The things that you know, all the skills that you’ve honed over the years—all of these can give you a massive advantage in life. Sure, pretty much everyone knows the phrase that knowledge is power, but how often do we realize how true that is? And sometimes that knowledge can make people feel guilty that they know it at all. The burden’s just too big to bear.
Some bits of info feel practically illegal to know even if they’re technically not. From being able to pick locks to knowing how atomic bombs work and how people taste and more, Reddit users opened up about the most esoteric, ‘forbidden’ pieces of knowledge they’ve accidentally stumbled upon.
We’ve collected the most honest and intriguing insights from these two r/AskReddit threads right here and here to give you a glimpse into a darker, more uncomfortable side of real-life, Pandas. Read on, upvote the answers that impressed you the most, and share your own bits of info that feel illegal to know in the comments. But before you do, take a look around to check if the FBI and CIA aren’t nearby in an unmarked white van.
Pssst, Pandas, if you’d like even more captivating but dark facts, you should definitely check out Bored Panda’s earlier article right here.
Bored Panda reached out to Steven Wooding for a chat about 'forbidden' knowledge, limiting access to information, and responsibility. Steven is a member of the Institute of Physics in the UK and part of the Omni Calculator Project team. He created the Weird Units Converter.
"There have to be some limits to information, for the protection of the general public and those trying to use such information," Steven shared with us. "One area where this is common is in the field of computer security. The fine details of how to do an exploit are withheld to stop low-level hackers from simply following a recipe to cause havoc on the internet. We mustn't make it too easy for bad people to do bad things." Read on for the full interview.
This post may include affiliate links.
Steven absolutely believes that people have more and more responsibility, the more information they know. "If you know potential dangerous information, you should protect it from the general public, or more specifically, people who would do bad things," he explained to us.
"That's why government labs in sensitive areas keep the information they have a secret to protect the general public from threatening uses of that information," he added.
The little “i” in a circle on YouTube ads is clickable and if it’s an unskipable ad you just click it and click stop seeing this ad and your back to your video.
Most adults have no idea what they're doing, they just make it up along the way and go with it.
Mate, all adults have no idea what they are doing. I guess being adult, is owning what you do!
Bored Panda wanted to know if scientists have a duty to figure out the truth about how the world works or if there have to be some limits in place. "You probably can't stop things from being discovered. If you ban it in one country, another will pursue it to gain a competitive advantage. And if all countries agree on a ban, some curious people will probably continue to work on it," Steven shared his opinion.
"In general, I think we should learn about everything about how the world and universe work. It's how that knowledge is applied later on that is debatable," he said that the focus has to be on how that knowledge is then used, not the actual fact that you know something.
You could argue that human beings are hardwired for curiosity. We want to know as much about the world as we can because our survival depends on it. And the more fringe the knowledge, the more obscure the facts, the more curious some of us get. This applies both to real-life facts, as well as to entertainment. ‘Forbidden’ knowledge and learning about the dark side of humanity are hard to resist. Especially in the digital age where so much information is just a few internet searches away.
Dollar store pregnancy tests are just as effective as their more expensive counterparts.
The reason they don’t put good pockets on girls pants is so they can sell you a purse.
and they are comfier than the women's ones. Not skintight and with a hell lot of space and pockets. Basically, my cat has taken over them
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My mom recently started working for a company she had left 20 yeas ago to be a special need home daycare. She found out her previous regional manager from back then was the CEO. When he found out she was managing a store he went and visited to see how she was settling in. She was doing good but mentioned the inconvenience of there not being pockets on the women's uniforms. It had stitching to give the appearance of pockets though. The CEO had no idea that was even a thing. 3 days later mom received a call from the CEO saying that he put in a special request order to the company that makes the uniforms and the female staff should be receiving a new set of uniforms in 2-3 weeks. The uniforms arrived and the staff are extremely happy about it. Sorry for the long story
I want pockets in my pj’s too. Why should I carry a purse in my house?
I - a woman - only buy pjs with pockets. It takes some time to find them but I've found pj pants with pockets at Kohls and Target. Pj shorts with pockets I usually can find at old navy and j crew
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I think you have it backwards. There's some reason for having no/useless pockets and so you need a purse. I think it's because those pants are usually very tight, and anything big your screw up the aesthetics or just wouldn't stretch enough and be uncomfortable. There is a butt pocket after all, for all your big phone needs, but the side ones are bad. I think it's stretch out aesthetics.
True, but the "no pockets" thing started decades ago, long before tight fitting pants became popular.
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Just keep wearing leggings and I'll keep wearing cargo shorts to hold all your stuff.
Everything should have good pockets. Everything. Even stuff that isn’t clothes.
Just had a thought: on jeans at least, the pockets are rarely connected except at the top. Perhaps us ladies should learn specifically to make pockets so we can rip those teeny ones out and add appropriate, realistic ones 🤷♀️
I've seen yt tutorials on how to extend small pockets. It's fairly simple if one has basic sewing skills!
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The companies which make pants also control womens purses? Good to know. Congress should hold hearings
It's actually even more nefarious than that. It began as a way to make women dependent on men, who would be the one to carry the purse. But we sidestepped this by creating what's effectively a f***y pack worn under one's skirts that was accessible by a small slit. Some women (usually of wealthy means), wore a chatelaine, with several small implements like scissors, a small coin purse, etc dangling from it. There were some absolutely thrilling, ostentatious chatelaines!
They could have easily made some pockets from all the fabric they took off these pants to make those stupid holes in these pants... (sorry, I do not understand this fashion about paying more for something with holes rather than a whole pants...)
The Wrangler Cowgirl style, and The Ultimate Riding Jean also have
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And because they are mostly too tight to have pockets, they would press themselves out. You'll find that wider female pants also can have pockets.
Hate carrying purses and not all manufacturers skimp on deep pockets in women’s pants. You just have to ferret out the bad ones.
Oh yeeeah.. Dude PJ pants are awesome.. they have HUGE pockets! I can carry Snack-filled ziploc baggies around the home!
I carry a backpack no matter the bottoms I got on lol. Purses are too girly, I even hate the name.
I'd have to buy a purse anyway, my EpiPen won't fit any pocket. Especially if it's next to my inhaler.
Nah this is a new trend. I don't think it's for purse sales. We've always bought purses. There have always been some pants that had no pockets, then some that had at least back pockets, then the ones that front and back real pockets. These half pockets and "look like pockets but aren't" is new and obnoxious. Why? Why put in a fake pocket? If the ad says it has pockets I want a real pocket.
And this is why I love cargo pants. I honestly don't care how they look, as I'm far too joyous enjoying my plethora of pockets to let anyone rain on my cargo pants parade.
Exactly! Fav are two pairs of men's cargo pants that l finally scored in my size. Love the pockets plus they look good, too! Looked for years for women's- found uniforms but not casual.
Exactly. Just like buying jeans with tears in them will make you buy more once you wash them because they'll just rip some more.🤣🤣🤣🤔🤫🤭
This is why i buy mens pants. Also. Because mens pants cover my ankles. And arent either below the top of my pelvic bone or to my tits 🙄
Nah ladies, let's be honest! We don't want the extra bulk/fabric in the waist and hip area. We would find the look unattractive.
That's why I pocket what I need and say screw the rest. ID, debit card, insurance card, medical marijuana card in case I get stopped. (Before everyone gets their panties in a bunch, no, I don't drive while using. I don't drive at all. Haven't since the wreck 5+ years ago.) All that fits in my back pocket. My vape fits in my front pocket.
My friend being a bit of a manly girl made her own shorts with big deep pockets and a wide crutch for practical and comfort reasons.
isn't it so you don't use them and spoil the image of smooth material? this capitalistic answer makes more sense
I always just sewed extra fabric into the tiny pockets to make them bigger. lol
Once I learned to sew, I realized I can put my own pockets (or bigger pockets) in. You can also take garnets to a tailor and have them added. I did that to a dress once and it only cost ~$30.
I do this to my girl pants, too! It doesn’t take long and you can get by with fabric glue if you’re feeling lazy
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I came out as trans in 2019 and that's when I bought my first pair of mens' pants. That's not to say women can't buy mens' pants ofc, that's just the first time I did. I was amazed by the pocket depth.
I recently discovered Duluth Trading Company. I liked their pants so much, my wife decided to check them out, and she bought a pair too. Her's have big pockets; she loves them.
I think that's a fair trade, losing pockets for the permission to show emotions
It's actually a lot more elitist than that. Back in the day, a lady would never have carried her own money when shopping. Her staff would carry it for her, and would also carry her parcels after purchase.
This is so stupid. It is a kind of fake news that is popular in the US but has no basis.
Pebs, I agree with you. The only pants without pockets are the ones which are meant to be slim fitting, and that are considered - true or false - to be more "feminine". You want big pockets? Buy cargo pants. And btw, here in Italy all women jeans have pockets. But I wouldn't dream of carrying my stuff in pockets. I could do that if I only had to carry a credit card or my wallet, but I like to have my chopstick, tissues, phone... just so uncomfortable to stick all those things in pockets.
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More likely they know that you stuffing your pockets with big stuff ruins the line of the pants, and they don't want the pants to be blamed for you looking like a pack animal. Even empty pockets are lumpy and make your thighs look lumpy. Not an excuse, but it think that's the deal.
I've heard it started to keep women from being able to carry & conceal anything of real value. Also so women couldn't run off & have control of their own lives.
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The fact that whales have a 42 inch anus and that their fart bubbles can hold a horse
"When considering why the darker side of humanity and entertainment are so compelling, we have to first look at our evolutionary journey as human beings. For the majority of our existence, we were prey and always hyperaware of threats to our safety, which created a negativity bias that we are drawn towards," psychologist Lee Chambers told Bored Panda earlier.
"But in today's safe and often sanitized world, we are rarely threatened significantly, and the ability to explore evil, frightening and gruesome entertainment is one of the few ways we can visit this part of humanity while remaining safe and comfortable. There is a level of novelty to it, it removes boredom quickly, and it helps us to discover our emotional limits while understanding the minds of those who go beyond social norms and potentially gaining knowledge of how we might avoid being victims ourselves. They also offer closure, with many stories ending with the mystery being solved, and the criminal being brought to a level of justice," the mental health expert explained to us why exploring the darker aspects of humanity hooks and reels so many people in.
Healthcare in the US doesn't actually cost as much as we, the citizens, are led to believe.
There’s a website called SciHub that allows you to access scientific papers for free. I’m fairly sure it’s legal, but it feels like cheating to go around the paywall.
You can also look up and directly email the authors and most oftentimes they will gladly send you a copy of their paper. They don't get a cut of the profits when copies of their papers are sold.
That the Chinese Government murdered a bunch of it's own people in Tiananmen Square in 1989
What's sad is that most Chinese kids who were born after that massacre probably know absolutely nothing about it, as the government has totally swept it under the rug
The psychologist pointed out that some people find it comforting when they’re exposed to evil things being done in the form of entertainment, e.g. on screen. The audience feels safe but can go on an emotional inner journey.
"It can take us on an emotional rollercoaster, have us trying to solve the puzzle and test our fear in a controlled way. The permission to explore evil is powerful, as we so rarely get the chance elsewhere, and in itself, it is healthy and normal in moderation," Lee said that this is why so many folks love true crime entertainment. It’s the forbidden aspect of it that entices so many viewers and listeners to tune in day in, day out.
How alot of places just let you and a friend in if you wear a construction vest and helmet and carry a ladder.
In America, you can
A. Own a pet bear
B. Own a tank
C. Own an RPG launcher
D. Own a pet bear which is riding a tank while practicing firing an RPG
Statistics are super easy to manipulate to say whatever you want. I see so many commercials and other companies that try to claim their product is the best according to these statistics, but really, they fail to meet basic rules and ethics in statistics. Still, even if they were to follow all the rules of statistics, there are many ways to manipulate it to your advantage.
There's lies, damn lies and there is statistics. Oh, and then there is Boris Johnson....
However, consuming too much dark content isn’t all that healthy for us. “The challenge we face is the fact that consuming too much of this can desensitize us, and cause us to become less empathetic to the suffering of others, more fearful of our own environment, and potentially be more likely to use aggression ourselves,” the psychologist warned.
“It can also cause us to be triggered by our own previous adverse experiences, make it harder to manage our own emotional balance, and increase our stress levels, so moderating our consumption is something we should have front of mind, even when we get embroiled in the latest series that is pulling us in."
You can just take ducks from a park, the police won’t stop you.
Social media tracks you to the point that it records every message you write and stores it in a database, every call, message,voice message,image and posts are recorded. You are being monitored to the point that the computer even times the amount of time you spend looking at each post and the longer the time is on topic the more of those types of videos you get, just to keep you engaged in the app and entertained. Over time the computer learns everything about you and knows you better than you know yourself
Even though the joke is 'tastes like chicken', humans actually taste like pork according to cannibals e.g. Arthur Shawcross.
Which made perfect sense to me when I found out. In med school we dissected cadavers including human muscle and fat, and xenografts (tissue transplants from one animal to another) are generally pig (or cow) e.g. porcine heart valves are still used for heart surgery in humans.
Nutmeg, when eaten in large quantities, is a psychedelic drug that can cause hallucinations, coma, or even death.
That there is no federal law preventing a private citizen from owning a flamethrower.
Jury nullification. In the US at least, even if all of the members of a jury are convinced that the defendant is guilty, if they don't like the law, they're allowed to vote not guilty.
Jeff Bezos works on the 6th floor of his building Day 1 in Seattle. He has his own private security on that floor (different from building security). A silent alarm goes off when you press the elevator button and you're not Jeff Bezos and his security will be waiting to arrest you when the elevator opens.
You’re allowed to rip the tag off your mattress.
It's illegal for the retailers to remove the tag. It's legal for the owner to remove it.
An 18 year old can legally adopt a 17 year old
I'm not sure about this information... Or it depends on the country. Because here, in Canada, the law is very clear on this subject : if you want to adopt someone, you have to be AT LEAST 18 years older than this person.
We can all easily find out what people paid for their house. Seems kind of personal, but it’s very public. Same with divorce records.
If you google pizza hut, you get an ad for 30% off dominoes pizza (where I live anyway).
A decent number of popular youtubers' subscribes are probably deceased.
It takes minimal negotiation and paperwork to set up a vending machine. You can probs stock it up for 100 bucks buying bulk and then you'll make like twice that back.
Edit since this has a decent amount of upvotes, a bonus fact! The Ford F-150 is the smallest vehicle that can be used as a tax write-off up to iirc a $1.2 million return, but it only applies if you use it for commerce. (I'm no tax expert so I may have gotten something wrong)
That sometimes, science works a little like politics. It's sad and it doesn't feel good.
ye my chem teacher said that when he did his doctorate in polymers, he discovered a new polymer or something and he submitted it and they said they wouldn't accept it bc it wouldn't make enough money for them
I'm trying to lockpick. I'm terrified how easy was pick my bicycle lock. My first attempt and it took 5 minutes.
I keyed household locks for a couple years...it takes seconds to get through them. Get some slide locks.
Swimming pools don’t release a blue chemical when you pee in it
The casino has a mathematical advantage
In my town, there are some mountain paths that have a big "ENTRY BANNED - LETHAL DANGER" sign.
The truth is that:
Entry is not banned, it's just that you can't count on public services if you get hurt
The danger exists only from Monday to Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM - it's caused by the construction of avalanche barrier. Outside of that hours, it's safe to enter.
If you dont consider things like rattlesnakes, bears, and wolves a lethal danger. .
That restaurants often do really disgusting things and have disgusting issues.
I used to waitress and then later manage a pizza place — mosquitos in the drain, nests of mice, stink bug infestations, flies feasting on food that falls behind the appliances that isn’t cleaned up frequently like it’s supposed to be, mold in the soda machine, expired ingredients still being used, etc.
It’s just.. a lot. I was very, very surprised. I knew that most restaurants naturally deal with these things from time to time, but I didn’t expect it to be this often. I also didn’t expect for management to be so nonchalant about going against inspections and regulations.
Other restaurants that friends of mine have managed/otherwise worked at have also had similar issues and it’s pretty wild.
I’ve never eaten at the restaurant that I worked at since quitting. I wouldn’t trust it.
So you managed a pizza place, and you didn't expect for management to be so nonchalant about regulations? Something smells here..
I play tabletop RPGs and googled a lot about making bombs, security and guerilla warfare.
Really (before 1997/98 or so) old microsoft product keys relied on a REALLY simple validity check.
They were numbers in the form XXXX-YYYYYYY. The first 4 digits were specific to the software (I think Office 97 was 0402?) and fixed. The last 7 .. the check was just that the sum of all digits has to be able to be divided by 7 without rest.
So 1111111 worked all the time. 1234567 worked all the time, 7777777 did.
I know how to make meth, anthrax, homemade claymore, among other explosives and poisons
Anthrax? Are you sure about that? Because anthrax is a Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. It occurs naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals around the world. It is not a man made thing!
Note: this post originally had 58 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.
On those annoying sies that show part of the article and then block it asking you to turn off your ad-blocker, just go to the site's properties (right click the URL) and turn of JavaScript, then reload the site, no more popup asking you to turn off your pop-up blocker!
I missed the part where most of these seem like illegal knowledge. Most were just..huh, go figure facts.
It wasn't that most are illegal, it was just that it felt subjectively illegal...
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Years ago I used to know someone who would copy video games. For the sake of privacy I'll call this person "I". For Playstation 2 or Xbox, I would have to mod the console (buy a $40 chip, open the console and solder connections onto the motherboard) to get the copied games to work, because those systems and all games had a proprietary encryption on them. Sega Dreamcast wasn't so wise and had no encryption. I just bought a regular Dreamcast, downloaded a copy of the game from Napster or Limewire or whatever totally illegal software I was using, and then burn it onto a CD and I was ready to go. Unfortunately, most Dreamcast games weren't worth playing.
Okay that formatting is really clever. But the Dreamcast had some real gems on it.
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I've got one. Your address and phone number is not private information. My job has taught me how to find that information on just about anyone as long as you have a first and last name, or some part of the information already. Plenty of sites will offer you information as a subscription service, but will give you enough for free that you can check it with other sites. Just about every piece of information on the Internet will connect with something else, allowing you to easily find someone's address and phone number, including their living history for themselves and family.
Yup...I started with zabasearch...was my fave...
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I work as an audit manager for a financial institution and also over see all branch audits. I know where all the cameras are. My fob works on all doors. I know where all the dye packs are and where they are kept in teller drawers. I know the location of all secret alarms and the security phrase that the police will use under a hostage situation to call in for all clear signal. The only thing I don't physically have is the dual combo to the vault. Most bank vaults have 750K or less in them. As an auditor, I could easily walk in before the branch opens, force the two tellers to open the vault and then leave. Sure I'll be on camera, but I'll smash the phone box that controls the alarms and take their cell phones. That will give me a good amount of time to run 😆
I use ad free software for everything. If it doesn't work for commercials I speed up the video 5x.
My friend's dad is an EMT, and my friend found the handbook on how to make medicine. It tells you how to make many illegal substances in there.
Bollocks. EMTs aren't pharmacologists, they don't make medicine themselves. More likely your friend found a formulary, which is merely a book containing all current drugs, their usage, known side-effects and interactions/contraindications.
Load More Replies... On those annoying sies that show part of the article and then block it asking you to turn off your ad-blocker, just go to the site's properties (right click the URL) and turn of JavaScript, then reload the site, no more popup asking you to turn off your pop-up blocker!
I missed the part where most of these seem like illegal knowledge. Most were just..huh, go figure facts.
It wasn't that most are illegal, it was just that it felt subjectively illegal...
Load More Replies... Years ago I used to know someone who would copy video games. For the sake of privacy I'll call this person "I". For Playstation 2 or Xbox, I would have to mod the console (buy a $40 chip, open the console and solder connections onto the motherboard) to get the copied games to work, because those systems and all games had a proprietary encryption on them. Sega Dreamcast wasn't so wise and had no encryption. I just bought a regular Dreamcast, downloaded a copy of the game from Napster or Limewire or whatever totally illegal software I was using, and then burn it onto a CD and I was ready to go. Unfortunately, most Dreamcast games weren't worth playing.
Okay that formatting is really clever. But the Dreamcast had some real gems on it.
Load More Replies... I've got one. Your address and phone number is not private information. My job has taught me how to find that information on just about anyone as long as you have a first and last name, or some part of the information already. Plenty of sites will offer you information as a subscription service, but will give you enough for free that you can check it with other sites. Just about every piece of information on the Internet will connect with something else, allowing you to easily find someone's address and phone number, including their living history for themselves and family.
Yup...I started with zabasearch...was my fave...
Load More Replies... I work as an audit manager for a financial institution and also over see all branch audits. I know where all the cameras are. My fob works on all doors. I know where all the dye packs are and where they are kept in teller drawers. I know the location of all secret alarms and the security phrase that the police will use under a hostage situation to call in for all clear signal. The only thing I don't physically have is the dual combo to the vault. Most bank vaults have 750K or less in them. As an auditor, I could easily walk in before the branch opens, force the two tellers to open the vault and then leave. Sure I'll be on camera, but I'll smash the phone box that controls the alarms and take their cell phones. That will give me a good amount of time to run 😆
I use ad free software for everything. If it doesn't work for commercials I speed up the video 5x.
My friend's dad is an EMT, and my friend found the handbook on how to make medicine. It tells you how to make many illegal substances in there.
Bollocks. EMTs aren't pharmacologists, they don't make medicine themselves. More likely your friend found a formulary, which is merely a book containing all current drugs, their usage, known side-effects and interactions/contraindications.
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