In 2007, a man stole $28 million worth of diamonds (120,000 carats) from a bank in Antwerp. The man, calling himself Carlos Hector Flomenbaum, used a stolen Argentine passport to become one of bank’s most trusted customers in the year before the heist. He was never seen again.
wtf
WTF Fun Fact 13097 – Cats Can Become “Tuna Junkies”
According to Pam Johnson-Bennett of Cat Behavior Associates (cited below):
“Tuna as a treat now and then is harmless but as a steady diet can lead to malnutrition. Tuna doesn’t have adequate amounts of vitamin E and this may lead to a condition called steatitis (also known as yellow fat disease). Tuna has a very strong taste and smell so many cats can become addicted to it. Veterinarians refer to them as “tuna junkies.” The problem can be serious because these tuna junkies may refuse to eat anything else. The other problem with a steady diet of tuna is that there’s a risk of mercury poisoning. If you incorporate tuna into your cat’s diet, do it in a controlled way.”
Source: “Ten common mistakes when feeding cats” — Cat Behavior Associates
WTF Fun Fact 13096 – Elves in Iceland
The surveys have flaws, but many of them over the last decade have found that over 50% of Icelanders say they either believe in elves or say it’s possible they exist.
Source: “Elves and hidden people: Do Icelanders really believe in elves? — Iceland Magazine
WTF Fun Fact 13095 – Hiroshima, Rabbit Island
Okunoshima (aka Rabbit Island) is a small island located in the Inland Sea of Japan, 43 miles east of the city of Hiroshima. It used to be used for weapons testing but is now inhabited by adorable bunnies.
Source: “EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VISITING OKUNOSHIMA RABBIT ISLAND” — Wander Eat Write
WTF Fun Fact 13093 – A Group of Porcupines
a group of porcupines is calleda prickle
Source: “Porcupine – Erethizon Dorsaum” — AZ Animals
WTF Fun Fact 13091 – Scent Makes Dogs Feel Safe
You probably already know your dog is happy to be around you. They’re pretty good at showing it. Your behavior towards your dog is what matters most. But once they feel secure in your presence, your scent makes dogs feel safe.
The research on scent making dogs feel safe
Have you ever smelled a scent that reminded you of someone (perfume, for example) and had it stir your emotions?
Gregory Berns, a neuroeconomist at Emory University, performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on dogs (don’t worry, he taught them to sit still).
“We started the dog project about three years ago to get around this problem that we really don’t know what dogs are thinking or what they’re experiencing,” Berns said, according to National Geographic (cited below).
The goal was to see the activity of the brain’s nerve cells in order to get a hint of what they might be thinking. Of course, there’s a lot of interpretation to do to turn those images into ideas about doggy feelings. But they studied the part of the brain that is associated with reward.
According to NatGeo: “In the new study, Berns and his team performed fMRI on 12 dogs, including 5 service or therapy dogs and his own dog, Callie, to test their response to biological odors. The experiment dogs were presented with five scents on gauze pads: a familiar human, an unfamiliar human, a dog that lived in their household, an unfamiliar dog, and their own scent. The researchers found that the dogs’ caudate nucleus, an area of the brain associated with positive expectations, was most activated by the scent of the familiar person.”
The scent of a dog owner
The results suggested that dogs can pick out their owner’s familiar scent, AND it tends to produce a positive reaction that shows up in the reward center of the brain.
The dogs didn’t react to the other scents in any way that would indicate they had an emotional reaction to them.
While this is sweet and all, the research will be beneficial for service animals.
“What’s more, scanning potential service dogs for enhanced brain responses may pinpoint canines that are most up to the task. Training service dogs is very expensive, he said, and only 30 to 40 percent of those trained are placed with a person. Overall, Berns believes the dogs experience something akin to pleasure when they smell their owners.” — WTF fun facts
Source: “Dog Brains Link Pleasure With Owner’s Scent” — National Geographic
WTF Fun Fact 13089 – The Benefits of Looking at Old Photos
From physical photo albums to scrolling far back in your social media history, there’s something about looking at old photos that tends to make us happy. In fact, research has shown it can be downright relaxing. For those not skilled at meditation, looking at old photos can be even more relaxing than meditating!
Make yourself happy by looking at old photos
Make fun of photo-takers all you’d like (and we’ll join you for the ridiculous Instagram posers), but there’s some serious value in documenting happy moments.
In an article posted about the research on Digital Camera World (cited below), UK behavioral psychologist Jo Hemmings noted that “Taking the time to look back on our treasured memories can be truly beneficial for our wellbeing as it can help to evoke feelings of positivity and happiness. Because of this, and especially at times like this, we should take more time to appreciate and look back on them.”
Reminiscing for stress relief
If you want to crush your stress and boost your well-being, try a few tips that have made people happy during research studies:
- Check out old photos of your friends, family, and pets on your phone. It can trigger feelings of happiness and strengthen these relationships.
- Look at photos when you need a reminder that you’re loved. Reminiscing about happy moments with a photo helps recreate those feelings in our minds and transports us back to a happier place.
- Make an album of funny photos. Silly old photos can cause your body to release endorphins, a natural stress reliever.
- Look back at other people’s happy occasions. When we see our friends and family at significant points in their lives (weddings, graduations, etc.), it can help reduce cortisol and take our anxiety down a notch.
- Hang happy photos in your home. People tend to find the places in their homes that contain photos are the most relaxing. Having copies of real, physical photos around your room, office, or house helps enhance feelings of social bonds.
Source: “It’s official! Looking at old photos is more relaxing than meditating” — Digital Camera World