Everybody loves a good fun fact. Did you know that ostriches' eyes are bigger than their brains? What about that most people fall asleep in about 15-20 minutes? Also, everyone’s tongue print is unique! Unfortunately, however, life has a way of balancing things out. So for every amusing and uplifting fact out there, there’s another unsettling, disturbing or disgusting not-so-fun counterpart.
Below, you'll find some of these facts that Reddit users have shared right here and here that might have you immediately wishing you had never read them, pandas. This list may not be the most enjoyable ride, but we hope you still find it fascinating, and don't forget to upvote the information you consider to be the epitome of "not fun"!
This post may include affiliate links.
The legendary science fiction author Isaac Asimov died of AIDS. He caught it through a blood transfusion, before they knew to screen for it. Part of his will was that the cause of his death not be revealed for 10 years (He died in 1992, when AIDS was still very much stigmatized; he didn't want his family to have to contend with allegations while they grieved). Asimov was a forward-thinking guy, and reasoned that the stigma around AIDS would likely have died down by 2002. He was right.
Asimov is one of my favorite authors The R. Daneel Olivaw/Elijah Bailey books are some of the best sci-fi in the world. :( Truly a tragedy to lose Asimov. I also remember many decades ago, my dad was in a car accident and had to have a blood transfusion. He has a rare blood type, so he had to be transfused blood that hadn't been properly screened yet. We lived in fear for a few years of him contracting AIDS or hepatitis or something else from the transfusion. This was back around the time that Asimov died... long before antiretroviral therapy :( Fortunately my dad ended up okay.
Veterinarians that put down sick pets will say that the owner often chooses not to be in the room, leaving the pet frantically searching for its owner in the last minutes of his life.
I've been there for my pets both times. Imho, that's part of your responsibility as a pet owner. Yes, it hurts, but you can walk away afterward.
After not being there for my childhood dog at age 18 (I wasn't living at home at the time), I've been there for every pet I've had to have euthanized. I hold them and talk to them as they pass. Sometimes they pee on you at the very end. Sometimes they're in pain. It's traumatizing, but SO much better for them (and me) than not being there. I also chose to be at my dad's bedside the night he died. No one else in my family stayed. I held his hand as he died. I am so glad I did. Grief will blunt in time... regret is forever. I still regret not being there for Split when she was euthanized when I was 18... that was 23 years ago.
Load More Replies...I’ve seen several vets debunk this, pointing out that the pets don’t know this is the end of their life, and don’t realize it is any different from being taken back for any other vet procedure. They aren’t any more panicked than they would be while being sedated for surgery.
As a pet owner, you shouldn't want your pet stressed at all when you know you're literally about to end their life. Even if it's not stressful on the pet (which I personally don't believe to be true), why would you want your pet to be alone in it's final moments? 😕
Load More Replies...This is not true! Having worked at vet clinics I can assure you that your beloved pet is given a sedative first so they are completely relaxed. Also there is no shame in not being able to be with them. Please know that your pet is being sent across the rainbow bridge with love (and a few tears)
My cat had a lung collapse and was in huge pain when we emergency rushed her to the vet. They couldn't save her anymore at that point, just make her passing painless. I was there when she was put down and held her in my arms. I am sure she knew she was dying even before they gave her the sedatives. I wouldn't have ever left her alone in her last moments.
Load More Replies...I am at high risk for strokes. I had to leave the room for a beloved dog's last moments as I went into uncontrollable sobbing. Worst day ever!
Upvoting just to give you some love and thoughts (not because it was a good thing to happen).
Load More Replies...I used to be a vet assistant, and most animals being put to sleep were already close to death. They weren't really aware of much going on around them. Also, animals are often much quieter when their owner isn't in the room. Please don't torment yourself about this if one of your pets has died without you being there.
Exactly thank you! Also the process usually involves giving a pet some calming shot before as well.
Load More Replies...Personally, I give the owners an option: they can stay for the sedation til the pet is so sedatede that they are not paying attention and then leave, or to let us put in an IV catheter after sedation if they want to be present for the final injection. I don't think in 40 years that I ever had a client just leave the pet not knowing whats happening. But thats my philosophy on the whole situation. And I've done the same for my pets when its time but they always have an intravenous catheter placed before I give the last shot.
Thank you! As a veterinarian, this post was really upsetting in its misinformation.
Load More Replies...I always stayed with my dogs to the end, it's hard to see but that's part of the responsibility
I don't believe this for a second. Most owners stay with their beloved pets, at the very least until the first sedative has taken effect and the animal is sleeping peacefully. Also my 2 best friends (both vet techs) agree this post is BS.
I call BS on that one. I just had to put my 14 year old pit down. #1 I had to call multiple vets to find one who would even ALLOW me to be in the room. #2 Before they inject the lethal drug, they give a strong sedative.
Even during the middle of COVID I would still allow the parent to be with the pet at the end: wearing masks all around of course. Even a family (and with the tech's agreement of course).
Load More Replies...we put down my dog about two weeks ago, and my 11 year old brother chose to not be in there but me and my mom and older brother were all there. i told her how much i loved her and i hugged her and didn't let go even after she was gone.
I'd never leave them behind if I had the choice. My first dog died from a heart attack before her surgery, I was in the hospital myself and it was the first time we were apart for longer period of time. 10y ago but the guilt still breaks my heart 🥲
Our vet gave him something to render him unconscious so we were there the last he knew. We slipped out when he wouldn't see us leave but before the end. Best for all of us. Wise and compassionate Vet!
I've made this choice with two previous cats. Both died in my arms with me looking into their eyes and speaking to their names. Anything less would not have been enough.
I guess I see things from both sides but when ours pets had to be put to sleep, we held them until they passed. I can't imagine how alone they must feel.
100% BS! Vets always use a sedative to put pets to sleep before euthanizing them. There is NO frantic searching as they die. Who comes up with these "facts," anyway?
I felt it was my responsibily to stay with my beloved Chanel (in my avatar) when he ws put down, it was the least I could do to thank him for being my friend
Nope. I have been there and held them in my arms giving as much love and thanks as I can.
I've been there for my cat (cancer) till the very last moment. Petting her and talking to her. Cried in the corridor of the clinic after that, but she died peacefully. Nobody should die alone.
Omg, I could NEVER do that! I was sobbing my eyes out, but when my baby rabbit succumbed to GI stasis, I was holding him in my arms, telling him how much I love him. Even now, I still get days where I miss him so much & I hug his little cushion for comfort. I now have a 7 year old rescue chihuahua & I know I’ll have to do the same for her one day … but I love my fur-babies too much to ever let them suffer alone & scared; I will always put them first. 🥺🐕💔🐇
That's like walking out on family after they turn the machines off, before the person stops living.
My face giving my pets kisses, cuddling them, and telling them I love them will always be the last things my pets see, hear, and feel.
It sounds heartbreaking but for some folks this can be so terrifying and traumatising that they just can’t be there. Also, post is misleading because before the dog / cat gets put down, they usually receive a shot of sth to calm them down so they don’t go from frantically searching for owner to drop dead…
As a veterinarian, this isn't true. There may be some pets that are just uncomfortable without their families no matter the situation, but if you choose not to be in the room, there is absolutely NO shame in that. Rest assured that if you just can't, you will not be judged, and I will hold your pet, love your pet, and cry for your pet for you❤️
Me being there, sobbing, would stress my pets out more than just going without me to the back room with the techs.
I doubt it. Pets want to be with people they're familiar with, especially when they're at a scary place like the vet's. Being with them in their final moment is part of your responsibility, and you should want to be there to comfort them.
Load More Replies...This is a cruel lie. A pet doesn't know the difference between an anaesthetic being administered for a necessary procedure such as neutering or a dental and an anaesthetic being administered for the purposes of euthanasia.
I'm a vet tech and have been for almost 27 years...the pets don't usually struggle or look for their owners. We make it as peaceful as possible for them so I'd say that in some cases this might be true...but the majority of pets pass peacefully without their owners if they leave them.
I was there for my girl, Molly. Couldn't leave her to experience that alone.
I would never leave. My poor fur baby needed me in the end and I was there for him. Even when the vet messed it up and I wanted to punch her in the face. I still told my sweet boy that I loved him and told him sorry the vet was a dumb $hit
It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I have been there, holding and loving my baby until the end!
That's so sad 😢 I've done it once (my brothers dog Popcorn a black lab, she got really sick while he was on holiday, so I said I'd go with her) literally heartbreaking 😢 💔 I held her paw, stroked her and told her through tears that we all loved her so much, and as hard as it is, I don't regret it ever 💔❤ pets are family and need reassuring just as much as human family
Some humans are NOT even there when their OWN parent passes. Yup. Walked right out the room, left to die alone with strangers😡
That's just awful. Yes, it's obv a hard thing to go thru as the owner, but imagine what it's like for ur poor animal who doesn't understand what's going on and just wants u there more than anything. It's selfish to let them go thru that alone.
I always hope I will be holding my furry babies close to me when they die, whether at home or the vet. I have many many times.
I have had several vets say this isn't true, but I don't know what to believe. When I had to put my cat down, she was under anesthia from surgery (massive cancer tumors) so I just had it done then. She passed peacefully in my arms. I don't know of anyone who hasn't wanted to be there, except my aunt but she asked my uncle to be there for her and he did so.
The most heartbreaking responsibility of pet ownership. My pets breathed their last into my lungs.
My buddy had a scare about 6 months ago where we thought it was the end. On the way to the ER, I told him "I can't promise we're coming home, but I can promise you I'll be there every second if it's the end." It's the absolute least I can do for him.
Every pet we've had to put down, I've always been the one there holding them. Most recent was last year. I never wake up In the middle of the night, but for some reason I did & went to check on my little old man, Travis. He was sprawled out on the floor, breathing heavy and unresponsive. I scooped him up & held him for 4 hours, telling him how loved he was & could go rest now. He died safe & warm & lived in my arms. I'll always thank whatever woke me that night, or Travis would have gone alone, cold & scared.
Anyone who can't, or won't, be there when they pass should never be allowed to be there when they are alive and well. It is part of your responsibility and obligation to your friend and partner.
One of our cats had to be put down during covid. The vet said we could only have 1 person in the room with him so one of my (adult) kids stayed with him.
I have always stayed with my cats when I've had to say goodbye. A pet may only be part of your life, but you are prthe whole of theirs.
I've been there holding them every single time. The 5 that I've lost over the years were due to age or severe health complications and they were in pain. Every single one were cats we rescued and 3 of those Jazzy, Romy and Tux I was there when they came into the world and was there when they left it. I wanted to be there so they would know they were loved til the very end. I've been heartbroken and absolutely gutted every time but Tux and Romy were the worst since I lost them within a year of my Mom dying. It still hurts like hell and I still cry because I miss them so damn much. If it wasn't for taking care of them since they both needed medications and normal care I wouldn't have been able to get out of bed. They gave me a reason to keep going because they needed me to take care of them. Now I have Tiger who was my Mom's baby and he is my little shadow. He was almost litter mates with Romy and Tux and I'm all he has left now.
My Mom and I always lived together but Tiger was my Mom's baby and after losing her I thought would lose Tiger. He was so depressed and didn't want to eat so I had to fight like hell to keep the little guy going. Since Mom, Tux and Romy are all gone I'm all he has left since he's older then the other cats and just has never bonded with them.
Load More Replies...I want to be with them. We weren't there for two, they were at the vet and passed before we got there. We were waiting to see what the vet thought (Covid) about our cat. Once we all agreed he was not going to get better. They told us to drive around to the back and we would meet with them prior to him being put down. We walked in the door and they told us he was gone. He passed on his own. If we can get the vet to agree we also try to have it done outside. One of our dogs that loved the car, got them to come out to the car.
I would never leave one of my babies to be put to sleep alone. Yes, it hurts, but I promised to be with them to the end of their life and I will do that.
Not me. I’ve held my cats’ paws as they passed peacefully. They’re my babies and they deserve to be loved to the end. My husband sure had trouble though.
I did that with a pet rat, and I will feel horrible about that for the rest of my life
I was very fortunate. The area I resided in had a mobile vet who would put your pet down in your home.
I will always be there for all of my animals even the ones I have to put down myself. Crossing the bridge is best done by/ with the ones we love
When my parents put down my two childhood cats, they were bonded and even though one could have lived longer it would have killed her to live without her sister, and my parents each held a cat, facing each other. The last thing they each saw was their sister and the last thing they felt was being held by their owners of sixteen years. Putting down your pet while holding them is the most humane death
I’ve always been absolutely hysterical when I know I have no choice but to lose my pet - literally hysterical, to a point that I had the Dr. bawling by the time it was said and done - but I do make sure my pet and I are holding hands prior.
i have ASD, depression and anxiety and no one with me, i couldnt cope with it sadly. thankfully my current meds make it possible that when faced with this choice again i can be there for them.
I lost my dog of 15 yrs, my Mum took her for a Routine Check, which revealed she had awful kidney failure. I had to Watch her through FaceTime. It was awful. 😞
I wasn't allowed to be there for my dog, and it about killed me. I still live with this guilt everyday. Some places mandate this; it isn't right.
I got two cats the year before last, and the one got ‘unalived’ by a car around 2 weks after their bday
Oh hell NO. I am in the rm with every animal, even my moms cats, and her feral. I would never ever leave my babies or any animal alone. My vet even came to my house.
Done it twice, horrific experience but no way was I letting them go through that alone.
I can't understand people who walk away in this situation. Being with the pet in the last minutes of his/her life, being able to comfort him/her is so important - for the pet as well as for the human. Of course, it hurts, but hurts so much more if you cannot be there, if you cannot at least provide this last comfort in this horrible situation. I still cry so much thinking of my beloved tomcat who had to be put down in January 2021 after an x-ray examination showing cancer in horribly advanced state. I could not properly say good-bye as waking him up would have been too cruel and I was not expecting that I had to let him go that day. I still feel horrible about this. Last year, my mother's cat had to be put down due to cancer (my mother died shortly before the cat, therefore, she lived with me). I was with her, gently stroking her, telling how much I love her and what a wonderful girl she is. She left the world fully relaxed, and despite my sadness I am happy I could comfort her thisway
Since moving out on my own, I've always tried to have two animals at the same time so each has a companion. In keeping with that, when it came towards the end of life, ive always transitioned another in to fill the void. Each time I've had to let go of a pet, I've had a vet come to the home so they are in a place they were happy in and their companions can say goodbye and be at peace. I never wAnted to leave with them and have the others wonder where they went. Home vets cost a ton but for my pets peace of mind, it's worth every penny.
I have never and will never do that to any animal member of our family. They need to know they are loved.
I stayed with both pets that I had to put to sleep. I spent half my life caring for them and I wasn't going to abandon them when they needed me the most.
This makes me really sad. Pets absolutely live for their human friend, why wouldn't the friend be there to send them off with love? Watching my dog's life leave his body was the hardest thing I've ever done, but at least I know in his final moments he was being held, and could smell me and hear me telling him how much I love him.. s**t, now I'm crying again..
When my cat Cali was sedated, it scared her. She felt weird and didn't understand why. I couldn't imagine how much scarier it would be if I wasn't there. Sorry but you can't convince me that staying isn't the right thing to do. There is nobody other than me that I would want to be be there.
Man this is heartbreaking. I can't imagine not being there. I held my last dog when it was his time to go. Carried him in my lap in my dads truck up to our old family property, where we gave him burial next to all the other amazing dogs that had graced our lives over the years.
Please cuddle and love them on their last moments, it is the least you can do for all the love you received!
I have held both of my pets as the life left them. It tortured my soul but I refuse to let them be alone or be scared. They're more than pets, they're family
I stayed with our dog during this moment, and as painful and sad as it was to do that, I will never regret it because I got to be with her and pet her.
I had to put down a 5 month old puppy 30+ years ago, and the tech didn't want me in the room ( I was crying) and I told them that I would not leave that baby and my face would be the last thing he saw. I even held him for a long while afterwards.
I have personality gone one step further, and paid the vet extra to come to our home and perform the deed while I cradled my beloved friend in my arms.
They had to physically remove me from my dog's side. A few vet techs came in to gently take me out of the room. Not being there for her wasn't an option.
I knew this girl once that had to put down her very old and sick cat. She did not want to go in room with her cat and waited in the waiting room. She had no idea how the process worked, but she thought they would give her cat a shot, and he would be sleepy, and she could take him home and after a few hours he would just peacefully pass away. When they brought her back her cat, she screamed out "He's Dead!" The Vet thought that had accidently killed her cat.
I read something about this a couple years ago, and when we had to put one of our dogs down two years ago, I insisted on being there too, even though I'd only cared for him for a year before he passed. I was told I was his favorite person in his last year and I didn't want to not be there for him. It was hard, but he wasn't alone.
Why the f**k would you tell me this. Always in the room if I put down a pet. creamated and ashes back as well.
I've had to put down three beloved pets as an adult. And I have _always_ stayed with them until the end. It's one of the hardest things to do in life. But it is also the most compassionate.
I put all 85 pounds of her in my lap and cried so loud they could hear it in the waiting room. Then I ran out the door crying and jumped in my car. She was 15 and the best dog in the whole world.
I've been in that situation three times. It's never easy. It's an absolutely crusing experience. But I know it's better for the pet.
I was not allowed to go back for the medicine. However, I was allowed to be there.
I sat with my girl until well after she'd passed. She'd been with me through so much, there was no way I wasn't going to be there. It was soul crushingly hard, but I had to, for her
My dog had to be euthanized the first day of lockdown. I couldn't be with him. I hate this gets shared over and over. I feel awful as it is.
I have been right beside my pets, they've gone while in my arms. Yes it's traumatic, but it's the least I can do after all the love and joy they've given me x
How can you do that to them? I utterly broke my heart to be with my old dog at the end, but I could never have let her go without me comforting her.
You should ALWAYS be in the room with your pet. I worked at a veterinary hospital for a few years and one time this man came and just dropped his dog off for Euthanasia and I went into the back to get something and there he was....all alone being put down....he looked so scared. I cried so much that day.
Our vet actually came to our house. We didn't know for sure if she would be put down, but it seemed likely - she was 17, blind, falling down a lot, sundowning, and having mini seizures. We had family come over, people who took care of her, and friends that knew her. When the vet said it was time, we all pet her and said our good byes. As she laid on her pillow, we all just spoke to her softly. When she was gone, we wrapped her up and the boys dug a grave next to our cat by the water and we had a ceremony. The vet made us paw prints and gave us a lock of hair. I don't know how anyone who cares for their animal could walk away when they need them most. R.I.P. Bella
i have a local vet that comes to my house to put my cat down, then i bury it in the back yard
It's the hardest day for a true pet owner but I couldn't imagine not being with them all the way.
It's too much to bear? Think of the poor fur baby who dedicated their lives to you! If you can't be there in their last moments, you shouldn't have had them with you in the first place.
I had to put down my baby 'sister' 2 years go this summer. No matter how much it hurt me I know I couldn't leave her. She shook a lot (anxiety, we think) throughout her life but it got really bad the last two weeks. The only time she stopped is when I held her. I really just wished we could have seen it coming so I had time to prepare. I was one of the hardest things for me to watch, but I wouldn't trade my lasts moment with her for anything. please don't leave your pets during this time if you can help it. it'll hurt, but your pets love you too. they don't always understand what's going on and you are their support. keep your loved ones close <3
This sickens me. Le them go in peace. I'm crying right now for the last one I lost, but he was cuddled in my arms till the very end. At the barn where I kept my horse, I came in one day to see the barn manager standing by a stall and she looked at me and said, "this horse is sick and in pain and needs to be put down, but the owners can't bear to lose him." I told her I couldn't bear to lose Princess (the little mare I owned at the time), but she was ready to go and I wasn't going to force her to stay. There is a time to every purpose under heaven. People don't seem to get it, part of being a responsible pet owner is to acknowledge when it is there time, and part of that time is being there for them, to let them die in the comfort of your arms.
I don't understand how anyone could leave their pet alone like that.
Not every old man want to cry with strangers around.
Load More Replies...John Steinbeck "Of Mice and Men" - You gotta kill your own dog and sometimes a family member".
I was always so grateful to my vet, who allowed me to sit in a back room, rat on my lap. Every now and then someone would come in and check their heartbeat (and ugly-sobbing me). If you think you can't be there for your pet in its last moments, don't get one. You wouldn't get a baby if you thought that you "just can't change diapers".
I am so thankful to have always been there, no matter how painful it was. Luckily there are many good pet owners in this world too. But this is heartshattering.
It’s so hard but I could never leave my fur babies alone. I hold them and look into their eyes until the last moment.
I did that when my beautiful jet-black cat had to be put down, I simply could not stand the thought or the sight and was actually just about to faint. This was in 1986 and it haunts me to this day.
I had to have 2 dogs and 3 cats put down (cats were over 20 years old, and the dogs over 12 years old all with age related complications that were incurable) and stayed with them throughout. They were loyal to me, and I had to be loyal to them.
being there is the hardest thing you do with your pet, but is the right thing to do
I hate that I wasn't there for my cat when she had to be put down. She quickly got very sick, I honestly can't recall exactly all, but her liver was very bad. She got medicine and I had to forcefeed her for a few days, then she seemed to get better so I left her in the care of my mother and went to work. She quickly got way worse and I had to make the decision to put her down. My mother stayed with her though but I wish that I was there. But letting her suffer for an extra day didn't seem fair either. I couldn't leave work early since I was three hours away by train.
I was there. Not because I wanted to, but because I did not want to leave him alone for his final moments on this Earth.
This is so f*****g depressing. But honestly same for some people, too. I f*****g hate it.
After a break up, I wasn't able to look after my dog, so he went to live with distant relatives. I hadn't seen him in about 4 years, but it broke my heart to learn he'd had to been euthanised and I wasn't there in his final moments.
Worst part of losing your pet but you just have to be there. Never quite recovered from those experiences.
I've done both. First was a cat and I thought (wrongly) that it was the best for both of us. If I had thought this would happen then of course I wouldn't have left him. The second was our dog. It was during lockdown. We were lucky to have a vet with a room that you were able to be there in (I know many had to leave their pets during that time) but only one of us could be there so my husband waited outside. Singlemost devastating moment of my life. We still miss both our pets so much.
We are always present when one of our cats has to be PTS, that way they are calmer & know they are loved till the end and beyond.
Personal choice and circumstances. Not being in the room does not mean that you love your pet less. It hurts the owner either way.
This is true, some people just can't handle it but there are staff workers that care. I have been there hundreds of times to give some comforting last pets and snuggles when owners could not. If someone can't stand to be there I promise that I will and I keep my word. We aren't in it for the money because the money is c**p tbh..I just love animals.
Do you want your beloved pet to die thinking you abandoned him/her? Stay for them.
To learn more about how this not-so-fun conversation started in the first place, we reached out to Reddit user Erikjb12, who posed the question "What are some NOT fun facts?" and was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda. "I had seen there were a lot of questions at that time asking for 'Fun facts' about this and that, and some of them were more or less the same," Erikjb12 shared. "Then I thought I might see some actual unique responses if I posed an anti-question, to get people to think of maybe more macabre facts. Ironically, not fun facts are in some ways even more fun. And it piques peoples interest for some reason. Also I just really wanted to know some," they added with a laugh.
For a very long time, beheading was used as a form of execution because it was believed it resulted in instantaneous death. For quite some time, there was suspicion that this wasn't the case, but many rules and regulations governing the use of cadavers limited doctors from thoroughly investigating enough to challenge the practice.
However, at the turn of the 20th Century, a French doctor, Beaurieux, was permitted to make an investigation of a severed head from a criminal named Languille, immediately after guillotining. He notes his observations:
*"Here is what I was able to note immediately after the decapitation: the eyelids and lips of the decapitated man worked in irregularly rhythmic contractions for about 4 or 6 seconds. I waited several seconds longer. The spasmodic movements ceased. The face relaxed, the lids half-closed in the eyeballs, leaving only the white of the conjunctiva visible, exactly as in the dying whom we have occasion to see every day [...] It was then that I called in a strong, sharp, voice: 'Languille!' I then saw the eyelids slowly lift up, without any spasmodic contraction -- I insist advisedly on this pecularity -- but with an even movement, quite distinct and normal, such as happens in everyday life, with people awakened or torn from their thoughts. Next, Languille's eyes very definitely fixed themselves on mine and the pupils focused themselves. I was not, then, dealing with a vague dull look, without any expression that can be observed any day in dying people to whom one speaks: I was dealing with undeniably living eyes which were looking at me."*
Every person who was ever decapitated was most likely aware of their predicament for a short time following their 'death'.
America has 5% of the world's population, but 25% of all prisoners in the world.
Incarceration nation. Something about the national American psyche is seriously off and has been for quite some time. It's not that crime and punishment don't matter, it's the reasoning. So much is about cost and profit not justice in the legal system, in fighting crime in the mental physical wellbeing of the victims and the peeps, everything is skewed by power plays and capitalism..
We were also curious if the OP had ever read any facts that they immediately regretted finding out. "Honestly, I love facts, so I can't really say I wish I didn't know something, but I once saw pictures of bone cancer and that made my skin crawl in the worst way I have ever felt. New pseudo phobia of mine. I wish I hadn't seen that."
We also asked Erikjb12 if any of the replies to their question surprised them. "Babies can die after consuming honey," they told Bored Panda. "The botulinum toxin (like the one in Botox) will paralyze their muscles causing 'Floppy baby syndrome'. I'm glad I read this one, but it sure as heck surprised me. I'm a sucker for honey, so I'm glad I got to know before I had any children. Now I feel so prepared."
Homosexuals in concentration camp during WWII weren't recognised as victims after the war ended, and some of them were even re-arrested with their years in camps during the war only subtracted form their sentence.
The Nobel Peace Prize was only invented by Alfred Nobel to undo the bad PR done after he invented dynamite.
He did not want to be remembered for inventing something that killed people, and for the most part, his plan worked.
He may not have liked what Dynamite ended up being used for (Conflict/Violence etc) but in creating it he did reduce the amount of casualties and accidents with explosives due to stabilizing it and allowing for controlled Demolition/Excavation.
And when it comes to why we're so interested in these not-so-fun facts, the OP says, "I think we seek out unsettling information in order to prepare ourselves for mishaps or accidents. In some way, I also think it gives one a sense of power being able to observe danger from above, like watching a horror film or seeing live wild animals in a cage. It makes people feel a rush of power and security, paradoxically. I always found that stuff odd, but personally I can not recall any fact I regret knowing."
Over 300 people are believed to have jumped from the World Trade Center on 9/11. One of the falling bodies killed a fireman at the scene.
On top of that, there are still over 1000 victims whose remains have not been found.
Almost all autoimmune diseases include ongoing pain as one of their symptoms.
Most people with one autoimmune disease have several more.
More women than men get certain autoimmune diseases, but men get them, too.
It takes an average of seven years to get a valid diagnosis; in the meantime, the patient may be suffering on and on, feeling hopeless. Patients are often told that it's all in their heads.
I know this one from personal experience. I have four autoimmune diseases.
In Australia, there is a plant called the gympie gympie, otherwise known as the s*icide plant. When touched, it delivers multiple stings with a long-lasting neurotoxin that is so painful that people would rather kill themselves than live through a few days of excruciating pain, and then a further several years of lesser pain, or full reoccurrence in the correct conditions. If the tiny hairs that deliver the stings are not removed, or are buried, the pain will continue for years. The pain, which has been described as feeling like being doused in hot acid and being electrocuted simultaneously, is so bad the people have been driven mad by it. Horses who have been stung by this plant have literally thrown themselves off cliffs. An ex-serviceman names Cyril Bromley is known to have fallen into one of the plants during WWII. Driven mad by it, he had to be strapped to a bed to prevent himself from committing suicide. Another rather unfortunate officer is known to have shot himself in the head after using one of the plant’s leaves as toilet paper. Rather than live with the pain in his rear end, he chose to end his life.
From an older comment of mine that fits this question:
The Challenger astronauts didn't die when the shuttle "exploded". The stack actually just broke apart under aerodynamic stress and the explosion you thought you saw was just the expanding cloud of hydrogen from the external tank burning. The forces involved in the breakup were very survivable.
The crew cabin was left intact after it separated from the rest of the orbiter and may not have depressurized. There's evidence to suggest some or all of them were conscious at least part of the way down, if not the entire time. And photography of the disaster shows the cabin falling without spinning in a nose down attitude, meaning no excessive forces to knock them out.
The impact with the ocean was what actually killed them. It took two minutes and forty-five seconds from breakup to impact. It's possible that some or all of them were conscious and aware the whole time.
There is a whale that has been searching for a mate for the last 5 year. It has been wholly unsuccessful because its voice is a different frequency than other whales. So much so that whales run from it.
If you show symptoms of rabies, your chances of dying are nearly 100%.
There is a disorder that causes your body to replace your muscle tissue with bone over time.
For those who are wondering, it's called fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP). And currently there is no cure for it
If you're attacked by a bear, it won't necessarily try to kill you like other predators would. It just starts eating.
There are more prisons in the United states than there are colleges. And prisons have inmate quotas to meet.
Not all prisons have quotas, only the privately owned ones do. And it's not in the entire USA. The state I live in does not have any privately owned prisons and therefore no inmate quotas. However, in the states that do have privately owned prisons this is true.
Insect populations have decreased by 80% since the 1980's.
When it comes to heart disease, the VERY FIRST symptom in roughly 1/3 of all cases is sudden death. Meaning you could be perfectly healthy and drop dead because you had heart disease and didn’t know it.
Check your family history people.
There once lived a man known as Tararre who is known as "the hungriest man in history." Despite being average to below-average weight, he lived his whole life with a nearly endless, insanely ravenous hunger. He would eat anything and everything he could find. Since his family couldn't accommodate him, he took to the streets where he'd eat all the raw meat, rotting fruit, live rodents, and other small animals he could find. He used this horrific "skill" to become a street performer where people would give him barrels full of cork, huge baskets of apples, more live animals, and sometimes rocks just to witness him swallow it all with ease. There are other disgusting aspects of tarrare's life that are worth reading about. I think the least fun fact about him is that he was caught several times trying to eat bodies from a hospital morgue, he was also suspected to have consumed a toddler at the same hospital. It's one of the most disgusting yet fascinating stories I've ever read.
The youngest girl to ever give birth was 5 years, 7 months, and 21 days old.
This was in or near Peru. Sadly, child sexual abuse can bring on early onset puberty. And in this case, and many similar, the family members are not sanctioned and the child is made to endure a natural birth - consider- a real life sized baby coming out of a 5 year olds small birth canal. So tue good likely would have severe a**l fissures for life. They are all so evil and should rot in hell.
The first five people who stopped applauding at Stalin’s 1938 presidium were sent to the Gulag for ten years; their crime was that they stopped applauding.
Rabbits eat their babies if stressed enough.
We should give mummy rabbits some red wine instead for those particularly hard days...
You can die from Alzheimer’s due to the brain forgetting how to swallow or breathe.
Brain activity has been recorded for up to ten minutes after death. What is that person experiencing during those last minutes of life?
It'd be the woman in my head cleaning up files, throwing stuff out, and turning the lights out..
There once was a person that had a 300% mortality rate when he did his surgery.
TL;DR- He did an amputation with an unsterilized saw, and was WAY too wild with it.
Another user added:
He cut his assistant's finger off. Both that assistant and the patient died of infection. He also cut the coat of a present elderly doctor. With the blood spurting everywhere the doctor thought he was cut and died of a panic-induced heart attack.
Whales and Dolphins die by not having enough energy to surface for air, so they slowly sink into the depths of the ocean and suffocate.
It was legal to mail children in packages via the USPS from 1913 to 1920.
Every year, 150 people die from a coconut falling on their head in the US alone.
Probably only fun for the coconut.
Yeah, and your more likely to die from a coconut then get killed by a shark. Sharks are so misunderstood and the killing needs to stop. 😡
Criminals that are considered unattractive usually receive a 50% longer jail time than attractive criminals.
Note to self : after committing crime, tape attractive person's picture over face.
human flesh is not flammable, however if it gets too hot it boils and emits a gas that is flammable. which, if ignited, will melt through you like a candle through wax.
This is why people have been thought to have spontaneously combusted. It's the candle wick effect. People fall asleep or unconscious near a source of heat, their clothes catch fire, they die from smoke inhalation or shock, their flesh boils emitting the flammable gas which is helped by the clothing and they burn leaving almost everything else around them unburned.
The laughing tracks I’m movies/ tv shows were all recorded in the 1950’s so pretty much you are just hearing dead people laughing.
Note: this post originally had 74 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
after spending about a year wasting time here, i am beginning to see more repeat than new stuff i think.
Welcome to BP. Every once in a while you'll see something new. And every once in a while, you'll see a list that's been fact-checked.
Load More Replies...I'm going to create a 'Fake Facts BP Continues to Repeat Despite the Fact Everyone Knows They're Wrong' post. It's going to be the longest list on here. The title is a work in progress.
After reading this I think I'm a sad masochist. Why did I think I could read these without being both disgusted and distressed? Plus: angry. Ugh. 🤢🤬
I feel awful upvoting any of these, let alone the upvote at the end.
after spending about a year wasting time here, i am beginning to see more repeat than new stuff i think.
Welcome to BP. Every once in a while you'll see something new. And every once in a while, you'll see a list that's been fact-checked.
Load More Replies...I'm going to create a 'Fake Facts BP Continues to Repeat Despite the Fact Everyone Knows They're Wrong' post. It's going to be the longest list on here. The title is a work in progress.
After reading this I think I'm a sad masochist. Why did I think I could read these without being both disgusted and distressed? Plus: angry. Ugh. 🤢🤬
I feel awful upvoting any of these, let alone the upvote at the end.