Barbara Ferra Fotografia/Getty Images
To recall a former scene with high precision, like a photograph, is to have photographic memory. We still lack evidence that photographic memory is real, despite the fact that many people claim to possess it. But there’s a disease called Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM) that lets people remember specific details from their lives, even down to the dates. For instance, individuals might recall specifics of their meal on May 1, 1999, such as the day of the week (Saturday) and the date. While the recollections of those with HSAM are extraordinary, they are not as trustworthy as those captured in images.
Coldest place on Earth is the East Antarctic plateau.
The East Antarctic plateau, which spans more than a thousand kilometres, is where scientists measured the record-breaking temperature of -94°C. The plateau has the coldest recorded temperature on Earth, despite the fact that no one was present to make the measurement. The measurement was taken from satellites flying above two ice domes located thousands of metres above sea level called Dome Argus and Dome Fuji. It was estimated that the air temperature may be around -94°C, but researchers believe that the dry air in the vicinity might make it considerably colder than that.
More than 1500 eggs are laid each day by queen bees.
Queen honeybees may lay more than their own weight in eggs each day, and they can live for up to seven years. The queen bee’s sole purpose in life is to lay eggs, while the worker bees in the colony tend to her every need. The workers’ glands in their heads secrete royal jelly, which is supplied to the queen in place of pollen and honey. The colony will choose a new queen when the previous one dies, however in some cases there may be numerous new queens and they will have to kill each other to become the dominant queen. The last surviving drone will fly to a drone congregating region, where she will have sex with several dozen drones and store up to six million sperm.
The previous ice age may have been ended by hysterical laughter.
Getty Images/Monica Bertolazzi
The use of nitrous oxide (often known as laughing gas) as an anaesthetic dates back to the nineteenth century. These days, you can usually find it in the catering business in the form of compact steel cartridges specifically designed for whipping cream. However, nitrous oxide is a major contributor to global warming and an ozone-depleting substance. While its concentration in the atmosphere is far lower than that of carbon dioxide (only 330 parts per billion), its ability to trap heat is 300 times greater. In fact, it seems possible that the end of the last glacier was hastened by a surge of nitrous oxide emitted from plants around 14,500 years ago.
Yawns aren’t always a sign of exhaustion.
Yawning is often interpreted as a symptom of fatigue or boredom. That’s why most people believe it helps bring more oxygen into the blood, making them feel more awake and aware. Robert Provine, a psychologist at the University of Maryland, conducted an experiment to test this theory and discovered that participants were just as likely to yawn when exposed to oxygen-rich air. An examination of yawning patterns reveals an alternative rationale. Most unprompted yawning occurs just before we do anything physically demanding, like a workout, a performance, or an exam, or when we first wake up. That’s why some believe yawning revs up the body by sending more blood to the brain.
If a tablet is coloured, it may have a greater placebo effect.
The placebo effect refers to the unexplained alleviation of a patient’s medical symptoms through the use of suggestion or expectation. However, what we do know is that the potency of the placebo effect can be influenced by a variety of circumstances. Merely having a trusted medical professional assure a patient that their treatment would work can set off this reaction. The effectiveness of the placebo effect has been proven to be affected by seemingly unrelated variables, such as the form that tablets take. As an illustration, coloured pills are more effective as placebos than white ones.
FAQs
1. What is photographic memory?
Photographic memory is the ability to recall a scene with high precision, similar to a photograph. While many people claim to have it, there’s limited evidence supporting its existence.
2. What is Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM)?
HSAM is a condition that allows individuals to remember specific life details, even down to dates. However, their recollections may not be as reliable as actual images.
3. What’s the coldest place on Earth? The East Antarctic plateau holds the record for the coldest temperature ever measured on Earth at around -94°C, determined using satellites above ice domes.
4. How many eggs can queen honeybees lay daily?
Queen honeybees can lay more than their own weight in eggs each day, which can amount to over 1500 eggs. They are supported by worker bees’ secretion of royal jelly.
5. Could laughter have ended the previous ice age?
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) emissions from plants, contributing to global warming, might have influenced the end of the last ice age around 14,500 years ago.
6. Is yawning always a sign of exhaustion?
Yawning isn’t solely related to fatigue; it can occur before physically demanding activities or upon waking up. It might help increase blood flow to the brain.
7. How does tablet color affect the placebo effect?
The placebo effect, which improves medical symptoms through suggestion, can be influenced by various factors. Colored tablets might have a stronger placebo effect than white ones.
