1. Your Body Has (About) as Many Bacteria as Human Cells
Trillions of microbes live in and on you, especially in your gut. Current estimates put the ratio at roughly 1:1. Many of these bacteria aid digestion and support your immune system.
2. The Shortest War in History Lasted Around 38 Minutes
In 1896, the Anglo–Zanzibar War began and ended the same morning. Zanzibar surrendered in under an hour, making it the shortest recorded war in history.
3. Sea Cucumbers Defend Themselves by Ejecting Organs
When threatened, some sea cucumbers expel parts of their internal organs to distract predators. They can regenerate what they lose within weeks.
4. Your Taste Buds Have a Short Life
Taste receptor cells are replaced frequently. A typical taste bud lasts about 10 days before new cells take over, which is one reason taste can shift over time.
5. Slime Mold Can Solve Mazes
Despite having no brain, slime molds like Physarum polycephalum can find the shortest path to food in mazes. Researchers compare their growth patterns to efficient transport networks.
6. The Moon Has Moonquakes
The Moon experiences quakes caused by tidal forces, thermal changes, and deep internal activity. Some moonquakes can rumble for hours due to the Moon’s dry, rigid crust.
7. A Shrimp’s Heart Is in Its “Head”
In many shrimp, the heart sits in the thorax within a fused head–thorax shell (the cephalothorax). It’s just behind the head region—an efficient layout for tiny bodies.
8. There Are “Zombie” Ants
A parasitic fungus, Ophiocordyceps, hijacks an ant’s nervous system, drives it to a high perch, then kills it. The fungus sprouts from the body and rains spores onto other ants.
9. Your Brain Uses More Power Than a Light Bulb
The human brain consumes about 20 watts—more than some LED bulbs. For all that energy, it weighs only about 3 pounds and runs your entire world.
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