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10 July 2026General

Mount Everest's first official height was listed as 29,002 feet because 29,000 feet looked too rounded to be believable.

The first official height of Mount Everest was recorded as 29,002 feet, not because that was its exact measurement, but because saying it was precisely 29,000 feet sounded too much like a guess. This is interesting because it shows how even in scientific endeavours, human perception and the need for

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9 July 2026General

Tight neckties can reduce blood flow to the brain and increase eye pressure, which may affect glaucoma diagnosis and treatment.

Wearing a necktie that's too tight can actually reduce blood flow to your brain and increase the pressure in your eyes. This is interesting because it could potentially lead to a misdiagnosis of glaucoma, as the increased eye pressure can mimic the symptoms doctors look for.

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8 July 2026General

In 1859, Thomas Austin released 24 rabbits in Australia for sport hunting. Around 70 years later, the population had exploded to about 10 billion.

This fact says that just 24 rabbits released in Australia in 1859 grew to a population of 10 billion within about 70 years. It's interesting because it shows how quickly an introduced species can multiply out of control, causing huge problems for the environment and the economy.

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7 July 2026General

Daily sugary drinks have been linked to liver cancer. One JAMA study found an 85% higher risk among women drinking at least one sugary drink a day.

This fact tells us that drinking a sugary drink every day can greatly increase your chances of getting liver cancer. What's surprising is that this risk is present even if you aren't overweight, highlighting how sugary drinks can directly harm your liver.

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6 July 2026General

Bundibugyo ebolavirus has been the subject of patent claims in the US, Canada and Europe.

This says that a specific type of Ebola virus, called Bundibugyo ebolavirus, has been officially patented by the US government in several countries. What's surprising is that a dangerous disease can itself be patented, and this is done to control how vaccines and tests for it are developed, potentia

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5 July 2026General

"Tit for tat" is not just a saying. It is also a famous game theory strategy that won two prisoner's dilemma tournaments by cooperating first, then mirroring the opponent's previous move.

"Tit for tat" is a strategy that starts by being nice, then copies whatever the other person did last time. It's surprisingly effective because it's simple, avoids getting taken advantage of, and encourages long-term cooperation, even beating much more complicated approaches in game competitions.

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4 July 2026General

The introduction of air conditioning on the NYSE trading floor in 1903 reduced the effect of hot days on stock market returns, which had previously tended to be lower in extreme heat.

This fact explains that when air conditioning was installed in the New York Stock Exchange in 1903, it stopped hot weather from negatively affecting stock market returns. This is interesting because it shows how uncomfortable conditions can directly influence financial decisions, proving that even t

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3 July 2026General

Between the 1930s and 1940s, German chemist Arthur Imhausen developed an edible synthetic butter from coal. It took around 60kg of coal to produce one kilogram of the synthetic butter.

A German chemist in the 1930s and 40s managed to make edible butter from coal. It sounds bizarre, but it shows how far people will go to find solutions when resources are scarce, even if it took an astonishing 60kg of coal to make just 1kg of butter!

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2 July 2026General

The word "OK" became popular in 1830s America as part of a humorous trend for intentionally misspelling phrases. "All correct" became "oll korrect", and eventually "OK".

The word "OK" actually started as a joke in 1830s America, where people intentionally misspelled phrases for fun, turning "all correct" into "oll korrect" and then "OK". It's rather surprising that this silly abbreviation became one of the most recognised words worldwide, thanks to a presidential ca

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1 July 2026General

At around 40°C, photosynthesis begins to shut down in C3 plants, which make up approximately 95% of Earth's plant biomass and include major crops such as rice and wheat.

At around 40°C, the vital process of photosynthesis starts to fail in most of the world's plants, including major crops like rice and wheat. This is a big deal because it means our ability to grow food is directly threatened by rising temperatures, potentially turning even forests into sources of ca

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