{"id":39642,"date":"2015-09-10T10:30:24","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T14:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.uncommongoods.pro\/?p=39642"},"modified":"2017-02-14T11:15:40","modified_gmt":"2017-02-14T16:15:40","slug":"the-best-of-uncommon-knowledge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/2015\/the-best-of-uncommon-knowledge\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best of Uncommon Knowledge: 10 Tidbits to Tighten Your Trivia Game"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/a><\/p>\n

Have you ever wondered why so many things are referred to as\u00a0things<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>or why we wish upon stars<\/a>? We do, and we’re not about to just sit around wondering! Each week we go out and find a bit of Uncommon Knowledge<\/a>\u00a0that answers one of those less-than-pressing, but certainly entertaining, questions. We’ve compiled quite the collection\u00a0<\/a>of trivial tidbits over the years, and we figured it was about time to find out which fun facts our readers find the most interesting. The 10 questions below received the most clicks from customers when featured in\u00a0our weekly emails<\/a>. (We threw in the answers, too.)<\/p>\n

Why are moonshine jugs marked XXX?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Personalized<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Personalized Whiskey Barrel<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Most of us have only seen them in cartoons or caricatures, but we all know what it means: an old-fashioned jug marked with XXX is full of moonshine<\/a>. It turns out that the marks refer specifically to moonshine\u2019s distilling process. The moonshiners would start by distilling a mash of fermented sugar cane pulp. The resulting liquid, known as the \u201csinglings,\u201d is foul-tasting and a mere 30-40% alcohol by volume. To get the kick that moonshine is known for, it has to go through two more distillations\u2014rendering it almost 100% pure alcohol. The three X\u2019s on the jug were meant to signify that its contents had completed that triple-step process, and also that it might just be strong enough<\/a> to knock your shoes off, curl your hair, and take your breath away for the next thirty-six hours.<\/p>\n

Why do refined people have blue blood?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Anatomical<\/a>Anatomical Heart Pendant\u00a0<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

They don\u2019t. No one does. Blood does vary in color\u2014but only from bright red to dark red. The fact that some blood vessels appear blue beneath the skin is actually trick of the light. Much in the same way that the ocean looks blue<\/a> even though water itself has no color, when light passes through the outer layers of our skin and bounces off a blood vessel, the frequency most likely to bounce back out to our eyes is blue. That does not have any effect on the color of the blood itself. However, this misconception has long been a tool for supporting class distinction. Starting as far back as medieval Spain, being able to see veins of \u201csangre azul\u201d beneath pale skin was a mark of a privileged, sheltered life that was unavailable to the sun-tanned working class. And though now we live in an age where sun-starved office workers<\/a> dream of luxuriating out on the beach somewhere, our blue-blooded illusion of the upper class remains.<\/p>\n

Are you a citizen of Pelisipia?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Scratch<\/a><\/p>\n

Scratch Map<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

If Thomas Jefferson had had his way, you might be. In 1787, the newly-formed government of the United States passed an ordinance claiming the land south of the Great Lakes as American soil. Called the Northwest Territory, this act established the pattern by which the government would expand its borders westward: by creating new states rather than by expanding existing ones. Thomas Jefferson was one of the early proponents of this plan. The author of the Declaration of Independence turned his pen to the map of this new frontier, drew straight lines dividing the area into seventeen proposed states, and invented names for them all using a combination of Latin and Native American words. Some of those names, like Illinoia and Michigania, were adapted into official usage. Others, however, would have given an entirely different flavor to the American landscape.<\/a> Can you imagine hailing from the great states of Metropotamia, Equitasia, Chersonesus, Assenisipia?<\/p>\n

Can math save your toast?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Toaster<\/a><\/p>\n

Toaster Grilled Cheese Bags<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all experienced the devastating loss of freshly buttered toast. One careless knock off the plate, a case of\u2026butterfingers\u2026en route to your mouth, and the whole slice goes plummeting to its certain doom\u2014almost always to land butter-side down. Conventional wisdom would suggest that you only stand a 50-50 chance of completely ruining breakfast. However, conventional wisdom does not take into account the nature of bread. Bread is made up of delicious pockets of air, which affect its drag as it falls. Cover up those pockets with butter, and you have a rotation situation, meaning (according to science) the bread is only able to rotate one and a half times on its way to your kitchen tile. If your table is standard height, this means you\u2019ll probably be cleaning butter off the floor in the near future. So what\u2019s a bruncher to do? After dropping 100 perfectly good pieces of toast, food science specialists determined<\/a> that an eight-foot tall table would allow for a full 360-degree rotation, and the salvation of your morning carbohydrate. Incredibly tall toast fans rejoice!<\/p>\n

Does short hair make women wild?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Honey<\/a>Honey Bears Shampoo and Conditioner Set<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

It sure must have seemed that way in the early 20th century. Women had worn their hair long in Western culture for centuries, and the latest look at the turn of the century\u2014the Gibson girl<\/a>\u2014required long tresses piled luxuriantly on top of the head. So during WWI, when women began cutting their hair at ear-level, it was considered rather scandalous. But 1915 was a tipping point, when famed ballroom dancer Irene Castle introduced the \u201cCastle Bob\u201d haircut<\/a>. Suddenly short hair for women entered the mainstream, along with other shocking fashions, such as high hemlines and cloche hats\u2014which could only be worn by those with short hair. Hairdressers were initially so resistant to the new trend that women would line up outside of men\u2019s barbershops just to get their locks sheered. So did the bob make women wild? Not exactly. The fact is that, in the beginning, short hair was a practical choice for women during the war who were joining the workforce. Long hair is lovely for a magazine spread, but impractical when working with heavy machinery. And even Irene Castle picked her signature look for its ease when dancing. It was only later, in the 1920s, when women\u2014now with a literal weight off their minds\u2014began wondering what additional kinds of liberation they might enjoy.<\/p>\n

Did you inherit DNA from both parents?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Genetic<\/a><\/p>\n

Genetic Code Glasses<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Yes and no. The kind of DNA<\/a> that we typically think of in our cells, which is responsible for giving you your father\u2019s nose or your mother\u2019s dimples, definitely comes from both parents. However, that\u2019s not the only kind of DNA you have. Inside your cells are a variety of \u201corganelles\u201d that perform specific functions. One of those, the mitochondrion, is known as the cell\u2019s power plant. It also happens to contain its own independent set of DNA. Research suggests that this genetic material actually has a separate evolutionary origin than our regular DNA, and that mitochondria may have once been bacteria that established a symbiotic relationship within our cells. The other surprising fact about mitochondrial DNA? Children only inherit it from their mothers.<\/p>\n

Are beards good for you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Razor<\/a>Razor Pit Sharpener<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

It has been scientifically proven that beards are awesome<\/a>. For one thing, a beard can literally save you from cancer, by blocking 90% of the UV rays that would ordinarily be hitting your face. Since UV radiation also causes signs of aging in skin, a beard can keep you looking younger longer. Facial hair can also reduce your trouble with allergies, by trapping dust and pollen. On the other hand, shaving can cause skin irritation, ingrown hair and bacterial infections. So don\u2019t just grow that beard to enhance your rugged manliness. Grow it for your health.<\/p>\n

Why do you want to eat a baby?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Egg<\/a><\/p>\n

Egg Roll Baby<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

You know all those times when seeing a newborn makes you say, \u201cOh, what a sweet baby! I could just eat you right up<\/a>!\u201d Or that inclination to pop those cute little toes into your mouth, or to blow a raspberry on that roly-poly tummy? Research suggests that you do those things because babies make you subconsciously think about food. It\u2019s the smell that does it. The scent of a newborn baby activates the area of the brain that controls food cravings, and prompts a release of the feel-good chemical dopamine. Fortunately, this hunger doesn\u2019t drive us to literally eat our young. Instead, it gives us a craving to nurture, feed and protect those precious little dumplings.<\/p>\n

How powerful is a name?\"Personalized<\/a><\/strong>Personalized House Sign – Times Square Subway<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Sticks and stones may break your bones, but an embarrassing nickname<\/a> can haunt you for centuries. King Alfonso IX of Leon, for example, is still recorded in the history books as \u201cThe Slobberer\u201d because of his tendency to foam at the mouth when angry. Sometimes, however, the nicknames stick so well that we don\u2019t even realize they are nicknames. Ernesto \u201cChe\u201d Guevara was given his nickname because he used the word \u201cche\u201d so often\u2014it\u2019s the Argentine equivalent of saying \u201cdude\u201d or \u201cbro.\u201d The ancient Greek philosopher Plato was actually named Aristocles. The name Plato was supposedly given to him by his wrestling coach, and means \u201cbroad\u201d\u2014perhaps the ancient Greek version of \u201ctubby.\u201d But when a nickname sticks, sometimes the best defense is to run with it. When James Hickock couldn\u2019t shake the nickname \u201cDuck Bill\u201d\u2014a reference to his large nose and protruding upper lip\u2014he instead altered it just a bit, and became known as Wild Bill Hickok, one of the most famous gunslingers of the American West.<\/p>\n

Why are wedding cakes so tall?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Gold<\/a><\/p>\n

Gold Rimmed Serving Pedestal\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Those hilarious videos<\/a> you\u2019ve seen online, where hapless newlyweds accidentally topple their towering wedding cakes, are actually right in line with a centuries-old tradition. Before wedding cakes as we know them were developed, a tradition in medieval England was to celebrate a marriage with a towering pile of sweetened buns. The bread was heaped high on the table, and if the couple could reach across for a kiss without knocking any over, they were said to be guaranteed a life of happiness together. It seems likely that the guests would leave the stack just short enough for the bride and groom to succeed\u2014and yet, the entertainment value of seeing it fall must have been a sore temptation. So, perhaps all of these collapsing confections in the videos are not accidents, but exactly what the wedding cake was originally designed to do.<\/p>\n

\"See<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever wondered why toast falls butter side down or what makes us go goo-goo-gaga over adorable babies? We do, and we’re not about to just sit around wondering! Our Uncommon Knowledge series answers just such questions. Here’s a look at the top 10 Uncommon Knowledge tidbits featured in our emails. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":122,"featured_media":39929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[870,1544,813],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39642"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39642"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":55249,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39642\/revisions\/55249"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uncommongoods.pro\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}