1. A passport is required to travel across France - Dead or alive
The government of Egypt had to make a passport for Pharaoh Rameses II so that his body could be taken to France for restoration. What’s even weirder is that he was greeted with full honors when the plane carrying him touched down in Paris.
2. A boy that lived in Buckingham Palace used to steal Queen Victoria's underpants
A boy, covered in soot, was discovered in one of Buckingham Palace’s rooms on December 14th, 1838 by a palace night porter. He was wearing two pairs of pants and had a number of pairs of ladies’ panties stuffed in his pockets.
Apparently, he had been hiding in the palace for an entire year before being discovered. He even hid under the table during royal meetings, eavesdropping on their conversations. He was caught inside the palace three more times after being removed.
3. Every belly button is unique
It isn’t the physical aspect of the belly button we’re talking about here – more than half of the 2,400 species of bacteria that live in human belly buttons might be new to science. The composition of the bacteria in each person’s navel makes them unique. Strangely, scientists even discovered a kind of bacteria that’s only found in the soil of Japan in the belly button of a man who had never been to the country in his life!
4. The cry of a human baby causes female deer to instinctively run for help
It just so happens that the cry of a human baby is in the same frequency range as the cry of a fawn. This occurrence repeats itself among many mammal species. Just as this has an effect on a doe, the part of the human brain responsible for responding to stimuli gets switched on and prompts us to protects a newborn baby, kitten or puppy.
5. There's a reason why we forget what we entered a room for
The “doorway effect”, as it has been dubbed by psychologists, is a mechanism that helps us divide one group of memories from another. Entering another room makes our brains archive the thoughts we were thinking in a previous room. This allows us to shift to performing new tasks and organizing new information with ease.
6. Humans know less about justice than ravens do
Ravens share food among themselves to ensure that all of them get an equal part. If one bird takes more than he or she is supposed to, the other birds in the group instantly lose trust in the cheater and stop cooperating with them.
7. A ransom of 1,400 pounds of silver once had to be paid for Julius Caesar
What’s even more astonishing is that Caesar himself had his captors raise the ransom fee, because he thought he was worth more than they wanted for him. While he waited for the Romans to raise the 3,400 pounds of silver, he played games with his captors, read poems to them, sang songs and treated them as his subjects. After he was released, he gathered a fleet of ships, attacked the island where he was held hostage and had the pirates executed. He also took all of their treasures.
8. The Philippines are home to a "matryoshka" lake
Lake Taal is one of the most unique places on Earth – it’s located on the island of Luzon, but there’s another volcanic island with its own lake located within its confines. This means that there’s an island in a lake located on the island in the lake on the island!
9. This bird is eaten in France whole with one's head covered in a napkin
The ortolan bunting is a small singing bird. The French feed it with nothing but figs for a month. It’s then drowned in brandy and fried as a whole piece on a strong fire for several minutes. It’s also customary to cover your head with a napkin when eating this bird. Some say that it’s to enjoy the bird’s aroma while you’re eating it, but others say that it’s supposed to hide you from God as you eat such a wonderful creature.
10. The Tower of London has a full-time Ravenmaster
Ravens have a symbolic meaning for Great Britain, so they’re actually on the supply of the state. That’s why the Tower of London employs a Ravenmaster who’s responsible for feeding the birds and protecting them from danger. The current Ravenmaster makes $31,900 per year.
11. A smoke alarm for the deaf has been developed in Japan
A fire alarm that emits the smell of wasabi instead of sound has been designed in Japan. It works by emitting a mist when the sensor is triggered. This is extremely helpful for deaf individuals who are unable to hear the sound of the alarm.
