The world is a big, wonderful place full of facts we never thought possible. For instance, if a pregnant mouse has a sudden medical issue, the fetus will send stem cells to heal the mother, increasing its chances of survival as well. Fetal stem cells have been found in human mothers as well, dubbed by science as microchimerism.
Bright Side dug up some more marvelous facts about nature and its creations, upholding our yearly resolutions to spread knowledge and joy.
1. The heart slows when your face touches water.
As mammals, we can’t breathe underwater, so as part of the mammalian dive reflex, our heart rate goes down in the water — more so if we go underwater. Even splashing the face with water makes the heart slow down, making it a great way to calm down.
2. Fungus can break down plastic in weeks.
It is said that in the future, there may be more plastic in the ocean than fish. This is why the plastic-eating fungus is great news, and there are around 50 new species of such fungi discovered already. One of the fungi discovered can digest plastic within 2 months, so there’s hope for us yet.
3. Newborn babies can support their own weight.
Newborn babies are strong — strong enough to be able to grasp things in their tiny fists and even support their weight as shown by an experiment done in the nineteenth century. Louis Robinson witnessed babies able to hang from a walking stick, from 10 seconds to 2 minutes and 35 seconds.
4. Koala fingerprints have been mistaken for human ones.
We’ve been told that our fingerprints are unique, and they are. But the fact remains that even though we share a common ancestor with the koala that was alive 100 million years ago, koala fingerprints look very similar to human fingerprints, as do chimpanzee fingerprints for that matter.
5. Snails can sleep for 3 years.
If you thought bears had it good with hibernation, meet the snail. Snails can sleep rather than hibernate for 3 years at a time without needing food. Of course, this is with some snail species, not all of them. Meanwhile, bears usually hibernate for just 4-8 months.
6. Sloths need 2 weeks to digest food.
Sloths don’t only move in slow motion — even their insides move slowly, ostensibly to preserve energy, which is why a sloth’s digestive system takes 2 weeks to process the food it ate. Plus, most of what it eats is indigestible, giving it very little energy from each slowly chewed mouthful.
On the other end of the spectrum lies the shrew, whose digestion takes mere minutes and is done so fast, not much of it is fully digested. This is the reason why shrews eat their own feces. They can die of starvation in a matter of hours if they don’t eat.
7. Your brain ignores seeing your nose.
We can see our nose all the time, it’s just that the brain tends to ignore it because it’s a constant visual stimulus. It’s the same with people who wear glasses. After a while, they simply stop noticing them.
8. Your forearm is the same length as your foot.
If you don’t have the time to try on a shoe, measure it from your elbow crease to your wrist. If it fits or is just a little smaller, it would fit your foot because the length of your forearm is the same as your foot. And this is just one of many human body ratios that are a marvel in themselves, including the fact that your femur bone is one-quarter your height.
9. You can “see” your white blood cells.
If you look up at a cloudless, bright blue sky and see some wiggly things at the periphery of your vision, you’ve just experienced the blue field entoptic phenomenon. The wiggly things are white blood cells moving in the fine blood vessels moving in front of the retina, at the back of the eye.
10. Human beings have striped skin, but only cats can see it.
Human beings have stripes and patterns on the skin too, and they are called Lines of Blaschko, name eponymously by the scientist who discovered them, Dr. Alfred Blaschko. These are closer to tiger stripes, forming more of a V-pattern fanning out from the center to the extremities. These lines are visible under UV light, a spectrum that cats can see too, which is why cats can see you as a striped being as well.
Which of these facts turned out to be a revelation for you? Share your extreme nature facts with us and blow us away.
Preview photo credit Shutterstock.com, Shutterstock.com
Monica Lewinsky Leaves Behind A Fortune That Makes Her Family Cry
Unexpectedly, Monica Lewinsky—who rose to fame as a result of her role in one of the most notorious political scandals in American history—has returned to the news. This time, the motivation is significantly more profound and intimate. It has been alleged that Monica Lewinsky left behind a significant fortune that has her family in tears.
In recent years, Lewinsky, who is currently in her 50s, has mainly avoided the spotlight in favor of her advocacy work, writing, and public speaking. Lewinsky had a turbulent history and endured intense public scrutiny, but she went on to have a great career and accumulate a sizable fortune. Her family is astonished and saddened by the revelation of her wealth that came to light after her recent passing.
Lewinsky did not have an easy time getting wealthy. She had a difficult time getting back on her feet following the incident, dealing with a lot of personal and professional obstacles. She was able to remake herself, nonetheless, because of her tenacity and resolve. After graduating from the London School of Economics with a master’s degree in social psychology, she went on to become a well-known author and speaker, tackling topics like public humiliation and cyberbullying.
Millions of people watched her TED Talk on the subject of public humiliation, which enhanced her standing as a formidable change agent. She also started working as a producer, contributing to films and projects that discussed her experiences as well as the wider effects of public humiliation in the digital era.
Even though Lewinsky was well-known in the public, she was surprisingly quiet about her financial situation. The entire size of her riches was not disclosed until her will was read. Through her numerous pursuits, such as television initiatives, speaking engagements, and book sales, Lewinsky had amassed a wealth. Her family has since received this windfall, which is reportedly worth several million dollars; nevertheless, they were not aware of the entire extent of her success.
Lewinsky’s family sent a statement expressing their sincere appreciation and grief. “Monica was a devoted sister and daughter, and we were daily inspired by her tenacity and fortitude. Her kindness and the impact she leaves behind astound us. We will never forget the good effects she had on so many lives and her contributions to society.
Lewinsky’s tale demonstrates her amazing capacity to change her life in face of overwhelming circumstances. Her financial legacy is evidence not only of her accomplishments but also of her dedication to providing for her family and changing the world for the better. Even if her death signifies the end of an era, her influence and the results of her labor will have a lasting effect.
Her family finds solace in the knowledge that Monica Lewinsky left behind a legacy of fortitude, empathy, and unwavering strength as they cope with their loss. Her life, which was filled with incredible highs and lows, is a potent reminder of the ability for human rebirth as well as the eternal value of compassion and advocacy.
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