50 Random Facts That Sound Fake But Aren’t, Shared By This Twitter Account (New Pics)
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.
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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.
This is how you keep rich people from buying their way out of rules and laws
"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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
It´s sad life, when one cannot joke...or speak the real truth behind it.
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.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former
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!
Exactly what I always say! I was in Canada in 2019 and everywhere we went in larger towns, there were people smoking weed on the street. No only did it affect my asthma, I high suspect that this is what made me feel sick for much of my trip. (I wasn't like that when we went into the smaller towns. I am all for legalizing it, but there should still be the same restrictions for smoking it as the ones for tobacco (which in Australia means there are designated places it is not allowed, like around hospitals and eating areas). There is also no need to use marijuana like this, it can be ingested or through CBD oil, so why risk your lung health?
Load More Replies...Doesn't make marijuana a totally harmless drug. It can have profound effects on the developing brain.
So can virtually anything. Alcohol is *far* more harmful and yet is perfectly legal. Marijuana destroys far more lives through prohibition than if it were legal, because of the creation of a black market and gang violence.
Load More Replies...Interesting, I would have thought the same until I studied it’s use snd abuse and how it impacts some people, leading to paranoia, which can lead to the user causing harm. Car accidents, which cause injury or death. It’s indirect but still a factor. I worked for a place where an employee, totally stoned s asked getting higher while driving dropped his doobie on the floorboard of the car snd as he was going around a curve, totaled the car. I then experienced the impacts of a moron stoned and armed, it nearly cost me my life, the bullet hit the wall 10” next to my head. What a way to shorten my patience
I was going to point out car accidents. I was taught (not saying it's verified as true) that marijuana is dangerous because it slows down your reaction time while driving, causing accidents. Still, the tweet is an interesting comparison between it and cigarettes.
Load More Replies...actually this is false. There are actual deaths from Marijuana overdose, as well as many child deaths from CBD. There are also almost no long term studies on weed deaths beyond OD's, unlike cigs which we have cancer studies for decades. The first long term Marijuana studies similar to cig studies wont be available for another 9 years based on data collection
I cant seem to find any overdose deaths...can you link to one, please?
Load More Replies...Does 'usage' include those who drive after using marijuana then cause an accident that kills someone?
In most places that legalise it, the same rules apply for any other drug, ie do not drive if under the influence. Just like some prescription drugs which say 'do not use heavy machinery while undertaking this drug'.
Load More Replies...So inhaling the marijuana smoke and holding it in your lungs is perfectly safe? Wow.
No one said it was perfectly safe, that is a strawman.... and there are other ways to consume it other than smoking.
Load More Replies...Drug policies are based on prejudice and history - don't try to bring facts and science into it
Are you saying you won't listen to science, because of the history, or are you saying you support a change because the current laws are prejudiced?
Load More Replies...There is one case but not conclusive. The Amtrak train conductor, dead in an acident, had canabinol in his blood.
So they're saying marijuana smoke doesn't harm your lungs like tobacco smoke? Or has the effect of marijuana smoke on the lungs just not been studied as well yet?
The hemp people didn't have as big a special interest group as big tobacco that could afford to buy politicians and bend them to their will.
It has caused lots of deaths especially while driving. Get your facts right.
My dad acknowledged this fact years ago when he was still smoking cigarettes and I was smoking. . . . a more interesting substance
Not convinced about it's "safety", but Pot is legal in Oregon (that's in the 'orrible ol' USA, BTW).
I read recently that Colorado has has an increase in automobile deaths and accidents due to people driving while stoned. The stuff is now many times more potent than what I smoked as a teen 50 years ago!
If you smoke marijuana the same way you smoke tobacco, the reason of damaged lungs etc. would be the same.
Smoking anything is what kills you, the safest way to get high is by eating/swallowing whatever it is you're trying to get high off of. Now, don't get me wrong, it's still bad for you, but it's not the worst
Does that also count for smoking Marihuana? Always wondered if inhaling it will damage the lungs and Cookies are a better way to consume it? Asking cause it will be legal in Germany soon.^_^
Both of those statements are wrong in a lot of places. Yes, many places have legal marijuana and, yes, anything with smoke is technically harmful.
And both stink a hell of a lot more than the people who smoke either understand.
I don't know about deaths caused directly by marijuana, but when I worked on a mental health helpline many of the men who called with severe anxiety, paranoia, bipolar, psychosis and schizophrenia had a history of self-medicating with it when young. Not suggesting it affects everyone that way, but it does seem to affect some. Unfortunately few people with schizophrenia reach old age, so you could say marijuana is a contributing factor. Not claiming to be an expert though.
I don't believe there is enough data to make a determination on whether smoking marijuana will be responsible for deaths like cigarette smoking. There is some research on how it affects genes and reproduction, but it will probably be a long while before there is the same info numbers like those of cigarette smokers.
from usage.... Kind of ignores the deaths caused by accidents while under the influence, sales and transportation, health related issues, stepping stone to deeper addiction, mental issues, societal issues, etc... 30 years in recovery and the vast majority of addicts started with marijuana or alcohol.
Though the number is significantly smaller (18 from 2014-2020) than other drugs, the CDC has recorded deaths from marijuana OD alone. There are more, though still far fewer than other drugs, which were the result of a fatal amount of Marijuana along with another fatal amount of some other drug. But to say there has never been a death from marijuana use alone; I'm not counting accidents while being impaired, is untrue and spreading the false information could be harmful to someone who believes it. Don't get me wrong, I can't use it as it makes me sick. But I know many who are helped by it and I'm grateful it is now legal here. I'm just saying it does no good to not share all the information associated with it in order to make it appear totally safe.
Basically some conservatives saw someone enjoying themself and thought, “whatever that is should be illegal”
Marijuana makes you stupid and surprisingly..., violent! You get the inhibition of alcohol, without being rendered relatively incompetent to cause harm. There are very few people in American prisons who weren't frequent pot users. UPDATE: "Very few" was based on my anecdotal experience in prison ministry. On-line research finds 65% of people sentenced to prison are drug-dependent, compared to 5% of the general population. 54% were habitual marijuana users.
Tell Your Children The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness and Violence. by Alex Berenson (2020) In “a brilliant antidote to all the…false narratives about pot” (American Thinker), an award-winning author and former New York Times reporter reveals the link between teenage marijuana use and mental illness, and a hidden epidemic of violence caused by the drug—facts the media have ignored as the United States rushes to legalize cannabis.
Load More Replies...Marijuana is also causing addiction and health-problems. Are they worst as those from regular cigarettes? As we know now, no. So, yeah marijuana is not some "diabolic"thing, but in no way is it healthy for you. Except the genetically modified ones, but that's another story.
..If you leave out accidents, drug-induced psychosis and paranoid schizophrenia and violent assaults on others, sure.
I'm pretty sure the effects of using marijuana was likened to the effects of driving while overtired. There would also still be restrictions on whether you can drive under the influence. Drug induced psychosis does happen, but is very rare in marijuana users unless they are very heavy users. Paranoid schizophrenia is not caused by weed. It can be triggered by marijuana use, but the person must be predisposed to it, so could be triggered by a number of things. Violent assaults aren't really that common for weed users compared to other drugs. It has also been shown that leagalising marijuana does not lead to an increase in people using harder drugs ie it's not a gateway drug.
Load More Replies...Really? Marijuana addiction is real, though.. It is stronger then tobacco
Tobacco is chemically addictive like heroine, caffeine and meth, while pot can be psychologically addictive (depends on usage) like Twitter (see fact #96), shopping and Jeopardy!.
Load More Replies...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.
Here in Finland, mom can stay at home until the child is 3 years old, with government benefits 🇫🇮
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.
“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…”
I don't think anyone would have been paying attention to the speech after seeing that
Peter Benchley, writer of Jaws and many other novels that portray underwater creatures as man-eating terrors, felt so guilty at the damage he caused to the shark population that he became an active advocate for shark protection; campaigning against shark fisheries, creating undersea documentaries and lecturing on marine conservation
Holy s**t balls, the parents certainly have their hands full.
So instead of getting our temperatures taken every day to go to work, can we just get sniffed up by a dog? Because I'd be way more hype to show up.
My cousin has been there and he was very disappointed. You need a quite lot of money to be able to be there and that harmony heavily depends on the people who come there. As this are mostly people from western countries, nothing is as harmonic or utopian as it seems or as it maybe once was.
It also has >100% COVID rate. That's because it has more COVID cases than citizens.
Apparently he became interested in Malia in 2008 when she was only 10. A few years later, he had the whole wedding planned out: where he wanted to propose, what drink was to be served, how he would introduce Malia to a Kenyan lifestyle. It doesn't seem as though he was successful as Malia has been dating a British student since 2017 and has never been married
If there are ones for 10 dollars, they sure don't look like the one pictured here. 🙃
Siblings take that to the next level! If one person hits another in any way and the other starts to cry, they will let the other hit them so that they do not get in trouble haha
You would also walk through areas so dangerous, you most likely wouldn't survive.
Well then i will be in the 1% if i say “🍑 juice is kind of good”
I'm pretty certain you can go further east to Vladiwostok and then turn west and enter China via Manchuria. It wouldn't be very economical to do so but it's possible if you want a long train journey.
If I remember rightly, I read somewhere that Mayweather struggles to read and 50 cent only did this to insult and embarass him. Not sure if it's entirely true though.
Not like the poor, starving people there could afford such a luxury.
I recently discovered that Woody Harrelson's father was a convicted hitman who died in Supermax, the highest security prison in the US and probably the world.
Yup. Admitted being involved in *dozens* of murders - ended up in ADX Florence after trying to escape from medium security in Atlanta, where he was serving double life sentences for gakking a Federal Judge.
Load More Replies...Half these facts have been posted on BoredPanda numerous times... I feel like using Internet Explorer reading that.
I recently discovered that Woody Harrelson's father was a convicted hitman who died in Supermax, the highest security prison in the US and probably the world.
Yup. Admitted being involved in *dozens* of murders - ended up in ADX Florence after trying to escape from medium security in Atlanta, where he was serving double life sentences for gakking a Federal Judge.
Load More Replies...Half these facts have been posted on BoredPanda numerous times... I feel like using Internet Explorer reading that.