Shane Carley - True Facts that Sound Like Bulls#*t: 500 Insane-But-True Facts That Will Shock And Impress Your Friends

True Facts That Sound Like Bullshit

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13-Digit ISBN: 9781604336962

10-Digit ISBN: 160433696X

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CONTENTS

The world is a weird place. In fact, the entire universe is a weird place. It always has been. It always will be. Theres something comforting about the idea that no matter how much you learn, there will always be new and exciting things to discover.

The joy of discovery is one thing that sets humans apart. Were curious by nature. Its why early explorers set out to discover what lay over the horizon. Its what first led our earliest ancestors to create tools. Its what spurred us to land on the moon. Curiosity has allowed us to do amazing things. Curiosity has moved mountains. And, in its most important achievement to date, curiosity is what made you pick up this book.

Youll be glad you did! Discovering new things doesnt have to mean cataloging a new species of antelope or documenting an unnamed asteroid. Sometimes its just about learning new things and exposing yourself to new ideas. Discovering isnt always big. Sometimes, its personal. And whether your interest lies in weird animals, crazy plants, mind-blowing athletic achievements, or unbelievable discoveries light-years from Earth, youll be shocked and amazed by what you discover within these pages.

STRANGE BUT TRUE
Nature Facts

Nature can be cool. It can be scary. It can be wonderful. But most of all, it can be unbelievable. Think about ithow many everyday facts that we take for granted would sound crazy if you were learning them for the first time?

In this chapter, were going to dig a little deeper and examine some truly wild facts about plants, animals, and all kinds of natural phenomena. Because just when you think you know everything there is to know about nature, someone comes along and tells you that hippopotamus sweat is pink.

HIPPOPOTAMUS SWEAT IS PINK.

This isnt entirely accuratehippo sweat comes out clear, just as ours does. But the hippopotamus secretes hipposudoric acid, which has a red tint to it, and quickly turns hippo sweat to a shade of pink dark enough that it is sometimes mistaken for blood. Commonly referred to as blood sweat, this acidic coating helps protect the hippo from both sun damage and harmful bacteria.

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A POPULAR ONLINE RUMOR SUGGESTS THAT HIPPOPOTAMUS MILK IS PINK, RATHER THAN SWEAT. INTERESTING AS THAT WOULD BE, IT IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE.

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Humans arent the only species to perform adoptions. Kangaroos have been known to accidentally abandon their young, only to have them raised by other kangaroos. Sometimes kangaroos even voluntarily swap babies.

KILLER WHALES EAT DEER.

Most notably in Alaska, killer whales, or orcas, have been known to prey on deer that decide to take a dip in the water. Some have even been known to regurgitate fish onto the surface of the water to lure in seagulls, too.

WOOLLY MAMMOTHS WERE STILL AROUND DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE PYRAMIDS.

The last of the woolly mammoths only died approximately 4,000 years ago, which just so happens to be around the same time the Great Pyramid was built. Imagine what the ancient Egyptians would have thought if they had been able to see the mammoths!

THE STEGOSAURUS IS OLDER THAN GRASS.

What we now know as grasses did not evolve until well into the Cretaceous period, which began 145 million years ago. The Stegosaurus roamed the earth during the Jurassic period, 155 to 150 million years ago, and instead consumed mosses, ferns, and other fauna.

THE TYRANNOSAURUS REX IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE HAD A BITE FORCE OF ALMOST 13,000 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH.

Thats almost equal to the average body weight of an adult T. rex! The strongest animals today (saltwater crocodiles) are estimated to have a bite force of around 5,000 pounds per square inch (PSI), though some speculate that the bite force of the orca whale could be significantly higher.

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AMONG DINOSAURS, ONLY THE C. MEGALODON IS ESTIMATED TO TOP THE T. REXS BITE FORCE, COMING IN AT AN ASTONISHING 41,000 PSI.

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In fact, as recently as 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permitted the production and marketing of maggots for limited use as a medical device.