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WTF Fun Fact 13296 – Keanu Reeves’ Chemical Compound

Keanu Reeves is such as lethal presence on the silver screen that scientists have named a fungus-killing bacteria after him. That’s right, Reeves is now getting recognition in an unexpected field – mycology. The name isn’t inspired by his reputation for “down-to-earth” kindness and generosity though. It’s inspired by his efforts as a stealth killing machine in the film series John Wick.

The Keanu Reeves compound

The compound, called “Aptostichus keanu,” was discovered by researchers at the University of California, Riverside. It belongs to a class of compounds called cytochalasins, which have been shown to have antifungal and anticancer properties. Aptostichus keanu is particularly effective against fungi that cause diseases in crops, making it a potentially valuable tool in agriculture.

According to Smithsonian Magazine (cited below), scientist Sebastian Götze the Washington Post’s Kyle Melnick:

“We were just basically blown away by the high activity. That’s why we basically said, ‘Yeah, it’s like an assassin, a hit man or something, killing a couple of different fungi very effectively.’”

The keanumycin compound bleeds the fungal pathogens to death by creating holes in the surface of fungal pathogens. Kinda like stabbing.

Keanu saves the crops

Even better is the fact that Reeves’ namesake compound might be a natural, effective fungicide that helps save crops.

“In a study recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, lead author Götze and his colleagues describe keanumycins’ strength against a common plant pest that causes a gray mold rot. Called Botrytis cinerea, it affects more than 200 types of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries and grapes, per the statement. The researchers used keanumycins to significantly clear this blight from hydrangea leaves,” reports Smithsonian.

This isn’t the first time a celebrity has had a scientific discovery named after them. In recent years, new species of animals and plants have been named after David Bowie, Lady Gaga, and Barack Obama, among others. These names are often chosen as a way to honor the person’s contributions to society or their cultural significance.

While Aptostichus keanu may not have the same level of cultural impact as Keanu Reeves’ films, it’s still an exciting discovery with potential applications in agriculture and medicine.

As for Reeves’ response to the whole this: it was priceless. During a Reddit question-and-answer session he answered a question about his namesake:

“They should’ve called it John Wick. But that’s pretty cool … and surreal for me. But thanks, scientist people! Good luck, and thank you for helping us.”

— WTF fun facts

Source: “Scientists Name New Fungus-Killing Compounds After Keanu Reeves” — Smithsonian Magazine

WTF Fun Fact 13291 – Battle of the Oranges

The Battle of the Oranges is a festival held in Ivrea, Italy. Participants throw oranges at each other to commemorate the town’s liberation from a cruel medieval ruler. It is estimated that over 900 tons of oranges are used in the battle each year.

A medieval origin story

The city of Ivrea is located in the Piedmont region of Italy. This is where they hold the annual Battle of the Oranges, which takes place in February or March every year during the carnival season.

The battle is believed to stem from a medieval tradition. According to legend, the town of Ivrea was ruled by a cruel feudal lord during the Middle Ages. He was known for his tyrannical rule and oppressive taxes.

As the story goes, one day a young miller’s daughter named Violetta was chosen to spend a night with the lord, as was the custom of the time. However, Violetta refused to submit to the lord’s desires and instead beheaded him with his own sword.

Apparently, the townspeople were inspired by Violetta’s courage. As a result, they rose up against the lord’s soldiers and drove them out of town. To commemorate their victory, the people of Ivrea started throwing oranges at each other. The oranges symbolize the rocks that were used during the original battle.

The tradition of the Battle of the Oranges

The tradition of the Battle of the Oranges continued to evolve over the centuries. Eventually, it became a carnival event.

The festival is now divided into three days, with each day having its own unique rituals and ceremonies. The first day of the festival is called Giovedì Grasso (Fat Thursday), which marks the start of the carnival season. A large parade featuring floats, dancers, and musicians dressed in colorful costumes takes place. At the end of the parade, a large bonfire is lit in the town square. People gather around it to celebrate the start of the festival.

The second day of the festival is called Sabato Grasso (Fat Saturday). This is when the Battle of the Oranges takes place. The oranges used during the battle are specially grown for the event and are not suitable for consumption. The oranges are also carefully selected and checked to ensure that they hard enough to cause injury.

Participants in the battle wear traditional costumes. Some dress as medieval soldiers, while others are dressed as peasants or Violetta herself.

Those not participating in the battle are advised to wear protective clothing in case they get hit by the oranges.

Battle rules

The battle takes place in the city center, which is divided into nine zones. Each zone represents a different area of the town. Participants try to hit their opponents with oranges while avoiding being hit themselves. The battle lasts for several hours and ends when all the oranges have been used up.

The Battle of the Oranges is not just a fun carnival event, but it also has a deeper meaning for the people of Ivrea. It symbolizes the town’s struggle for freedom and its victory over oppression.

In recent years, the Battle of the Oranges has gained popularity and has attracted visitors from all over the world. The festival has also inspired similar “orange battles” in other parts of the world, including in Greece and Spain.

— WTF fun facts

Source: “The Age-Old Food Fight That Beats an Italian Town to a Pulp” — New York Times Magazine

WTF Fun Fact 13235 – Pacemaker Recycling

All kinds of people from all walks of life can develop heart disease and need a pacemaker. But not everyone can afford them. That’s why pacemaker recycling projects are popping up around the country to ensure that people of all incomes can have access to this life-saving technology. As a bonus, they also help the environment.

What’s the point of pacemaker recycling?

The main goal of pacemaker recycling is to reduce waste and conserve natural resources, as well as to provide access to medical devices for individuals who may not otherwise have access to them.

Pacemakers are small, implantable devices that are used to regulate the heartbeat of people with heart conditions. They are typically made from a combination of metal and plastic components and can be expensive to produce.

When a pacemaker is no longer needed, it can be difficult to dispose of properly. That’s because the materials used to make the device are not biodegradable and can pose environmental and health risks.

Pacemaker recycling helps to mitigate these risks by collecting used pacemakers and other medical devices. Then, they’re refurbished for reuse or broken down into their component parts for recycling. This reduces waste and conserves natural resources. It also provides access to medical devices for individuals who may not otherwise have access to them.

Do people use these recycled items?

Yes, absolutely. And they’re life-saving.

In many developing countries, access to medical devices, including pacemakers, can be limited due to high costs and a lack of infrastructure. Pacemaker recycling programs can help to address these challenges by providing refurbished medical devices to patients who need them, at a fraction of the cost of a new device.

This can improve access to medical care for individuals who may not otherwise have access to it, and can help to improve health outcomes for patients who require these medical devices.

Pacemaker recycling programs are becoming increasingly common in the US.
Recycled pacemakers are refurbished to ensure that they meet the same safety and quality standards as new devices. Then, they’re made available at a significantly lower cost than a new pacemaker.

Recycled pacemakers are subject to the same regulations and standards as new pacemakers. That means they must be thoroughly tested and evaluated before they are made available for use to make sure they’re just as safe and effective as new devices.

If you or a loved one have a pacemaker, you can even make arrangements for it to be recycled after your death. Check out Project My Heart Your Heart below for an example. — WTF fun facts

Source: “Recycle your pacemakers!” — Project My Heart Your Heart

WTF Fun Fact 13230 – NYPL Gave Away Books

The New York Public Library gave away books in the summer of 2022 – half a million books, to be exact.

The New York Public Library gave away half a million books

According to the NYPL website (cited below), branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, or Staten Island gave away books starting June 9, 2022. The goal was to give away 500,000 diverse books for kids and teens (from birth through 18)!

Certain locations even offered large print books as well as books in Spanish and Chinese.

As they note: “A lifelong love of reading—and your own home library—begin with choosing your first book.”

Personal libraries

Building a personal book collection can provide people with many benefits – so it’s good to start young.

Having a personal library (however small) helps with knowledge, learning, and personal growth. It can also provide relaxation, stress relief, cultural enrichment, and a sense of accomplishment.

Collecting books can be a calming activity that helps reduce stress and promote mindfulness. It can even help you to regulate your emotions, especially if you collect books that address topics that you’re struggling with or that resonate with your experiences.

A study conducted by researchers at King’s College London found that over 30 percent of adults participate in some form of collecting, including books. While psychologists can’t pinpoint exactly what makes book collecting worthwhile, many people take great pride in their book collections.

Studies do show that people who engage in hobbies are happier than those who do not. Book collecting can even be a social hobby if it involves getting out of the house and hunting for books in bookstores or attending book clubs.

Read books, live longer

A 2016 study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine actually found that reading books can reduce mortality by up to 20%. You’ll live longer if you read books.

The same was not true of reading other things – like the Internet, newspapers, or magazines!

The researchers noted that “any level of book reading gave a significantly stronger survival advantage.” This was particularly true for adults 65 and older who read books instead of watching TV.

— WTF fun facts

Source: “Summer at the Library: Free Book Giveaway!” — NYPL

WTF Fun Fact 13222 – Buffalo Tool Library

The Buffalo Tool Library is a magnificent idea that we wish could happen in every city. It would sure save us a lot of cash during our DIY home improvement adventures!

What is the Buffalo Tool Library?

The Buffalo Tool Library is a non-profit community organization that provides a lending library of tools to its members in Buffalo, New York. Members can borrow tools for home improvement, gardening, and repair projects, much like they would borrow books from a traditional library. The goal of the organization is to promote sustainability, community building, and self-sufficiency by making tools accessible to everyone.

The Buffalo Tool Library operates as a membership-based service. Members pay a fee to join and are then able to borrow tools from the library’s collection for a set period of time.

To borrow tools, members must check out the tools in person. They can do this either at the library’s physical location or through its online platform. The borrowed tools must then be returned in good condition within the agreed-upon loan period. Late fees may apply if the tools are returned past the due date.

The library also offers classes, workshops, and events to help members learn how to use the tools and develop new skills.

The library is run by volunteers. It relies on community support to continue its mission of promoting sustainability and self-sufficiency.

Building community

According to the University at Buffalo’s website:

“The Tool Library—which celebrated its eleventh anniversary this summer—lends over 4,000 tools, large and small, to over 1,000 individual and group members for both personal and collective projects. In addition to aiding personal do-it-yourself efforts, it organizes extensive community work: planting and maintaining trees, flowers, and neighborhood gardens; spearheading organized cleanups and streetscape and store-front maintenance; staging do-it-yourself and repair clinics; equipping and training in safety and lead abatement efforts.”

— WTF fun facts

Source: “The Tool Library: How to Build and Maintain a Social and Environmental Justice Not-for-Profit Organization” — SUNY Buffalo

WTF Fun Fact 13221 – Yung Gravy Donates Bras

“Yung Gravy donates bras” is probably not a sentence that makes much sense to most of us. But it’s actually a good deed done by a 26-year-old Minneapolis rapper.

Yung Gravy donates bras to a good cause

Women apparently throw A LOT of bras at rapper Yung Gravy during his concerts. In fact, he ended up with quite the collection.

The rapper, whose real name is Matthew Hauri, told his 7+ million TikTok fans recently that he had over 1,900 bras. He also planned to donate them all to women’s shelters.

And to top it off, he promised to match the value of the bras and donate the money to a breast cancer foundation. Of course, he needed to ask his fans how much a decent bra goes for these days. (He had to be pretty startled when he found the cost of 1,900 “decent bras.”)

Word gets around

When you have over 7 million social media followers, words of your good deeds get around.

According to Rare (cited below), “The rapper’s video posted on November 28 had the simple caption ‘save the nip’ below it. Footage of Yung Gravy getting practically smothered in fan bras accompanied a vow to donate the bras. He also promised to match the final value of the bras to a breast cancer foundation…In less than a month, his video has received over 16 million views and nearly 3 million likes.”

Eventually, the I Support the Girls Foundation (ISTG) heard that Yung Gravy donates bras and reached out. “ISTG’s mission is to work with a wide network of affiliates to collect and distribute essential feminine items, including bras and hygiene products, to impoverished women in need of them,” according to Rare.

Yung Gravy donated the bras to ISTG and helped sort through them. Some of them still had tags on them, meaning that they were purchased just to throw at the rapper! — WTF fun facts

Source: “Rapper Yung Gravy Donated 1,900 Bras Fans Threw at Him on Stage” — Rare

WTF Fun Fact 13220 – Chat Checkouts

Have you ever been in line at the store and rolled your eyes at the person chatting away with the clerk instead of getting their things together and leaving in a timely manner? That’s most of us. But for some people, that trip to the store may be one of the primary sources of socialization. That’s why the Dutch have invented “chat checkouts” (or Kletskassas). They’re primarily geared towards elderly people who want to take their time and chat people up at the store.

What are chat checkouts?

Chat checkouts are a type of Kletskassa, or social gathering, for older people. Community centers, cafes, or other public spaces often play host to these events. They provide seniors with an opportunity to socialize, make new friends, and engage in various activities such as playing games, singing, and chatting.

The goal of Kletskassa is to help combat feelings of loneliness and isolation among older people and provide them with a supportive community. So it makes sense to open up this opportunity in a place where everyone needs to go – the grocery store.

Jumbo’s nod to elderly shoppers

Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo announced the program in 2021. It said it plans to introduce 200 “chat registers” in its stores. These are for customers who aren’t in a hurry and want to have a chat during checkout, according to VICE (cited below).

“The initiative, announced by the popular supermarket chain Jumbo on Monday, is meant to combat loneliness—especially in the country’s elderly population. According to Statistics Netherlands, a government organization, 26 percent of Dutch people older than 15 feel at least moderately lonely. That proportion rises to 33 percent among those over 75.”

Customers were delighted by a pilot program Jumbo did of the chat checkout in 2019. The Dutch government will help sponsor it as part of their “One Against Loneliness” program.

“The Kletskassa is a checkout especially for people who are not in a hurry and feel like having a chat,” a Jumbo representative wrote in an email to Motherboard. “Many people, especially the elderly, sometimes feel lonely. It’s a small gesture, but a very valuable one, especially in a world that is digitizing and getting faster and faster.”  — WTF fun facts

Source: “Grocery Store Opens ‘Chat Registers’ for Lonely Customers” — VICE

WTF Fun Fact 13218 – The Wall of Humanity

It likely started in Iran with the Wall of Kindness. One morning people woke up to a wall with graffiti telling them to leave what they didn’t need for those in need. More recently, Bangladesh’s Wall of Humanity has made the news due to its popularity in the winter months.

The rise of the Wall of Humanity

The “Wall of Kindness” is a charity initiative started in Iran in 2015. Since then, it has spread to other countries.

The idea behind the wall is to provide a place where people can leave clothing, food, and other essentials. Then, those in need can come and take what suits them best at the time.

People call it the Wall of Humanity in some countries. These walls are typically made up of hooks or shelves and signs. The goal is to allow people to easily hang up and take items without creating an eyesore.

The goal of the initiative is to encourage people to be more charitable. It also helps address poverty and homelessness in their communities.

Since 2015, these walls have become a symbol of hope and generosity. They’re also a reminder that small acts of kindness can make a big difference in people’s lives.

Building walls to join people together

According to the Wall of Humanity website:

“The concept of the ‘Wall of Humanity’ is to make a simple public wall transform into a social welfare center. It was initiated in 2015 by Pakistani Boy, Rohayl Varind with the sole purpose to win the war against poverty & hunger. Through this wall, people get free food, free ration, free medical checkup, free medicines, free clothes, free shoes, etc. It is an endeavor par excellence towards alleviating our species and taking humanity one step further to being called ‘Best of Creations’. Wall of Humanity has served more than 250,000 people all over the World specifically in India and Pakistan within the last 4 years.”

— WTF fun facts

Source: “The Rise of Humane Walls” — The Business Standard

WTF Fun Fact 13198 – Turkey’s Library of Books Thrown Away

Garbage collectors in Turkey have curated their own library from books thrown away by residents. The books were destined for landfills, but around 6,000 books now sit on shelves waiting to be re-read by the public.

Reusing books thrown away

The trash collectors kept finding books and eventually found a place to put them. It’s an old brick building outside of Ankara that used to house a factory. Its long shape makes it ideal for the long bookshelves that make libraries so fun to browse.

In the beginning, the trash collectors would stash the books and lend them to friends. But as more people heard about it and the number of books grew, they searched for a more sustainable option. The local municipality, Çankaya, found money in the budget to open a library with these books.

We started to discuss the idea of creating a library from these books. And when everyone supported it, this project happened,” the mayor of Çankaya, Alper Tasdelen, told CNN (cited below).

Turkey doesn’t have a public library system, so it’s up to each region to build, curate, and staff a library themselves.

A new collection and a public good

The library full of books thrown away has a full-time staff member. They’ve even converted a garbage truck into a mobile library/donation truck!

The public has started donating books to the library instead of throwing them away to rot in landfills. You’ll also find magazines and other types of reading materials in the library.

There are some other items found in the trash that have made their way to the library, such as furniture and even games. Some of the space acts as a social center for people in the town.

Talk about turning trash into treasure!

Check below for a video about these garbage collectors’ awesome efforts! — WTF fun facts

Source: “Garbage collectors open library with abandoned books” — CNN