facts

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 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

WTF Fun Fact 13296 – Keanu Reeves’ Chemical Compound

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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 theWashington 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.’”

Thekeanumycin 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 theJournal of the American Chemical Society, lead author Götze and his colleagues describekeanumycins’ strength against a common plant pest that causes a gray mold rot. CalledBotrytis cinerea, it affects more than 200 types of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries and grapes, per the statement. The researchers usedkeanumycinsto 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 13295 – Longest Video Game Marathon

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A Canadian man named Kory Breaden from Nanaimo, British Columbia, recently broke the world record for the longest video game marathon by playing Call of Duty: War Zone for 145 hours straight on his PS5. But he hasn’t yet clinched the official Guinness Book of World Records title yet.

The record still belongs to Carrie Swidecki who played Just Dance 2015 in 2020 for 138 hours and 34 minutes. She played the game with witnesses at Otto’s Video Games and More, in Bakersfield, California from 11 to 17 July 2015.

What it takes to play the longest video game marathon

According to CTV News (cited below),

“The biggest challenges he had to overcome were technical glitches like his Zoom meeting that was used for his witnesses crashed 24 hours into playing and Breaden had to fix the problem while matches were reloading. For every 60 minutes of play, Breaden was allowed a 10-minute break which could be accumulated into longer breaks…His achievement has been submitted to the Guinness World Records for official verification.”

The Guinness Book of World Records has strict guidelines for video game marathons to ensure fair play and safety for the participants. These include mandatory rest breaks, witnesses to verify gameplay, and rules against cheating or exploiting glitches in the game.

Braedon reported that he believe he only slept for around 11.5 hours throughout the marathon. His energy came from high-protein snacks. Alas, towards the end, he switched over to “eating high-carb greasy junk food like McDonald’s fries that kept me going.”

Struggling to make it

He even suffered an injury during play. After 90 hours, his left thumb became swollen and bruised. But he continued through the pain.

Braeden admits to nearly nodding off many times toward the end and watching the John Wick movie series in the background to stay alert.

“To have all the gunshots and everything go off while I was playing, that seemed to help me power through the last couple hours,” he said. Braeden hopes eventually clinching the world record will actually open some doors for him in the gaming world and look good on his resume.

According to CTV, “Breaden says he broke other records while playing, including longest time playing a battle royale event; longest time playing a Call of Duty game; and longest time playing a first-person shooter game.”

However, the Guinness Book of World Records has yet to accept the results. It’s unclear why that is. After this feat, he slept for 18 straight hours.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Nanaimo man hopeful his 145-hour videogame session is a new world record” — CTV News, Vancouver Island

WTF Fun Fact 13294 – Sounds of the Northern Lights

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The Northern Lights, also referred to as aurora borealis, are a natural phenomenon that has long stunned humans and sparked imaginative explanations. The phenomenon occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with the Earth’s magnetic field. This causes the eerie yet beautiful display of light that most of us will only see pictures of. But did you know that scientists have long been obsessed with the sounds of the Northern Lights?

The sounds of the Northern Lights

It appears that the Northern Lights also produce sound, even though they occur in the vacuum of space. According to a recent article in The Conversation (cited below), scientists have recently detected sounds associated with the aurora borealis.

People have reported hearing things for over a century. But there has never been any scientific evidence to back it up. In a 2016 Finnish study, a researcher published his confirmation that the lights really do produce sound. He even made a recording to prove that it’s audible to the human ear. But not everyone is convinced. Even those who believe the lights could make sound insist it should not be audible to the human ear.

Some scientists suggest the sounds are caused by the interaction of the sun’s charged particles with the Earth’s magnetic field. As the particles collide and interact with the magnetic field, they create vibrations. These vibrations can be picked up by specialized equipment, such as radio receivers. However, they still shouldn’t be audible to us. That’s because they’re at frequencies that are much lower than what we can hear.

A continuing mystery – or mystery solved?

According to The Conversation, a Canadian astronomer has provided the most convincing evidence of the sounds of the Northern Lights.

“The answer to this enduring mystery which has subsequently garnered the most support was first tentatively suggested in 1923 by Clarence Chant, a well-known Canadian astronomer. He argued that the motion of the northern lights alters Earth’s magnetic field, inducing changes in the electrification of the atmosphere, even at a significant distance.

This electrification produces a crackling sound much closer to Earth’s surface when it meets objects on the ground, much like the sound of static. This could take place on the observer’s clothes or spectacles, or possibly in surrounding objects including fir trees or the cladding of buildings…”

While Chant’s hypothesis went largely unnoticed in the 1920s, scientists revisited it in the 1970s.

Today, “Chant’s theory is largely accepted by scientists today, although there’s still debate as to how exactly the mechanism for producing the sound operates.”

As the author, historian of science Fiona Amery, notes:

“What is clear is that the aurora does, on rare occasions, make sounds audible to the human ear. The eerie reports of crackling, whizzing and buzzing noises accompanying the lights describe an objective audible experience – not something illusory or imagined.”

Of course, in addition to producing sound, the Northern Lights are known for their stunning visual displays. They are typically seen in places close to the Earth’s magnetic poles, such as the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

They’ve become a popular tourist attraction in these areas. Scientists continue to study the phenomenon in order to better understand the mechanisms behind this natural “light show.”

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Do the northern lights make sounds that you can hear?” — The Conversation

WTF Fun Fact 13292 – Earthquake Lights

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Earthquakes can generate electromagnetic waves that are detectable by animals hours or even days before the actual event occurs. This phenomenon is known as the “earthquake lights” or “seismic lightning” and is still not fully understood by scientists.

The strange phenomenon of earthquake lights

Have you ever heard of “earthquake lights” or “seismic lightning”? This phenomenon has intrigued scientists for years. The lights appear to be the result of electromagnetic waves. Their faint glow appears to be detectable by animals (and certain forms of technology).

Regardless of its origin, this phenomenon has the potential to provide valuable insights into the physics of earthquakes.

According to National Geographic (cited below), “Earthquake lights can manifest themselves in different ways, from a faint, diffuse glow on the horizon to flame-like streamers emanating from the ground.” They can appear in a variety of colors, including white, blue, yellow, and red.

These lights have been observed in various forms, including:

  • luminous clouds
  • flashes of light
  • glowing balls of light that hover over the ground

Predicting earthquakes

Studies have shown that some animals, including dogs and horses, are able to sense the electromagnetic waves produced by earthquakes. As a result, they may exhibit unusual behavior before an earthquake strikes.

Similarly, some researchers believe that the lights themselves may be an early warning sign of an impending earthquake. Eventually, this could allow us to prepare and evacuate before the shaking begins.

These lights have been observed for centuries. But they remain poorly understood by scientists who are still working to determine how and why they are produced. Some suggest that they are the result of electrical charges building up in rocks and soils under stress. Others propose that they may be related to the release of gases from the Earth’s crust.

In 1965, residents of Matsushiro, Japan, witnessed a spectacular display of earthquake lights before a major earthquake struck the area. The lights appeared as bright, white flashes that seemed to be coming from the ground. The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.0, caused significant damage in the region.

— WTF fun facts

Source: “Earthquake Lights – Explained” — National Geographic

WTF Fun Fact 13289 – Horoscopes and The Barnum Effect

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Horoscopes have captivated people for thousands of years. For many, reading their horoscope is a daily ritual. They may even believe it provides insight into their personality, relationships, and future. But that’s because writers use vague and general statements that can apply to anyone. This phenomenon is known as the Barnum Effect.

What’s the Barnum Effect?

The Barnum Effect is a psychological phenomenon in which people believe that vague statements about their personality or circumstances are actually specific to them. The effect is named after P.T. Barnum, the 19th-century circus owner, who famously said, “there’s a sucker born every minute.”

Of course, we’re not calling people suckers; it’s just that horoscopes are deliberately written to make you feel a certain way even though they can’t possibly be directed at you.

Now, if you’re feeling superior because you would never believe in a horoscope, it might be helpful to know that personality trait tests – such as the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator – are written in the same way.

Vague horoscopes

Take this horoscope, for example: “You are a creative person who enjoys new experiences and will be met with new opportunities to pursue this passion.”

This could apply to many individuals, regardless of their horoscope sign. Because people tend to see themselves in positive terms, they generally want to believe in the accuracy of these horoscopes. It’s easy to interpret this statement as a specific and accurate description of one’s personality.

Astrologers and practitioners of divination often use the Barnum Effect to make predictions applicable to just about anyone who comes their way. Skeptics argue that horoscopes are nothing more than entertainment and should not be taken seriously. (To be fair, most horoscopes come with precisely that warning.)

Despite the criticism, horoscopes remain popular with people of all ages. Many believe that their horoscope sign can provide insight into their strengths, weaknesses, and compatibility with others. And lots of others see it as nothing more than harmless fun.

Horoscopes are not scientific. But they can still be a fun and entertaining way to explore the world of astrology. It’s just important not to put too much stock in their predictions and to remember that you’re in control of your destiny.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “The Barnum Effect: why we love astrology and personality tests” — Ness Labs