The first fireworks were created as a result of the ancient Chinese’s quest for immortality. In early-ninth-century China, alchemy was practiced in order to produce a substance that would prolong life. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.livescience.com/65870-fireworks-immortality-search.html
The self-explanatory ‘new car smell’ is a result of the 200+ chemical compounds ( some of them toxic) found in cars being unstable and prone to off-gassing, or releasing chemical vapors, which leads to the odor we all know and love. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20160315-is-new-car-smell-bad-for-your-health
Wheelchair athletes with spinal injuries would intentionally injure the lower part of their body to increase their blood pressure which would enhance their performance. This practice is called ‘Boosting’ and has been banned by the International Paralympic Committee since 1994. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boosting_(doping)
Despite some broader urban legends, studies how Polar bears are the only type of bears known to be attracted to women menstruating. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.bearbiology.org/fileadmin/tpl/Downloads/URSUS/Vol_5/Cushing_Vol_5.pdf
https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/hiking/5-ways-to-attract-bears5.htm
There is a colorless and odorless liquid you can breathe in which is called perfluorohexane. Animals can be submerged in it without drowning. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfluorohexane
Three seals were trained to copy sounds which subsequently resulted in them performing a several-note rendition of Star Wars and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/seals-can-copy-human-speech-and-sing-star-wars-theme-tune-new-study-says-11745715
Ruth Wakefield was the original creator of the chocolate-chip cookie. She sold the recipe for the Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie to Nestlé for one dollar and a lifetime supply of chocolate. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/06/25/the-inventor-of-the-chocolate-chip-cookie-sold-her-recipe-to-nestle-for-a-lifetime-supply-of-chocolate/
There is a group of sea wolves on Vancouver Island that can swim for miles and 90% of their diet is seafood. They primarily eat salmon but also forage on barnacles, lams, herring eggs, seals, and river otters. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/08/sea-oceans-wolves-animals-science/
The term decimate’s original definition was “to kill one in 10”. The practice was used by the Roman army in the fifth century BC as a way to inspire fear and loyalty. If any of a cohort’s soldiers acted cowardly or deserted, then lots were drawn and one unlucky soldier out of every 10 in that cohort would be killed by their own comrades. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(Roman_army)