30 Really Creepy Facts About The World That Are A Reminder About How Weird Our Timeline Really Is
The world is far more complicated than some of us like to think. Morality isn’t black-or-white, historical facts are often hazier than we’d like them to be, and the interconnectivity of everything means that the deeper down the knowledge rabbit hole we go, the more lost we can sometimes feel.
There are some truly weird things about life on Planet Earth you can accidentally stumble upon while you’re down there. You might learn something about human biology or nature that really unnerves you. Or you might uncover something about your country’s past that puts into question pretty much everything else that you might know.
Today, we’re featuring some of the creepiest, most bizarre facts from these two viral r/AskReddit threads here and here. These internet users thought that others should know what they know, too. While you’re upvoting the most interesting facts of the bunch, have a think about the most peculiar things you have locked away in your database as well, Pandas. You can tell us all about them in the comment section.
Steven Wooding, a member of the Institute of Physics in the UK, part of the Omni Calculator Project, and the creator of the Weird Units Converter, shared his thoughts with Bored Panda about learning new facts and staying curious as well as less cynical as we age. You'll find our full interview with him below.
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The Roman Empire lasted over 1000 years, American society is only 243 years old, we could quite possibly collapse just like the Roman Empire did.
Bored Panda was interested to get Steven's take on how we can come to terms with the fact that when we gain new information, it might make us realize that we've been spouting nonsense in the past.
"Nobody likes to learn they were giving out incorrect information in the past. It hurts, but we have to push through it, accept new facts and work with them. After all, they could lead to the next big breakthrough," he explained that we all have to remain steadfast and learn to embrace the fact that we are wrong at times.
"This is constantly happening in science; as new discoveries are made, old discoveries have to be reevaluated," he said.
Drowning is quiet, and most kids drown right in front of the person that’s supposed to be watching them.
Yep, it's why a lot of children just "slip away". People think they will scream, thrash and make a huge noise, and it often isn't like that at all.
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When I was a kid I was in a pool with a bunch of other kids, and one little girl went straight to the bottom. None of the other kids noticed, myself included. No-one outside the pool noticed either... that is other than my mother, who dived in fully clothed and rescued her. The kid was my little sister, who thanks to Mum's quick action is still alive and well today! But that incident chills the hell out of me when I think about it now.
That's why there are those who've lost children to drowning at family parties who are trying hard to spread the word. There's one example where they encourage a rotating lifeguard duty at gatherings, where the person with the whistle spends 15 min doing absolutely nothing else but watching the kids- nobody is to talk to them, they don't eat or drink, no phones, no interacting with the kids-everyone takes their turns in rotation
My mom has a pool, and when there were kids around, one person was in charge of watching them. Otherwise, people just kind of assume someone else is doing it.
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Small warning. If you go in to get someone out of the water, they will almost certainly grab at you and drag you under. Be prepared for this. Go under, regroup, come back up and start talking to the person.
they will climb you like a tree - you cannot talk to them - my lifeguard training teaches you how to lock on to the victim and get them to land - - it's called cross chest and they cannot get you and they cannot get away.
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When I was very, very young, I was playing with a bunch of kids that belonged to my mothers friend, who I had to call "Auntie." We were at the lido, at the river. My "Aunt" got bored with filling up my little bucket with water from the river, so I started doing it myself. Naturally, I eventually fell in the river. I remember to this day looking up at all the bubbles going up, as I was going to the bottom of the river, and the feeling of being not the least little bit bothered. A strange man dove in, and rescued me. I was more annoyed that he swung me around by my anckles to get the water out of my lungs, than I was about actually drowning. Thet put me in a deck chair, and called my mother, who had been on the other side of the river**, teaching my older brother to swim. After the shouting match, we all walkked home, about 2 miles, instead of getting the bus. **60~70 yards.
I've heard that from several almost-drowned kids, that it was very peaceful.
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I knew a guy who almost drowned in a lake when he was six years old. His father jumped after him, but got entangled in some plants. After almost half an hour they both were rescued. The child survived heavily brain damaged, the father did not make it. I really love to swim, but water can be very scary.
I've saved two people from drowning, as stated... It's quiet. I heard just one of them cry for help, but he immediately went under.
i saved a few as a lifeguard. you gotta' watch 'cause it is not like most people think - it is very quiet most all of the time.
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This is so true. I was at a very busy resort pool a couple years back. I was cruising around the edge with my 3 year old, when I justvhappened to look down. There was a little boy, about 5, on the bottom of the pool trying to get to the surface, but couldn't. I reached down and pulled him up. Poor kid was coughing and crying, threw up. The horrible part is there were people all around this kid when he was drowning, and NOBODY noticed him. Parents were nowhere around. I finally found them and they they were so nonchalant about it and told me " he said he could swim" I was pissed.
there's videos on cct cameras showing drownings with people all over the place. the victim silently slips down. as a former lifeguard i had one kid always trying to fool me. once i saw him lying on the bottom, which was not unusual, but after a certain amount of time i pulled him out. he was not funning on me that day. damn kid. cry wolf and then i almost let you drown. pissed me off.
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Its true. And it’s so quiet and serene. I was drowning as a kid, and thought to myself… that’s it… relaxed all my muscles, seen bubbles coming up. Just in a moment as I closed my eyes, water pushed me up and I opened my eyes to see everyone around horrified and pulling me from water. Do not throw kids from inflatable mattresses in a hope that “it will teach them to swim”. I did not even have a time to fuss and yell and wave for help, that’s how quickly I slipped down into abyss. No sound, nothing, thought no one even noticed.
I definitely believe this. My nephew almost drowned when he was 8. We were at a Disney resort and we were all playing in the pool. It was only my family and a few other families. My nephew is a chatterbox. All of a sudden it occurred to me that I didn't hear him for a few minutes. I looked around and he was struggling to keep himself afloat in a too deep part of the pool. My 11 year old self swam to him as quickly as possible and pulled him up. He was ok, but it was scary at the time. There were no lifeguards on duty. So if you are swimming in an area that has no lifeguards on duty, be extra vigilant; it could save someone's life
My wife and I were chatting with the life guard at the edge of a pool. He said "excuse me" and reached over, pulling a young boy out of the water. He was directly behind his mother. At first she took offense that this man would grab her child but he held him above the water and said "this is what drowning looks like". She realized that the boy was scared and gasping for breath and thanked the life guard and pulled her son out of the pool. It was all right next to us and we didn't notice. Dude was good at being a life guard. Glad we didn't distract him from actually doing his job.
Harold Holt, Prime Minister of Australia, went for a dip in the surf one day, and didn't come back. His bodyguards were shocked.
There's a website called spotthedrowningchild.com where they give you tips to spot a kid drowning and have real footage so you can train your eye (in a swimming pool with lifeguards, the kids end up ok)
Ive seen a video of a child silent drowning on life guard cse, kid just stopped swimming and sank, underwater motion sensor picked it up and alerted the lifeguard. Well spooky.
And as a swim teacher told us: even when they know how to swim. When they are tired, they can sink from one moment to the next.
I had a dog female who was convinced humans could not swim and tried saving us ( me my wife kids every time we went swimming . no one was going to drown with her around .
Very nearly happened to me when I slipped into the deep end of the pool, 100% true.
When I was a kid, I *almost* drowned in my local pool while being taught how to swim.
I learned this so late in life thanks to decades of bad moviemaking decisions.
True! When I was a kid I almost drowned in a pool right next to my parents. I was sitting on the edge of the pool with no swimming belts on and hadnt learned to swim yet. I suddenly fell in the water really quietly. My Sister noticed after a while and pulled me out. (I was 6). Another time I was at a pool in another country and this girl is suddenly between me and my friend. My friend doesnt notice but I notice this blank stare the girl is giving me. I wouldnt have known she was drowning if it hadnt been for the time I was almost drowning. That stare and not being able to signal for help I recognised. So pulled her out and didnt think much of it (I was only 12) until the next day her mother found me and thankede me.
It’s definitely quiet, as a teen I was on a school trip when a girl my age drowned, I was just there with a friend and 2 other colleagues were in the water, no one realised until a teacher came out from the pool inside and we just saw her dive in after the girl. It still feels unreal. Later in my life, I worked as a lifeguard in a waterpark a few summers. I cannot even count the number of small children who nearly drowned while being watched by parents from outside the pool and I had too many of the parents being annoyed that I went in to help them because “they know how to swim”. These were pools at the end of really big slides, usually 3 slides would end in the same pool and although for an adult, they just needed to stand up, small kids had a hard time getting out. They had to swim after falling deep into the water and while there were wave and splashes all around them made by adults hitting the water. Don’t underestimate this situation for your kids!
I think this needs to be taught more. I've read a few stories of adults saying they were watching kids in a pool looking like they were playing floating under water until they realize
Parents of young kids and toddlers. . Do not buy bathing suits that resembles water. Always get the bright colors. This makes your child easy to see vs blending in with water.
I almost drowned in front of my mother when I was about 3. The lifeguard "read" her up one side and down the other!
My parents took me to swimming lessons since I was 5 and I still remember getting my 5m badge. That’s because I swam my 5m, then sank like a stone! There was no shouting out, no flailing around, nothing! Swam 5m, sank! Thankfully I was fully supervised and was fished out in about 2 seconds (crying, wailing, making a general fuss). I went on to get my 1km badge and my mile badge, gold lifesaving, still swim loads. I love the water but it’s so very easy to sink without a sound. Never, ever, forget that around your kids. If they’re not in your sight, thought and arm’s reach, they’re not safe.
Have almost drowned a few times in my life. Can confirm. Clearly, I'm not a swimmer.
As someone who came within seconds of drowning in a river, I can attest that this is true. I was very lucky
When I was a kid, my mother took me and a friend out to the lake. She turned away for a second to fix my swimsuit. The other kid started drowning. It literally takes a second, and there was no noise. Thankfully, I saw her and my mother was able to run in and rescue her. I taught my daughter to swim as soon as I humanly could, and whenever we are anywhere around water, I don't take my eyes off her. No matter who else is around.
I post and repost this article every summer: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/royal-life-saving-warns-parents-drowning-is-deceptively-silent-20140104-30atq.html
Even if I could swim really good, I nearly drowned in the sea when I was 7. That is, technically I was, but in my head I wasn't. I just refused to go up because suddenly there were a lot of algae in surface and I didn't want them in my hair, so I stayed under water ... for a really really long time. A lifeguard dragged me out of the water, hundreds of people were looking at me, and I didn't understand what the fuss was all about.
The last use of a guillotine in France was the same year the first Star Wars movie premiered. 1977
I guess France figured it was already ahead of ... nevermind, I'll show myself out before completing the joke...
According to Steven, from the Omni Calculator Project team, it's hard to stay on top of new knowledge, especially as you get older. We tend to think that we know everything and there's nothing new to learn.
"Try to view the world as a child does. Basically, keep asking 'why?' questions. As you learn the answer to one question, another will arise, and so on. It is a common situation in science that the more we know, the more questions there are. Keep questioning the world around you," he told us how we can start the chain towards living a more curious, and less cynical life.
Steven wanted to share an interesting fact with all of you dear Readers, too. "Crows are the Einsteins of the bird world. Expert at solving puzzles, and they can even recognize your face. They will actively avoid individuals who have been aggressive toward them in the past," he said. Hopefully, you'll see crows in a different light from now on, Pandas.
you aren’t scared of being alone. You’re scared of not being alone when you’re supposed to be.
Anglerfish, when Anglerfish mates the male Literally deforms its body and fuses with the female then they live together for the rest of their lives
If a fetus doesn't get enough calcium from their mother's diet they will take the calcium from their mother's bones.
Curiosity is a great quality to have. It shows that we’re full of energy, a desire to learn something new, and we’re constantly on an adventure to get closer to the truth. Sure, some knowledge might be dangerous or we’re just not ready to hear some creepy facts yet, but curiosity in and of itself is something that we believe drives humanity forward, as a whole. Without curiosity, there would be no progress. Only stagnation and dogma.
A while back, parenting blogger Samantha Scroggin, the founder of ‘Walking Outside in Slippers,’ told us what parents can do to nurture their kids’ interest in learning new things. She also revealed to us the best approach on how to deal with endless ‘whys.’
"Kids asking 'why?' is an important part of their natural curiosity. That said, the constant chatter and questions can grow tedious. I am very open with my kids, and answer just about any question they bring to me. But sometimes I tell them, not right now. I need quiet. And they rarely grant me that quiet. But still, I ask," she told Bored Panda that patience and good communication are essential in helping children’s curiosity thrive.
About 3 000 people disappear every year in the US and are never found again
In 1844, there was a case of hysteria in a French convent of nuns. One started meowing and after a week all the nuns were meowing harmoniously in the afternoons. It didn’t stop until neighbors called soldiers.
Only 9% of the ocean has been explored, and that there are creatures that we would think of as aliens living deep, deep down...
According to the parenting expert, the best thing that families can do is create a safe space for children to develop their own skills, talents, and interests. The vital thing is to never judge your kids. Parents should also “avoid the temptation to push them down a certain path just because it's familiar and more comfortable for us.”
Kids often mimic their parents’ interests, but that’s not always the case. Samantha opened up about what things are like in her own family.
"The genes are strong in my family. My husband and I are both writers, and my kids are both artsy types. My son, 10, is a little actor and singer who even appeared on Kids Say the Darndest Things this year. My 6-year-old daughter amazes me with her drawing ability," the mom told Bored Panda.
"Although my kids' talents are not identical to my husband and me, they are likewise little creative powerhouses. We as parents have made them feel safe and comfortable being themselves and expressing their skills. Then there are some abilities that clearly pass on directly from the parents. For example, my son and daughter are both math whizzes like my husband, while math has always been my nemesis."
It's estimated that there is around 25-50 active serial killers in the US
Somewhat recently (2012), scientists discovered over 1,400 new species of bacteria living in the belly button. Everyone’s belly button ecology is unique (add it to the fingerprints & snowflakes list). In that same study, 1 volunteers belly button harbored bacteria strands that had only ever been found in soil from Japan- where this man has never been.
Tarantulas can swim.
Meanwhile, child independence expert Lenore Skenazy explained to Bored Panda that it’s not learning that people fall in love with. Rather, we fall in love with the activities we love doing, whatever that might be. Passion for a subject leads to a natural curiosity about the thing, as we develop our skills and knowledge. In short, “the learning comes automatically” when you’re doing something you’re either interested in or an activity that’s essential.
“You fall in love with something that you love to do—drawing, kicking a ball, playing make-believe, walking in the woods, reading. All of those things involve learning. If they didn’t, you’d be bored and you’d stop doing them. Instead, as a kid AND as an adult, you get into something and do it because each time you get a little better, or try a slightly different technique,” she said.
“In a game, you’re ALWAYS thinking and learning because the ball never comes to you in exactly the same way twice. In the woods, there’s always something new to look at, climb or poke. In play, you have to react to the other person. And you pick up a book to fall into another world and learn all about it,” Lenore said.
You could drop dead instantly by a brain hemorrhage/aneurism and have no warning signs prior. One second you're perfectly fine, and the next you're dead
If you stare at the mirror in the dark long enough, your brain starts to make your eyes see things. Usually transforming you, or the room into something horrifying- more usually monsters. This is called ''peripheral fading" or the Troxler Effect.
When a person is electrocuted in the electric chair, they feel everything. They are fully aware of their bodies being fried as it happens in real time.
One inmate who survived the first round of electrocution said it tasted like cold peanut butter.
According to the expert, parents should embrace their kids learning about the world in a variety of formats. “Having books at home can help a child find new things to fall into—but so does YouTube. Remember: every new technology is distrusted at first,” she said, adding that Socrates himself hated the idea that people had started writing down ideas instead of memorizing them.
“So yes, books are great. But don’t ignore all the skills, hobbies, facts, and new things kids can learn online as well. If you’re worried about the bad stuff, install some filters. But learning from a podcast or DIY video is still LEARNING. Think of all the things you have learned since your formal schooling ended. Learning doesn’t only take place in a classroom or book!”
Dogs like squeaky toys because it sounds like a small animal being crushed.
There is a rare genetic disease called Fatal familial insomnia where over the course of months you literary can not go or be put to sleep no matter what you take or what you do. The symptoms get progressively worse until finally you stay awake watching yourself go insane until you [pass away] from exhaustion.
Postpartum psychosis can show up in a new mother virtually overnight. It can make them hallucinate, making them think their baby is a demon or the antichrist for example. New mothers murder their own children because of postpartum psychosis more often than you might like to think.
The more the mother knows it's a possibility the better she'll be able to combat it if it arrives.
Please be careful about this description - a mother suffering with PNP is much more likely to injure herself than her child. For more information and support please visit https://www.app-network.org
The children's story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin was based on a real event. "Hamelin town records start with this event. The earliest written record is from the town chronicles in an entry from 1384 which states: "It is 100 years since our children left." no one know what or who took the children, but there's records of the entire towns children being taken.
The bodies of the sailors who died on the Edmund Fitzgerald are still down there, almost perfectly preserved, due to the water at that depth being just barely above freezing. Divers who have explored the wreckage have seen their bodies frozen in place to parts of the ship, and have come back reporting that they feel as if they were being followed during their time underwater.
Photos were taken, but per the request of the crew's family, they have never been released to the public.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0Lg9HygEJc)
This makes me think of all the dead bodies on Everest, which are also very well preserved for the same reason :-(
Cotard’s Delusion is a rare psychiatric condition, severe cases of which cause the sufferer to wholeheartedly believe they are dead, putrefying, or simply do not exist. Some Cotard’s patients refuse to eat, as they do not believe they need to, with one notable patient dying of starvation. Another woman once asked to be taken to a morgue, to be with the other dead people.
By the time you start realizing the symptoms of rabies, it’s already too late.
The first symptoms of rabies may be similar to the flu, including weakness or discomfort, fever, or headache. There also may be discomfort, prickling, or an itching sensation at the site of the bite. These symptoms may last for days. Symptoms then progress to cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, confusion, and agitation. As the disease progresses, the person may experience delirium, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, hydrophobia (fear of water), and insomnia. The acute period of disease typically ends after 2 to 10 days. Once clinical signs of rabies appear, the disease is nearly always fatal, and treatment is typically supportive. Less than 20 cases of human survival from clinical rabies have been documented. Only a few survivors had no history of pre- or postexposure prophylaxis. https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/symptoms/index.html#:~:text=The%20first%20symptoms%20of%20rabies,anxiety%2C%20confusion%2C%20and%20agitation.
You can fit 63 earth size objects in Uranus.
Oh...the jokes that will be made...getting the popcorn ready to read them later. Don't disappoint.
You have a bunch of microscopic parasites called Demodex on your eyelashes and in the pores on your face. They come out at night to lay eggs on and eat the oils on your face.
If given access to it, butterflies will happily drink blood
Adult teeth in toddlers are right under their eyes.
I have seen an X Ray of my then baby nieces head. It was horryfying
A "Rat King" is a phenomenon created when a large group of rats become fused together by their tails via ice, dirt, hair, blood, or even feces.
Encounters with this horrible phenomenon inspired some of humanity's greatest myths.
There is a island of the dolls in Mexico City that has thousands of creepy dolls to honor a little girl who drowned in the 1950s. The island is also one of the most haunted places.
Sooo...the last damn place I would ever go, for any reason, ever.
The island of Okunoshima in the Inland Sea of Japan is known for two reputable things:
1: It's named "Rabbit Island" because of the overabundance of wild rabbits and...
2: The island has WWII ruins of a chemical weapons factory, creating poison like mustard gas in its attacks on China. So vital was its secrecy to the Japanese government that they tried to wipe its location off maps.
Note: this post originally had 59 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Life and nature is essentially a horror story marketed with rainbows and unicorns to keep the audience engaged and from losing their minds.
"Life is pain. Anyone who says different is selling something." - Dread Pirate Roberts
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At this very moment the universe can end. Look up vacuum decay, it is very interesting. Also, a gamma ray burst can eradicate life on earth at this second. We may not see it coming before it’s too late
I’m going to just keep worrying about monkeypox, I can only worry about one disaster at a time!
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Do you have an Android? If so, no, you're not the only one.
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Hydraulic pressure can be scary. If you have a cut and a strong enough jet of liquid hits it, it can penetrate the cut and fill the skin up like a baloon. Mechanics have to be mindful of this, since they deal with hydraulic systems filled with oil, which can and do fail. It's known as hydraulic injection injury. Don't google it.
Yet another example of Bored Panda deliberately discriminating against Android users.
The organic compound produced by the putrefaction of animal tissue that causes the foul odour is called cadaverine
And there is another one together with that that causes the smell: putrescine. When I read about that, I needed days to get them out of my head! Now they are back! 😁
Load More Replies... Things like this make me feel so NORMAL! No matter what I do or think, I'm not that bad . . .
Life and nature is essentially a horror story marketed with rainbows and unicorns to keep the audience engaged and from losing their minds.
"Life is pain. Anyone who says different is selling something." - Dread Pirate Roberts
Load More Replies... At this very moment the universe can end. Look up vacuum decay, it is very interesting. Also, a gamma ray burst can eradicate life on earth at this second. We may not see it coming before it’s too late
I’m going to just keep worrying about monkeypox, I can only worry about one disaster at a time!
Load More Replies... Do you have an Android? If so, no, you're not the only one.
Load More Replies... Hydraulic pressure can be scary. If you have a cut and a strong enough jet of liquid hits it, it can penetrate the cut and fill the skin up like a baloon. Mechanics have to be mindful of this, since they deal with hydraulic systems filled with oil, which can and do fail. It's known as hydraulic injection injury. Don't google it.
Yet another example of Bored Panda deliberately discriminating against Android users.
The organic compound produced by the putrefaction of animal tissue that causes the foul odour is called cadaverine
And there is another one together with that that causes the smell: putrescine. When I read about that, I needed days to get them out of my head! Now they are back! 😁
Load More Replies... Things like this make me feel so NORMAL! No matter what I do or think, I'm not that bad . . .
