wtf

WTF Fun Fact 13344 – Humans Can’t Feel Wetness

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The fact that humans can’t feel wetness seems ridiculous at first. You may have even read that it’s a misconception. But, technically speaking, we do not have the right “gear” to directly sense wetness – even though we all know when something is wet.

But how does that work?

Why humans can’t feel wet

Humans lack dedicated hydroreceptors – the specialized sensory receptors solely responsible for detecting wetness. As a result, wetness is not a distinct sensation for us, but rather an interpretation of multiple sensory inputs.

When a liquid, such as water, comes into contact with the skin, several different types of sensory receptors are activated. These include thermoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, and nociceptors. Thermoreceptors respond to temperature changes and can detect the cooling effect of the liquid on the skin. However, this response alone does not convey the specific quality of wetness.

Mechanoreceptors, responsible for sensing pressure and touch, provide information about the physical presence of the liquid. They detect the pressure exerted by the liquid and signal the brain accordingly. However, the activation of mechanoreceptors alone does not differentiate between wet and dry sensations.

Nociceptors, which detect pain and discomfort, may also play a role in the perception of wetness. If the liquid is extremely hot, cold, or otherwise causes discomfort, nociceptors are activated, contributing to the overall sensation. However, this response is not exclusive to wetness and can be triggered by other stimuli as well.

How we sense “wet”

Due to the absence of dedicated hydroreceptors, the brain must integrate and interpret these various signals to create the perception of wetness. It combines the inputs from thermoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, and nociceptors, along with other contextual cues, to generate the subjective experience of being wet.

While humans can recognize and differentiate wet sensations, it is important to note that wetness itself is not a distinct sensory modality. Rather, it is a perception resulting from the brain’s processing of multiple sensory inputs related to temperature, pressure, and even discomfort.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Humans Technically Can’t Feel Wetness, And People Are Confused” — IFL Science

WTF Fun Fact 13343 – Saverland v Newton

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In 1837, a British man named Thomas Saverland took Miss Caroline Newton to court after she bit off part of his nose after he forcibly kissed her at a party. While Saverland v Newton went to a jury, the magistrate told them in advance that he would not punish the woman.

Saverland v Newton – No means no

Newspapers reported that Saverland showed up in court with the left part of his nose visibly damaged. But the injuries did not sway the magistrate. It appears he considered it an act of self-defense.

He told the jury that whatever verdict they returned, he would not punish the defendant. His reasoning was “if a man attempts to kiss a woman against her will, she has a right to bite his nose off if she has a fancy for so doing.”

It’s important to note that the fact-checking website Snopes looked into the ordeal and found it to be true. However, the note:

“…modern knowledge of Saverland v Newton comes to us not through a transcript of the court proceedings, or from the hearing’s having been included in a legal casebook of the time, but from an account published in a London newspaper (Bell’s New Weekly Messenger) on 30 April 1837. Early 19th-century newspaper reports being what they were (and sometimes still too often are), we can’t vouch for how much this account might have accurately reflected any genuine court proceeding.”

Reporting on the assault case

We’ll likely never know precisely what happened in the court (unless someone uncovers legal records). But the press reported that the injury was severe.

It all occurred in a tap room on the day after Christmas. Newton and her sister were apparently joking around about how the latter was there without her partner and had promised him not to let anyone kiss her in his absence. Saverland overheard this and apparently saw it as a challenge.

He kissed the sister, who reportedly took it as a joke. But Caroline Newton did not. After Saverland took the liberty of forcibly kissing her as well, they scuffled over his assault on the two women.

Saverland eventually went to another part of the room, and Newton followed him and struck him again. He tried to forcibly kiss her once again. But he got quite a surprise when she bit off part of his nose in self defense.

The man cried out and was reportedly covered in blood. Newton was seen spitting out the small piece of his nose she bit off.

Insults and injuries

According to the newspaper report:

“The defendant, a fat, middle-aged woman, treated the matter with great levity, and said he had no business to kiss her sister, or attempt to kiss her, in a public house; they were not such kind of people. If she wanted to be kissed, she had a husband to kiss her, and he was a much handsomer man than [complainant] ever was, even before he lost his nose.”

The jury’s acquittal of Newton may come as no surprise. The magistrate overseeing the trial potentially influenced it with his statement that if the jury found her guilty, “the court would not fine her more than 1s., as the prosecutor had brought the punishment on himself.”

Reportedly, “The Chairman told the prosecutor he was sorry for the loss of his nose, but if he would play with cats, he must expect to get scratched.”

The courtroom also had a good laugh at the complainant’s expense.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “The Curious Case of the Bitten-Off Nose Kiss” — Snopes

WTF Fun Fact 13342 – Lithium in 7-Up

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Few people remember the debut of 7-Up in 1929, so it’s no surprise that you might not know its original name. But Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda was quite a product! And if you read that closely, you might be wondering if they really put lithium in 7-Up. And the answer is yes.

Why was there lithium in 7-Up soda?

As you likely know, lithium is a compound that is used to help people with mental health issues like bipolar disorder and specific kinds of depression. It’s a mood stabilizer.

The soda really did contain the ingredient lithium citrate. And maybe that’s not such a big surprise since there were plenty of medicinal “tonics” on the market in those days that claimed to miraculously cure all kinds of ailments. (Of course, it’s not the only soda with an eye-popping history of ingredients – we’re looking at you, Coca-Cola!)

Interestingly, when 7-Up hit the shelves (right before the great stock market crash), it was competing with HUNDREDS of other lemon-lime sodas. It sold well – and perhaps it’s because people liked more than just the taste! But that may also be because its creator, Charles Leiper Grigg, marketed it as both a healthy and slenderizing tonic.

What’s in a name?

People were attracted to lithiated soda at the time because lithium had a reputation for being healing and restorative. There are naturally lithiated bodies of water that people still visit in order to absorb trace amounts of the compound. Just take a trip to Lithia Springs, Georgia!

Any lithium you’d absorb in water or in the original 7-Uo would be minuscule compared to what psychiatrists prescribe today. It would not have been enough to alter the mind in any significant way. But it could have been enough so that regular drinkers found some benefits in choosing it over other lemon-lime sodas.

In any case, the government saw fit to ban the use of lithium citrate in soft drinks in 1948. Eventually, it just became 7-Up.

Heads up, 7-UP

The big mystery about 7-Up is where the 7 came from – and that we really don’t know. According to a blog by Ada Mcvean from McGill University back in 2017:

“The soda went through a name change to 7 Up Lithiated Lemon Soda, before finally settling on just 7 Up, and a formula with no added lithium. The 7 in the name has no confirmed source, but several theories about its origin. Some soda fans claim that it is derived from the 7 ingredients used in the original recipe, others from the soda having a pH of 7 (which is not true), and others think that the 7 originates from the lithium in the original formula, as this element has an atomic mass of ~7.”

Maybe a historian will dig up Charles Leiper Grigg’s notes someday. But until then, the name will remain a mystery since he took that information to his grave.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “7-Up used to contain lithium” — Gizmodo

WTF Fun Fact 13340 – T30 Building

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In 2011, a Chinese construction company built a 30-story hotel in just 15 days. The T30 was constructed by Broad Sustainable Building (BSB) in the city of Hunan. BSB’s speedy construction methods may sound like a bad thing, but the T30 boasts impressive features that make it safer and more sustainable than many other buildings.

Building the T30

The T30 was constructed using prefabricated modules, which are far quicker to use than traditional construction methods.

These modules are quite energy-efficient, with features like double-glazed windows and insulation to help reduce the building’s energy consumption.

T30 operates as a hotel – and one that people seek out for its excellent air quality. The hotel’s state-of-the-art air purification system reportedly delivers air that is 20 times cleaner than the air outside. This makes it attractive for travelers with respiratory issues (and those who simply understand the role of clean air on human health!).

In addition to its energy efficiency and air purification system, the T30 was designed to be earthquake-resistant. The building can reportedly withstand earthquakes up to a magnitude of 9.

A guest from the TreeHugger website (cited below) stayed at the hotel and reported:

“Compared to normally built hotel, the T30 is using a fifth of the energy, a quarter of the water, with air that is 20 times as clean as outdoor air. You can feel it; I have been in so-called green hotels in New York with noisy through-wall heat pumps that are inefficient and loud and ruin the whole experience. This is different. The square plan of the T30 may be efficient to build, but it generally feels just a bit too tight. But again, it doesn’t feel like a place that was built in 14 days, it is solid, it is quiet, and it works.
Broad Chairman Zhang Yue’s preoccupations do not include architectural design; they are all about energy efficiency, standardization, mass production, air quality, health.”

BSB’s other construction

The T30 is one of the many impressive buildings constructed by BSB. The company also built Mini Sky City in Changsha in just 19 days. It is currently the tallest prefabricated building in the world. The Mini Sky City is 57 stories high and 204 meters tall.

BSB has also developed modular kitchens and modular bathrooms designed to be energy-efficient.

BSB’s commitment to sustainable and innovative construction has earned them awards like the Energy Globe Award. And they’ve been recognized by the United Nations for their contributions to sustainable development.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “A Closer Look at Broad’s Hotels That Were Built in Days, Not Months” — TreeHugger

WTF Fun Fact 13339 – Google Traffic Maps

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Have you ever wondered how Google Maps can show you if there’s a backup or accident on the road ahead of you in real time? Well, they pull the information from local Android phones. It’s anonymized and Android users can opt out, but most people don’t even know the role they play in traffic mapping by virtue of simply owning the most popular type of smartphone.

How do we get Google Traffic Maps?

Google Traffic uses anonymous location data from Android smartphones to create a real-time map of traffic conditions. This helps commuters and travelers avoid traffic delays and plan their routes. But it’s not a result of having cameras on the roads or helicopters or drones in the sky.

Google compiles traffic data using anonymous location data from Android smartphones. It’s collected through a feature called “Location History,” which is enabled by default on many Android smartphones. With this feature turned on, Android phones periodically send anonymous location data to Google, which is then used to calculate traffic conditions.

The data is anonymized, meaning Google doesn’t collect personal information, such as names or phone numbers. But you can choose to turn off Location History at any time if you’re concerned.

Turning data into warnings

Google uses machine learning algorithms to analyze the collected data and identify patterns in traffic flow. They analyze things like the speed and location of devices on the road. And they do pull in some data from sensors and cameras in the area when it’s available.

Google Traffic maps provide valuable information to casual drivers as well as transportation planners and policymakers. It can identify areas of congestion and helps cities prioritize investments in transportation infrastructure, such as new roads or public transit systems.

But there are privacy concerns, which is why Google is open about its data collection policy and allows Android users to turn off the feature.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “How Google Tracks Traffic” — NCTA

WTF Fun Fact 13338 – Monkey in the Mirror

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It’s not until we’re around 2 years old that we figure out what the mirror is showing us. And not all animals can recognize their own reflections. But if you train a rhesus monkey in the mirror, it will the first thing it’ll do is check out its genitals.

The monkey in the mirror

A 2015 study found that rhesus monkeys are capable of recognizing themselves in mirrors and engaging in self-exploration behaviors, but only after some training. The research helps shed light on the cognitive abilities of non-human primates and their level of self-awareness.

The researchers trained a group of rhesus monkeys to touch a red dot on their faces after seeing it in a mirror. This task is commonly used to test an animal’s ability to recognize itself in a mirror and is considered a measure of self-awareness. It’s called the “standard mark test.”

It took several weeks of training for rhesus monkeys to pass the standard mark test. But, eventually, they were able to recognize themselves in the mirror and understand that the reflection was a representation of their own bodies.

The first thing the monkeys did after that? Umm. Let’s just say they engaged in a range of self-exploration behaviors.” And they started with their own genitals.

Monkey see

The rhesus monkeys didn’t spend all their time “down there” though. They eventually moved on to the nose and mouth, behavior similar to what has been observed in chimpanzees and orangutans.

The act of inspecting their own genitals may seem amusing, but it actually provides insight into the cognitive abilities of non-human primates. The ability to recognize oneself in a mirror is considered a measure of self-awareness. And that’s a crucial component of consciousness.

Self-awareness allows animals to engage in complex social behaviors, such as empathy, cooperation, and deception.

Rhesus monkeys’ ability to recognize themselves in mirrors and engage in self-exploration is significant because it suggests that they have a level of self-awareness that we previously thought unique to humans.

The study also has implications for our understanding of animal welfare. Animals that are self-aware are more likely to experience emotions, including pain, fear, and stress. This means that they may be more susceptible to negative welfare impacts, such as confinement and isolation.

If we understand the cognitive abilities of non-human primates, we can work towards improving their welfare.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Monkeys Learn to Recognize Themselves in a Mirror – And Promptly Check Out Their Butts” — Discover Magazine

WTF Fun Fact 13337 – Light Pollution

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Usually, when we think about pollution, we’re worried about smelling it or ingesting it somehow. Simply seeing it isn’t thought of as dangerous. But did you know light itself could be a sort of “pollutant”? Light pollution is a growing problem that is affecting us and our planet in many ways.

What is light pollution, and how does it hurt us?

Light pollution is the use of artificial light that is excessively bright or misdirected. For example, when streetlights or buildings shine light upwards into the sky. Sure, we need a lot of our street lights to keep us safe on roads and sidewalks, but so many lights and lights that are shining so broadly or brightly can really mess up our sleep and our ecosystem.

For starters, excess and misdirected light has serious consequences for nocturnal animals. It can disrupt their migration patterns, feeding habits, and breeding cycles. And as we know, everything on earth is interconnected in some way.

But light pollution also has a direct negative effect on human health. Our exposure to artificial light at night can interfere with our circadian rhythms. So think about how much light you can still see in your room when you shut off your light fixtures. Can you still see lights from streetlamps? Billboard? Store signs? Neighbors’ holiday decorations?

Exposure to light can lead to a range of health problems, including sleep disorders, obesity, and depression. It can also disrupt our hormones.

A waste of energy

Light pollution also requires energy consumption. And as we know, this can produce greenhouse gas emissions. So by reducing light pollution, we can help our ecosystem, ourselves, and reduce the energy consumption that negatively impacts our future.

What can we do to address the problem of light pollution? One solution is “dark-sky friendly” lighting. This means using lighting fixtures that are designed to minimize the pollution. It wouldn’t involve installing all new light fixtures. Rather, it involves the use of shields or hoods that would direct light downwards (which is where we need it to see roads and sidewalks anyway) instead of upwards. Using these fixtures can reduce the amount of excess and misdirected light while keeping us safe.

Most people don’t even know about light pollution and how it affects them. But once they do, they generally take steps to reduce their own contributions to it. (And we bet the neighbors are grateful!)

Reducing your light output might mean turning off unnecessary lights at night, using lower-wattage bulbs, and making sure outdoor lights only shine downwards.

If you’re seeking some darkness in order to see the stars at night, check out the International Dark-Sky Association. It’s a nonprofit organization that works to preserve and protect the night sky, and it has designated more than 100 Dark Sky Places around the world, including parks, cities, and communities that are committed to reducing light pollution and preserving the beauty of the night sky.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Light pollution” — National Geographic

WTF Fun Fact 13335 – Fast Fashion Pollution

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Cheap clothing is convenient, and changing out our wardrobes every season might make us feel more fashionable, but fast fashion pollution is a bigger problem than we imagined.

The United Nations named the fashion industry the second most polluting industry in the world. It produces 8% of all carbon emissions, 20% of all global wastewater, and uses about 93 billion cubic meters of water annually. The fashion industry is responsible for more carbon emissions than international flights and global shipping combined.

Fast fashion pollution

According to a study published in the journal Water (cited below), the fast fashion industry is a major contributor to water pollution since these brands produce large quantities of clothing at a rapid pace. This leads to excessive water usage as well as the release of harmful chemicals into our waterways.

The study found that fast fashion brands use up to 2,700 liters of water to produce a single cotton t-shirt. This excessive water usage can lead to the depletion of water resources in areas where water is already scarce.

The industry also contributes to water pollution through the use of hazardous chemicals in the manufacturing process. Many brands use synthetic dyes and chemicals that can be harmful to the environment and human health.

The disposal of fast fashion clothing also contributes to water pollution. Many fast fashion items are made from synthetic materials that do not biodegrade, leading to them ending up in landfills or incinerators. The disposal of these items can release harmful chemicals into the air and leach into nearby waterways.

How to make it stop

Well, money talks. You can always invest in clothing that lasts or repair the clothing you have.

To address the water pollution associated with fast fashion, companies do try to implement more sustainable manufacturing practices. But it’s unclear to what extent this really works if they’re still selling so many garments.

Some fast fashion brands are incorporating recycled materials into their products, reducing the amount of virgin materials needed and the associated water usage. Others are implementing closed-loop systems, which recycle water and chemicals used in the production process.

But in the end, consumers may play the biggest role in reducing the water pollution associated with fast fashion. Choosing to buy clothing made from sustainable materials and produced using sustainable manufacturing practices is an option. But a better one is reducing clothing waste by donating or recycling clothing to keep textiles out of landfills and reduce the pollution associated with textile disposal.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “The Environmental Impacts of Fast Fashion on Water Quality: A Systematic Review” — Water (Journal)

WTF Fun Fact 13334 – Getting Electricity from Mud

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How can you get electricity from mud? Well, it turns out there’s a bacteria for that.

In a fascinating development that could have huge implications for the future of energy production, scientists have discovered a species of bacteria called Geobacter sulfurreducens produce tiny wires called pili that allow them to transfer electrons from mud to metals or other conductive materials.

Pulling electricity from mud

Geobacter sulfurreducens belongs to a group of organisms called electrogenic bacteria. They’re unique in that they are able to transfer electrons from organic matter to metals or other conductive materials. This process is known as extracellular electron transfer. It allows the bacteria to generate electricity using devices called microbial fuel cells (MFC).

Generating electricity from mud could be useful for powering small devices in remote areas where traditional power sources aren’t available. Since the bacteria can be easily cultivated in large quantities, the equipment needed to generate electricity from mud is relatively simple and inexpensive. That can also make it a good option for developing countries or areas where traditional power sources are unreliable.

The bacteria could also be used for environmental cleanup. It’s even an environmentally friendly technology since the bacteria consume organic waste and produce electricity as a byproduct.

A broader trend

While this may all seem beyond belief, scientists have actually been using bacteria to generate electricity for a while. They have experimented with wastewater, food waste, and even human urine. The hope is that these bacterial technologies can eventually help us address climate change, energy security, and environmental degradation.

Of course, there are some serious challenges to face before we can implement this kind of tech. For example, it requires massive amounts of bacteria to generate a decent amount of electricity. So there are valid concerns about the scalability of this technology. Then there are the obvious ethical concerns people have about using living organisms to help clean up messes humans have made.

Despite all this, the potential of bacteria-based electricity generation may play an important role in shaping our future.

—WTF fun facts

Source: “Mud power: how bacteria can turn waste into electricity” — The Conversation