“How Everything Works”: 45 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know About The World

"Beavers are known for their ability to transform ecosystems by building dams and creating wetlands. In Nevada, beavers have been instrumental in restoring the desert river ecosystem by creating a series of dams that slow the flow of water and allow it to spread out, which helps to replenish groundwater and create areas of wetland habitat. These wetlands can support a variety of wildlife, even during times of drought, and play a crucial role in maintaining the overall health of the ecosystem. The work of beavers in creating these wetlands can have far-reaching positive impacts on the local environment, including providing habitat for various species and improving water quality."

"Farmers put earmuffs on calves during the winter to protect them from the harsh cold and prevent frostbite.
These young animals are particularly vulnerable to the cold due to their age and size, requiring additional measures to ensure they remain warm during the winter months."

"Scientists have discovered reindeer use a special form of night vision to help them find food in the colder months.

The surface of their eye changes from golden-orange in summer to a rich blue colour in the winter.

Experts think their vision might have evolved to help them see in snowy conditions and explains why they are able to see food so well in the dark."

"Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder in which people interpret reality abnormally.
Schizophrenia may result in some combination of hallucinations, delusions, and extremely disordered thinking and behavior that impairs daily functioning, and can be disabling."

"A village in the Italian Alps is finally basking in winter sunlight thanks to a giant mirror installed on a mountain top to reflect the sun’s rays into the main square.
Viganella, with a population of less than 200, lies in a valley so steep that each year from November 11 to February 2 it hardly receives any sunshine.
That was until Mayor Pierfranco Midali decided to do something about it.
Now a 5-metre (16-foot) high, 8-metre (26-foot) wide mirror tracks the sun’s movement and reflects its rays into Viganella’s historic piazza.
The mirror, which cost around 100,000 euros (67,000 pounds), was unveiled on Sunday to the delight of the inhabitants."

"To Mountain Gorillas, anyone who keeps direct eye contact is a challenger and an enemy who has come to disrupt the family. Direct eye contact will, therefore, trigger the silverback to charge and fight you in defense of his family. If you want peace with Gorillas, avoid direct eye contact."

"They’re called crinkle crankles. A single leaf wall over that distance would need brick piers approx every 1.5-2m if it was a retaining wall it would need to be at least 9” wide (2 bricks). The crinkle crankle has more strength due to it’s curved nature so can be 4” wide or a single leaf of bricks. For the maths if we can assume they’re true semi-circles then each semi circle would be 1/2piD or 1.57D whereas a double leaf wall would be 2D for the same length D Therefore using 21.5% less bricks than a double leaf wall hope that clears things up"

"Puffer fish range in size from the 1-inch-long dwarf or pygmy puffer to the freshwater giant puffer, which can grow to more than 2 feet in length. They are scaleless fish and usually have rough to spiky skin. All have four teeth that are fused together into a beak-like form"

"Meteors appear in different colors, depending on the chemical composition of the space rock and the air it is passing through. A meteor with high iron content, for instance, will appear yellow. A meteor with high calcium content may appear as a purple streak of light."

"A butterfly wing transplant is a delicate procedure carried out to repair a butterfly’s damaged wing, enabling it to fly again. This involves carefully removing the damaged part of the wing and replacing it with a similar piece from a donor butterfly of the same species, typically one that has died naturally. The donor wing is usually attached with a light adhesive, like a non-toxic glue.
This kind of procedure is most likely to be successful on larger butterfly species, such as Monarchs, where the size of the wings makes the process easier.
However, it requires an understanding of the butterfly’s anatomy, extreme precision, and a gentle hand, due to the delicate nature of the wings and the scales that cover them."

"A knife makes a straight cut, but paper acts like a saw blade and does more damage to nerve endings. Paper also leaves behind tiny fibres, irritating the wound even more"

"Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise, is estimated to have hatched around 1832, making him the oldest known living land animal at about 191 years old.
Residing on Saint Helena, he was brought there in 1882 and named in the 1930s. Jonathan continues to live at Plantation House, cared for by the government.
Despite his age, he remains active and spends his days with his mate Frederik. Jonathan’s remarkable longevity has garnered media attention and even royal visits, including from Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, in January 2024."

"After the Hiroshima, Fukushima, and Chernobyl nuclear disasters, fields of sunflowers were planted across the affected landscapes to help absorb toxic metals and radiation from the soil. New research now suggests that sunflowers (Helianthus) might be as good for the environment as they are pretty to look at."

"That nodosaurid, described in 2017, is a mummy: the Tutankhamen of the dinosaurs. Its exceptional state of preservation after 112 million years makes it one of the most fascinating jewels of paleontology, one that allows researchers to study one of the most intriguing processes of fossilization: natural mummification."

"The life cycle of a strawberry plant typically begins with the germination of seeds or the planting of runners. From there, the plant grows into a mature plant with leaves, flowers, and fruits. After pollination, the flowers develop into strawberries. Once the fruits are harvested, the plant continues to grow, producing new runners and potentially new plants, completing the cycle."

"Dr. Gary Greenberg’s photographs magnify grains of sand 100 to 300 times, exposing swirling microscopic shells, eroded crystals and colorful coral fragments."

"Candelabra cactus sounds like a cactus and looks like one, but is actually a euphorbia. Its botanical name is euphorbia ingens. Ingens in Latin means “massive” or “extraordinary,” and indeed, Euphorbia ingens can eventually become a massive 30 foot plus tree spreading equally as wide. However, it can take 20 years for the plant to reach that point under ideal conditions, making it accessible for many people to enjoy in smaller spaces for a long period of time."

"Bagworm caterpillars are known for their unique behavior of carrying logs to construct their protective cases. They use silk produced by specialized glands to attach these materials together, forming a sturdy and camouflaged shelter.

The process typically involves the caterpillar cutting small pieces of vegetation, such as twigs, leaves, and bits of bark, and then attaching them to its body with silk. As the caterpillar grows, it continues to add more material to its case, which can become quite large in size relative to the caterpillar itself."

"An ancient Maya ceramic figurine with a removable helmet, dating back approximately 1,500 years, discovered in El Perú-Waka’, Petén, Guatemala. The figurine is a testament to the advanced craftsmanship and the cultural significance of attire and equipment in Maya civilization. The removable helmet indicates a possible ritualistic or societal status usage, reflecting the complexity of Maya social structures and their ritualistic practices. Such artifacts are invaluable for archaeologists to decipher the societal norms, roles, and beliefs of ancient civilizations."

• Read More: 40 Curiosity-Inducing Historical Photographs (Best Of All Time)