Things You Need to Know

The world around is a magnificent place. Every time you turn your head, something unique (albeit good or bad) becomes visible. Most things go unnoticed, but nonetheless, they are an integral part of our being.

For example, did you know there is a jellyfish called Turritopsis dohrnii, and it is immortal? If something physical happens to it, such as trauma or physical damage it can revert in its development process to a polyp and start all over again. If people could do that, there would be 117 billion of us, and the real estate market would really be in shambles.

I do not know much about snails, other than seeing them on beaches, etc. Did you know they can sleep up to three years, if the weather isn’t moist enough to meet their needs. It’s kind of like being able to roll over in bed when you wake up on a rainy day.

I find my arm gets tired after waving goodbye to someone for 15 seconds or more, but did you know a hummingbird flaps its wings 80 times per second. If you think that is amazing, a honeybee performs the same act 230 times every second. Who knew?

When babies are born, they average 3.5 kilos (6.5lbs) and grow to be an adult, who in North America average 80 kilos (180lbs) and in Asia and Africa average 60 kg (130lbs). Now, let us look at panda bears; an adult weighs on average, 113 kg (220lbs), but when they are born they are a mere 113 grams (4 ounces). If you invest in the stock market, bamboo futures are the way to go.

Finally, I have found a solution for dealing with nightmares. It is simple; don’t lay down when you go to sleep. Horses and cows can sleep standing up, but they can only dream when lying down.

The next time you plan to commit a crime, take a koala with you. Apparently, Koala fingerprints are almost indistinguishable from humans. So much so, they can taint crime scenes!

Many of us know of a great ‘glow in the dark’ theatre called Famous Peoples Players. That technique however, is not limited to the human race. The swell shark, which dwells 500 metres or 1700 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, emits a fluorescent glow. Granted, it is typically only visible to other swell sharks, but scientists have figured out a way to detect the glow using filters.

As if that wasn’t enough: • Every continent except Antarctica has at least one McDonald’s. • Baked beans are not baked, they are stewed. • There are more LEGO mini-figures in existence than actual people on earth. • One-quarter of all your bones are located in your feet • The average person will spend six months of their life waiting for red lights to turn green.

You’ll be such a hit at the next party. Jonathan van Bilsen is a television host, award winning photographer, published author, columnist and keynote speaker. Watch his show, ‘Jonathan van Bilsen’s photosNtravel’, on RogersTV, the Standard Website or YouTube.