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Life’s full of unanswered mysteries… as well as answered ones that we’re simply not yet aware of! With how busy we are in this non-stop, hyper-intense life in the digital age, it can be quite a challenge to pick up something as simple as a book to learn something new. So for those of us who are strained for time, learning new things about history and science through bite-sized tidbits of information on social media becomes the most comfortable approach.

Enter WTF Facts, stage right. The popular Twitter account shares multiple intriguing facts about the world every single day, and they’re great for anyone who’s got a curious mind and a penchant for learning new things. Some of these facts are so bizarre, your first instinct might be to doubt their veracity. However, that’s pretty much the point of the WTF Facts project—showcasing niche trivia that pushes the limits of our knowledge. Don’t forget to upvote the facts that you learned for the very first time as you scroll down, Pandas.

Oh, and in case you’re still fired up to learn some new and interesting facts about the world when you’re done with this list, you should definitely check out Bored Panda’s previous articles about the WTF Facts project here: Part 1 and Part 2. Happy reading!

Bored Panda reached out to entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle expert Mike Sington from Hollywood to hear his opinion on media literacy, checking the (un)reliability of sources and claims, and our shortening attention spans. He shared some indications that a source, article, or fact we find online might be fake.

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

According to LA-based pop culture expert Mike, the popularity of social media means that the reliability of information has taken a hit. We need to be extra careful about what sources and claims we trust. "The rise of social media has decreased the reliability of information because misinformation can spread so quickly before it can be corrected," he told Bored Panda.

The expert stressed that even a simple Google search of a source or fact is a "great way to double-check reliability." You should remain skeptical if you're unable to find any additional evidence or sourcing. "Do this and think before reposting or you may be contributing to the problem. Amplification doesn’t make a claim true or accurate," he highlighted the fact that we should do the responsible thing and not spread false rumors.

Mike also shared the sources that he trusts the most. Among them are: Associated Press, Reuters, and The New York Times. "They employ fact-checkers and editors that ensure the information they post is correct. They’re basically doing the research and homework for you," he said. "There are literally too many online sources to list that can’t be trusted and should be avoided. Anyone can basically post anything they want… proceed with caution," he warned.

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

This is how you keep rich people from buying their way out of rules and laws

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"Our attention spans have been reduced to mere seconds at a time because that’s the way information and entertainment is fed to us now. People get tiny bite-sized bits of news by scrolling a Twitter feed, they entertain themselves by scrolling quickly through Instagram and TikTok. It’s creating a habit that doesn’t have to be," Mike said. However, this doesn't mean that we can't fight back, in order to broaden our attention spans.

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

Started up quite recently, WTF Facts has created a solid following for itself since its inception in May 2020. The WTF Facts project has already grown to over 146k followers who can’t wait for the latest weird and interesting trivia. That’s roughly a hundred new followers for each tweet that the account has posted.

However interesting these double-checked facts might be, it’s always a good idea to have a bit of skepticism whenever you read something online. Having a scientific approach and doing some of your own research is always a good idea because it helps develop your mind and also starts forming an approach that helps weed out any fake news or outright lies you might encounter while trekking through the vast wilds of the net.

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One of the moderators that helps manage the r/AskHistorians subreddit previously told me that we first have to determine whether the sources we’re reading are reliable or not.

"Unless you have a lot of spare time on your hands, it’s not going to be possible to check every historical claim you see on the internet. Even then, a lot of knowledge is locked in academic libraries and behind paywalls, so can be impossible to access anyway. When looking at ‘mindblowing’ facts on the internet, a healthy sense of skepticism is essential—as is looking at the source. Is this being claimed by Twitter user @fakefacts420 or a Professor of History at the University of Oxford? Are you reading this on a university website or an email your nan has forwarded you?" they told Bored Panda during an earlier interview.

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

Their architecture is what's most impressive to me...respect...

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

reminds one of the post of the confucian scholar in various chinese governments: ever since the time of confucius (78 generations ago) that post has remained in his direct bloodline

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

And i know people that cant hold a hotel even for one more generation! Usually losing it because of bad management

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

Its so impressive to me that this little hotel has been there for so long.

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Jonathan Labelle
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2 years ago

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The moderator shared with Bored Panda that some people ‘weaponize’ the most well-known historical conspiracy theories in order to "exploit past events to push a political point in the present day."

These conspiracies can be, well, pretty much anything at all. “Whether this is people who want to fly the confederate flag arguing that the US civil war wasn't about slavery, right-wingers claiming that the Nazis were socialists or people with anti-immigration views trying to claim that the Roman Empire fell because of uncontrolled immigration."

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

Dogs do not intentionally hurt you without good reason (e.g. someone is abusing an animal) versus humans. Looking back, who hurt you the most? Most likely a close friend or family member. It's much easier to feel empathy for the innocent.

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Meanwhile, Joseph M. Pierre, a professor of psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, explained that fighting back against misinformation is a difficult, ongoing battle.

“Countering misinformation is a huge challenge and is often ineffective when it only amounts to presenting accurate information as an alternative to false beliefs. In my opinion, understanding conspiracy theories and other false beliefs is best understood as a byproduct of mistrust and misinformation. If people don’t trust authoritative sources of information, they aren’t going to replace their false beliefs with facts and we’re not going to be able to agree on what facts are. That’s where we often are these days,” Professor Pierre told Bored Panda.

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Desert Solitaire
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2 years ago

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The professor said that so-called ‘inoculation strategies’ are interventions that can, theoretically, “beat misinformation to the punch.” Though, unfortunately, it’s often the other way around in reality, with misinformation beating accurate information to the punch. Especially on the internet where information and rumors spread incredibly quickly.

“If we’re going to talk about education, what’s really needed is a retool from the bottom up, teaching people about analytical thinking, data reasoning, and media literacy starting in grade school. We’re 30 years into the internet now and I’ve never seen any evidence of this being part of education in America. It is in other counties,” the professor said.

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

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former

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

That's a really nice thing to do giving the students a unique story!

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

And it's sometimes the only way to have a sensible conversation...

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

Weed contains tar and other chemicals just like cigarettes, it definitely kills people. SMOKING kills, doesn't matter if it tobacco, weed or anything else, if you're inhaling something that's on fire it's not good for you!

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

8 tons! Imagine how strong they are to do that. It's a great photo btw.

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

Me and an old cat I had use to 'lock' headbutts a few seconds and then do it over and over again every time we headbutted.

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

Here in Finland, mom can stay at home until the child is 3 years old, with government benefits 🇫🇮

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

No compensation would ever give him back his life, but I do hope he received a significant sum. So he can travel the world, see places, meet people, experience things and live nicely for his remaining years. He deserves it.

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

Chimps are a lot stronger than we are, but we have more endurance and energy conservation

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

Poor poor driver! What they had to endure (bees and driver) was terrible but i just can’t stop laughing at how dedicated the bees were.

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

“How you doing?” and other variations. Okay, not necessarily a lie per se, but it’s a pointless thing to say. Response: “I’m good, you?”, “Yeah good thanks”. End of. Now that’s all b ollocks. What you want to say is “No I’m not good, have you got half an hour? My physical and mental health is deteriorating, can’t get a job so I’m concerned about money, which is impacting on the relationship with my wife…”

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

I don't think anyone would have been paying attention to the speech after seeing that

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

Coffee is also said to prolongue life, which is awesome. I'm gonna be immortal :)))

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Saj
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2 years ago

That makes me sad

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Note: this post originally had 120 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.