10 facts that will change your view of the order of things (11 photos)

The world is full of amazing mysteries and unexpected connections.





What seems familiar can hold centuries-old secrets, and random discoveries can change the understanding of history, science and culture. Are you ready to be surprised?

1. A useful option for the lazy



The three-toed sloth can turn its head 270 degrees thanks to three additional cervical vertebrae.

2. The Remains That Were More Interesting Than the Artwork





The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, stood for only 50 years before being destroyed by an earthquake. Its ruins attracted visitors for much longer than the statue itself (rumored to be hundreds of years) before they were finally recycled for scrap metal.

3. Miraculously Saved History



While Pixar was filming Toy Story 2, someone accidentally ran a command that deleted all the data about the film. Everything was restored thanks to an animator who saved a copy of the data at home so he could work on the film while caring for his newborn baby.

4. Fresh Family News



In a number of European countries, especially in Great Britain, Ireland and Germany, there was a touching tradition of sharing important family news with bees. They were informed about births, weddings and, most importantly, about the death of the owner.

It was believed that if the bees were not informed, they would be offended and could fly away, stop making honey or even die. Therefore, for a wedding, the hive could be decorated with ribbons and the inhabitants could be pleased with a piece of cake, and after the funeral, they could cover it with black cloth and place a funeral treat nearby.

5. Plants can "hear" and respond to the sounds of chewing caterpillars



Research has shown that when plants detect vibrations from their leaves being eaten, they trigger defense mechanisms - they release toxic or unpleasant-tasting chemicals to scare away pests. However, they do not react to other vibrations (such as wind or insect singing). This proves that plants are able to recognize specific sounds and adapt to threats.

6. Mud "Cookies"



This is not a metaphor, but a harsh reality. In the poorest areas of Haiti, clay is sifted, mixed with water, a little cheap oil or fat, sometimes with sugar or salt for flavor, formed into cakes and dried in the sun. The result is a "cookie" that has no nutritional value, but physically fills the stomach and dulls the feeling of hunger for a short time.

They are given to hungry children and pregnant women (who believe that the clay contains useful minerals), although doctors warn that this is dangerous: such "food" can contain parasites and toxins, and also cause constipation and malnutrition.

7. "Tubes for the Dead"



Some old cemeteries in the UK and Ireland have special structures leading from the coffin to the surface.

It was believed that if the buried person turned out to be alive (for example, having fallen into a lethargic sleep), he would be able to call for help or give a signal through this tube. Some of these devices even had bells attached to them so that the "revived" one could ring them and be heard from outside. This practice gave rise to expressions like "saved by the bell," which are used figuratively today.

8. The Product of Jewellery Boredom



The expression "to pull the gimp" was born in jewellery workshops. Gimp is not just any thread, but a very thin metallic gold or silver wire for embroidery.

The process of making it was incredibly tedious: hot metal was slowly and carefully pulled into a thin thread with pliers. This required a lot of patience and time. The master who "dragged the tedium" was busy with monotonous and slow work. Over time, the phrase went beyond the walls of the workshops and began to mean any drawn-out and tedious task.

9. The Method of a Genius



Due to his progressive deafness, Beethoven sought a way to "hear" sounds through vibrations. He clamped one end of a special cane in his teeth and leaned the other against the piano body. The skull bone conducted the vibrations, and the composer perceived music through his inner ear. This method allowed him to create brilliant works, being almost completely deaf.

10. The "Devil's Advocate" in the Vatican is not a metaphor, but a former official position



His task was not to worship evil, but to prevent hasty canonization. During the process of canonization, this church lawyer had to pick on the candidate: find fault, challenge miracles, and prove that he was unworthy of sainthood. This allowed for an objective review.

He was opposed by the "God's Advocate" (the candidate's defense attorney). In 1983, the position was abolished to simplify the canonization process, but the term has become part of the language, denoting a person who argues for the sake of testing an idea rather than because of personal convictions.