Someone Asked People To Share "Real But Crazy Facts That Could Save Your Life" And Here Are 91 Of The Most Helpful
Ever since the internet, the so-called information superhighway, introduced us to its inexhaustible stream of data, there is only so much schools and universities can teach us that can't be found online. Things that even might one day save our precious lives. Particularly, if we talk about the most random, crazy tidbits of information you might've never stumbled upon if not for curious places such as r/AskReddit.
When one person decided to ask this 40-million-user community "What are some real but crazy facts that could save your life?", the responses were as impressive as ever. From bleeding-stopping tea bags to Bear Grylls-esque survival tips involving plastic bags and tree branches, you would need an entire notebook to write down people's wildest responses. But do not worry! Bored Panda has handpicked the most fascinating facts that are equally handy and quite nuts. Hopefully, there won't be any reason for you, dear pandas, to try them out in reality though.
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Point at someone and delegate. People freeze up in emergencies or assume someone else will handle a problem. Point at someone as say 'you guy in the blue shirt. Go to the gate and tell the ambulance where we are. Ma'am? please go with him.' Don't ask 'does anyone know CPR.' Point at someone and ask if they do. Even if they don't people are more likely to step forward in fear of being asked next and judged for not acting sooner then volunteering from the beginning.
This is why you can't really judge people for not doing anything. Freezing is one of the fight or flight responses too. And people don't necessarily think straight enough to go "hey, I should do something."
We've all been there – scrolling through our feeds, only to be interrupted by a random fact that we never knew existed or needed to know. From the fact that a group of flamingos is called a "flamboyance" to survival using a plastic bag, there's no denying that random facts have an almost hypnotic appeal to us all. Especially those that increase our odds at survival.
The fascination with random tidbits of information, then, has become kind of a cultural phenomenon. There are websites like Reddit and social media accounts, such as 'Unbelievable Facts', dedicated solely to sharing these curious pieces of information. But what is it about these facts that capture our attention? The element of surprise or, perhaps, the feeling of stumbling upon something absolutely gobsmacking?
If you get stabbed or impaled, LEAVE THE FOREIGN OBJECT ALONE. Do not attempt to remove it. Yeah, it's horrible and it's freaking you out, but your odds of survival are much higher if you just leave it be. Medical professionals will remove it in an environment equipped to deal with it.
All these days watching medical/police/firefight tv shows have taught me so much :')
In order to dig deeper and understand the appeal of random information, Bored Panda reached out to Scott Young, an entrepreneur and a Wall Street Journal bestselling author of "Ultralearning." He believes that there's no such thing as useless information, whether you're reading about sea cucumbers breathing through their butts or the King of Rock, Elvis', tragic demise on the toilet.
"I tend to think that we tend to underrate the value of 'useless' knowledge," Young said in an email. "The more things you know about something, the better you’re able to remember and reason about new information you encounter." We guess, when putting it that way, trivia nights don't sound that bad.
Not too crazy but if someone is acting drunk but didnt had any alcohol, ask them to smile, if one side of their mouth is down, take them to a doctor cause they are having or will have a stroke.
The FAST test can help you determine if someone is having a stroke. F for Face drooping, ask the person to smile and check if the smile is lopsided. A for Arm weakness, ask the person to raise their arms. If the person is unable to raise the hands without one of them drooping, it could be the sign of a stroke. S for speech, if the person is unable to speak properly without slurring the words and the person is showing other symptoms then get them to the hospital ASAP! T stands for time, as time is of the essence. Call the emergency number for a hospital in your country and get the stroke victim as fast as possible to the hospital
If your house smells like fish for absolutely no reason, 9 times out of 10 it means that there is an electrical fire. The other time it means you need to take a shower.
I learned this from a firefighter video I saw years ago, probably here on Reddit. If you are ever choking and there is nobody to help you, lay on the floor on your hands and knees, then drop your body to the floor. This should create a sudden puff of air, pushing the food out of your throat. If at first you don't succeed, try it again! It will save your life.
Or find a chair or sofa and throw yourself onto the back of it, so the back hits you under you rib cage, which is hard to describe but I hope you know what I mean!
Another reason why we can't get enough of these lists full of juicy bits of information is quite simple, really - it's curiosity. Or as Thomas Hobbes, an English philosopher, called it, "the lust of the mind."
Duncan Pritchard, a professor of philosophy, specializing in epistemology (the science of knowledge) at the University of California, Irvine, believes we are quite lucky to have this biological trait. "We often don’t know what facts are useful in advance, so it’s helpful to be gaining new information," he told Bored Panda in an email. "Particularly, surprising information, as it may drive further useful inquiries in the future."
Never, ever, ever go with someone who has a gun or knife pressed against you. Most people think complying with save them, but really they are just looking for a better place to kill you. Make them kill you in a crowded location or the current one. Chances are they won’t or they wouldn’t have asked you to go with them.
Never, ever go to a second location. Do whatever it takes, because once they move you you are *finished*.
If the ocean water suddenly recedes at the beach you're at a tsunami is probably coming. Run, don't look at the fish.
This is something that actually makes me wonder: is it worth it? How much time do we have until the tsunami hits? How far can we actually get? I mean this very seriously, not joking this time
A motorcycle helmet is stronger than a skull.
Also a motorcycle suit is stronger than skin, and you can't live as just a head.
You know that feeling when you're scrolling through your feed, and suddenly you find yourself deep in a rabbit hole reading about a celebrity's latest feud, or some obscure conspiracy theory, like "Illuminati"? Well, turns out, that's just your insatiable curiosity at work. The same way we accidentally learned how to make a fire by striking rocks against each other.
Yes, the practical application of most of this information applies to water cooler chats and awkward 'breaking the ice' moments. Still, though, we just can't help but indulge in learning about things that seem utterly irrelevant to our lives. Partly because it makes us feel good about ourselves.
"Learning something surprising can make us feel clever — this is one feature of the internet, in that it makes us feel that we know things that we probably don’t know that well at all," Pritchard explained. "It’s nice to feel clever!" It sure does, especially when there's dopamine involved, a Scooby Snack-type of hormone that makes us feel good as a reward for doing/learning something new.
Pretending to order a pizza while calling the cops most likely will work . Some women who lived with domestic abusers have done this.
If you get bit by a wild animal, you must get the rabies vaccine. Rabies is not like a flu or mild inconvenience. It’s one of the most lethal diseases on the planet. It has a near 100% fatality once the disease takes hold (and it’s a horrible way to go).
If you end up having to survive in a forest, crickets or grasshoppers chirping is NOT annoying. It is your sign of safety
(Crickets stop chirping when something big is moving close to them).
If you ever get in a fight never fight fair go for the dirty s**t kick people in the balls throw s**t in their eyes etc. If you really need to make an opening for yourself grab the ear and pull it only takes 7 pounds of pressure to tear an ear off
And thus, "sometimes we are just interested in surprising information for its own sake," as Pritchard argued. "There’s a joy we get from learning something new, independent of whether it has any practical utility."
But what happens if your hunger for curiosity suddenly starts declining? It's been widely reported that as we get older, naturally, we start showing a lower level of intellectual curiosity. For those who would like to rekindle their eagerness to learn new things, Young suggests looking at it this way: "What’s something you’re already curious about and could perhaps make an effort to learn more about?"
Curiosity, he explains, "can be paradoxical in that it tends to increase as we know more — more knowledge doesn’t just fill in what we know, but also shows what we’re missing."
If you find yourself stranded in a desert, ration sweat, not water. Of course don’t drink all of your water in one go, but the rate a which you’ll dehydrate and overheat if exerting yourself (e.g. walking/hiking too fast or climbing over obstacles in the heat of the day) will kill you much quicker. Many people are found dead, with water, which is terrifying.
Don't swim towards the cute dolphins. Those m***********s will hit you with their tails, headbutt you, and drown you if they feel like it.
Seriously, they're big, strong, wild animals, and although they are generally pretty chill around humans you really don't want to meet one in a bad mood.
If you’re a lady being followed in a city, liquor store/corner stores are great places to duck into. Clerks are great people to tell. Have been followed in sketchy neighborhoods a number of times and they’ve been great and down to tell a creepy f****r off or just keep an eye out for me 9.5/10 times.
Would write an ode to them if I could.
I used to work at an off-licence (liquor store to my US brethren) and we did help out a few people in distress. Just the presence of other people and security cameras, plus a panic button the back, was enough to deter most of the creeps. However, we (the staff) got all sorts of s**t from the low-lifes who came in there and threatened in the most awful way. One guy even followed me home once after saying he was going to attack me after work. Terrifying. I left soon after.
If you're in water and don't know which way is up, blow out some air and follow the bubbles
If you're under snow and don't know the way up, drool and let gravity do its thing.
If you're getting jumped at or anything like it. scratch the skin on the person (face would be easiest) to get some DNA under your fingernails. (Maybe not directly life saving, but at least makes it easier to identify the perpetrator).
If you think your house is haunted and "feel a presence", you may have a carbon monoxide leak. Get a detector at home depot. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include hallucination.
Never leave unsecured heavy objects like tools on the back seat/parcel shelf of your car. In a high-speed collision, such items can kill you.
Teabags stop bleeding. They have an acid called tannic which is a natural clotting agent.
Don't eat a lot of food right away after a long fast.
black_dragon3453 replied:
my great-grandfather was an Italian soldier and POW during wwii. as his camp was liberated, the us troops gave the starving prisoners as much food as they could eat, but he knew better and did not indulge. he and the americans watched in horror as cramps and nausea took over and most of the prisoners died. scary sh*t
It is terrible how many people died after liberation due to this. It has now been shown that small amounts of mashed rice porridge are the best thing to give in such a situation.
If you crash into an electrical pole, immediately call 911 (or your country's equivalent) and stay in the car. You could have downed an electrical wire, and the wire will still be live. Assume the entire area around your car is electrified. Only get out of the car if there's an immediate danger, such as a fire. When you exit the car, make sure both feet touch the ground at the same time, and only take small, shuffling steps, and make sure both feet are touching the groud at all times.
There were 2 teenagers from my hometown that were electrocuted after an accident like this.
We had a severe ice storm years ago that left lines down all over our yard. One line fell on our car and it took three days before the linemen from a neighboring state reached our street. Turns out that it wasn't electrical, but we weren't about to test it ourselves. We were stuck for 3 days, but it was kind of fun.
If you ever have to rescue a drowning person, throw them something to grab onto beside yourself.
Ammonia and bleach do not mix.
Translation: it can kill you, don't do it. Phrased like that sounds as innocent as water and oil
If you're choking, don't get embarrassed, don't go to the bathroom, don't walk away from people. I've seen a couple people nearly die because they were panicking and walked away from the dinner table(s) and such while choking.
Do the universal sign for choking with both your hands on your neck, and most people will get the message.
my mom's friend saved my life by taking a sausage skin out of my throat. Thankfully she is a doctor and acted really quick while my mom was away getting food
If you see a dog running at you, do not run. This triggers their hunting instinct and causes them to see you as prey. If they look aggressive, hold your ground and shout as loud as you can. Make yourself look bigger and the dog will usually turn tail and run.
I was in my teens on a walk with our dog and my sister-in-law (about 9yrs old at that time). Our dog was a super nice golden retriever, heart of gold, never did anything bad to anyone. Suddenly an angry dog jumped over the fence and ran towards us. Well, I knew that our dog is not gonna save us - and I was the older one from humans. So I took the leash off and started to make rounds in front of me (like a ventilator) and walked towards the dog shouting as much as I could. At the end the dog ran away, but I almost pissed myself with fear.
The rule of 3: 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food. Prioritize water first in a survival situation
Edit: many people are saying I missed "3 hours without shelter". I absolutely agree. It's very temperate this time of year here, so it wasn't at the front of my mind. Find shelter, then water in those cases.
I think you should really prioritize the air first, but you do you...
If you rescue someone from water and they are unconscious you need to give 5 breaths of air into their lungs before starting to resuscitate them. This will often cause them to vomit all of the inhaled water and bring them back.
For normal resuscitation if you are going to do breaths into the mouth then you should start with 2.
In the UK if you choose to help someone and make the situation worse, say they need CPR and you break their ribs, you will not get in trouble for it, you are protected by the Samaritans act. So many people have refused to help someone in fear of doing it wrong, this has cost a lot of savable lives.
Also if you or someone has or thinks they have inhaled water you/they need to go to the hospital. Even if revived one can suffer from secondhand drowning.
When caught in a rip at the beach just swim slowly along the beach, parallel to the shore untill you feel the pull ease up then swim towards the shore.
Try to avoid eating rice that has been sitting at room temperature for too long. There is a bacteria that can take root that, even if you cook the rice again, it possibly can destroy your liver. It's called (no joke) b.cereus.
There was a kid who was killed by his d**khead roommates when they replaced his pre-cooked pasta with some that he had sitting around for a few days.
*...he had to go outside to air out his pants...*
In short: old pre-cooked pasta or rice can kill you even if you reheat it.
Am I the only one wondering about the “airing out the pants” part of the story?
Put a lid on a flaming pan to smother it and remove from heat carefully. Never throw any liquid on it. Don't remove the lid for at least 5 minutes.
If you get stranded or stuck somewhere in the wilderness, put your smartphone in 'emergency mode' (they all have it).
The setting will conserve your battery as much as possible. Not a gamechanger but it could be the difference between survival and having your phone die on you just as you find a signal.
Also always carry charger battery packs preferably those with solar panels.
As stupid as it sounds, not putting the stick family stickers and sports activities on the back of your car.
Yep. It gives away who you have in your family, and where they go to school etc. Good for kidnappers/mafia, bad for you.
Make sure you ask your doctor to check your thyroid for lumps even if you have no symptoms. It's a simple feel test at the base of the throat. When I was 35 and had to get a new primary he did this as part of the intake physical and found I had stage 3 thyroid cancer that had compromised a lymph node. No doctor had ever checked me before for it and I am like a magnet for cancer (45 surgeries) due to a rare genetic predisposition. I have been alive 19 years because of this
The water swallowing test is also useful. Like you said, the thyroid is positioned at the base of your throat. Drink a gulp of water and see if anything bulges. If it does, ask your doc for an ultrasound (had mine yesterday!). A painless procedure that takes two mins and will determine if the thyroid is a normal size and if it is enlarged, whether the image is solid or not. Most times not. Also there are several types of thyroid cancer and most are highly treatable, thankfully.
Never let potatoes go bad, they release solanine gas which can render a person unconscious. This is especially important if you have a cellar or keep them airtight.
**Dress to slide, not to ride!**
I know it feels amazing to ride in a t-shirt and lightsneaker w/o gloves, but don't be stupid my friends.
Also, boots are more important than most biker think!
Sucking out snake venom doesn’t work. If you’ve been bitten by a venomous snake, take a clear picture from a distance and call an ambulance immediately. The picture will be used to identify the snake species in order to get the most effective antivenin.
Edit: I answer why, despite having CROFAB (universal antivenin), narrowing down the species aids in treatment.
This will especially save your life: if you see a venomous snake, do not approach to kill it or relocate it! This how people get bitten. Spray it with water and it should leave, or, wait 30 minutes and it will be gone. Getting close to a venomous snake with the intent to kill it is *how* you *will* get bitten.
If you see a snake you can’t identify 100% - if there is even the slightest possibility you don’t know - DONT pick it up. (This is surprisingly common)
- Ur friendly vetmed specializing in herpetology
This will get buried but If you fall into swift running water, always swim diagonally towards the bank WITH the running water.
If someone ODs, don’t wait to discuss or figure out if you/they will “get in trouble.” Every minute counts and if staff ask if they took anything, tell them immediately.
Tests will reveal it any way but every minute they have to run them is another minute they can’t treat the patient correctly. Do not hesitate to call emergency services for a suspected overdose, as quick and treatment and response is imperative.
They’re not the police, they’re not out to get anyone in trouble and if it messes with something like their doctor’s prescriptions, it’s preferable to leaving them to die. If you do any kind of opiates or have people at your house who do often, have naloxone handy and know how to administer it.
Fortunately many countries have laws that users do not get jail, only dealers. So tell people immediately if it is a drug overdose.
When it comes to bears-
If it's brown, lay down
If it's black, fight back
If it's white, pray you can get in a car or house. If not, you're dead.
My PawPaw and Uncle have been hiking in the Alaskan wilderness for decades. And they have some weird survival techniques.
* One thing they always have standard in their packs, if nothing else, is bubble wrap. They use it if someone starts showing signs of hypothermia to help with insulation.
* If a plant has any kind of odor (other than earthy), just don't eat it. Even if it's a good odor. Also, rub it on the skin between your thumb and index finger (on back of the hand). If any sort of rash breaks out, don't eat it.
* If you find yourself walking on ice, walk like a penguin. No matter how heavy you are, the motion helps distribute your weight giving you a better chance of not falling through.
* Rationing water is the dumbest thing you can do. It will only prolong the agony. You're more likely to think logically if you aren't dehydrated.
* Also, if you're low on water, do not eat more than you absolutely have to.
* Many hikers, hunters, etc. that come into our mortuary have died due to a puncture in their femoral artery. Always wear extra padding on your inner thighs if you are hunting or navigating through branchy areas.
* Jeans/Denim is the worst material to hike in. It absorbs water and can lead to hypothermia.
Wool is a good material because even though it absorbs water, it stays warm when wet.
When you see someone faint, DON'T help him staying up. Gently catch and lay down asap. They're fainting because brain needs blood to stay alive, keeping them upright will prvent this.
If you feel light-headed, lay down so that no dumba*s will try to keep you on your feet.
If you suffer from any condition that causes fainting, explain this to people around you.
Also, you can sit down and put your head between your knees. This happened to me leaving a grocery store. I was by myself. Sure it looks weird, but it works.
Dull knives are more dangerous in the kitchen than sharp knives.
A sharp knife is easy to use and you don’t struggle at all. A dull knife causes you to jerk or make uncontrolled movements because of how much force you apply. So you might nick yourself with a sharp knife if you aren’t paying attention. It’ll sting but chances are you’ll just need a bandaid. A dull knife and you might stab pretty deeply.
Another important thing to remember is that a falling knife has no handle. Accidentally drop your favorite blade? Let it fall. The odds are really good that you will get injured if you grab at it. One more. When removing the pit of an avocado do not hold the fruit in one hand and stab at it with the other. Put the 'cado half with the pit in on a cutting board and bring the blade down parallel to the board. Once the blade is embedded, just give it a turn to free the pit.
did some swimmy stuff in the service so here is some water survival advice.... most people will drown in 7ft of water because there feet don't touch the ground, if you are close to shore or its relatively shallow, (10-20ft) instead of wasting energy trying to keep your head above water, rest on the bottom. jump in the direction of safety while swimming under water as you come up to the surface, then as you reach the top take a few breaths, then sink to the bottom and repeat, you're basically walking under water to an extent. takes a lot of nerve to achieve but if you can stay calm it can and will save your life. imagine drowning in 7 feet of water because you tried so hard to stay a float when you could of just hung out on the bottom that's 2 feet below your feet? horrible
if its too deep, breathing in large amounts of air and holding your breath will help you effortlessly float with minimal treading.
also pants and jackets can be used as floatation, hard to describe on here but youtube has plenty of demonstrations how to trap air in them.
I recently discovered that I float uncontrollably in the sea but sink in pools. I guess it's the salt content. So I am now much more worried about drowning in a pool.
If you got a bad feeling about something go with it. Your feeling is probably right.
You can hold a plastic bag around a willow tree branch with leaves and it will start condensating drinkable water in the bag.
That's not a willow tree. It's a ficus, or a lemon. Can't tell from this lousy picture, will need to zoom in.
When you're driving down the highway. Check the sides of the road for glowing eyes of animals like deer and elk.
It's the best way to avoid or prepare yourselves for collisions.
Ever since hitting a moose I do this constantly.
Of ever defending yourself with a knife, slash the attacker across the forehead. It will bleed like crazy and effectively blind them.
FYI the smallest knife between a couple ribs will get their undivided attention. So will a throat punch, nostril twist, eye gouge, and bite. Bite ears, nose, scalp, wobbly bits... whatever it takes. Survive.
A non-permeable snack bag, like a potato chip bag, and duct tape can be used to seal a sucking chest wound long enough to get the victim to a hospital.
A credit card also works. NEVER seal the wound on all four sides or you can cause catastrophic problems. You must always leave one side of the 'seal' open.
If you're ever in a field or other vast open space during a thunderstorm, where there are no trees or objects taller than you, it is important to maintain the least amount of physical contact with the ground. Don't lie down, but get as close to the ground as you can while staying on your feet.
If you're around someone getting mauled by an angry dog DO NOT hit the dog (will p**s the dog off and cause further attack on target) or pull the victim away (dog’s jaws will clamp shut and pulling someone will cause further trauma to the injured area).
DO push the injured area into the dog’s bite (this is an uncommon reaction in nature and will cause the dog’s airway to be constricted) giving an opportunity to run.
DO stick something in the dog’s butt as the reflexes will cause the dog to stop biting momentarily.
***If you are very familiar with handling a dog in these situations it is not unheard of to choke the dog out. The dog will go unconscious giving the person and the victim time to run, once the dog comes to it will still be dazed and confused for a bit of bonus time. To choke a dog when you are inexperienced tho is not recommended. (The person who shared that strategy with me initially was a bully breed rescuer and very familiar with angry dogs. This is not something you should do if you are not trained.) I definitely heard everyone’s warning about that recommendation and wanted to edit that part to reflect safer methods like the finger up the butt trick.
*** if you are desperate you can attempt to break the dog’s back by pulling up and twisting its back legs. I’m not familiar with this and cannot give more instruction in reference to breaking its back- apparently there are videos of this working but I never seen them. -if it’s someone’s life on the line then you got to do what you gotta do.
ModsDontHaveJobs replied:
Correction: You will not break the dog's back by pulling its rear legs away. Not even close.
The right way to do it is to lift the dog's rear legs off the ground, then twist to one side and shove the hip that is opposite the direction you twisted down to the ground. This breaks the dog's stance as it no longer has leverage or any way to pull or push on what it has clamped down on. Typically the shock of being lifted in the air then slammed to the ground without the ability to get its paws back on the ground will cause the dog to release its grip. Then if that does not work you choke the dog out or stick your finger in its butt.
That is the official AKC recommendation.
More people are killed by vending machines than shark attacks or plane crashes. That stuck snack isn’t worth it.
How the hell does that happen though? I get getting your arm stuck, but how does this evolve to death?
If it’s cloudy outside and you suddenly feel static run down your body and your hairs raise.
Better pucker them cheeks and drop to the ground.
Lightning is about to hit dangerously close to you.
Maybe not to save your own life, but it could help you save someone else's.
When performing CPR, chest compressions need to be continuous, deep and fairly quick.
Call for an ambulance first. If you can get someone to help you, do so, because it is exhausting.
For an adult, good quality chest compressions should be two per second and 5-6cms deep.
You should lock your hands together one on top of the other, get your arms straight, lock your elbows and push with the heel of your bottom hand into the middle of the chest...HARD. And you do not stop until help arrives.
The rumour that chest compressions can crack ribs is true, but trust me, they'd rather have broken ribs than be dead.
My partner suffered a cardiac arrest and I did chase compressions for 11 minutes and it was the longest eleven minutes of my life. Unfortunately he didn't make it despite how hard everybody tried to bring him back; I knew I did the best I possibly could. I cannot fault the paramedics, they were so calm and kind and efficient.
If you are trying to rescue someone, check for danger first and maintain your own safety! In a lot of situations, it's easy for untrained first responders to become a casualty themselves in the heat of the moment trying to help others.
Source: I'm a nurse and I've seen this happen a lot, particularly with drownings.
No fire, no wire, no glass no gas, no thugs no drugs, there are no dangers here. I was taught that in standard first aid over a decade ago.
If a man is in an accident (falls off a ladder, falls down stairs etc) and he gets an erection, don't attempt to move him. He has a spinal injury.
Misinformed. Unwanted erections can occur after spinal injury, if the spinal cord is completely severed, but it's not a symptom you should be even vaguely looking for in a first-aid scenario. If the victim has any pain or obvious injury to the neck or back you should treat it as a possible spinal injury and try to immobilise as much as possible including kneeling there holding their head steady if they're trying to move at all.
If you fall in water and need to swim to save your life, strip naked as quickly as possible.
Wet clothes are heavy even in water, cause drag, and and impair movement.
In life threatening events, modesty goes out the window.
Live evergreen branches and leaves work best for a signal fire. Pine, Cedar and Cypress are all fairly common around the world and produce a thick, white smoke when burned. Also, you have to have the right location for the fire to be seen, under a dense canopy the smoke will mostly get swallowed up. If you're in a valley, there's also very little chance someone will see the smoke. Higher elevations with sparse growth are best for signaling for help, a good signal fire can be seen for miles if it's built in the right spot.
Or rum, if you are on an island with a pirate. Seriously, anything green will smoke more, but you need something dry to get it started.
Never work under a car on a Jack, always have it on Jack stands or a lift.
If you’re lightheaded and feel like you’re going to pass out prioritize sugar. Diabetic or not. The brain needs sugar the same as it does blood and oxygen. It’s not always the answer but it won’t make anything worse and could save your life.
Side note: another short one is that bulls don’t give a s**t about red. They will attack anything you wave at them so maybe avoid that.
Once last year I had finished a piano class and my mom and grandma were out of town so my dad and grandpa were taking care of us so we didn’t eat breakfast and right before I finished the class I felt so lightheaded and I wanted to puke and when I finished I felt I was about to pass out so I called my grandpa then my dad so they gave me some chocolate and I ate it to feel better. I’m pretty sure because I didn’t eat breakfast I had a low blood sugar.
Stop, drop, and roll isn't for the person on fire.
When someone is on fire, they are freaked out entirely, and/or in excruciating pain. This basically 'halts' most higher-order brain functions like thinking about what you've learned in the past, doing various safety drills, etc.
The person on fire has 2 options: fight or flight. They're both basic enough that they still 'work'.
You can't 'fight' a fire. Punching at it just becomes flailing... which fans the flames and makes them engulf you more. Running away from the fire... fans the flames and makes them engulf you more.
If you see someone on fire - toss a blanket over them, and do what you can to get them to stop, drop, and roll. That's for you, who is not on fire and still has access to their mind, to do. It saves lives.
Note: this is generalities of society, not hard-and-fast. There are a few individuals who can overcome their base instincts and actually re-engage higher cognitive functions while in that much pain/panic, but they are the exception - not the rule.
Stop, drop and roll is for when your clothes are catching fire - sparks landed on you, your jacket caught fire on the BBQ, burning debris landed on/hit you, you fell in the campfire, ran through flames to escape a house fire etc. Instead of running for the hose/pool/stream, trying to beat out the flames, or stripping smoldering clothes off, you drop and roll to smother any flames/sparks against the ground. Hopefully before your clothing is fully engaged.
If you come down with shingles, getting on an antiviral within 72 hours significantly reduces the severity of it. Shingles is caused by the herpes zoster virus and, if you've ever had chicken pox in your life, the virus is inside you.
If you Google shingles you'll find more information but for me, it originally represented itself as what I thought was acne on my forehead so 2 doctors discounted my symptoms as "a nasty virus."
While it won't necessarily kill you, shingles affects your nerves and can cause paralysis in certain muscles.
If someone is trying to suffocate you with a pillow by pressing it down on your face, just rotate your head to the side and there will be a small air pocket for you to breathe. they'll probably still try to kill you afterwards but at least you can survive for longer.
Do not wear long sleeves, gloves, or quality clothing around spining equipment or when using most Rotary tools to prevent clothing from being caught, then pulling you in. Wear cheap clothes so in the event you do get caught, the cloths can tear off, and prevent you from being pulled in.
Don't repair laser printers, photocopiers and microwaves. All of of these use a high voltage power supply that charges a high voltage capacitor. That cap stores in excess of 100000V DC. Its the f**k around and find out component.
If you are trapped in a burning building and your exits are blocked by flames, make sure there is no fire on the other side, put a blanket over you if you have one around, tuck your face down, then run through the flames. Immediately throw the blanket off of you as it will be on fire but you wont. A hooded jacket could work too just be aware that your legs will be uncovered so once you throw the jacket off, immediately stop drop and roll to put the fire out on your legs. This works best if you are going out a window or a door to the outside. DONT do it if you arent sure there is no fire on the other side. If you run through a burning doorway into a hallway that is also completely on fire, you're f****d.
Although fast, an alligator has a terrible turn radius. You might be able to out run them by zig zagging.
I thought this was a myth? The alligator would be able to run straight and won’t the zig-zagging slow you down a bit?
Be aware of potential energy. Heavy weight over head, highly tensioned wires and springs, momentum. Things break and now you’re on 1000 ways to die.
Anyone who's watched Ghost Ship will be terrified of potential energy.
If you're on an airline and there's sudden decompression (exceptionally rare) put your own mask on first before helping others.
Here's the reason why; you won't have time to do both at cruising altitude.
basically, do what you are told to do before each flight by flight attendants
People who are looking for trouble are less likely to go for you if you say hi or just let them know you are aware of them (such as by greeting and introducing yourself).
If you’re ever lost in the wilderness Spanish moss is extremely flammable and perfect for a quick fire if needed
Not so safe fact if you set trees on fire you have a chance of a fire tower seeing and sending out units to put it out and find you
If somehow you have antifreeze
Drink a 40 of vodka right away and you wont die because of the alcohol is similar to the chemical. It will stop the antifreeze from poisoning you.
There is more science to it but it works..
Ethanol and antifreeze are processed in the liver by the same enzyme. The breakdown of antifreeze will produce toxic metabolites, so administering alcohol will competitively keep the enzyme busy while the antifreeze is cleared from your system (I think?) without being metabolized.
Never wear sandals while driving, it could jam the pedals and you wouldn’t be able to stop. Happened to an uncle once.
If you’re ever hiking in extreme heat make sure to mix a bit of salt into your water. If you just chug water you could flush the electrolytes out of your body and die.
EDIT: As a few commenters pointed out, DO NOT just add a random amount of salt into your drinking water. You need to have the proper ratio to ensure proper hydration. According to the WHO you can make your own electrolyte mix “with one liter water with one teaspoon salt (or 3 grams) and six teaspoons sugar (or 18 grams) added (approximately the taste of tears).” Do your research.
You can also purchase electrolyte packs that are pre measured.
Eppi pens only last 5-10 minuets then the anaphylaxis shock starts again; they are designed to open the airways so you can get antihistamines down. Epp pens are a shot of adrenaline so if you are in a populated area 1. Tell the ambulance service what you have given so far 2. Send someone to a dentist. They strongly use adrenaline and ask them for assistance if more is needed. (UK)
A moose in the rut, is more dangerous than a bear. Do not approach.
If you are ever walking in a forest and the wind picks up, stay in the clearings/away from big trees. A dead tree branch falling from only 10ft can kill you. They call them widowmakers for a reason.
General situational awareness is important as well as surveillance detection.
Alot of people attribute these to various 3 letter agencies but, it's really important for the average person that could be targeted by a stalker or as the potential victim of a crime.
Good situational awareness needs to be practiced constantly as a rule to make this effective but once its learned, doing surveillance detection should be pretty straight forward.
Situational awareness is just attempting to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Especially in public. Take notice of people and objects in your area, as well as the things you hear and smell. People with high anxiety should have little problem doing this, although letting your anxiety take hold of your actions and thoughts might inhibit actual detection of surveillance.
For detection you want to watch for the same person or car following you for a certain distance, over a certain amount of time, while altering your route of travel to determine that you are/aren't being followed.
There are several methods, most of them are easy to do after practicing situational awareness.
In the event that you suspect you are being followed you should continue driving as normal as possible and dial 911 or your country equivalent. Do not stop!
For further info, Google Situational Awareness or Surveillance Detection. I was only taught very basic SA & SD and I should not be taken as an expert.
Bet this was written by a man... Any woman has a sixth sense for this sort of stuff, I think.
Try not to cross your legs under a table, the pressure of one leg over your thigh can crush a nerve. This is how I paralyzed my foot for 3 months.
But if you do it can keep you from fainting in class. I know this from experience
If a person's pupils don't dilate to the same size, there's the possibility of brain damage.
Vitamin B12 is a critical nutrient. Make your doctor test you for actual physical conditions before prescribing benzos.
The implication here is you might think you are depressed but actually you're just B12 deficient.
If you need to apply pesticide or herbicide read the directions and wear protective gear!
Firefighter friend shared heartbreaking stories of people passing away from exposure to the dangerous chemicals.
I know it’s summer but wear a protective coverall and goggles if the product instructions say to.
"passing away" sounds like falling asleep but I'm still kind of surprised BP didn't censor it to [unalived].
If your house smells like gas don’t turn on a damn light. You might blow you and ur house up
Do nothing - get OUT!! Call 911 (or equiv) and then fire/police. AFTER you are OUT!
Polar Bear liver contains a fatal amount of vitamin A if eaten by a human.
If you are ever offered polar bear liver politely decline.
You can use a seatbelt buckle to smash out a car window if you’re trapped inside.
Baking soda sprinkled (or poured) on stovetop/bbq fires can put out these fires.
If you need to check a pressurized line(ex: hydraulic line), never ever use your hand, use a piece of cardboard or soapy water. If you use your hand to check, the pressure can cause the fluid to cut your skin and liquids like hydraulic fluid WILL cause gangrene in a matter of hours. Goto the hospital immediately and get them to check you right away, don't take no for an answer! It could mean the difference between keeping vs losing your limb.
Going to sleep right after eating a large meal causes stomach acid to rise into the esophagus, which is known to cause forms of cancer.
Is this… two days in a row I’ve laid down in bed and had an acid reflux, yuck. I had one last night. Is that what this is talking about?
If you see "square waves" next time you're in the sea, get out as quickly as possible. They are similar to rip tides, and are extremely hard to escape from.
The waves create a chequerboard effect on the sea. They are formed by waves moving in opposite directions. This happens when two separate weather systems collide.
Most likely caused by weather systems a thousand miles away, so how exactly do you think they're dangerous? And in what way are they similar to a rip tide which is a strong current caused by tidal behaviour and therefore completely predictable?
If somebody is having an allergic reaction and you have an epinephrine auto injector you have to use keep it after using it. The compartment inside that holds the epinephrine is still full of the drug. If you get delayed heading to the hospital you can open up the auto injector and extract the medication with a syringe and give extra doses as needed.
keep your stress levels low, sleep well and read alot to prevent dementia and/or alzheimers later in life
Here comes the paranoia… trying to memorize these, but maybe I should be checking the facts first
also, if sombodys following you, ACT F*****G CRAZY like a mental patient on cocaine, 9 out of 10 times the guy following you is going to leave you alone
You’ve had at least 10 guys follow you then, and can attest to that?
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Here comes the paranoia… trying to memorize these, but maybe I should be checking the facts first
also, if sombodys following you, ACT F*****G CRAZY like a mental patient on cocaine, 9 out of 10 times the guy following you is going to leave you alone
You’ve had at least 10 guys follow you then, and can attest to that?
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