With about 195 countries in the world, over 7 billion people and over 6 thousand languages being spoken,there are so many fun facts that make the world a very interesting place filled with fascinating people and with unlimited access to the internet, there is a lot of fun facts that people should know.

In Nepal for instance, they have giant bees that measure up to 1.1 inches and they produce a special type of honey that can make someone hallucinate and in Nebraska, there is a town called Monowi with a population of one. The only resident is a woman who is the mayor, bartender and the librarian, imagine how stressful that must be. There are so many fun facts about the world and life in general, here are 9 random, yet interesting ones that you might need to know. Enjoy!

FUN FACTS

DOORKNOBS

Copper containing metals like brass have been proven to be antibacterial properties. Brass or copper containing metals disinfect themselves and this is called the oligodynamic effect and it is as a result of the metal ions in brass and other copper containing metals having a toxic effect on viruses, molds, spores and other living cells. Typically unvarnished doorknobs disinfect themselves in about 8 hours while door knobs made of steel or glass (non self-cleaning surfaces) could be a hotbed for bacteria with different kinds of micro-organisms surviving for over a month. So it is advisable to use copper containing metals like brass for your doorknobs and knockers.

BALCONIES

Did you know that the present day balconies that are in most houses have a Shakespearean nickname, they are also called ‘Juliet balconies’ and they are named after Shakespeare’s Juliet in the play Romeo and Juliet was courted by Romeo while on the balcony.

CLEANING

Did you know that cleaning stainless steel surfaces like the stove tops with metal scouring pads or abrasive cleaners will only damage it? Although it is believed that stainless steel is durable, this is not completely true because the usage of metal scouring pads and other abrasive cleaners will damage these surfaces as time goes by. Also a fun fact, in any household or hotel, the dirtiest item is the television remote control, so be safe to always sanitize them every time you come across them.

PLANETS

The haumea planet was discovered in 2004 by a team headed by Mike brown. According to Wikipedia, Haumea’s mass is about one third of that of Pluto.  It is probably the third-largest known trans-Neptunian object, after Eris and Pluto.

ULTRACREPIDARIAN

Tongue twisting right? This is just a polite word for impolite people. This word is for people that are presumptuous and offer opinions or advice beyond their sphere of knowledge. In our Nigerian way we call them ITKs (I Too Know). So next time you encounter someone like that, you know exactly what word qualifies them.

SORRY (NOT ALLOWED)

In 2009, Canada passed an apology act because Canadians used the word ‘sorry’ way too much. Canadians are known to be polite and overly apologetic and the key objective of the act was to reduce the concern about the legal implication of making an apology. The apology legislation provides that an apology does not constitute an admission of fault or liability, it must not be taken into consideration in determining liability or fault and it is not admissible as an evidence of liability. This legislation has been adopted by most of Canadian provinces with the exception of Yukon and Quebec.

PROPRIOCEPTION

The five known senses are smell, touch, taste, hearing and sight however there is a sixth sense and it is called proprioception and it refers to the ability of the body to perceive its position in space. Proprioception is the sense that allows you eat even in the dark, it is proprioception that enables a person close their eyes and touch their nose with their finger.

EIGENGRAU

When you close your eyes and open them in a dark place, the color you see has a name and it is called eigengrau. It is the German name for intrinsic gray and it is also known eigenlicht.

TAKING DRUGS

When antibiotics are prescribed for a patient, it is best advised by physicians to finish the prescription as opposed to stopping when he/she is feeling better. This is not just a fun fact but also a healthy one as the practice of stopping the antibiotics before its completion has been believed that the bacteria will develop a resistance for the antibiotics and that will most likely result in a relapse.

Bonus fun fact: Did you know that our planet Earth is the only planet not named after a Roman or Greek god or goddess, however it is associated with terra mater which is gaea in Greek mythology.

No matter how knowledgeable you are, there are bound to be more interesting fun facts that you’re yet to learn. The above list is not comprehensive enough and there are many more fun facts to be learnt. It will be a fun pastime for the weekend.