It's "I Could Not Care less", Not "I Could Care Less" It’s “I could not care less”, not “I could care less”.
These two phrases are often used interchangeably when someone is referring to something that they don’t care about at all, even though the latter implies that you do care somewhat, possibly a lot or just a little; it’s unclear from the statement itself. The former leaves nothing in doubt. You absolutely don’t care at all, implying even a modicum of caring would be more than what you feel. Why Mint Tastes Cold. Today I found out why mint tastes cold.
Similar to why peppers taste hot, what’s going on here is there is a chemical in mint, menthol, which is tricking the brain into thinking that the area the menthol is applied to is cold; even though in fact, it’s the same as it was before. More specifically, menthol binds with cold-sensitive receptors in your skin; these receptors contain things called “ion channels”, in this case TRPM8.
The menthol makes these much more sensitive than normal, so they trigger and you feel a cold sensation, even though everything is more or less the same temperature as before. This extra sensitivity is why when you eat peppermint, which has a relatively high level of menthol, and then you breathe in deeply through your mouth, your mouth feels extra cold. Your cold receptors are reacting much more strongly than they normally would to the air which is cooler than the inside of your mouth.
If you liked this article, you might also enjoy: Bonus Menthol Facts: Bananas Are Naturally Radioactive. Today I found out bananas are naturally radioactive.
This comes from the fact that they contain relatively high amounts of potassium. Specifically, they contain Potassium-40, which is a radioactive isotope of potassium. The fact that bananas are radioactive has actually given rise to the radiation unit: “banana equivalent dose” (BED); this is the average amount of radiation you are exposed to by eating one banana.
The banana equivalent dose is occasionally used to help conceptualize the relative danger of various radiation sources and amounts; for instance, the amount of radiation typically leaked by a modern nuclear fission reactor. This leaked radiation is typically extremely small, typically in the realm of a picocurie, which is a millionth of a millionth of a curie. Now before you start boycotting bananas because of the above association with nuclear reactor radiation leakage, consider that, to cause illness in a person, it takes about 100 rems. On that note, for your reference: Why Peppers Taste Hot. Today I found out why peppers taste hot.
The heat sensation is caused by capsaicin, which is a colorless, odorless, oily chemical found in peppers. Capsaicin binds with certain sensory neurons which then more or less trick your body into thinking that it is being burned or at least experiencing excessive amounts of heat in the area that the capsaicin comes in contact with, even though no actual physical burning is taking place. (Warning, Extreme Nerdery Ahead) Specifically, what is going on is that the capsaicin is binding to the vanilloid receptor (VR1), which is a member of the superfamily TRP ion channel and thus is referred to as TRPV1; by binding to the VR1 receptor, the capsaicin molecule will produce the same sensation, or signal to the brain, that normal heat will produce when activating the TRP receptors.
This is why eating peppers makes your mouth feel really hot, even though it’s not. (End Extreme Nerdery) The Only Member of ZZ Top That Doesn’t Have a Beard is Frank Beard. Today I found out the only member of ZZ Top that doesn’t have a beard is Frank Beard.
What the “ZIP” in “ZIP Code” Stands For and What the Numbers Signify. Mr.
ZIP: Official Mascot of the ZIP Code System Today I found out what the “ZIP” in “ZIP Code” stands for and what the numbers signify. ZIP Code or “Zone Improvement Plan Code” was a system put in place by the U.S. Postal Service on July 1, 1963. The hope was that these ZIP codes would allow the postal service to more efficiently and therefore more quickly route mail. Ostriches Don’t Hide Their Heads in the Sand. Today I found out that Ostriches don’t hide their heads in the sand, contrary to popular belief.
When an Ostrich feels genuinely threatened, it will actually take off running. Considering it is the fastest animal on two legs, it can pretty much out run most other animals. In fact, Ostriches have been clocked as high as 45 miles per hour when being chased by a close predator. Just as impressive, Ostriches have been shown to be capable of a sustained run of around 30 miles per hour for an extended period. So they can pretty much outrun the vast majority of predators out there, with a few exceptions. Origin of the Name of the Sport Cricket. Today I found out the origin of the name of the sport Cricket.
The name is originally thought to either have been derived from the Old French “criquet”, meaning “goal, post, or stick” or from the Middle Dutch “kricke”, meaning “stick” or “staff”. The latter Middle Dutch derivation from “kricke” is generally considered more likely due to the strong medieval trade connections between south-east England and Flanders, which belonged to the Duchy of Burgundy.
One more obscure possible source was proposed by European language expert Heiner Gillmeister of Bonn University. Why Mosquito Bites Itch. Today I found out why mosquito bites itch.
When female mosquitoes poke their proboscis through your skin so they can suck some of your blood to be later used to make eggs, they inject you with some of their saliva. This saliva helps them to drink your blood more quickly, because it contains a cocktail of anticoagulants. Once the female mosquito is full up of your blood or is disturbed, she flies away, leaving some of her saliva behind.
Your body then kicks your immune system in gear as a response to the presence of this saliva. Why the Toilet is Sometimes Called a “John” Sir John Harington Today I found out why the toilet is sometimes called a “John”.
The term is thought to derive from Sir John Harrington or, at the least, to have been popularized due to Harrington. (There are a few references of the toilet being called “Cousin John”, as well as many references to it being called “Jake” and other such generic names, before Harrington was born; but it is generally agreed that why we now call it “John” is because of Harrington and not from the old “Cousin John”). Sir John Harrington lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Harrington was one of the 102 god-children of Queen Elizabeth I, known as the “Saucy Godson”, for his proclivity to write somewhat risqué poetry and other writings, which often got him banished only to be allowed to return again sometime later. Along with writing several notable works, Harrington also devised Britain’s first flushing toilet, which he called the “Ajax”.
What Causes Muscle Soreness After Exercising (Note: It’s Not Lactic Acid) Muscle Cell Today I found out what causes muscle soreness after workouts. Since the early 20th century, this specific type of muscle soreness, called “delayed onset muscle soreness” (DOMS), was thought to be cause by lactic acid buildup in the muscles during strenuous workouts where your body’s oxygen supply is depleted. Recent research has shown this is not the case at all and has even shown that lactic acid is actually used by your muscles for fuel when oxygen supplies are depleted. George Washington Carver Did Not Invent Peanut Butter. Today I found out, contrary to popular belief, George Washington Carver did not invent peanut butter.
The earliest reference to peanut butter being made goes all the way back to the Ancient Incas and the Aztecs, though whether they were the first or not isn’t known (peanuts themselves are known to have been cultivated as far back as 7000-8000 years ago). Since then, peanut butter has been “invented” numerous times by various individuals throughout history. Although Carver didn’t invent peanut butter, he did play a significant role in popularizing it and his 1880 “invention” of peanut butter preceded most of the other modern “inventors” of peanut butter. Carver was one of the greatest inventors in American history, discovering over 300 hundred uses for peanuts with100 or so of those not being related to one another in terms of the end product produced; he also discovered hundreds of uses for soybeans, pecans, and sweet potatoes.
Among his peanut inventions were: The Fear of Being Buried Alive is Called ‘Taphophobia’ Today I found out that the medical term for the irrational fear of being buried alive is called Taphophobia, also occasionally spelled Tephephobia, which means the same thing. Taphophobia derives from the Greek “taphos” meaning “grave”. Today, this would be considered a somewhat irrational fear. However, it wasn’t too long ago that this wasn’t irrational at all. Origin of the Term “Booze”
Today I found out the origin of the term “booze”. The first references to the word “booze” meaning “alcoholic drink” in English appear around the 14th century, though it was originally spelled “bouse”. The spelling, as it is today, didn’t appear until around the 17th century. The word “booze” itself appears to have Germanic origins, though which specific word it came from is still a little bit of a mystery.
The Biblical Expression “40 Days and 40 Nights” Just Means a “Really Long Time” Today I found out the biblical expression “40 days and 40 nights” just means a really long time. At the time among the Jews, the number forty wasn’t generally used to signify a specific number, per se, but rather more used as a general term for a large figure. When it was used in terms of time, it simply meant a “long time”. The American Government Once Intentionally Poisoned Certain Alcohol Supplies, Resulting in the Death of Over 10,000 American Citizens.
Today I found out that in an effort to scare people away from drinking alcohol, the American government once poisoned certain alcohol supplies; this resulted in the death of over 10,000 American Citizens. This, of course, was during Prohibition. Turkey Does Not Make You Drowsy After You Eat It. Today I found out turkey does not make you drowsy after you eat it. Now to be clear, turkey does contain tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid which the human body doesn’t naturally produce, but is essential to proper body function and, thus, must be acquired from food. ‘Peruse’ Doesn’t Mean What Many People Think. Today I found out ‘peruse’ doesn’t mean what many people think it means. Shaving Does Not Make Your Hair Grow Back Thicker or Faster. Today I found out shaving does not make your hair grow back thicker, stronger, faster, or any other “er”. In fact, contrary to what parents the world over tend to tell their kids when their kids start shaving, it has been proven by numerous studies going all the way back to the 1920s that shaving has absolutely no effect whatsoever on your hair growth rate.
Origin of the Term “Smart Alec” What Hemisphere You Are in Does Not Affect the Way Water Spins Down Your Drain. How Deaf People Think. Today I found out how deaf people think in terms of their “inner voice”. It turns out, this varies somewhat from deaf person to deaf person, depending on their level of deafness and vocal training. Those who were born completely deaf and only learned sign language will, not surprisingly, think in sign language. What is surprising is those who were born completely deaf but learn to speak through vocal training will occasionally think not only in the particular sign language that they know, but also will sometimes think in the vocal language they learned, with their brains coming up with how the vocal language sounds. Primarily though, most completely deaf people think in sign language. Similar to how an “inner voice” of a hearing person is experienced in one’s own voice, a completely deaf person sees or, more aptly, feels themselves signing in their head as they “talk” in their heads.
Bonus Facts: It’s “Just Deserts” Not “Just Desserts” Humans Have a Lot More Than Five Senses. Today I found out humans have a lot more than five senses. It turns out, there are at least nine senses and most researchers think there are more like twenty-one or so. The Person Who Did the Voice of Yoda Also Did the Voice of Miss Piggy and the Cookie Monster. Why the Adam’s Apple is Called the Adam’s Apple. How the Blind Dream. Sugar Does Not Make Kids Hyper. Camels’ Humps Are Not Filled With Water. Everything You Know About Velociraptors Is A Lie.
The Word ‘Dinner’ Used to Refer to Breakfast. Why Popcorn Pops. The Iconic “Live Long and Prosper” Hand Gesture Was Originally a Jewish Sign. Why Soap Operas Are Called Soap Operas. Why Some Countries Drive on the Right and Some Countries Drive on the Left. The Origin of the Word “Soccer” Commercial Banana Plants are Perfect Clones of One Another. A Coffee “Bean” is Not Actually a Bean. What A.M. and P.M. Stand For. How to Hack an Alarm Clock. The Difference Between “Faze” and “Phase” Jesus Wasn’t Really A Carpenter. How to Tell if You are a Supertaster. Where the Dollar Sign Comes From. What Causes the Pain in Your Side You May Occasionally Feel While Running.
Lobsters Do Not Mate for Life. What Causes “Eye Floaters” The Word ‘Whence’ is Pretty Much Always Used Incorrectly. Honey Bees Know the World is Round and Can Calculate Angles. The Difference Between Jelly and Jam. The Color of The Twist Tie on Bread Packaging Means Something. The First Website Ever Made. The World’s Strongest Animal is the Copepod. What the Nautical Term ‘Avast’ Means and The Origin of Many Other Seafaring Words and Phrases. What the M’s stand for in “M&Ms” There is an Irony Mark in Punctuation.
No One Knows Why Maine is Called Maine. The Tragic Family Life of Kelsey Grammer. Jus Primae Noctis: Fact or Fiction? The Origins of the Lorem Ipsum Dolor Text. Where Bacon Comes From On a Pig. Why the Sky is Blue. There Was Once a Woman Who Had Immortal Cells. The Tongue Doesn’t Have Zones for Different Tastes. Voyager's Golden Record. The Way a Soldier's Horse is Portrayed in an Equestrian Statue Has Nothing to Do With How The Soldier Died. Does Cranberry Juice Get Rid of Urinary Tract Infections. Caffeine Does Not Stunt Your Growth. Cracking Your Knuckles Does Not Cause Arthritis. It Does Not Take "7 Years" to Digest Gum. Myth or Fact: Women's Menstrual Cycles Synchronize if They are in Close Proximity for Large Amounts of Time.
Et Tu Brute? Not Caesar's Last Words. People in Columbus' Time Did Not Think the World Was Flat. The Origin of the Loch Ness Monster. The Great Chicago Fire Wasn't Started by a Cow. Wearing Hats Does Not Cause You to Go Bald. Egg Whites Do Not Make a Good Burn Treatment. Why Is It Illegal to Remove Your Mattress and Pillow Tags? George Washington Never Chopped Down A Cherry Tree. Magellan Was Not the First Person to Circumnavigate the Globe, The Man Who First Did It May Have Been Magellan's Slave. A Brief History of the Movie Rating System.