Now You Know
My father sent me pictures yesterday of maple seeds that he’s cleaned for consumption. He discovered that these are edible and wanted to share the discovery with me.
It was an eye opener for me. The little winged seeds were always a mess to clean up but now they’re seen as a bounty. Sure, they’re a pain to clean and extract but you basically have fresh vegan keto-friendly staple literally airdropped to your doorstep.
Yesterday, I didn’t know I didn’t know this. It brings to mind the Johari Window’s “unknown unknowns” that was made famous in a speech by Donald Rumsfeld on risks. It was totally happenstance that my father decided to share.
However, we can make happenstance happen more regularly. There are a few YouTube channels like Mental Floss that curate these but one can create their own list of facts that might surprise them. Here’s one that I pulled from OpenAI and asked to double check and comment.
1. Honey Never Spoils: Archaeologists have discovered pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old and still perfectly edible. Correct, honey has an almost indefinite shelf life due to its low moisture content and acidic pH.
2. Largest Organism on Earth: The largest living organism on Earth is a honey fungus, Armillaria ostoyae, in the Blue Mountains of Oregon. It stretches 2.4 miles (3.8 km) across and is estimated to be over 2,400 years old. Correct, this particular fungus is considered the largest organism by area.
3. Shakespeare Invented Words: Many common words and phrases were first penned by Shakespeare in his plays. Some examples include “eyeball”, “lonely”, and “uncomfortable.” Correct, Shakespeare is credited with introducing many words to the English language.
4. Octopuses Have Three Hearts: Two pump blood to the gills, while the third pumps it to the rest of the body. Correct, Octopuses do have three hearts.
5. Water Boils Faster in Denver than in New York: This is because of the difference in altitude. The higher you go, the lower the atmospheric pressure becomes, and water boils at a lower temperature. This statement is correct but might be slightly confusing. Water boils at a lower temperature in Denver due to the higher altitude, which could be interpreted as it boiling “faster”, but it also means that it takes longer to cook food.
6. Wombat Feces are Cube-Shaped: This is to prevent them from rolling away. Wombats mark their territory with their feces, so the unique shape helps keep them in place. Correct, the peculiar shape of wombat feces is unique in the animal kingdom.
7. A Day on Venus is Longer than a Year on Venus: Venus has an extremely slow rotation on its axis, taking 243 Earth days to complete a full rotation, but it only takes 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun. Correct, Venus has an unusual rotation and revolution pattern.
8. Bananas are Berries, But Strawberries are Not: In botanical terms, a berry is a fruit produced from the ovary of a single flower with seeds embedded in the flesh. Bananas fit this description, but strawberries, having their seeds on the outside, do not. Correct, this is an interesting fact about botanical classification that often surprises people.
9. The Eiffel Tower Can Be 15 Centimeters Taller During the Summer: This is because of thermal expansion, where the iron structure expands in the heat. Correct, most metals, including iron, expand with heat.
10. Dolphins Have Names for Each Other: They use unique whistle sounds to identify each other, similar to how humans use names. Correct, studies have suggested that dolphins use unique signature whistles to identify each other.
You can also define the genre of unknown unknowns to learn about. Knowing peculiar things can either lead us to be more interesting or more annoying, ala Cliff Clavin. Regardless, it will make us more whole.
