25 most interesting things that aren't taught in school these days

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

There is an infinitely huge number of things in the world that not only surprise, but amaze the imagination. A certain Today I Learned subreddit was even created. This is the place where people go to get their daily dose “Oh, I didn't know that! How amazing! . Users are constantly there sharing random but interesting facts that they just discovered. There you can find the most curious information about everything in the world. The collection contains the most popular and interesting messages to date.

1. Books are a source of knowledge, and knowledge is power

Of course, this may not be exactly the information that should be included in the textbooks. But they, no doubt, can expand your horizons and understanding of the world as a whole. By the way, did you know that paper books are still far superior to electronic books, even among young people?

If you read these facts more than once, it is difficult to remember them for life. It would be convenient to retrieve them from memory only when needed. In fact, in practice, most of what we learn goes into one ear and flies out into the other. Scientists say that in just an hour, if we do nothing with new information, we will forget about 50% of what we have learned. In a day, this number will rise to 70%. If a week passes, and this information is not used, then 90% will be forgotten.

2. The most extravagant neuroscientist

After being fired in 1938 from the anatomy department of her university, Rita Levi-Montalcini set up a laboratory in her bedroom. She studied the growth of nerve fibers in chicken embryos. This work led to the discovery of the nerve growth factor, for which Levi-Montalcini was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1986.

In fact, we need to do a little more than just scroll and read to keep everything we learn in memory. Marianne Stenger, a London-based freelance writer and journalist with extensive experience who has studied all aspects of learning and development, says: "We can use absolutely any method to anchor new information in our minds."

For this, the use of visual aids, participation in group discussions (write comments on social networks!) Will also work. You also need to apply new knowledge in practice, look for opportunities to teach others. Correlation of new material with what you already know will also help. It is very helpful to make an effort to retrieve information from memory. To do this, you need to read aloud and write down brief information about what you read. So there will be much more chances to keep in mind what you have learned for a long time.

3. Ravens and wolves

Wolves and crows have a symbiotic relationship. Birds can lead wolves to prey, so that later they can take some of the remains. They will tease forest predators and provoke a chase. Sometimes even they can develop something like friendship.

4. Bees are not only delicious honey

Honeybee venom quickly kills aggressive breast cancer cells. Especially when the main component of the poison is combined with medical chemotherapy drugs. It then becomes unusually effective in reducing tumor growth. This was shown by experiments on mice.

5. Courageous journalist

In September 1945, Australian journalist Wilfred Burchett challenged the US authorities. He made it to Hiroshima. Burchett was the first to tell the world about the effects of radiation on the victims of the bombing. The US government denied this information both before and after the publication of the material.

6. Otters have everything like humans

In Singapore, there are bands of otters who are fighting among themselves for territory. These local battles are closely watched by local residents and representatives of the press. Each group was even given a name to match its reputation.

7. Dog's secret weapon

After the man tamed the dog, her eyes changed. They now have eye muscles that make the animal look more expressive and similar to that of a human cub. These muscles are completely absent in wolves, the closest canine relatives.

8. So big and so kind

African elephants often bury dead or sleeping people. They can also provide assistance when a person is injured. One woman fell asleep under a tree and woke up to find that an elephant was standing over her and gently touching her. When the other elephants arrived, they buried her under the branches. The next morning, the woman was found safe and sound.

9. The eternal city and its age-old problem

Rome has long needed an expansion of the metro transport system in the city. With this, insurmountable problems constantly arise due to the fact that excavators come across large archaeological finds. As a result of this construction, over the past forty years, Hadrian's Athenaeum, a military complex and an amphitheater have been discovered.

10. He put everything on the altar of the salvation of mankind

In 1896, Bombay was struck by an epidemic of the bubonic plague. The Indian government has turned to Waldemar Hawkin, the developer of the first cholera vaccine, for help. Khavkin tirelessly worked hard on the vaccine for over three months. When the drug was ready, he immediately tested it on himself. The scientist didn't even have a family. He devoted himself entirely to science.

11. Miracle of nature

A certain type of giant tortoise has been considered extinct for over a hundred years. It was unexpectedly discovered in the Galapagos Islands in 2019.

12. On non-sea

In fact, such a field of seaweed converts carbon dioxide to oxygen more than eight times faster than a forest of the same size.

13. The comedian from the school bench

Jim Carrey has always been a joker. His schoolteacher even made a deal with him - if Jim is silent all day, then at the end of the lesson he will have fifteen minutes to speak. Then Carrie got up and began to share his impressions of the school day in his own way.

14. Criminals in the service of good

In 2011, a terrible earthquake struck Japan. After him, the members of the yakuza very touchingly helped and took care of the victims. They collected supplies and fed the victims. Some even opened their offices to people who no longer had a home. Until now, many believe that the reaction of this organization was much faster and more effective than that of the Japanese government.

15. A cipher that no one could decipher

During World War II, America recruited three dozen Navajo-speaking people. Later they became known as "Speakers of the Navajo Code." The military has created a completely new set of code words in this language. Even in the event of interception, the enemy forces could not translate them in any way.

16. It's all for the music

The great composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky had a very rich patroness. She sponsored him to leave his service and devote himself entirely to music. The lady only insisted that she gave money only on condition of maintaining her anonymity.

17. Nature has made its own adjustments

Sri Lanka became an island only in 1480. Then a raging cyclone destroyed the land bridge that connected it to mainland India.

18. How the Lord of the Rings began

The famous John Ronald Ruel Tolkien annually wrote letters to his children on behalf of Santa Claus. They started out as simple Christmas wish messages. Later they became more complex. The writer began to include various fairy-tale characters in them. Tolkien even developed a special language called Arctic.

19. How Nuclear Science Developed

The Soviet Union realized that the Americans and the British were developing an atomic bomb. This happened after it was noticed that Western scientists stopped all publications on the topic of nuclear science. As a result, the only correct conclusion was made: nuclear science has become a state secret. The Soviets then began developing their own nuclear program.

20. An unexpected property of snow

Snow is not just a beautiful and healthy natural phenomenon. He is also able to absorb sound. This is because snow is porous. Snowflakes are six-sided crystals filled with air. They are able to absorb sound waves, creating a certain calming effect under the snow cover.

21. Ancient science was superior to ours

The ancient Greek scientist, mathematician and astronomer, Eratosthenes, who lived in the 3rd century BC, was able to measure the circumference of the Earth. He used the angles of the Sun's shadow in two places. The scientist calculated that it is 39,375 kilometers. This is only 1.4% less than the real number, which is 40,076 kilometers.

22. Do you want to rent a country? Easily

In the 2010s, it was possible to rent the country of Liechtenstein on Airbnb for as little as $ 70,000 per day. This included hanging out with the king, temporary currency, the ability to rename streets, and even the key to the country.

23. Why are we sick?

During the winter, people traditionally spend more time in enclosed spaces that are poorly ventilated. Because of this, it turns out that they breathe the same air as patients with the flu. This makes the infection easier. Also in winter, days are shorter and lack of sunlight leads to low levels of vitamin D in the body. This, in turn, lowers immunity to the virus.

24. The land farthest from the seas

Kyrgyzstan is farther from the ocean than any other country. It is located almost 3000 kilometers from any ocean. This is more than anyone else in the world.

25. When Great Britain Was Closer To Neighboring India

The beloved spice curry was introduced to Japan by the British. They brought the spice from India to the UK. After that, they brought it to the Land of the Rising Sun. Curry in Japan belongs to the category of Western dishes.

There are a lot of interesting, unexplored and fascinating things in the world. There are people who not only devote their lives to the study of all this, but in the literal sense of the word, pay with it for knowledge. Read our article on 6 great explorers who went to the most remote corners of the Earth and disappeared without a trace.