1323 facts
The average blonde scalp has 150,000 hairs, while brunettes have 110,000 and redheads have about 90,000. Because blonde hair is thinner, the body grows more strands to ensure the s...
Keratin is a durable, fibrous protein that provides structural strength and protection. It is rich in cysteine, an amino acid that creates strong chemical bonds to keep the protein...
Hair is covered in overlapping scales called cuticles that trap oil but let water slide off. This makes hair an ideal natural filter for environmental cleanups. Organizations like...
Both species possess about 5 million hair follicles. While chimps grow thick, dark terminal hair, most human hair is fine, short, and nearly invisible vellus hair. This evolutionar...
Water breaks the hydrogen bonds in your hair's protein structure, making it highly flexible. A 10-inch strand can stretch to 13 inches when wet. This elasticity is a sign of health...
Human hair is made of keratin, the same tough protein found in rhino horns. A single strand can support up to 100 grams. This means a full head of hair could theoretically hold the...
In 1850, founder Paul Julius Reuter used pigeons to bridge a 122-kilometer gap in the European telegraph line. These birds outpaced express trains, delivering financial data hours...
These birds are strictly monogamous and split childcare by the clock. Males typically guard the nest during the day while females take over at night. Both parents even produce 'cro...
While the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal when diving, it is slower in a flat chase. A racing pigeon can maintain speeds of 90 to 100 mph in horizontal flight. This often ex...
Modern city pigeons descend from the wild Rock Dove, which is native to steep coastal cliffs. Tall buildings provide the same high-altitude nesting spots and protection from predat...
A study showed that pigeons can recognize common four-letter words and separate them from gibberish. They do not understand meanings but instead identify statistical patterns in ho...
Pigeons were domesticated in Mesopotamia around 8,000 BCE for food and fertilizer. Ancient Egyptians featured them in hieroglyphics, and Greeks used them to announce Olympic winner...
Pigeons have a fourth color receptor that detects UV light. This helps them spot ripe fruit, identify healthy mates through glowing feather patterns, and navigate by tracking the s...
Pigeons identify people by their facial features rather than their clothing. In studies, these birds consistently avoided people who had previously chased them, even after those in...
In October 1943, British troops captured the Italian village of Calvi Vecchia ahead of schedule. Because radio communications failed, Allied bombers were still on their way to stri...
Most birds must scoop water and tilt their heads back to swallow using gravity. Pigeons can keep their beaks submerged and use suction to drink continuously. This allows them to hy...
Pigeon racing is a high-stakes sport where birds are valued for their elite genetics. New Kim, a female pigeon from a renowned Belgian breeder, became the world's most expensive bi...
Research shows that pigeons can learn to rank sets of objects by quantity. After mastering the numbers one through three, they can independently apply that logic to order numbers u...
Pigeons use a 'thrust and hold' motion to eliminate motion blur. They push their head forward and keep it still while their body catches up, allowing their brain to process clear i...
Pigeon droppings were a key source of saltpeter, an essential ingredient in gunpowder. The British Crown declared all pigeon waste royal property and sent specialized 'saltpeter me...
With specialized training and food rewards, pigeons can distinguish between healthy and cancerous tissue in biopsy slides and mammograms. While individual pigeons are highly skille...
Known as Project Pigeon, this U.S. military program used birds as biological guidance systems. Three pigeons were placed inside a missile nose cone to peck at a screen displaying t...
A famous study showed that pigeons can categorize art styles after seeing only a few examples. They identify new paintings as either Impressionist or Cubist by recognizing specific...
Pigeons use 'magnetoreception' to sense Earth's magnetic field through their beaks and eyes. They also detect infrasound—low-frequency noises from oceans or mountains—to build a me...
Pigeons are among the few birds that produce a fatty secretion called crop milk. Triggered by the hormone prolactin, this substance contains more protein and fat than cow milk. It...
Doctors use O-negative blood in emergencies when a patient's blood type is unknown. Because it lacks A, B, and Rh antigens, the recipient's immune system will not attack it. Althou...
Research shows that Type AB individuals are more likely to experience thinking and memory problems as they age. This is linked to higher levels of a blood-clotting protein called F...
Karl Landsteiner and Alexander Wiener discovered the Rh factor by testing Rhesus macaque blood on rabbits. They found that most humans carry a similar protein on their red blood ce...
The H. pylori bacteria, which cause most ulcers, attach more easily to the stomach lining of Type O individuals. This makes them roughly 35% more likely to develop peptic ulcers th...
Unlike the simple human ABO system, horses use the A, C, D, K, P, Q, and U systems. This complexity makes finding a perfect donor match difficult and requires specialized cross-mat...
Platelets are essential for clotting but fail if refrigerated. They must stay at room temperature and be constantly moved on agitators to remain viable. This short shelf life makes...
Type A blood dates back to the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees. Type O emerged when a DNA mutation removed a specific sugar marker from red blood cells. This change likel...
The same sugars that determine your blood type also coat the lining of your digestive tract. These sugars serve as a food source for specific microbes. As a result, certain bacteri...
Blood types A, B, and AB have sugar molecules that can cause dangerous immune reactions during transfusions. Scientists found that specific enzymes in the human gut can strip away...
This happens because the FUT2 gene allows blood type antigens to be released into bodily fluids. Forensic investigators can use this to identify a person's blood type from a simple...
Dogs use the Dog Erythrocyte Antigen (DEA) system. Those negative for the DEA 1.1 protein are considered universal donors. Unlike humans, dogs do not naturally carry antibodies aga...
Known as the 'Man with the Golden Arm,' Harrison had a rare antibody that treats Rhesus disease. This condition causes a mother's immune system to attack her unborn baby. He donate...
The malaria parasite causes red blood cells to stick together and clog blood vessels. This clumping happens much less often in Type O blood compared to Types A or B. Because Type O...
Discovered in 1952, this blood type lacks the 'H antigen,' which is the building block for A and B markers. Because they lack this base, standard tests misidentify them as Type O....
AB positive blood contains A, B, and Rh antigens. Because the immune system already recognizes these markers, it won't attack donor blood from any other type during a transfusion.
Early transfusions were often fatal because doctors didn't understand blood compatibility. In 1901, Karl Landsteiner discovered the ABO blood group system, explaining why mixing ce...
This cultural belief, called 'ketsueki-gata,' suggests that blood groups dictate temperament. Type A people are often seen as perfectionists, while Type B individuals are viewed as...
Mosquitoes use chemical sensors to detect blood types through skin secretions. Research shows that 'secretors'—people who release chemical signals about their blood type through th...
Rh-null blood is so rare that only about nine active donors exist globally. While it can be donated to anyone with unusual Rh types, people with Golden Blood can only receive Rh-nu...
Ligaments stay elastic by holding water within a collagen framework. Over time, the body produces fewer water-binding proteins, causing these tissues to dry out and stiffen. This p...
Located in the neck, the hyoid bone is suspended by the stylohyoid ligaments like a hammock. This unique 'floating' structure allows your voice box to move freely, which is essenti...
This powerful ligament connects your sacrum to your 'sit bones' at the base of the pelvis. It prevents your spine from tipping forward under the weight of your upper body. By stabi...
This small band of tissue spans the bicipital groove on your humerus. It secures the long head of the biceps tendon, preventing it from snapping out of its track during arm movemen...
This flat sheet of tissue connects the radius and ulna bones. Its angled fibers pull the bones together under pressure, stabilizing the forearm and distributing weight evenly acros...
In surgeries like ACL reconstruction, doctors use sterilized donor tissue called an allograft. This tissue acts as a scaffold that your body slowly replaces with its own cells. Ove...