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WTF Fun Fact 13306 – Open Air Schools

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Open-air schools were first established in the early 20th century as a response to the spread of tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses. By providing students with access to fresh air and natural light, these institutions aimed to improve their health and well-being and protect them from the harmful effects of crowded, poorly-ventilated indoor spaces.

Fresh air for wellbeing

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, public health professionals emphasized the importance of fresh air, natural light, and outdoor spaces for promoting health and well-being. This was partly due to the work of Florence Nightingale.

Open-air schools were institutions designed to provide children with an alternative to the cramped, stuffy, and often unsanitary classrooms of the time. They first appeared in Europe in the early 20th century and gained popularity as a way to combat the spread of tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses.

Many of these schools were located in urban areas, where overcrowding, pollution, and poverty made indoor learning environments potentially dangerous.

One of the pioneers of open-air schools was a German doctor named Bernhard Bendix. He founded the Waldschule (Forest School) in Charlottenburg, Germany, in 1904. The school was located in a forested area outside of Berlin. It featured outdoor classrooms, covered porches, and other open-air spaces where students could learn and play.

The Waldschule quickly became a model for other open-air schools in Germany and beyond. By 1914, there were over 40 open-air schools in Germany alone. Soon, the movement spread to other parts of Europe and North America.

US open air schools

In the United States, open-air schools first appeared in the early 20th century. This was a response to the spread of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. One of the earliest examples was the Outdoor School for Crippled Children in Providence, Rhode Island, which opened in 1907.

The school was located on a hilltop overlooking the city. It featured open-air classrooms, outdoor play areas, and a greenhouse where students could grow their own vegetables. Despite some initial skepticism, the Outdoor School was successful in improving the health and wellbeing of its students. As a result, it became a model for other open-air schools in the United States.

During the 1920s and 1930s, the popularity of these schools began to decline. That’s because new treatments for tuberculosis and other respiratory illnesses became available. However, the idea of using fresh air and outdoor spaces as a way to promote health and wellbeing continued.

Today, some schools around the world still incorporate outdoor learning environments into their curriculum. Some argue that it can help students to develop a deeper connection to the natural world, improve their physical and mental health, and enhance their academic performance.

— WTF fun facts

Source: “When Tuberculosis Struck the World, Schools Went Outside” — Smithsonian Magazine

WTF Fun Fact 13305 – Caesar’s Giraffe

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What do you know about Caesar’s giraffe? Well, in ancient Rome, wealthy people collected exotic animals as possessions. Of course, the Roman Emperors has the most diverse menageries since they could afford them. For example, Julius Caesar was known for his love of giraffes.

What do we know about Caesar’s giraffe?

According to historian Cassius Dio, Caesar was the first emperor to bring a giraffe to Rome. He reportedly received the animal as a gift from the king of Egypt in 46 BC. Caesar kept his giraffe in a special enclosure in his palace, where it was fed a diet of hay and acacia leaves.

Caesar was not the only Roman emperor to keep giraffes as pets. His successor, Augustus Caesar, was also known to have a menagerie of exotic animals, including several giraffes. In fact, the giraffe became a popular symbol of Roman power and wealth as a result. It was frequently depicted in art and literature of the time.

Understanding “new” animals

Despite their popularity, giraffes were not well understood by the ancient Romans. Some believed that they were a hybrid of a camel and a leopard.

The reason for this confusion was likely the animal’s unique physical appearance. Its long neck, spotted coat, and tall legs made the giraffe unlike any other animal that the Romans had seen before. In other words, they had no frame of reference to compare it to. As a result, they tried to make sense of it by likening it to animals that they were more familiar with.

The Roman historian Pliny the Elder wrote about giraffes in his Natural History. He described them as “the tallest of all quadrupeds” and noted that they were “spotted like a leopard, with the head of a camel.”

Cassius Dio noted, “This animal is like a camel in all respects except that its legs are not all of the same length, the hind legs being the shorter. Its skin is spotted like a leopard, and for this reason, it bears the joint name of both animals.”

Yep, they basically called it a “cameleopard.”

— WTF fun facts

Source: “When Julius Caesar brought the first giraffe to Europe, the perplexed Romans called it a ‘cameleopard'” — The Vintage News

WTF Fun Fact 13304 – Duct Tape Splinter Removal

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Splinters hurt! But next time you get a splinter, try this duct tape splinter removal trick.

Simply cut a small piece of duct tape and place it over the splinter. Pree down firmly. Then, gently pull the tape off in the opposite direction of the splinter. The tape should pull the splinter out with it, making it easy to remove without using tweezers or other tools.

Try the duct tape splinter removal trick

Removing splinters can be a painful and frustrating experience, especially if they are small or embedded deeply in the skin. Using duct tape to remove a splinter is a quick and easy solution that can save you time and discomfort.

The key to using duct tape to remove a splinter is to make sure that the tape is pressed firmly against the skin. Make sure the adhesive side is facing down over the splinter. Once you apply the tape, leave it in place for a few minutes to allow the adhesive to adhere to the splinter.

After a few minutes, the tape can be gently peeled off in the opposite direction of the splinter. The splinter should come out with the tape. It’s important to pull the tape slowly and gently,. Pulling too quickly or forcefully can cause the splinter to break or remain embedded in the skin.

While this trick is not effective for all types of splinters, it’s a useful tool to have in your arsenal for those times when tweezers or other removal methods are not available or are too painful. Duct tape is inexpensive and widely available, making it an easy solution to try at home.

Other techniques

Other techniques include using tweezers to grip the end of the splinter and gently pull it out in the direction that it entered the skin.

The needle and thread method involves using a needle to gently lift the skin around the splinter while using the thread to pull it out.

You can also use an Epsom salt soak. Soaking the affected area in warm water mixed with Epsom salt can help to soften the skin and make it easier to remove the splinter with tweezers or a needle.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Splinter Strategies” — Nexcare

WTF Fun Fact 13303 – MLB Opening Day in Japan

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In 2000, the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets played the first-ever MLB Opening Day game outside of North America. The game was held in Japan at the Tokyo Dome between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets. This was a watershed moment for baseball fans all over the world. Although not all fans were pleased because they had to get up pretty darn early to watch their teams play.

Mets vs. Cubs

The Chicago Cubs actually had a special connection to Japan at the time. That’s because their former first baseman, Ernie Banks, served as a goodwill ambassador in Japan in the 1980s for Major League Baseball. That made him a highly respected figure by Japanese baseball fans.

The games were broadcast live in Japan, and in the United States. The broadcasts featured a mix of American and Japanese announcers.

The two-game “Opening Series” saw the Cubs and Mets play. The Cubs won the first game 5-3 on March 29, 2000. The following day, the Mets beat them 10-1.

The success of an international MLB Opening Day

The games were a huge success, drawing crowds of over 55,000 fans to the Tokyo Dome each day. Many Japanese fans were experiencing live MLB games for the first time.

Since the 2000 Opening Series, MLB has continued to expand its international presence. They’ve scheduled regular-season games in Mexico, Australia, and Puerto Rico. The league has also focused on building relationships with baseball organizations in South Korea and Taiwan.

The Opening Series was not the first time that MLB teams had played games in Japan. In fact, in 1956, a group of MLB All-Stars, including future Hall of Famers like Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra, played a series of exhibition games against Japanese teams.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Box score of the day: Piazza, Sosa slug in Japan” — MLB.com

WTF Fun Fact 13302 – Bug Bounty Programs

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Have you heard of “bug bounty programs”? No, they’re not about capturing critters in your yard. These programs are run by major tech companies. Companies like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook use these programs to incentivize hackers and security researchers to find and report vulnerabilities in their systems by offering rewards or cash bounties.

Big Tech’s bug bounty programs

Bug bounty programs allow tech companies to identify and address security weaknesses. But more importantly, they do so before the weaknesses can be exploited by cybercriminals. Some programs have paid out millions to researchers and hackers who found major vulnerabilities. For example, in 2019, Google paid out over $6.5 million in bug bounties to people around the world.

Bug bounty programs typically have guidelines and rules. These outline what types of vulnerabilities are eligible for rewards and how they should be reported. Once a researcher or hacker identifies a vulnerability, they submit it to the company’s bug bounty program. The company then verifies the bug and determines if it is eligible for a reward. If the vulnerability is valid, the company forks over the reward to the person who reported it.

Some companies may also offer other incentives, such as swag or recognition. This helps encourage participation. Some programs may even have different reward tiers for different types of vulnerabilities. For example, more critical or severe vulnerabilities earn higher payouts.

A win-win solution for cybersecurity

There are several reasons why companies use these programs. Identifying security vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by cybercriminals saves the company from potential data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage.

The programs also allow companies to work with the security community. This helps them improve their security measures and stay ahead of emerging threats. These programs are also cost-effective. Companies discover security weaknesses, as they only pay for valid bugs that are reported.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Google paid $6.7 million to bug bounty hunters in 2020” — ZDNet

WTF Fun Fact 13301 – Cat Whiskers are Sense Organs

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Cat whiskers are not just ordinary hairs. Also known as vibrissae, they are thicker, longer, and more deeply embedded in the skin than regular fur. They are also richly supplied with nerve endings and blood vessels, allowing cats to use them as specialized sense organs. Cat whiskers can also be present on the front legs, above the eyes, and on the back of the hind legs. These whiskers play an important role in helping cats navigate and sense their environment.

Whiskers galore

Cats can have whiskers on their legs, specifically on the front legs. These whiskers are called carpal whiskers or wrist whiskers and are located on the underside of the wrists. They also help cats navigate their environment and detect potential prey or obstacles.

Cats even have whiskers above the eyes, on the cheeks, and on the back of the hind legs. These whiskers are known as supraorbital, genal, and tarsal whiskers, respectively. These whiskers are less prominent than the ones on a cat’s face, but they still play a role in helping the cat to sense its surroundings.

More facts about cat whiskers

Cat whiskers are not all the same length. They vary in length and thickness depending on their location on the cat’s body.

Cats can also move their whiskers independently of their body movements. This allows them to sense their surroundings in a very precise way.

No doubt you’ve seen cats climb into some small and unlikely places. Well, whiskers can help cats determine if they can fit through tight spaces. If their whiskers can fit through a gap, then they know their entire body can fit through as well.

And did you know that when cats are hunting, they will point their whiskers forward to help them focus on their prey. On the other hand, if a cat is feeling threatened or fearful, it will flatten its whiskers against its face, making them appear smaller and less noticeable to potential predators.

Who knew there was so much more to know about cat whiskers?

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Why Do Cats Have Whiskers?” — PetMD

WTF Fun Fact 13300 – Swearing and Exercise

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Exercise often needs to be hard to be productive. And that can be a frustrating experience. Maybe that’s why swearing and exercise go together to make you more productive. That’s right, recent research has suggested that swearing during exercise can help to alleviate pain, improve performance, and even reduce stress.

How swearing and exercise go together

According to a study published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, swearing during exercise can help to reduce the sensation of pain. For example, the study found that people who swore while squeezing a hand grip held on for longer and reported less pain than those who did not swear. That’s because swearing triggers the body’s fight-or-flight response. And this can help to increase pain tolerance and reduce the sensation of discomfort.

“Swearing appears to be able to bring about improvements in physical performance that may not be solely dependent on a stress response arising out of the shock value of the swearing,” Richard Stephens, the study’s co-author, said.

In addition to reducing pain, swearing can also improve performance during exercise.

A study found that athletes who swore before completing a physical task were able to produce more power and strength than those who did not swear. Letting out some choice curse words can increase your adrenaline levels and provide you with a burst of energy. These same things can help athletes perform at their best.

Let it out

Finally, swearing can also help to reduce stress and anxiety during exercise. That’s because swearing can help to regulate emotions and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. It provides a cathartic release, which can help to improve mental wellbeing.

While swearing during exercise may not be suitable for everyone, there appear to be a number of benefits to using profanity during physical activity.

So next time you hit the gym, don’t be afraid to let out a few choice words – it could be just what you need to improve your performance and reduce pain and stress.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Cursing helps you crush your workout, experts say” — Global News

WTF Fun Fact 13299 – Caffeine and Adenosine

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Caffeine doesn’t actually give you energy. That buzzed feeling you get when you drink coffee or soda is actually due to an interesting relationship between caffeine and adenosine in your brain that simply tricks you into thinking you’re not tired.

How do caffeine and adenosine work?

Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed stimulants in the world. Many people rely on caffeine to stay awake and alert. But have you ever wondered how caffeine actually works to keep you awake?

Contrary to popular belief, caffeine doesn’t actually give you energy. It actually works by blocking the action of a chemical called adenosine in the brain.

Adenosine is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain. It builds up throughout the day as the brain uses energy. As your adenosine levels rise, these chemicals bind to adenosine receptors in the brain. This, in turn, triggers a response that makes you feel tired and drowsy.

Caffeine works by blocking the adenosine receptors in the brain. This prevents adenosine from binding to those receptors and triggering tiredness.

So, by blocking adenosine, caffeine essentially tricks the brain into thinking that it’s not tired, even though it doesn’t actually provide any extra energy.

Most of us use caffeine to help us feel more awake and alert. But it’s important to know that it doesn’t actually provide any extra energy. In fact, caffeine doesn’t provide any calories or nutrients at all! It’s simply a chemical that alters the way the brain and body function. Interesting, right?

How can we get more energy?

So, caffeine can’t actually boost your body’s real energy reserves. But you can get more energy through the consumption of calories in the form of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. When we eat food, our bodies break these down into glucose.

Glucose molecules are transported into our cells and then broken down through chemical reactions that release energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This true energy is then used by our cells to power a wide range of biological processes. THAT’S how you really get more energy.

In addition to consuming calories, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and engaging in physical activity can all help improve energy levels. These are the ways you can truly feel more alert and focused throughout the day.

— WTF fun facts

Source: “Tired or Wired” — NIH News in Health

WTF Fun Fact 13297 – Medieval Germany’s Marital Duels

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Imagine fighting a duel with your spouse to “work things out.” Claims about what happened in the medieval period should be taken with a grain of salt when they come from non-scholars. Usually, someone cherry-picks a passage already translated (sometimes incorrectly) into English and runs with it. But the claim that marital duels existed in medieval Germany may be true – if embellished a bit.

The truth about medieval German marital duels

In 1985, religious studies scholar Allison Coudert published a paper about the duels that may have taken place between husbands and wives. The paper explores depictions that were found of marital duels between husbands and wives in the fifteenth- and sixteenth centuries. These pictures show combats where couples use sticks, stones, swords, and other weapons.

Coudert argues that, despite the illustrations, there is no record of such duels taking place after 1200. (Which presumably means that before 1200, you could challenge your spouse to a duel.) It is suggested that the images were copied from earlier manuscripts and included in treatises to provide a comprehensive historical overview of dueling practices.

Of course, the idea of medieval couples hurling stones at each other and hitting each other with sticks is the kind of thing that makes headlines on viral news sites. But it wasn’t so straightforward (and you need to know medieval German – as Coudert apparently does) to get to the bottom of things.

Justifying violence

The paper goes on to explain that, by the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, societal, religious, and legal norms were against wives engaging in physical confrontations with their husbands. The duels were over – but wife-beating was apparently still ok.

Customary laws made it a crime for husbands to allow themselves to be beaten by their wives. In contrast, wife-beating was legal, and in some cases, encouraged. This brutal treatment was justified based on both scripture and law. Catholic and Protestant theologians agreed on the subordination of women. This belief even influenced opinions about sexual positions, with intercourse with the man on top and the woman below considered “natural.”

Changes in women’s status and position during the 12th century could explain the absence of marital duels after 1200. Before this time, women may have battled their husbands. The importance of their economic and administrative roles in the household was understood and defended.

However, by the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the law, religion, and custom made such duels unthinkable. The depiction of these duels in illustrations may be a reflection of an earlier time.

So while it appears the duels are not a myth, most people are basing their stories on the wrong evidence.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Judicial Duels Between Husbands and Wives” — Notes in the History of Art via JSTOR