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Each and every single one of us has at least one pearl of wisdom that we feel needs to be shared with everyone else. Something that the world definitely needs to hear. A piece of information, a tiny parcel of a fact that might change everything for the better. Scientists are no different in that regard. They do, however, have access to far more interesting facts and revelations than anyone not from their field. From biology, physics and chemistry to medicine and beyond.

Today, we're bringing you a whole host of intriguing science facts and opinions about science. All those brainy and bright scientists shared their insights under the #MyOneScienceTweet hashtag, started by entomologist Dalton Ludwick, and it’s eye-opening, to say the least.

Scroll down, upvote the facts you thought were the most illuminating, and let us know in the comments what you think. We can’t wait to hear your top science facts, too, Pandas!

Bored Panda wanted to learn more about the way good scientists should approach things and why there have recently been more people mistrusting science in general, so we reached out for a chat to Steven Wooding, a member of the Institute of Physics in the UK. He is also a member of the Omni Calculator Project which hosts a lot of interesting and frankly fun tools like the Weird Units Converter.

To start things off, Steven shared with Bored Panda the most interesting science fact that he knows: "A photon created at the sun's center takes up to 100,000 years to get to the surface but then only 8 minutes to get to Earth. Due to the density of the sun, the newly created photon encounters an atom after a few millimeters; it is absorbed then re-emitted in a random direction. So most of the time, it will not be making progress towards the surface. Once in the emptiness of space, most photons make an uninterrupted journey to Earth." We're willing to bet you probably didn't know that, dear Pandas.

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Scagsy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, this shouldn't need saying. I really worry about humanity when I see things like this.

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Steven told Bored Panda that the fundamental basis of the scientific method involves proposing an idea of how the world works and then proving it by experiment. In short, scientists have to set their egos and feelings aside for the sake of getting a step or two closer to the truth. However, that's far easier said than done! We sometimes forget that scientists are human beings just like we are.

"To be a good scientist, you have to be open to your original notion being wrong. However, scientists are also humans, so it can be incredibly tough emotionally to accept that you are wrong. It's best to look at the bigger picture of human knowledge and progression. You being proved wrong will help focus effort on other ideas that might be correct. In this way, you play your part in building knowledge," the scientist explained.

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Tiny Dynamine
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's impossible to argue against this and it a good explanation of why god doesn't exist. If it created us to be the master species, why did it make us so selfish and irresponsible as a whole? "I have created people to destroy this planet in a relatively short period of time. Not one of my best ideas, but I've had enough, really."

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Steven agrees with the idea that there generally seems to be less trust in scientists and science itself by the public. "You have to have an open mind to accept ideas from others. A great example is the flat earthers. They what to check and verify that the Earth is round by themselves and don't trust anything anyone says on the subject," he pointed out how some people can be misguided.

"One reason for mistrust in the latest science is that the public see the scientific method playing out in real-time. As more data comes in, the scientists change what they say, which can confuse the public. They may see a scientist admit they were wrong, which raises doubts about everything scientists say. A better understanding of the scientific method would certainly help the public's trust in science," the expert shared a possible reason for all the mistrust.

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Becky Samuel
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A major study published this week estimated 1.2 million deaths last year from drug-resistant infections. That's more than malaria or AIDS and it's only getting worse.

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Annamagelic
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Drives me nuts when people complain about scary "chemicals" or "toxins", but are completely unable to say exactly which chemical is bad or why. Or assume anything with a long scientific name is bad. Just consider the dangers of dihydrogen monoxide, it causes thousands of deaths and millions in property damage, but that doesn't mean we should ban it.

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One thing that many of us are likely to agree on is that the flood of information in the Digital Age can be overwhelming at times. It sometimes makes us dream of running away to an uninhabited island that doesn’t have tech or internet access. Alas! Not everyone has that luxury.

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So the next best alternative is learning to navigate the choppy waters of information overload. We’ve got to learn to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources, and learn to fight back against our diminishing attention spans.

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Leo Domitrix
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This. February 2020 to January 2022, for example. New/more data means you change conclusions. If it's science.

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NopedOut
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would nanobots that target cancerous cells effectively be a cure, though?

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Entertainment and pop culture expert Mike Sington from Hollywood knows all about how info overload, especially on social media, can make it hard for some of us to distinguish between facts and fiction. Earlier, he went into detail with Bored Panda about some of the red flags we should watch out for, indicating that a fact or source isn’t trustworthy.

"Red flags to watch out for that a claim may be fake: it's outlandish, it's too good to be true, you haven't seen the claim anywhere else, you've never heard the source, the source isn't reputable, you can't find two other sources making the same claim, your gut tells you, 'this can't be true,'" Mike shared.

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Randolph Croft
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just 100 corporations are responsible for 71% of global emissions. So stop blaming the population. Start with the 100 corps. https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change

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laura edwards
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Less than 10 percent will ever wake up at all. If you have to do CPR and the person still dies, you didn't do anything wrong. Do not feel any guilt.

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Caro Caro
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is so cool. I must have swallowed gallons in my youth and I'm ok. At least, I think I am ;)

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"The rise of social media has decreased the reliability of information because misinformation can spread so quickly before it can be corrected," the entertainment industry expert shared.

Even a simple Google check can help fight back against the spread of misinformation. If you take the time to double-check something that sounds iffy, you’re better off than you’d be if you just straight-up believed it. If you can’t find any reliable sources backing up the ‘fact,’ odds are that it’s fake.

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Robert T
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can neither agree nor disagree until you tell me what your definition of a tentacle is.

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Rannveig Ess
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tentacles only have suction cups towards or at the end of the limb. Arms have cups the entire way from beginning to end.

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Steve
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tentacles are almost entirely found in Japanese cartoons

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Lee
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My aunt used to call them testicles. No one corrected her because it was too funny.

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Tamra Stiffler
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, my dad calls his prostate his "prostrates". I'd say it's funny, but it's mostly really uncomfortable. 🙄

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Rissie
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well that's nonsense if you check the definitions according to the oxford dictionary. There is so much overlap in both terms and whatever you want the appendages on an octopus to be called, arm or tentacle both fit somewhat but aren't perfect.

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Earl Grey
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Correct. Tentacle is an umbrella term for various hydrostatic appendages that include arms, cirri, eyestalks, etc.

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Daniel Marsh
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously? This is the one thing you wish people knew? Not to confuse "arms" with "tentacles"? You know what? You're wrong. I'm not going to argue with you on the basis of biology, because I know it's the trendy thing for marine biologists studying mollusks to make the distinction you're making. The thing is that biologists don't get to change the English language just because they'd like to draw a scientific distinction. Try defining an arm in the sense of an octopus' anatomy, and you can't help making the absolutely preposterous claim that "arms" have suckers on them. To wit, "The basic difference is arms have a line of suckers going down them, whereas tentacles don't have suckers until you get to the tentacular clubs, which are the kind of large part at the end," Morag Taite, a postdoctoral research associate at Aberystwyth University in Wales, told Live Science. There are no suckers on the end of my arm. You, have one at the distal end of yours.

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ZAPanda
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You had one science tweet to save all humankind and you chose octopus appendages. Right.

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Vetus Vespertilio
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’ve long believed that people are wasting time looking into space for extraterrestrial life because it’s already here. Octopuses are so completely Not Like Us; even their blood is based on copper instead of iron like almost everything else. That being so, Dr. Clements may have given us valuable information about Our Alien Overlords.

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Thomas Turnbull
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

An octopus has eight appendages, each of which has rows of suckers running its length. But these are not tentacles — in strict anatomical terms, they are arms. ... Cephalopod tentacles and arms lack bones; instead, they are built from an intricate tapestry of coiling muscle fibers.

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Jenný Samúelsdóttir Herlufsen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hi,i just came from the depths of Google.The difference between a tentacle and an arm, is that an arm has suction cups on the entire length but a tentacle only has suction cups at the end of the limb.

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Nina
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is very passive-agressive. a better tweet would have been actually explaining the difference, instead of just saying "there's a difference, you idiots!!!"

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RedMarbles
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They probably sound so snarky because it's such a huge pet peeve of cephalopod scientists.

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(T)reacherou(S)
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes! It's just a few people every year that gets killed by a shark, humans on the other hand kill lots of sharks all the time. They are of utterly importance to the oceans!

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Two_rolling_black_eyes
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should be #1. The biggest problem in science is biases because it cripples growth. The Earth remained the center of the universe for 1000s of years longer than it should because we knew that it was true. Millions of women die unnecessarily every year from heart attacks because the entire detection and treatment regime was developed on men. Contextual biases like racial profiling have dramatically affected the African American community's treatment options for chronic diseases. Way too much psychological theory is all based on first world1 8-22 year old college students who, unsurprisingly, do not reflect the overall psychological spectrum of our planet. How many of us can say our own psyche worked the same at 8, 18, 38, and 88? Outright racism gave Hitler proof the Jews were inferior.

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Mike suggests that everyone should remain skeptical and try to find additional evidence and supporting sourcing before reposting any bit of info. Otherwise, they might be contributing to the problem. “Amplification doesn’t make a claim true or accurate," he said that just because a lot of people believe something doesn’t make it true.

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The expert pointed out that the personally trusts the Associated Press, Reuters, and The New York Times the most. "They employ fact-checkers and editors that ensure the information they post is correct. They’re basically doing the research and homework for you," he told Bored Panda.

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Furgus McGurgus
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

100%. I don't know a single domestic cat who's ever been responsible for a wind farm.

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Scagsy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's why it is a really bad idea to build houses on flood plains.

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ZAPanda
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

many research scientists have autism. Some research scientists work in health. Therefore, autism causes vaccines.

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"There are literally too many online sources to list that can’t be trusted and should be avoided. Anyone can basically post anything they want… proceed with caution.”

Mike noted that our attention spans have been “reduced to mere seconds at a time.” That’s because this is the way that information and entertainment are fed to us right now.

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Eb
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If it's freely chosen, I agree, but it's so tightly bound up with human trafficking, modern slavery, drugs and other abuse that it's hard for many of us to think about in isolation.

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“People get tiny bite-sized bits of news by scrolling a Twitter feed, they entertain themselves by scrolling quickly through Instagram and TikTok. It’s creating a habit that doesn’t have to be," he warned.

"The good news is there’s plenty of long-form entertainment and news available, you just have to seek it out. I believe the benefit is worth it. I’ve discovered it improves your ability to focus, it’s more calming, you retain more information, and it gives you a more balanced and nuanced view of the world."

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Judes
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think she's saying that there will never be a single cure for cancer (hence the ".." around cure), not that we'll never be able to cure all cancers.

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Octavia Hansen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Again . . . birth control would reverse this cycle. Human answer to just about everything is MORE MORE MORE, and supply will NEVER keep up . . .

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Helena R
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I work in a hospital lab, we run 24/7 to get results for patients. We get almost no recognition despite how qualified and hard we all work. Hospitals would not be able to operate without us, unless you just want to guess how sick people actually are. Same goes for pharmacy

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Nikki Sevven
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why the US practice of 8 weeks of maternity leave is so damaging. I firmly believe that one parent needs to stay with kids until they're old enough for school, and it doesn't matter which parent. The fact that families now need two full-time incomes to survive is proof that capitalism is deadly to a healthy society.

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Libstak
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The material world needs science to comprehend it. Religion tries to understand our complex sense of self and is not nor should it be focussed on material things.

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postboredom
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a whole industry about this for years. From how we can learn how to compute like a cell to collecting water like a beetle

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Tiny Dynamine
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

From all of the light thrown out by the sun, a miniscule amount of it reaches the earth, but it's enough to keep the planet alive and it will do this for billions of years.

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