10 Things you didn't know 5 minutes ago! (Part 8)

10. Animals can naturally explode


In 2004, gas buildup inside a sperm whale (17m long) caused it to explode in Taiwan.

Obviously, this resulted in blood and guts flying everywhere.


9. The Great Wall of China cannot actually be seen from space


Many people have succumbed to the myth that the Great Wall is visible from outer space. NASA tested this and found that after lower earth orbit the wall blends into its surroundings.

8. Humans use way more than 10% of their brains


This is a huge myth, as it's the focus point for several movies such as Inception.

The fact is that humans use most of their brains, but use different parts for different activities.

For example, if you compare it to a factory, packaging and processing is used to package and process, not for product research.



7. Cutting a worm in half does not result in 2 worms


A common misconception is that worms have 2 brains, but in fact, it's just the two hemispheres broken up into 2 sides of the worm, it's just like our brain, but our 2 halves are side by side, whereas worm's have them in different areas of the body.

Cutting a worm in half does result in 2 moving bodies, but one is actually alive (and also in a great deal of pain) and the other is just twitching from nerves.



6. Ants use slave labour


Biologilists have named this rare species of ant the 'Slavemakers' as they often imprison rival species and force them into petty labour work and stealing their eggs.

5. What causes thunder?

Lightning is the stream of electrons flowing either from cloud to cloud, or cloud to ground.

1. The air around the lightning is heated to 28,000 degrees celsius (or 50,000 fahrenheit).
2. As the air around it cools, it produces a partial vacuum around the path of the lightning. 
3. The nearby air then expands and vibrates producing that sharp crack you're all familiar with.

4. Daddy Long Legs are not extremely venomous

This one's a famous myth and follows that apparently daddy long legs are poisonous but haven't got fangs strong enough to break human flesh.

In fact, there are 3 types of daddy long legs.

The first is called Opilones. These have no venomous glands and so do not pose a threat.

The second is called Cellar Spiders. These do have poisonous glands. Adam Savage from Mythbusters tested this and exposed himself to a Cellar spider bite. He reported to just feeling a burning sensation around the bite which quickly went away.

The third is called Pholcid spiders. These are also not very venomous, and there is no scientific proof to show that their fangs are too short to penetrate human flesh.

Hidden Giant

3. The world's largest organism is in Oregon

It takes form as a fungus, and spreads across 2384 acres.

It's believed to be around 2,400 years old, but may actually be as old as 8,650 years.

2. Lightning can strike the same place twice

Through various speculations, NASA decided it wanted to show everyone how this is done. 

So through a series of very expensive tests, they found not only can lightning strike the same place more than once, it's 45% more likely to than any other spot.

1. Sugar does not cause hyperactivity

When kids say that sugar is making them so hyper, they're lying.

Sugar actually has no positive effect on hyperactivity, it is even thought to have the opposite effect.

Perhaps it's the fact that sugar is a well known accomplice with caffeinated drinks that gives this impression.


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