
In the summer, when temperatures exceed 40°C, the Eiffel Tower can grow up to nearly 6 inches (about 15 cm) taller, which is easily explained as metal materials expand when exposed to high temperatures, resulting in the tower’s increased height. Additionally, the heat can cause the top of the tower to lean by up to 17 cm during the summer.
4. YouTube Originally Started as a Dating Application
When mentioning YouTube, one immediately thinks of a globally popular video-sharing application, a symbol of the robust development of social media platforms. However, few know that it was initially created for a different purpose.
According to founder Steve Chen, when YouTube launched on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2005, the original idea was to allow people to upload videos about their romantic interests and the type of partner they were looking for, similar to a “video profile” for dating. Over time, people began sharing everything about themselves, creating the YouTube community we know today.
5. Men with Daughters Live Longer
According to a study, we cannot be sure whether fathers with daughters are happier than those with sons, but having daughters may be associated with longer life spans for fathers.
A group of scientists discovered that the number of daughters positively affects the longevity of their fathers. On average, their life expectancy increases by 74 weeks for each daughter born. In contrast, the number of sons does not have any significant impact on fathers’ longevity.
6. Homework Was Once Considered Harmful to Children’s Health
Assigning homework to children, although not intended negatively, has been a contentious issue. In the United States, a ban on homework was enacted in 1901 in California for students under 15, as some doctors and teachers argued that homework negatively impacted children’s health due to the stress it caused.
Despite that, assigning a reasonable amount of homework is still hard to dismiss, so homework was allowed again in 1917.
7. Lobster Was Once Considered Prison Food
As one of the expensive ingredients commonly used in high-end restaurants, few know that lobster was once considered food for prisoners.
In the 1880s, the surplus of lobsters was so great that they covered the beaches of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the United States. As a result, they were affordable and referred to as “poor man’s protein,” as well as the preferred food for prisons to serve their inmates.
8. Erasers Were Invented 200 Years After Pencils
Although pencils have been around for over 400 years, it took a long time for the small eraser at the end of the pencil to be invented, specifically around 200 years.
In the 18th century, before rubber was used as a primary material for making erasers, people used pieces of sponge or even bits of bread to cover up pencil marks or erase mistakes.
The use of rubber for making erasers actually originated from a coincidence when in 1770, Joseph Priestley used plant-based gum to erase pencil marks. Since then, people began to invent erasers based on the properties of gum.
