Whether you love finding out new things about the world or you just want to learn a cool, fun fact you can use to blow your friends’ minds, check out this list of the 12 strangest facts most people don’t know. There’s a good chance you haven’t heard of the majority of these facts, so get ready to learn some truly weird and wacky things you would never guess are true.
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Medication Can Impact Hair Color
We all know that medicine influences our body from the inside, but did you know that you can see the side effects of some medications on the outside, too? Some people have experienced odd circumstances when bleaching their hair after ingesting medication. For instance, one woman found that her brown hair turned light pink after bleaching it, seemingly as a result of the medication she was taking.
You Can Become Allergic to Roaches
If you experience prolonged exposure to these insects, you can develop an allergic reaction to them over time. One scientist has reported that entomologists who work with cockroaches and develop an allergic reaction to them also develop allergies to pre-ground coffee. Some people believe this correlation is caused by trace amounts of ground insect parts being included in the coffee grounds.
An Unusual Pilot
When America was delving into the exciting new world of flight, the test pilot manning the first jet wore a strange piece of clothing: a gorilla mask. Apparently, this strategy was put in place so that if any passing pilots saw what was going on and reported it, nobody would believe their story. Some versions of this story say that this stunt was merely a prank executed by a pilot with a good sense of humor.
Real Skeletons in Poltergeist
The Poltergeist film crew decided it would be cheaper to use real skeletons than to buy or make fake props for their movie. So, they borrowed cadavers from a university to use in their film.
Mirrored Commercials
You probably know that people from different areas of the world drive on different sides of the road. Because of this, vehicles in commercials will often have license plates with symmetrical numbers and letters. By doing so, the ad can simply be mirrored for use in any country.
Bears Don’t Hibernate
This one may come as a shock: after all, the first animal that probably comes to mind when you think of hibernation is a bear. But hibernation actually refers to a chemical sleep that does not encompass what bears do. The more accurate term for their behavior is called “torpor” because they are still able to wake up if threatened by danger.
A Stash of Cheese
You may think of Wisconsin if someone asked you which US state is most associated with cheese. However, you may be surprised to learn that Missouri could be the true cheese capital of America. Why? Because there’s a cave that holds billions of pounds of cheese in the state.
Virginia Opossums Don’t Hang
When you picture an opossum, you probably imagine a cute woodland creature hanging upside down from its tail on a tree branch. But for Virginia Opossums, this behavior is actually not something they do naturally. Sometimes, humans will arrange the animals this way, which is actually extremely harmful to the animal.
Dying of a Broken Heart
It is very common for a spouse to die shortly after their partner passes away. We often think of death as a purely physical phenomenon, but this fact seems to suggest that the psychological side of death may be bigger than we first thought.
Longest Case of Hiccups
If you had to guess how long the longest case of hiccups lasted, what would you estimate? A few weeks? Maybe even a couple of years at the very worst? In reality, the longest case comes in at a whopping 68 years. The victim of these persistent hiccups was named Charles Osborne.
Lego’s Strange Record
You may expect the Lego company to hold many world records, considering the number of toys they have sold to excited children over the years. But one world record they hold is something you’d never expect: they are apparently the largest tire manufacturer around the entire globe.
Antibiotic Side Effects
It would be great if medications could treat our ailments without any adverse consequences, but this isn’t always the case. Some fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as Cipro, have been known to cause a rare reaction. When this occurs, people who’ve taken it may rupture their Achilles tendon simply from routine walking activity.
Source: Reddit
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