random funny fact

WTF Fun Fact 13306 – Open Air Schools

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

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

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 13301 – Cat Whiskers are Sense Organs

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 13299 – Caffeine and Adenosine

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

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

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.”

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

WTF Fun Fact 13295 – Longest Video Game Marathon

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

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