Is your knowledge about animals and their biology based on actual researched facts? Or is it based on repeated misconceptions that we’ve either heard as children or seen on television. You know, like that supposed eagle cry we hear in movies, or that rabbits absolutely love carrots more than anything else. Most of these so-called facts are nothing but lies that we unknowingly believe to be the truth. So let’s clear things up, shall we? Here are five of the funniest misconceptions we have about biology.

1. Bats Are Blind

Bats are one of the most misunderstood creatures in the animal kingdom. These nocturnal mammals sleep during the day but use echolocation at night to navigate their surroundings at night and to identify their prey. Because of this, many people wrongfully assume that they have poor vision, even to the point of blindness. But the truth is that bats have much sharper and accurate vision than humans. It’s just that their eyes are sensitive to sunlight due to their evolutionary adaptation to darkness, which is why they avoid both natural and artificial sources of light.

2. Carrots Are a Part of a Rabbit’s Diet

Whether it’s cartoons, TV shows or movies, there’s always a depiction of a rabbit munching down on a tasty carrot. While it’s true that rabbits enjoy eating them as a tasty treat, it shouldn’t be a major part of their diet. This is due to the high sugar content which affects microbial balance in the rabbit’s gut. Also when sugar ferments, it produces gas which can cause gastrointestinal stasis, a potentially fatal condition in these fluffy. Furthermore, rabbits don’t eat carrots at all in the wild.

3. The “Eagle” Cry in Movies Is Made by an Eagle

So it turns out that the cinematic eagle cry sound effect we often hear in movies is anything but that of a bald eagle’s. That’s actually the screeching from a red-tailed hawk. One probable reason for this is because the real cry of an eagle is much weaker than you’d think. Instead, it sounds more like a high-pitched screech or chirp. Other times, they will produce a deep guttural growl, which is used as a warning call to other bald eagles. Bald eagles also use a wide variety of other sounds including hissing, clicking and mooing.

4. Sharks Are the Ultimate Predators in the Ocean

Yes, sharks, especially great white sharks are downright scary given that they can tear our limbs off with little to no effort. But they are far from being at the ocean’s top of the food chain. That title belongs to orcas who many people mistake for whales but are actually part of the dolphin family. Unlike sharks, these vicious animals are known for hunting in packs, hence why they’re nicknamed the wolves of the ocean. They can even take down a blue whale, the largest known animal in the world.

5. Bulls Get Angry When They See Red

Many people assume that bulls react negatively to red capes simply because of the color. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. First of all, bulls and other cattle are dichromat, which means that they can only perceive two color pigments. This means that they’re partially colorblind and red is one of the colors that they can’t see. So what makes them so angry? It’s really the movements of the red cape that irritates them so much, not to mention that they’re specifically bred for aggression and physique.

An economic activity that occurs outside of officially recognized channels is known as a black market. Market participants conduct illegal transactions “under the table” to get around price regulations or levies imposed by the government. The products and services sold on the black market are often in high demand. Generally speaking, the extent of economic activity that occurs through the black market can be expected to be higher the more the government attempts to manage and control the economy. Some black markets are well known but there are those who many people don’t know exist. Here are five of these.

1. Spam

The Hormel Company began to manufacture Spam from 1939 . Spam has become increasingly popular over the years and now sells millions of cans yearly. With Spam being widely available, why did it make this list? Spam is quite popular in Hawaii. In fact it was a local delicacy there. In 2017, Hawaii’s demand for Spam became so great that businesses had to deal with a wave of thefts and a burgeoning illicit market for the meat. Thieves were stealing it in bulk from stores, and it was being resold on the black market and from the trunks of cars to make money quickly.

2. Oltermanni Cheese

Cheese of various kinds is well liked and is used in a variety of dishes. There is a major black market for cheese in Russia. The most popular commodity being traded illegally in Russia is a cheese from Finland called Oltermanni. This was brought about by the travel restriction in Europe during Covid-19. In Finland, a kilogram of this cheese costs five Euros but it is four times more in Russia. The trucks from Russia that have been bringing the cheese across the border have been under surveillance by customs officers in Finland.

3. Razors

Razors are often sold at the supermarket, convenience stores and beauty supply stores. Quite often they are displayed in glass cases and under lock and key. But why? Razors and razor blades are small and very easy to conceal and steal. This was an observation made by US police. Razors and replacement blades, especially from top brands, are expensive. Thieves resell this commodity quickly as there is a demand for them. These stolen items are untraceable and can be sold online on Craig’s List and at small local shops. This trend was observed in the US from 2016.

4. Body Modification

Body modification, when done by authentic and licensed plastic surgeons, can result in satisfied clients who get just what they wanted. However, the black market for these medical procedures is run by unlicensed individuals who may have no medical background or experience. They do botched injections using free-silicone which is a liquid which is a non-approved form rather than like an implant. This can harden and even travel around making it harmful to one’s health. There are people who have lost their lives by undergoing such a procedure.

5. Plagiarized Dissertations

To obtain a doctor’s degree, a dissertation is a requirement. Well cheating in academia is more common than one may think. Students at this level look to take the easy road out by purchasing plagiarized dissertations on the black market. This practice is popular in many countries such as Russia. These dissertations, which are written by individuals with a little integrity, copy parts of dissertations, repackage them and sell them. Over 5,600 cases were detected by a group of volunteers who seek to expose this kind of fraud.

While Hollywood has seen many eras, the Golden Age between the 1920s and 1960s, may have had the greatest influence on society. This was a period where many famous movie actors were at their peak and several classic films were released. MGM, Paramount, Fox, Warner Bros and RKO are the studios that dominated the making of major motion pictures during Hollywood’s Golden Age and were in charge of every aspect of a movie’s production. Here are five of the best movies that were produced during this era1

1. Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane, a classic masterpiece released in 1941, is well known for its remarkable scenes, cinematic and narrative techniques. Produced by Orson Welles, this film is rated by critics as one of the greatest films ever made and as one of the pinnacles of Hollywood’s Golden Age. It is a biographical film that explores Charles Foster Kane’s life and legacy. After Kane passes away at the beginning of the movie, a reporter interviews people who knew him and the significance of his last word “Rosebud.” Flashbacks of Kane’s life are shown to accompany the interviews.

2. Around the World in Eighty Days

This 1956 American movie is one of adventure, comedy and history, based on the 1873 novel by Jules Verne. It is centered around Phileas Fogg, played by David Niven, a gentleman adventurer, who sets off on a journey to circumnavigate the globe and return home in eighty days after he bets that he can do so. While on his quest, Fogg is hounded by a persistent police inspector, Mr. Fix, who suspects Fogg of chicanery. Fogg is accompanied by his stalwart manservant, Passepartout.

3. Gone With The Wind

The 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell serves as the basis for the epic American historical romance film Gone with the Wind released in 1939. This movie is set in Georgia during the American Civil War. The beautiful but manipulative and selfish Scarlett O’Hara, daughter of a Georgia plantation owner, has a turbulent romance with a rogue profiteer. This movie was quite popular for years after its release and won eight Academy Awards.

4. The Grapes of Wrath

John Ford’s 1940 drama film “The Grapes of Wrath” is an American production based on the 1939 novel by John Steinbeck who won the Pulitzer Prize. It is centered on a family from Oklahoma that is forced from their farm by the Dust Bowl’s destitution and hopelessness, and migrates westward to California, where they experience the hardships of being homeless during the Great Depression. The themes of resiliency and courage are emphasized in this film. It is a gripping anxious mellow drama that is incredibly realistic and full of social and political explosions.

5. King Kong

Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack directed and produced the 1933 American pre-code adventure fantasy horror monster movie “King Kong.” One of the most recognizable movie scenes features a twenty-five-foot-tall ape on top of the Empire State Building, holding a distraught blonde in the palm of his hand while military planes try to take him down. This scene comes from the movie “King Kong.” The methods used to create King Kong were seen as cutting edge at that time. The use of miniature models, trick photography and incredible stop motion made this movie an epic one.

How can something be magnificent but scary at the same time? Well when you really think about it, most of the things that instill fear in us humans also pique our interest in ways that we don’t often understand. And on this wondrous blue planet that we live on, there’s no shortage of terrifyingly beautiful things for us to witness. So why don’t you keep on reading to see what made the cut.

1. Space

While this one is technically out-of-this-world, it’d be wrong to leave it out of this list. After all, there’s so much about our universe that’s barely understood. In the grand scheme of things, we’re just a grain of sand in the vastness of space that’s made up of billions of galaxies and stars, and black holes that suck in everything, not to mention asteroids that could easily wipe us out clean. But that doesn’t stop us from staring at the night sky in awe, even going as far as creating all sorts of stories and mythologies to put our curious minds at ease.  

2. Lightning

Lighting comes and goes pretty quickly, but have you ever seen pictures of it? Fascinating, isn’t it? There’s just something really cool about the way electricity streaks and crackles across against dark storm clouds. It’s even more impressive when multiple lightning bolts are photographed at once. But the scary part isn’t just the roaring thunder that follows. It’s the fact, in a stroke of extremely bad luck, that you could get struck by lightning. Though your chances of that happening is 1 in 300,000. 

3. Tornadoes

These devastating vertical funnels of rapidly spinning air are responsible for over a thousand injuries and nearly one hundred deaths every year in the United States. Most people are understandably terrified of tornadoes, but others find them fascinating to look at, even going as far as observing up close and personal. These people are known as tornado chasers, and the bigger the tornado, the more exhilarating they find the experience to be. But us regular folks prefer to admire them through pictures and videos. 

4. Volcanoes

Since the beginning of time, humans have held volcanoes in high regard, both worshiping them but also fearing the immense power hidden within. It’s safe to say that we modern humans aren’t that different from our ancestors—we’re still scared of volcanoes, obviously because of the extensive damage that eruptions can cause. But there’s no denying that it’s really interesting to watch a volcano spew out lava and molten rocks, even creating new islands! Sometimes eruptions will produce an electrical discharge known as volcanic lightning, further piquing our interest in volcanoes.

5. The Ocean

The ocean covers nearly 70% of the Earth, yet over 80% of it remains unexplored to this day. Many people are afraid of the unknown and there’s so much that we don’t know about what’s lying in the deepest parts of our own planet. But the 20% that we are aware of is quite spectacular, don’t you agree? Colorful tropical fishes and coral reefs, giant blue whales, great white sharks and so many more marvelous and unique creatures… some even glow in the dark! Not to mention the numerous shipwrecks that lie on the seafloor.

Body modifications are intentional changes to the human anatomy or physical appearance. Many see the human body as a canvas to decorate and modify. These changes are made for aesthetics, self expression, religious beliefs, culture and to signify social status and identity. While one may think that body modifications are a recent trend, some of them date back centuries. Over the years, body modifications have grown to encompass more extreme forms. Here are five ancient examples of body modifications.

1. Tattoos

The art of tattooing is one that is thousands of years old. The oldest tattooed man, Otzi the Iceman, who was a 5,200-year-old mummy was discovered in 1991 in the Italian-Austrian border. Scientists believe that tattoos on his body were applied for therapeutic purposes, to alleviate joint pain. Tattooing was commonly practiced on women. It is thought that only women who participated in ceremonial activities during the reign of the Egyptian priestess Amunet were tattooed. The practice was carried out exclusively for spiritual purposes. A mummy from the Chinchorro culture in pre-Incan Peru had a mustache tattooed on his upper lip. Tattoos were used to symbolize status, accomplishments and punishments.

2. Scarification 

Scarification is a form of permanent body alteration or body art that involves scratching, etching, burning or superficially cutting patterns, images or words into the skin. It is an ancient practice that was done throughout many different cultures. The practice is an indigenous one with roots in West Africa for ritual purposes and cultural expression. In various cultures, scarification was done as a rite of passage, to demonstrate health and attractiveness to partners, for medical purposes, aesthetics, spirituality and pain endurance.

3. Piercings

Body piercings were done in a wide range of cultures all across the world. It involves a cut or puncture of a part of the body where jewelry or an important implant is placed. An Iraqi stone sculpture from the ninth century BC depicting a man with pierced ears is the earliest example of body piercing discovered. The oldest mummified body which was discovered had earrings which means that body piercings are over 5,200 years old. Nose piercings were practiced from 1,500 BCE. Lip and tongue piercings are historically a part of African cultures. Piercings were used to indicate affiliation to a tribe, status, appear fierce to enemies and to enhance attractiveness.

4. Skin Bleaching 

Skin bleaching or lightening is the process of using chemicals in an effort to lighten or provide an even skin tone by lowering the melanin concentration in the skin. This practice dates back to 200 BCE. Honey with olive oil was used by the ancient Egyptians, Greek and Romans to lighten their skin. To obtain what is often referred to as a ghostly look, the women of the Victorian era used powder and paint. Queen Elizabeth I took arsenic complexion wafers although it was detrimental to health.

5. Plastic Surgery 

Plastic surgery involves the reconstruction or restoration of the body through surgical means. More than 4,000 years ago, surgical methods were used to treat facial injuries. As early as 800 BC, doctors of ancient India performed reconstructive surgery using skin grafts. During the Greco-Roman period, books were written on the methods for reconstructing the lips, ears and nose.  During the Renaissance, there were advances in surgical techniques. In the twentieth century, reconstructive plastic surgery became necessary for many soldiers.  Today, plastic surgery is popular in many parts of the world.    

Chocolate lovers will agree that chocolate, regardless of the kind, is one of life’s most decadent treats. Dark chocolate is a type of chocolate that just contains cocoa butter and solids without the addition of milk or butter that is present in milk chocolate. It contains much larger amounts of cocoa and less sugar than milk chocolate. Without additional sugar it is referred to as bitter chocolate or unsweetened chocolate. Dark chocolate is considered the most nutritious form of chocolate and is popular for its numerous health benefits. Here are five of these benefits.

1. Heart Health 

Consuming dark chocolate, which contains at least seventy percent cocoa, helps improve heart health. It has been proven that dark chocolate helps reduce the risk of heart disease. It contains a type of flavonoid which is a powerful disease-fighting antioxidant. Due to the flavonoids capacity to relax the blood vessels and increase their elasticity, high blood pressure can be lowered and blood clots can be prevented. Better blood flow helps protect us from heart disease.

2. Enhances Mood

We all have bad days where we feel down and not in the best of moods. When you feel that way, have some dark chocolate. It has been scientifically proven that consuming dark chocolate can help enhance one’s mood. For a very long time, dark chocolate has been linked to joy and pleasure. The chemicals in chocolate cause the brain to release neurotransmitters which mimic the feeling of happiness. The neurotransmitter, phenylethylamine, causes the pulse rate to increase and make one happy. Serotonin is another neurotransmitter with mood lifting ability that is triggered by the intake of chocolate.

3. Good For The Skin

Dark chocolate is known to provide the body with many vitamins and minerals which are associated with healthy skin. These include iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper and phosphorus. Manganese, for instance, encourages the synthesis of collagen, a protein that keeps skin appearing young and healthy. It locks in moisture in the skin to help prevent the onset of fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, antioxidants in dark chocolate are thought to possibly shield skin from the sun’s potent ultraviolet radiation. Dark chocolate keeps skin bright while assisting in the reduction of dark spots and pigmentation. Nutrients such as copper, iron and zinc promote cell growth. Minerals in dark chocolate speed up cell repair. It removes dead skin cells and exposes smooth skin.

4. Improves Blood Sugar Levels 

When consumed as part of a healthy diet, studies have shown that healthy amounts of dark chocolate that is high in cocoa can improve how the body metabolizes glucose. High blood glucose levels are brought on by insulin resistance, which is characterized by type 2 diabetes. Scientists have found that flavonoids in dark chocolate lower oxidative stress which they believe to be the main factor causing insulin resistance. The body’s sensitivity to insulin is increased, which lowers resistance and lowers one’s risk of developing disorders like diabetes.

5. Improves Cognition and Prevents Memory Loss

By increasing blood flow to the brain, ingredients in dark chocolate improve memory, learning, attention, reaction time and problem-solving abilities. It has been proven in both young and old that people’s improved blood flow to the brain is a result of the flavonoids in chocolate. According to research, eating dark chocolate can alter the brainwave frequency which can help with memory enhancement and the reduction of stress. Some researchers believe that consuming dark chocolate could slow down the progression of dementia, which is characterized by memory loss and cognitive function.

Secret societies operate from the shadows and influence our world in ways that most people aren’t aware of. They’re often the subject of conspiracy theories as mysterious figures who plot behind the scenes as the ultimate puppet masters. Some of the biggest moments in history have been the works of many of these organizations who brought about great change, for better or worse. Regardless of their motives, here are five secret societies that shaped our world.

1. The Black Hand (Serbia)

On May 9, 1911, the Serbian organization the Black Hand or Unification or Death was founded in order to fight against the Ottoman rule. Led by Colonel Dimitrijevic, the Black Hand operated on many different levels and made sure that the members had minimal contact with each other. As for their leader Dimitrijevic or Apis as he was known, well it was he who planned the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose death led to a series of riots and violence throughout the empire, which quickly snowballed into the outbreak of World War I.

2. The Germanenorden (Germany)

World War II was by far the worst event in human history. But before Adolf Hitler took over the German Workers Party in 1920, there was the Germanenorden who unfortunately, like Hitler, were antisemetic, and upheld the Aryan race as superior. Established in 1812, the Gemanenorden adopted the Swastika symbol in 1916 and soon began recruiting members who had to follow absurd initiation rituals that involved dressing up as kings, knights, nymphs and many more. By 1918, they called themselves the Thule Society, followed by the GWP. And the rest is history, as the saying goes.

3. Katipunan (Philippines)

The Philippines gained their independence on June 12, 1898 and this was the result of an all-out attack by the secret society, Katipunan. The male-only organization was born on July 7, 1892, out of a deep desire to overthrow the Spanish. They had their own codes and rituals, but the main one was that every document had to be signed with the fluid coursing through their veins. After many years of hiding in the shadows, the Katipunan had their cover blown and with that, they launched a full-scale revolt against the Spanish that ended in favor of the Katipunan and the rest of the Filipinos.

4. Irish Republican Brotherhood (Ireland)

March 17, 1858 marks the founding of the Irish Revolutionary Brotherhood which was originally an open political organization called United Irishmen. However, they were forced to operate from the shadows after being suppressed by the British, vowing to put an end to their rule. The IRB soon spread all over the world, and in 1916, under the leadership of Thomas Clarke, led their very first rebellion known as the Easter Rising. Despite their failure, they rose up again, this time leading the Anglo-Irish war that resulted in the creation of the Irish Free State in 1921.

5. Filiki Etaireia (Greece)

The Ottoman Empire encompassed much of Southern Europe, Western Asia and Northern Africa, and Greece was one of the many countries under their rule. Much like the Black Hand society in Serbia, the Greeks wanted to be free, leading to the creation of the Filiki Etaireia or Friendly Brotherhood. Secrecy was taken very seriously and anyone with loose lips paid the price with their lives. In the spring of 1821, the Greek Revolution was set into motion with the help of a Russian officer named Alexander Ypsilantis. The Brotherhood disbanded shortly after but Greece gained their independence regardless.