There are many interesting facts that we overlook or simply have no idea about. Some are historically based, while others may be scientific. 

Do you know where you can find the largest tree in the world? 

Did you know that in 1986 a black woman invented the Laserphaco Probe for cataract treatment? 

The answer to these questions will be at the end of this article. 

We are going to tackle a few random facts that are entertaining, insightful and noteworthy. 

1 – Cats have five toes on their front paws and four on their back paws. Does this help them to run faster? Scientists think so! 

2 – The tiny pocket that is on the front of most jeans was meant to store pocket watches. This tiny pocket is commonly called “coin pocket”, “match pocket” or “ticket pocket”, to name a few. It is linked to the first pair of Levi’s jeans that came out in 1879. 

3 – Octopuses and squids have beaks that are made of keratin. A bird’s beak and human fingernails are also made of keratin. 

4 – Violin bows are made from hair taken from a horse’s tail.  

5 – Bulls and other cattle are colour-blind to the colour red. During a bull fight, when the bull charges, it may be in response to the matador’s swift movements and not the actual colour of the matador’s small cape. 

6 – The national animal for Scotland is the unicorn, which represents innocence, purity, masculinity and power. 

7 – In 2015, scientists discovered sharks living in one of the most active underwater volcanoes on earth, in the Solomon Islands. They dropped a deep-sea camera into the crater of the main peak of the volcano (Kavachi) while it was inactive. It revealed hammerheads and silky sharks living inside. The creatures appeared to be unaffected by the hostile temperatures and acidity. 

8 – The Ethiopian calendar comprises of 13 months. It is approximately seven to eight years behind the Gregorian calendar. 

9 – The quietest room in the world is an anechoic chamber at Orfield Laboratories in Minnesota. According to the lab’s founder, Steven Orfield, the longer you stay in the room, the more accustomed your ear gets to it. You may hear your heart beating and stomach gurgling. 

10 – 3D printing has made it easier for NASA to get tools to astronauts. In the past, it would take months for astronauts to get tools. Today, with 3D printing, these tools can be sent via email. 

In conclusion, we are also sharing the answers to the two questions that are the beginning of this article.  

The largest tree in the world is in the Sequoia National Park, California. It is also called General Sherman and is about 52,500 cubic feet (1,487 cubic meters) in volume. It is approximately 2000 years old.  

Dr Patricia Bath created the Laserphaco Probe. Dr Bath is the first African-American female doctor to receive a medical patent. She is also the first African American to complete a residency in ophthalmology. 

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Sources: Biography, Live Science, Fact Site, Readers Digest, Best Life, Science Line, National Geographic and Livin3.