random facts

WTF Fun Fact 12806 – Greenland Sharks Are Blind

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There are an awful lot of people who want to know “Are Greenland sharks blind?” That’s probably because any time you hear about the species Somniosus microcephalus it’s in relation to the parasite that lives in their eyes.

So, ARE Greenland sharks blind?

While we don’t know exactly what percent of Greenland sharks are blind, scientists do believe that many, if not most, at at least partially blind because of the parasites.

And these sharks already had a bad reputation to begin with. According to Oceana (cited below), “Like many other polar fish, their flesh contains high concentrations of natural antifreeze. According to a handful of reports, Greenland shark meat is so toxic it can make sled dogs vomit and ravens act drunk.”

But people aren’t big shark fans anyway, so their toxicity is very likely overstated. Oceana continues: “But this is likely a case of false advertising. The antifreeze compound in their tissue is toxic, but only mildly — an adult would have to eat around 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of shark at one sitting just to feel woozy.”

Ok, we’re blaming you if you eat that much shark meat.

Anyway, back to the blindness.

The sharks tend to be seen as ungraceful (the word “bumbling” has been used to describe them). But they’re born with small eyes to begin with and then lose their vision due to the parasitic crustaceans which measure just 3-centimeter-long – Ommatokoita elongata. Oceana states that “Each eye usually hosts one adult female along with several larvae. They nibble away at the shark’s cornea tissue, destroying its vision in the process.”

As a result, the sharks see in a haze and can only sense patterns of darkness and light.

However, they have a keen sense of smell, so they don’t have too much trouble grabbing dinner.

And dinner for this shark, which is a scavenger, is rotting meat.

Why do these sharks get such a bad rap?

Aside from looking kind of gross with the whole “crustacean feasting on their eyes” thing going on and harboring toxic chemicals in their skin, the sharks have a reputation as one of the “laziest” creatures.

Frankly, we’d prefer a lazy shark to a really energetic go-getter!

They get this reputation in part because the Greenland shark isn’t very fast (not surprising since they’re partially blind) as well as one of the world’s biggest sharks (reaching 24 feet long).

Somniosus microcephalus moseys along at around 1.5 miles an hour. But that’s also in part because of the frigid waters they live in. They are perfectly happy to live their lives in water as cold as 29 degrees F.

– WTF fun facts

Source: “Maligned as Lazy and Toxic, Greenland Sharks Are Smarter than You Think” — Oceana

WTF Fun Fact 12805 – Hummingbirds Can Fly Backward

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“Can hummingbirds fly backwards?” is a fairly common Google query when it comes to these little creatures. And we have to admit, we never really thought about a bird’s ability to fly in different directions.

But the answer is yes. And, in fact, they’re the only birds that have the ability to fly backwards for any significant length of time. Flycatchers, warblers, and herons can move backwards, but only as a defensive maneuver.

Hummingbird flying skills – backward, forward, side to side

According to the Audobon Society (cited below), “The hummingbird is the only bird that can truly hover. It manages this by flapping its wings 20 to 80 times a second. It can fly straight up and down. Backwards and forwards. Or upside down. And up to 75 miles an hour. But don’t worry, it won’t run into you. This bird can slow down from 25 miles an hour to a dead stop in a space no longer than your index finger.”

It’s the bird’s unique muscle structure in their wings that allows them to fly this way. For example, they have a rotator cuff that allows them to move their wings in a figure-8 pattern.

The trade-off is that they have very weak legs. They can only hop short distances – and not very well. So they fly just about everywhere.

Fun facts about hummingbirds

Some other interesting things about hummingbirds that contribute to their uniqueness include:

  • Their ability to beat their wings up to 200 times per second. (This is especially the case in the smallest hummingbird species with the smallest wingspans – they need to move fast to stay aloft.)
  • The average speed of a hummingbird is 30 mph. That’s part of the reason they’re so hard to capture on camera.
  • The average hummingbird can consume twice its weight in sugar, which is needs to have the energy to power its flight.
  • Hummingbirds have around 1000 to 1500 feathers. And while that may sound like a lot, it’s significantly less than other birds. And that makes them more lightweight (a ruby throated hummingbird, for example, weighs just three grams).
  • Hummingbirds migrate from the east coast of the US to Central America each year, 1300-mile journey. It’s believed they can fly up to 500 miles in one day.

If you see a chubby hummingbird, it’s likely ready to begin its migration journey. The little creatures gain around 20 to 40% more body fat before they begin their annual migrations.

Since they live for around 5 years (though a few have been known to live to 11 or 12 years), they make the long trip more than a few times in their lives.

– WTF fun facts

Source: “Hummingbird Flight Is Like Nothing Else in the Bird World” — Audobon Society

WTF Fun Fact 12804 – Are Crocodiles Immortal?

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No less a scientist than world-renowned physicist Dr. Michio Kaku has pondered the question “Are crocodiles immortal?” Of course, they’re not. But they’re still fascinating in terms of their lifespan – or lack thereof.

If crocodiles aren’t immortal, what’s the deal?

Crocodiles don’t have a formally recognized lifespan. In fact, they tend to outlive our interest in trying to figure it out at any given time. They can certainly live to be over 100, and they’re just as vigorous at that age as they are when they’re younger.

The only real difference is that they get bigger. But getting bigger can be a problem – it means they need to eat more and are at risk for starvation. And while they might not age biologically, the longer you live the greater your chances are of being killed by disease or accident. And those are the three main killers of crocodiles.

Not older, just bigger

According to an article by VICE (cited below) on crocodiles’ supposed immortality: “This is the reason we don’t happen to see crocodiles the size of Boeing 747s in the wild. Dr. Kaku also claims the standard 70-year crocodile lifespan defined by textbooks is basically because ‘zookeepers die at 70.'”

After talking to Billy Collett of the Australian Reptile Park, VICE added: “Queensland is actually home to the world’s largest captive crocodile, Cassius. Measuring in at around five and a half metres long, he’s estimated to be more than 110 years old. When I asked Billy what he thought of the proposition that saltwater crocodiles could not biologically die, he was skeptical. He did concede though that there’s not a lot of research around the aging process for crocodiles. In captivity, stress appears to stem their lifespan. In the wild, most crocodiles are relatively young because the market for handbags in the early 20th century wiped out anything older than 100 years.” – WTF fun facts

Source: “Old Crocodiles Never Die, They Just Keep Getting Bigger” — VICE

WTF Fun Fact 12803 – Real-Life Lassie

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Has your dog ever done something so smart or seemingly compassionate that you’ve compared them to a real-life Lassie?

The Nevada County Search and Rescue certainly feels that way about a border collie named Saul.

Collie becomes real-life Lassie

In a July 14, 2022 Facebook post, the rescue team described what Saul did for his 53-year-old owner, who was on a hike earlier in the week in Nevada County, California.

On July 12, the duo set out for an adventure, but the man fell 70 feet down the side of a hill. Even worse, he was out of cellular service range at the time and could not call for help.

It wasn’t until the next day that the injured man – who broke his hip and ribs – managed to get himself to an area where his phone worked and call for help. CalFire immediately sent out the Search & Rescue unit, but it was Saul who found them first.

The big rescue

According to the FB post:

“Earlier today SAR was requested by CalFire to assist in searching for a 53 year old male that had fallen approximately 70 feet and complained of a broken hip and broken ribs. 25 SAR Members responded and located the subject but the true credit goes to the subjects k9 Border Collie that ran through the forest approximately 200 yards and in true ”LASSIE” fashion to flag down two searchers and led them back to the subject which was covered in a camo tarp.

Sar members packaged the subject and transported him to a landing zone a half mile away where CHP H 24 was standing by to transport the subject to a air ambulance a few miles away.

Great work and skill by all involved today and for the Border Collie he was transported back to Grass Valley and given a well-deserved dinner.”

“Like a movie”

Sergeant Dennis Haack of the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue told CNN affiliate KCRA: “At first we didn’t believe it because it sounded like a movie. When they came back and actually described it to us, the reality was that they had followed the dog directly to the victim.”

Hiking accidents can be deadly since victims can be hard to pinpoint and locate in wooded areas or in places where satellite service is spotty. The rescuers received the call at noon, but it wasn’t until 7 pm that they managed to read the victim.

But once Saul heard them nearby, he knew what to do.

“(Saul) was jumping up and down and spinning around in circles,” Haack said, according to KCRA.

What a good boy!

–WTF fun facts

Source: “This dog led rescuers to his owner after he fell 70 feet on a hike” — CNN

WTF Fun Fact 12802 – Nomophobia

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We’re addicted to our smartphones. And maybe you knew that, but did you know there’s a name for the fear of being without your phone? It’s called “nomophobia,” and 66% of U.S. adults suffer from it.

What is nomophobia?

According to Psychology Today (cited below), “The term is an abbreviation for ‘no-mobile-phone phobia,’ which was coined during a 2010 study by the UK Post Office.”

One of the first studies of nomophobia was commissioned by the UK Post Office and conducted by YouGov. At the time, 53% of UK mobile phone users confessed to being anxious when they “lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage.”

The study also found that nomophobia is actually more common in men – “58 percent of men and 47 percent of women suffer from the phobia, and an additional 9 percent feel stressed when their mobile phones are off.”

A worsening epidemic

Things are even worse in the U.S. Psychology Today reports that “Sixty-five percent, or about two in three people, sleep with or next to their smartphones. (Among college students, it’s even higher.) Thirty-four percent admitted to answering their cell phone during intimacy with their partner…One in five people would rather go without shoes for a week than take a break from their phones…More than half never switch off their phone. (I’d call that an addiction.) A full 66 percent of all adults suffer from ‘nomophobia.'”

Which stat are you most surprised by? For us, it’s the willingness to go without shoes just to spend more time on the phone – have you seen what people throw on the ground?!

Ways of coping

If you experience anxiety without your smartphone, there are a few things you can try, including:

  • Balancing screen time and in-person time with friends and family each week, if possible.
  • Doing a phone detox, during which you turn off your phone entirely for one day each month.
  • Sleeping as far away from your phone as possible.

– WTF fun facts

Source: “Nomophobia: A Rising Trend in Students” — Psychology Today

WTF Fun Fact 12801 – Men’s Dirty Sheets

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Studies in both the US and the UK show that single men don’t get around to washing their sheets very often. In fact, nearly half only wash them four times a year! Those are some dirty sheets!

Why wash dirty sheets?

Sheets should really be washed once a week – every two weeks, tops. Anything less is just unhygienic, and that has consequences for your social life and health.

We all sweat into our sheets and they can become clogged up with that sweat, making them smell pretty awful and reducing the ability to cool us off because there’s no good airflow.

In addition, we shed dead skin cells everywhere we go, but probably shed the most in bed. Those also build up in sheets and, as a result, so do the mites that feed on them.

Yes, you are sleeping in sweat-clogged, mite-filled sheets if you don’t wash them often. And chances are people can probably tell, even if you shower in the morning. These mites can give you some gnarly skin conditions, or even just clogged pores that keep you from looking glowing and healthy.

Guys, wash your sheets!

Sure, not everyone has access to laundry in their home, but guys used some pretty lame excuses for not changing their dirty sheets.

Many believed that showering at night keeps your sheets clean. But clearly they forgot the clean skin still sweats and sheds, and bad breath can also affect sheet cleanliness.

If you have allergies, it’s even more important to wash your sheets often. Open windows, pets, pollen, and other allergens we carry on our bodies dirty our beds as well.

In the UK study, the most common reasons men gave for not washing sheets often enough were:
– Forgetting (67%)
– Not being bothered by dirty sheets (35%)
– Not having any other clean bedding (22%)

– WTF fun facts

Source: “How often should you change your bed sheets?” — BBC News

WTF Fun Fact 12800 – Monkeys and Bananas Don’t Mix

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Color us shocked by this one. We had no idea that monkeys don’t actually eat bananas in the wild OR that bananas are actually really bad for monkeys!

Monkeys love bananas, but…

Monkeys love bananas the same way we love junk food. And when people first started to keep monkeys as pets, they would give the creatures choices of things that grew locally. It turns out, that monkeys often chose bananas simply because they’re tasty.

If someone asked you what you’d like to eat and put down your favorite snack next to a bunch of vegetables, you’d probably reach for the sugary snack. Our brains love sugar. Unfortunately, for all of us primates, sugar isn’t good for us. It can affect our teeth, interfere with our digestion, make us gain weight, and lead to diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

The same goes for monkeys.

Bananas are for humans

We think of bananas as healthy because they have a lot of potassium and our bodies are a lot bigger than a monkey’s. When we eat a banana, we taste the sugar, but it’s not really enough for it to be considered “junk food.”

The way bananas are grown, they simply don’t have enough protein or fiber for them to be of much nutritional use to monkeys.

According to Dr. Amy Plowman at Paignton Zoo in Devon (who made news when she banned bananas for monkeys) said: “People usually try to improve their diet by eating more fruit – but fruit that’s cultivated (grown) for humans is much higher in sugar and much lower in protein and fiber than most wild fruit because we like our fruit to be so sweet and juicy…Compared to the food they would eat in the wild, bananas are much more energy-dense – they have lots of calories – and contain much more sugar that’s bad for their teeth and can lead to diabetes and similar conditions.”

Of course, weaning monkeys off bananas is just as hard as telling humans to stop eating sugar. Monkeys should be eating leafy greens instead. Of course, a captive monkey can be stripped of the choice of what to eat, so improving their diet is a lot easier than improving our own. – WTF fun facts

Source: “Monkeys banned from eating bananas because they’re unhealthy” — BBC UK

WTF Fun Fact 12799 – The Migratory Monarch Butterfly Is Endangered

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Migratory monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus plexippus) are a subspecies of monarchs, and while you may have seen them in your backyard growing up if you’re over 40, chances are you’ve seen a lot less of them lately. Migratory monarchs are now endangered and could go extinct.

The iconic monarch butterfly

These iconic American butterflies are black and orange. Like other monarchs, their larvae feed on only one plant – milkweed. Climate change and fires have destroyed much of the milkweed in America and conservationists are encouraging people to plant more.

The butterflies are also threatened by pesticides, herbicides, deforestation, and urban development. In fact, they’re so threatened that a Switzerland-based conservation organization that monitors the status of wildlife – the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – has added them to the list of threatened species.

They join around 41,000 other species that could become extinct without intervention.

Migratory monarch populations

Migratory monarchs in the American West face the largest extinction risk, having lost 99.9% of their population over the last 40 years, according to Smithsonian Magazine (cited below).

The number of Western migratory monarchs went from ten million in the 1980s to 1,914 by 2021. That may not be enough butterflies to keep the population alive.

But according to Smithsonian Magazine, there’s still hope:

“To help boost monarch numbers, scientists and conservationists recommend planting more milkweed and nectar flowers, maintaining forests and limiting the use of pesticides and herbicides in the butterflies’ range, report CNN’s Madeline Holcombe and Jalen Beckford.

​​“People recognize the monarch,” Anna Walker, an entomologist at the New Mexico BioPark Society who led the assessment, tells the Washington Post’s Dino Grandoni. “People love the monarch. So that gives us an opportunity to do the outreach and get people on board.”

– WTF fun facts

Source: “Migratory Monarch Butterflies Are Listed as an Endangered Species” — Smithsonian Magazine

WTF Fun Fact 12798 – Top Phobias

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What are you afraid of? A surprising number of people admit to having phobias in the U.S. In fact, a recent YouGov survey found that 83% said they had these genuine fears. And the top phobias were snakes and heights.

America’s top fears

Despite the pandemic, disease ranked fifth – after public speaking.

YouGov even broke the phobias down by gender, age, income, and political party! There wasn’t much difference between these categories other than women being more likely to fear snakes, spiders, and crowded spaces.

Men were more likely to say they had no fears. But those who had phobias named heights and public speaking as the things that freak them out most.

Fears vs phobias

Now, the YouGov poll doesn’t use the word “phobia” in the proper psychological way. Phobias can truly affect the way you live your life, and they’re more than just fears.

According to VeryWell Mind:

“The National Institute of Mental Health suggests that phobias affect approximately 10% of U.S. adults each year. These phobias typically emerge during childhood or adolescence and continue into adulthood. They also impact twice as many women as they do men. There are a number of explanations for why phobias develop, including evolutionary and behavioral theories. Whatever the cause, phobias are treatable conditions that can be minimized and even eliminated with cognitive and behavioral therapy techniques and medication.”

In addition, “phobias can lead to marked fear and symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, and breathlessness. In some cases, these symptoms escalate into a full-blown panic attack.”

Phobias may not always be logical (most snakes and spiders don’t want to hurt you), but that doesn’t make the fear less real.

Interestingly, exposure therapy is one common treatment for phobias. During exposure therapy, you’re around the thing you fear the most in order to desensitize you to it and prove that it’s not as scary as you might think. – WTF fun facts

Source: “Phobias – 1000 U.S. Adult Citizens” — YouGov