science

Top 10 Scientific Facts That Will Amaze You

Did you know about these weird scientific facts?

by Iva Rizova
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The world around us is full of surprises – that’s one of the best things about it. No matter how old we are, and even if we were among the most educated in school, we discover something new every day. We at The Dope Lists have collected 10 of the most interesting scientific facts you did not suspect.

The human genome

Each human cell has 23 DNA molecules containing between 500,000 and 2.5 million nucleotide pairs. If unfolded, each of these molecules is between 1.7 and 8.5 cm long. Scientists estimate that there are more than 3 billion base pairs of DNA in human genes and the human genome. There is a copy in each of the ten trillion cells in the human body, with over 25,000 genes. If all these numbers have not amazed you, the following will strike you. If all the DNA in the body is unfolded, the length will be 2×1014 m. In other words – enough to cover the distance from Earth to the Sun 100 times or from Earth to Pluto 17 times.

The superiority of bacteria

There are many more bacteria in the human body than cells. Do not rush to panic! Not all bacteria are harmful and dangerous. In fact, most of them are suitable for the body, and we could not even survive without them. This is because bacteria are responsible for building immunity and extracting useful things from food. These scientific facts make us love bacteria now!

bacteria

The origin of phobias

There are so many people in the world suffering from various phobias. And accordingly, so many types of phobias. Some of them are extremely strange, showing how different human fears are. Do you know what the scientific explanation for their existence is? The probable reason for their existence is genetic memories from our distant ancestors. Suppose one of our ancestors had a traumatic experience. In that case, the fear in us is a manifestation of a kind of defense mechanism resulting from the accident.

Which came first – the hen or the egg?

Can you think of a more considerable dispute that has been going on for centuries around the world? We can’t either. Researchers at the University of Sheffield have found that the hen precedes the egg. The eggshell structure contains a protein, ‘ovocledidine-17’ or ‘OC-17’, which exists only in the hen’s ovaries. It is a kind of catalyst in the development of the shell. Therefore, scientists believe that the egg can be formed only with this protein’s participation, which puts an end to the eternal dispute.

Venus Day is longer than the year

It sounds extraordinary and difficult to explain, but it is a fact. One day on Venus lasts 243 Earth days, and one year – 224.7 days. Unlike most planets, Venus rotates clockwise – from east to west. Nevertheless, Venus is always in sync with the position of the Earth because it is facing the same side of our planet. This can be observed when the two planets are as close to each other in their orbits as possible.

Venus

Doctor’s handwriting kills

Have you ever gone to the doctor and could not read even a word of what is written in the prescription? We knew it. Now put yourself in the shoes of pharmacists who are faced with reading these incomprehensible scribbles every day. Statistics show that about 7,000 people die each year in the United States from misread prescriptions and the wrong medications. Imagine the figure on a global scale. Did you get goosebumps? We did.

Humanity in an apple

Atoms are made up of a positively charged nucleus, which contains protons and neutrons, surrounded by negatively charged electrons scattered over a proportionally large distance. The nucleus is connected to the electrons by electromagnetic force. Although the structure of the atom looks solid, in practice, they represent 99.9999% empty space. What is the reason? Electrons behave like waves and, therefore, can only exist where the crests of these waves meet properly. They take up a lot of space because the location of each electron has a range of possibilities – the so-called orbital. If we could eliminate the empty space in the atoms, all of humanity would fit into just one apple.

apple

How do animals orient themselves?

It would be much harder for a terrestrial animal to orient itself and find its way home. However, marine animals have a significant advantage. The US Geological Survey (USGS) has conducted a study showing that some animals (such as sea turtles and salmon) can sense the Earth’s magnetic field and use it as a guide. Scientists from the Universities of Lund and Oldenburg have found that in the eyes of birds, there is a particular protein called Cry4, thanks to which they can see the Earth’s magnetic field. It belongs to the group of so-called cryptochromes, which are photoreceptors sensitive to blue light.

Men are more prone to color blindness

First, think about how much less color men differ than women. For example, you tell him that the shirt is violet, but he claims it is purple. You must have argued about this. The genes responsible for color blindness are contained in the X chromosome. Men have only one, but women have two. If women have the genes on one of the X chromosomes, the other one compensates with its proper functioning genes. But if men inherit these genes on their only X chromosome, they will be colorblind. That’s one of the scientific facts that made us say “whoa”.

colors

Women have a higher pain threshold

This fact may have been expected of you and hardly surprises you so much. The truth is that when it comes to pain, women are the more vigorous sex. The explanation comes from a purely physiological point of view, as women are programmed to endure more pain because of their childbearing function. However, scientists have also found that men and women have entirely different ways of dealing with pain. Men expend their energy in fears of the painful procedure while women consider how to overcome it.

Were you left with a finger in your mouth from these scientific facts? Don’t worry, so do we. Rejoice that you have learned ten new things in one day. 

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