25 Little-Known Facts That Might Just Blow Your Mind A Tiny Bit

We all love a good “Wait, what?!” moment—and the world is full of them. From the oddities of nature to the quirks of history and beyond, here are some little-known facts that might just tickle your brain and leave you wondering how you didn’t know them sooner.

#1

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Famous Australian blood donor James Harrison OAM, aka “Man with the Golden Arm”, who saved over two million babies by donating his rare Anti-D plasma, has died at 88. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood confirmed his death on February 17. Harrison began donating blood in 1954 at 18 and donated over 1,100 times until he retired in 2018 at 81.

#2

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#3

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#4

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#5

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One of the two remaining northern white rhinos in the world, guarded 24 hours a day to guard against poachers.

#6

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A wildlife photographer, N. Hayakawa, has captured rare footage of a group of orcas in Japan, including two unusual white orcas. The white orcas are believed to have leucism, a condition that causes a partial loss of pigmentation, rather than albinism, which would result in pale eyes.

A male white orca was first spotted in 2023, followed by a female white orca.

The white orcas seem to be accepted and protected by their typically colored whale counterparts.

Hayakawa hopes to continue observing and photographing the white orcas to learn more about their behavior and habitat.

#7

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Psychopaths, known for traits like a lack of empathy, manipulativeness, and charm, make up about 1% of the general population. However, studies reveal that an estimated 12% of CEOs in the United States exhibit psychopathic tendencies. This stark difference highlights how certain psychopathic traits, such as risk-taking and assertiveness, can thrive in high-stakes corporate environments.

#8

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A King Cheetah, known for its unique coat pattern caused by a rare recessive gene, stands beside a regular cheetah. This striking difference highlights the beauty and diversity of genetic variation within the cheetah species. The King Cheetah’s bold black stripes and spots create a distinctive appearance, setting it apart from its spotted counterpart.

#9

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#10

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#11

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Sweden replaced books with computers in 2009, but after 15 years, it’s reversing course due to concerns over digital learning’s impact on student focus and skills.

The country is investing €104 million to bring back printed textbooks from 2022 to 2025.

Research shows that reading on screens can cause eye strain, decreased focus, and lower retention compared to paper books.

Digital devices can be distracting, leading to decreased social skills and attention spans.

The Swedish government aims to find a balance between technology and traditional learning methods.

The move highlights the importance of finding harmony between innovation and tradition in education systems worldwide.

#12

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The beetle in the image is a Chrysina limbata, commonly known as the Mexican jewel scarab or Mexican sun beetle. Its stunning metallic appearance is not due to pigmentation but rather the way light interacts with microscopic scales on its exoskeleton. This structural coloration creates the beetle’s iridescent, mirror-like sheen, making it one of the most visually striking beetles.

#13

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A Norwegian man had a 27 kg malignant tumour removed after 12 years of doctors telling him he was just fat. He began to have health problems in 2011, when his stomach began to inflate. Recently, however, when a doctor took a closer look at him while preparing him for gastric sleeve operation for obesity, they discovered the tumour.

#14

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In Cluj-Napoca, Romania, a so-called “health ticket” was introduced that allowed individuals to use public transportation for free by completing 20 squats. However, the organisers only implemented it in one city for a limited time. As of now, it’s unknown if the program will resume at a future date.

#15

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#16

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#17

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Sweet Sapphire grapes, also known as Moon Drop grapes, are a dark grape variety with a tubular shape and dark purple skin. They are seedless, have a translucent green flesh, and are very sweet. Sweet Sapphire grapes are so firm that they can be snapped in half, and they can be stuffed. They were first developed in California in 2004 using traditional breeding practices such as cross-pollination.

#18

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#19

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In 2019, a Jamaican man turned up to collect his winning $1.5 million lottery cheque wearing a Scream mask. He said he wore the mask because he didn’t want his relatives hounding him for money.

He waited 54 days to collect his $1.17 million US . Lottery winners in the Caribbean country often disguises while collecting their prizes due to high level of crime and fears that they will be hounded for money by family.

#20

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A new study supports the theory that dogs may have domesticated themselves by choosing to coexist with humans for a steady food supply. This theory, known as self-domestication, suggests that wolves began to frequent human settlements to scavenge for food, eventually becoming more tolerant of humans and adapting to a domestic lifestyle.

The study used a statistical model to show that over 15,000 years, natural selection could drive self-domestication in wolves, provided they chose to stay near humans and select mates with similar temperaments.

This theory is supported by archaeological and genetic evidence, which suggests that dogs (Canis familiaris) are descended from gray wolves (Canis lupus) and became domesticated over two historical periods.

#21

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This microscopic view reveals an astonishing variety of marine organisms collected with just one dip of a hand net. These tiny creatures, representing a vibrant and diverse ecosystem, demonstrate the richness of marine biodiversity that thrives below the surface.

#22

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#23

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Mauro Morandi, who lived alone on Italy’s Budelli island for 32 years, has died aged 85 following poor health, three years after returning to civilisation. He stumbled upon Budelli, the island famous for its pink-sanded beach, in 1989 after his catamaran broke down. After living there for over three decades, he was evicted by the Italian authorities in 2021.

#24

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A remarkable discovery in Siberia’s permafrost has unveiled a 35,000-year-old saber-toothed kitten, with its fur and even whiskers impeccably preserved. This ancient feline provides an extraordinary window into Ice Age wildlife, showcasing the pristine conditions of the permafrost that protected it for millennia. Such finds are vital for understanding extinct species, their habitats, and the ecosystems they once roamed.

#25

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In a lion pride, the male typically oversees up to 15 lionesses, who are the primary hunters. These lionesses work together to hunt and secure food for the entire pride, including the dominant male. While the male lion defends the pride’s territory and protects the cubs from external threats, it is the lionesses who ensure the pride’s survival through their cooperative hunting skills.