You Can Be Asleep Even If Awake!

A lot of studies have already been conducted to explore the human mind's conscious and subconscious levels while a person is sleeping and while he is awake after having little to no sleep at all for a long time.

Having a system closest to humans when it comes to the brain, rats were used to perform the studies. Based on the trials done on these rats, even though the brain is fully awake and can function in general, there are certain abilities that become limited or completely shut down every now and then. This is due to the fact that the neurons transferring information throughout the body cannot work well when a person is deprived of sleep and alternately  turns on and off.

Neil Armstrong Was Almost Not Accepted As Astronaut

Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, was almost not accepted as an astronaut. He needed to seek help from a friend working in the Manned Spacecraft Centre for his registration form to be filed together with the other applicants' records because it's already 1 week late! This friend was able to put Armstrong's application into the pile of documents without being noticed by anyone. If this "act of bravery" didn't happen, Neil Armstrong wouldn't be the first astronaut to step on the moon.

Interesting Facts About Tickling

Tickling evokes involuntary laughter in humans by touching a certain body part. Some body parts are more ticklish compared to others and the reason behind it remains unknown. 

Tickling is also used by others for sexual fetishism and the act of tickling is known as "tickle torture". 

A research conducted by Dr Sarah-Jayne Blakemore from London's Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience discovered that when robot arms are used in tickling people, the effect is just the same with human arms. 

Both males and females are "ticklish." However, a couple of studies found out that males can be slightly more ticklish compared to women. 

A research led by Dr. M Blagrove from the University of Wales discovered that normal tickling response might not be present in people with schizophrenia. 

Before, tickling was utilized by the ancient Romans as a torture mechanism.  

What's most surprising about tickling is that if a person tickles himself, no laughter or stimulation is produced. 

Is It Safe to Drink Seawater?

We all know that humans need fresh water in order to stay alive. Water helps digest the food we eat and regulate different body functions. It also helps in temperature regulation inside the body and enhances physical conditions as well. 

On the other hand, Alain Bombard introduced the idea that a person can live by drinking seawater, too, although it needs to be taken in little amounts (not over 32 oz daily). Thus, in theory, we can gradually 'teach' the human body to tolerate seawater.  However,  intake of too much sea water can make an individual sick because it contains salts that can cause dehydration and eventually, death. Seawater pulls out the water inside our body cells which depletes them. Also, it is generally unsafe to drink sea water because it carries too many bacteria that can make us ill.  Moreover, the salt content in seawater is very high that the human body won't be able to digest it. Seawater can also damage the kidneys leading to kidney failure. 

Watch Out for Carnivorous Caterpillars!

There are caterpillars that eat meat! Yes, some are carnivorous in nature. But you don't need to panic when you see one since only 1% of the caterpillars eat meat, and in general, they feed on soft flesh such as spiders and insects. There are many species of caterpillars in various places in the world with different characteristics. They start their life by consuming specific type of plants, but once they grow, they eat certain insects. 

What's most interesting about these caterpillars is how they kill just to get food. Some use camouflage or seductive smells to catch their prey. A particular specie in Hawaii disguises like  a bark of a tree to catch insects like spiders. In Australia, carnivorous caterpillars specifically prefer green tree ants. 

Eating Fish Alone is Fatal!

Fish contains all the essential amino acids we need in order to live. However, death may result if we only eat fish and nothing else. The reason for this is that fish doesn't have Vitamin C which is vital for humans to survive. Even at present, we use a couple of lemon drops when we eat cooked fish. The fish that eats plankton is the only one that contains Vitamin C but the sole way to extract it properly is to eat it raw including its intestines.

The Pyramids Used To Be White

If someone mentions about the Egyptian Pyramids, you'll usually envision a big mountain-like structure that is made up of brown heaps of stone with a rough outline standing in the middle of the desert. But did you know that in 2500 BC, when pyramids were first constructed, their color was paper white and they're very smooth like glass? On top, you would also find a gold-colored capstone that shined under the sun. Indeed, the Pyramids were a breathtaking spectacle at that time. However, when the Arabs invaded Egypt in 500 AD, the pyramids' smooth limestone was stripped off to build a huge portion of Cairo. Most of Cairo's palaces and mosques consist of the pyramids' ancient stones. It's quite disappointing but it's true.

What's In a Coke?

Why can't we resist drinking Coca Cola? Truth is, we're addicted to the soda that contains caffeine and big amounts of sugar. If you read the label of Coke, you'll find its ingredients like carbonated water, caramel color, cane sugar, food acid (or phosphoric acid 338), caffeine and "flavor." And speaking of flavor, did you know that Coca Cola has a secret ingredient named 'Merchandise 7X'? The ingredient's description is kept secured inside a security vault located in Atlanta, Georgia. Just a few selected officials know the content of this controversial 'secret ingredient'. It sounds a bit creepy to many but definitely, that doesn't make us say NO to Coke, at all.