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Discover how ordinary items can transform your life and save you $500! From closet rods to pool noodles, these ingenious hacks reveal the hidden uses of everyday objects. Learn about the surprising benefits of white vinegar for fixing common household issues and why these simple tools outperform pricey gadgets. Explore the science behind these incredible solutions and uncover the secrets of budget-friendly living. Say goodbye to costly repairs with these smart life hacks!
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00:00The Queen's Guard all appear to have the same uniform, with a shared role of standing stoically for a long
00:06time.
00:07But if you look closely at their hats, there are five different types.
00:12The Grenadier has a white plume, the Coldstream has a red one, the Irish a blue plume, the Welsh green
00:19and white, and the Scots Guard has none.
00:23Their different divisions perform similar ceremonial duties at Buckingham Palace, but they have other actual roles as well, suited to
00:32their specialization.
00:34When peeling your boiled eggs, you can see a hidden layer under the shell.
00:38These two membranes, an inner and outer one, are made from the same stuff as your hair, keratin.
00:44It protects the inside from bacteria and stops liquids from escaping.
00:49You use X in your texts, which represents a kiss. It's been used this way for a very long time.
00:55Its original purpose dates back to the Middle Ages, where it was a representation of a person's faith, honesty, and
01:02sincerity.
01:03Those that would sign off with an X would kiss it after signing as a display of a sworn oath.
01:10The X's meaning later changed to represent the action of kissing.
01:14And the first document showing this was a letter dating back to 1763, written by a naturalist, Gilbert White, who
01:22sent it to his wife.
01:25William Shakespeare is a name familiar to everyone.
01:28However, we don't know whether this was the actual way his name was spelled, and neither did he.
01:34He signed 80 different variations of his name spelling on all his works.
01:39Historians haven't a clue which the correct spelling is.
01:42The version that we know of was only used on two of his plays.
01:48Different forms of alarm clocks were invented as far back as 348 BCE, with many versions throughout the world, all
01:56with complicated mechanics.
01:58Unaffordable to mostly everyone, they didn't catch on.
02:02Alternate methods to wake up in the morning started to be used in the 1800s.
02:06One process involving knocker-uppers was common in some countries.
02:11A person visited your house every morning to knock on your door four times.
02:17Inventor Antoine Rédier felt that he should be woken only when he felt it necessary.
02:22So, in 1847, he invented the first adjustable alarm clock.
02:28Tennis balls in Wimbledon must be kept at a perfect temperature to ensure they bounce at a consistent level.
02:35They're stored at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, so they're cold enough that the molecules inside the ball shrink, ensuring they bounce
02:42lower.
02:43Then, they're continuously swapped throughout a match as they expand by being hit too much, becoming too bouncy.
02:51Wimbledon goes through 50,000 tennis balls each year.
02:56You enjoy the smell of a freshly mowed lawn, as you associate it with the weekends and summer.
03:02But that smell is a sign of stress made by the grass.
03:05Grass evolved to emit various elements when being eaten by bugs.
03:10This signal attracts predator insects to remove them.
03:14But unfortunately for the grass, there's nothing large enough to deter a lawnmower.
03:19There is no oxygen inside your packet of chips.
03:23If there was, it would influence the combination of molecules forming inside, spoiling the chips faster.
03:29The packets are instead filled with nitrogen, which pushes oxygen out.
03:34And this extends the shelf life and quality of your chips.
03:39You're traveling by plane overnight and just can't get to sleep.
03:43And the first night in a hotel wasn't great, regardless of how comfy the bed was.
03:48This is because of a human evolutionary trait called the first night effect.
03:54When you sleep in a different place than your home, the left side of the brain responds to more sounds
04:00while you're asleep.
04:01It continues to analyze your surroundings without you realizing, acting as though it's on a night watch and keeping you
04:07alert for any potential dangers.
04:10Most animals have this trait, although it's a lot more subtle in humans.
04:15But it's still effective enough to make sure you get your peanuts.
04:20Before playing basketball with hoops, you would have instead been playing with peach baskets.
04:25When the game was invented in 1891, a peach basket was used, with the bottom of it cut off.
04:31But it only took 15 years for players to grow tired of constantly collecting the jammed balls and to remove
04:37the basket altogether.
04:39When you click your fingers, the snapping sound isn't from the physical click of finger and thumb.
04:45The noise actually comes from the finger hitting the palm.
04:50The instant film for the first Polaroid cameras didn't have their own coating after taking a photo.
04:55To develop it, you applied it yourself.
04:58Waiting for it to dry took a long time, so shaking it sped up the process.
05:03Then, from the 1970s, the film provided everything required for the photo to develop,
05:08making the popular craze of shaking Polaroids pointless.
05:12Shaking the photo can cause the ink to wave or blur before drying properly,
05:17so you shouldn't actually shake it like a Polaroid picture, and just wait patiently instead.
05:23Bug spray doesn't repel all bugs, especially the worst of them all, mosquitoes.
05:28It does cover the scent of carbon dioxide, which is what attracts mosquitoes.
05:33But the spray only protects you for a short distance.
05:37Mosquitoes can also track carbon dioxide over long distances.
05:41They will continue to stalk you until they find a gap in your invisible bug shield.
05:46A great alternative is lavender, which contains linalool.
05:51This fragrance completely overloads the mosquito's senses, making it unable to track you.
05:57The half-belt on the back of some jackets appear like a fashion accessory.
06:02It was initially designed that way for larger jackets,
06:04as they could also be used as a blanket to wrap around oneself.
06:09The belt's position helps hold the material together,
06:11so it's easier to walk with whilst keeping you warm.
06:16Ketchup wasn't originally intended to be your favorite condiment.
06:20In 1834, a physician, John Cook, sold ketchup as a cure for indigestion.
06:26It was an immediate hit, and today, 10 billion ounces are purchased annually in the USA,
06:33although not as the intended medicine.
06:37Thomas Edison made over 1,000 inventions,
06:40and one in particular, the lightbulb, is most famously linked to him.
06:44However, he didn't actually invent it.
06:47Warren Delarue, a British chemist, had solved this scientific challenge 40 years earlier.
06:53There were also 20 other inventors who made alternate versions before Edison did.
06:58But earlier varieties relied on cotton thread and only lasted up to 14 hours.
07:04Edison, in 1880, used a carbonized bamboo thread instead,
07:09and his worked up to 1,200 hours.
07:12It became the most commercially viable lightbulb,
07:14and today's ones are similarly shaped to Edison's original.
07:19The first treadmill was used in England in 1818.
07:23It was a large wooden cylinder with a handrail,
07:26although it wasn't used to keep fit.
07:29Convicted criminals would be forced to use these for up to 10 hours per day as a punishment.
07:35The energy output potential was realized,
07:38and soon it was built to work with water pumps and grain grinders.
07:42It was so effective that it was used in all prisons throughout the country.
07:46But in 1902, it was decided that it was too harsh and stopped.
07:50And now, this cruel punishment is mainly found in gyms.
07:55During the 1940s, there was a shortage of cocoa,
07:59and it was important to find a solution to this problem.
08:01A production company found a way by mixing only a small amount of cocoa with hazelnuts and milk,
08:08and the original Nutella was created.
08:11It started out as a loaf spread, like a stick of butter.
08:14It then transformed into a creamier version inside a jar in 1951.
08:19But it wasn't until 1964 that it was given its famous name.
08:24Your passport might be a dark shade of either green, blue, or red.
08:29The darker color not only makes them appear more official,
08:33but is intended so that through its journeys,
08:35the dirt that's collected is more easily hidden.
08:39Wasabi was first used back in the 8th century.
08:43It wasn't meant as a spicy condiment as it's served with sushi today.
08:47Initially, it was used for its antimicrobial properties
08:51that help avoid the harmful reactions to fish with sushi that's a bit too old.
08:59If you look at it on the street,
09:01you'll think a fire hydrant is about 3 feet in height.
09:03But the actual size of the device used to provide water supply to firefighters all over the world is twice
09:09as large.
09:10That is, if you count the rest of the hydrant, which is hiding underground.
09:13They're mostly red, and it's not just a matter of urban design.
09:17First of all, they need to be of bright, easily noticeable colors,
09:20so firefighters can spot them fast when they need to.
09:23The choice of color depends on how much water the hydrant can hold.
09:27It can sometimes vary depending on the location, but here's the breakdown.
09:31A red fire hydrant can splash 500 gallons of water per minute,
09:36while an orange one, at least 1,000 gallons.
09:40Green ones mostly process 1,500 gallons of water per minute,
09:44and the most plentiful ones, colored blue, can generally contain over 1,500 gallons.
09:50Hey bowling fans, isn't it super annoying when your bowling ball gets cracked?
09:54Turns out that most of them get damaged because of incorrect storage or spikes in temperature.
10:00Now come on and face it, since it's already cracked a bit,
10:03aren't you curious what's actually inside the bowling ball?
10:06Because I sure am.
10:07Let's have a look.
10:08They mostly make the inner core of the ball of powdered metal oxides,
10:12like calcium or iron oxide.
10:14They mix them with some resin and catalyst to harden the whole mixture.
10:18So that light bulb shape you now see inside of the ball is actually its heaviest part.
10:23It also influences how your bowling ball rotates when going down the lane.
10:28The same goes with spray paint cans.
10:30When you shake it, it makes a weird noise.
10:32But what is that thing in there?
10:34It's called a pea, and it's meant to hold the paint mixture in place and maintain its shape.
10:39They generally make it out of plastic, metal, or ceramic.
10:43It basically acts as a whisk to make sure your paint is well mixed together
10:47before you apply it to your surface of choice.
10:50Ever wondered how soda bottles keep that refreshing fizz for that long?
10:54Well, they have a little plastic ring fastened to the lid.
10:57They place it there to keep the gas from escaping and making the soda go flat,
11:02even if you shake it around in your bag the whole day.
11:06Speaking of things we use on a hot summer's day,
11:08wait, wait, don't put your baseball cap on just yet.
11:11Take a look at it for a minute, and you'll notice there's a small button on the very top.
11:15Is it functional, or is it just there for the sake of design?
11:19Way back when people started using fabrics to cover their heads,
11:22some say the button was actually functional.
11:25Since it's on top of the cap where the fabric panels come together,
11:28the top button helps keep the cap crown in one single piece.
11:32Now, with recent advances in fabric and pattern design,
11:36the button is more of an aesthetic feature.
11:38It's used to cover up the joint point of the fabric panels.
11:41Your cap might not have a button at all,
11:43but don't you think a cap actually looks better with one?
11:46Cotton pads have two sides,
11:48and if you take the time to look at them carefully,
11:51they're actually different in texture.
11:53Just in case you've ever wondered why,
11:55the textured side is for applying makeup,
11:57and the even side is for removing it.
12:01Bookworms, this one is for you.
12:03Dust jackets that come with a lot of hardcover books
12:05are not just meant to make your book look pretty,
12:07they also double as a bookmark.
12:10Just fold the pages you've already read underneath the inside of the jacket,
12:14and voila!
12:15Next time you reach out for your favorite shirt,
12:18take a look at the top buttonhole.
12:19It should be stitched horizontally,
12:21and all the other ones are vertical.
12:24Turns out that the dress shirt was designed this way,
12:26since the first and the last buttons
12:28were the first ones to unbutton throughout the day.
12:31They then changed the direction of the buttonhole
12:33to ensure the shirt would stay nice and fitted
12:35before you're ready to take it off.
12:39These days we have so many variations of this awesome dessert
12:42that it's hard to imagine we've ever lived without it.
12:44You can find different types of cookie dough ice cream
12:47or even chocolate chip cookie cake basically everywhere,
12:50but the famous cookie wasn't actually invented until 1930.
12:54The story goes that a woman named Ruth Graves Wakefield
12:57was preparing some chocolate cookies
12:59as she was waiting for some guests to arrive.
13:01She soon figured out she was out of baker's chocolate,
13:04a crucial ingredient for the classic cookies.
13:06To fix things up,
13:08she chopped up a block of semi-sweet chocolate,
13:11thinking it would eventually spread out evenly
13:12throughout the batter, given the heat of the oven.
13:15Things didn't necessarily go as planned,
13:17but hey, it's great they didn't
13:19because this is how she invented this modern dessert
13:21we now can't get enough of.
13:24And speaking of popular snacks,
13:26the potato chip is even younger than the chocolate chip cookie.
13:29Well, at least historically.
13:32There are many stories trying to explain how it was invented.
13:35One of them goes like this.
13:36A chef named George Crumb, based in New York,
13:40put the chips together in 1953.
13:42He decided to try a different cooking solution
13:45when one of his customers didn't have nice things to say
13:48about his french fries.
13:49He said they were too thick and kind of mushy.
13:52Then, Crumb came up with potatoes that were thinly sliced
13:55and fried until brown.
13:57People absolutely loved the dish
13:59and they welcomed the first ever batch of chips with open arms.
14:05Ice cream, anyone?
14:06If the story is true,
14:07back in 1904 at the St. Louis World's Fair,
14:10one ice cream shop owner ran out of cups to serve his dish.
14:14So, he fashioned a waffle into the shape of a cone
14:17and the rest was history.
14:19Okay, I'll admit it,
14:21chewing gum-like treats have been around since the ancient Greeks.
14:24So, this one isn't particularly a revolutionary discovery.
14:27But the actual gum we buy today
14:29wasn't there until the late 1800s.
14:32An American inventor named Thomas Adams
14:35wanted to mix together different chemicals to create rubber.
14:38He tried and failed, for that matter,
14:40to play with Chickle for his experiment,
14:42but ended up fashioning this neat treat.
14:44They still use Chickle to this day
14:46to produce most chewing gums.
14:49Back in the 1800s,
14:50there lived a man named Jean-Baptiste Jolie
14:52who worked in the fabric industry as a textile maker.
14:55How he came up with this next invention
14:58that we use a lot these days
14:59has less to do with him
15:00and more to do with his maid.
15:03The story goes that the woman
15:05accidentally knocked a kerosene lamp over
15:07onto a tablecloth.
15:08Instead of getting upset over the damaged fabric,
15:12Jolie noticed that the substance
15:13actually made the material cleaner,
15:15figured it out yet?
15:16Yep, that's how the idea
15:18for the very first dry cleaner popped up.
15:20A very neat accident,
15:22if I do say so myself.
15:24Now this one I loved.
15:26Did you know matchsticks
15:27were initially called friction lights?
15:29Or at least that's how their inventor,
15:32a chemist named John Walker,
15:33called them back in 1826.
15:36He scraped a stick coated in chemicals
15:39across his hearth,
15:40totally by accident one day,
15:41and realized that they ignited
15:43and created a spark.
15:45Initially made out of cardboard,
15:47they were then made
15:48using wooden splints and sandpaper.
15:52Back in the 1940s,
15:53a man named Harry Coover
15:54stumbled upon a chemical formulation
15:56that seemed to stick
15:57to everything it touched.
15:59The scientific community at the time
16:01didn't look much into it
16:02as the formula didn't seem
16:03to have many applications back then.
16:06It wasn't until 1951
16:08that he looked a bit more
16:09into the formula
16:10and decided to repurpose it,
16:12along with a fellow
16:13Eastman Kodak researcher
16:15named Fred Joyner.
16:16They gave it a proper full name.
16:18But you must know it
16:19by the shorter version,
16:21super glue.
16:23It also has many uses
16:25in security these days
16:26that it's hard to believe
16:27that we didn't come up
16:28with this one on purpose.
16:30Back in 1903,
16:31a scientist named
16:33Edward Benedictus
16:34knocked over a flask
16:35by accident.
16:36He looked down
16:37and was amazed to see
16:38that the glassware
16:39had just slightly cracked
16:40but maintained its shape.
16:42He was expecting it
16:43to break into
16:44a million tiny pieces.
16:46Curious about this hidden feature,
16:47he looked into it
16:48and figured out
16:49what was keeping
16:50the glass together
16:51was a substance coating
16:52the inside of the glass.
16:54Ta-da!
16:54That's how humanity
16:55came up with safety glass.
16:59Various types of cheese
17:00have holes for a reason.
17:02For example,
17:04Swiss cheese is made
17:04with special bacteria
17:06that produce carbon dioxide.
17:08As the CO2 is emitted,
17:10it blows like bubble gum,
17:12leaving tiny craters,
17:13also known as cheese eyes.
17:15Then the cheese is cooled down,
17:17but the holes stay in place.
17:21Over 40 billion Oreos
17:23are made every single year.
17:25It's the world's most popular
17:27manufactured cookie.
17:28The geometric design
17:29stamped onto these cookies
17:31has the Nabisco logo,
17:32the symbol of European quality,
17:35surrounding the word Oreo.
17:37William Tournier
17:38created the chocolate cookie design
17:40we see today
17:41back in 1952.
17:45If you use reusable bottles,
17:47you probably know
17:48that sometimes they smell.
17:50Even if you only use it
17:52for regular water,
17:53it still smells.
17:54But it's not the water that smells,
17:56it's the microorganisms in it.
17:58If you drink water from a bottle,
18:00the particles of your saliva
18:02and sweat stay in there.
18:03Those bacteria start to build up
18:05in the bottle,
18:06causing the smell.
18:08So, if you choose reusable bottles,
18:10make sure to wash them every day
18:12to prevent those bacteria
18:14from building up.
18:15After washing,
18:16let it dry completely
18:17before using it again.
18:21Not only are the jeans blue,
18:23but the police officers' uniforms as well.
18:26The first official police officers
18:28appeared in the 19th century in London.
18:30They were given a blue uniform
18:32to contrast
18:33with the red and white uniform
18:34that military workers
18:36had already been wearing.
18:37Two decades afterward,
18:39the police force
18:39was adopted in the USA,
18:41and they followed the patterns.
18:43The uniform is still blue nowadays
18:45because it proved to be a good color.
18:47It's not that visible in dark hours,
18:49and police officers
18:50can observe things
18:52and people
18:52staying unnoticed.
18:54Also,
18:55stains aren't that visible
18:56on dark material.
18:57And, well,
18:58everyone knows
18:59that police officers
19:00wear blue
19:01and they're recognized in.
19:02So,
19:03why change that?
19:06Baby carrots are tiny,
19:08and unlike regular carrots,
19:10wet.
19:10Not unlike baby humans.
19:12Baby carrots
19:13aren't some special sort of carrot.
19:15They're actually made
19:17of regular carrots
19:18by cutting off the skin
19:19and outer layers
19:20and then polishing them
19:21to look that pretty.
19:23The problem is,
19:24they can't retain moisture.
19:25A regular carrot
19:26retains some water inside
19:28because of the layers
19:29that lock it in.
19:30Once they're chopped out,
19:32baby carrots
19:32can dry out easily.
19:34So,
19:34they usually sell them
19:35in bags
19:36with some water inside.
19:40Jeans have metal rivets,
19:42and they're there
19:42from the very beginning.
19:44Jacob Davis,
19:45the man who made
19:46the first pair of jeans,
19:47added copper rivets
19:48to spots
19:49where pants
19:49are more likely to rip,
19:51flies in pockets,
19:52to make them stronger.
19:54Today,
19:54they have more
19:55of a decorative purpose
19:56since they are distinctive
19:57and traditional for jeans.
19:59Another special thing
20:01about jeans
20:01is those tiny pockets
20:03they have
20:03that seemingly
20:04serve no purpose.
20:06Well,
20:06maybe it's true now,
20:07but years ago,
20:09when many cowboys
20:10were wearing jeans,
20:11the pocket was made
20:12specifically
20:13to keep a pocket watch there.
20:15Also,
20:15back then,
20:16a pair of jeans
20:17had just four pockets.
20:19That tiny pocket,
20:20the watch pocket,
20:21two big pockets
20:22in front,
20:23and just one pocket
20:24in the back.
20:26Car headrests
20:28are all about comfort,
20:29and detachable headrests
20:30are all about safety.
20:32If you pull the headrest out,
20:34you'll see
20:34two sturdy metal bars.
20:36If you ever get locked
20:37or trapped in a car,
20:38you can use the bars
20:39to smash the window
20:40and get out.
20:43Those little red spots
20:45you sometimes see
20:46after you crack an egg
20:47are nothing
20:48to be worried about.
20:49Tiny blood spots
20:50can be caused
20:51by a small rupture
20:52in a blood vessel
20:53of a hen
20:54as it was laying the egg.
20:56Eggs with these blood spots
20:57are safe to eat,
20:58but that spot
20:59can be removed
21:00if you want.
21:01It won't affect
21:02the taste of the egg.
21:03Oh,
21:03that's comforting.
21:05Hidden within
21:06the Toblerone logo
21:07of the mountain
21:08is the image
21:09of a bear
21:10standing on its hind legs
21:11about to eat
21:12that yodeler over there.
21:14No, not really.
21:15This is because
21:16bears are a big part
21:17of Bern,
21:18one of the biggest cities
21:19in Switzerland
21:19where the founder
21:20created the triangular
21:22chocolate tree.
21:23Toblerone is also
21:24a play on the founder's
21:26family name,
21:27Tobler,
21:27and the Italian word
21:28toron
21:29for honey and almond nougat.
21:33The space below
21:35a cup of noodles
21:35is there to protect
21:36the noodles
21:37during transport.
21:38This technique
21:39is called
21:39a middle suspension.
21:41Not only are they
21:42protected better
21:43in their styrofoam cup,
21:44but it also helps
21:45those noodles
21:46soften more evenly
21:47and quickly.
21:48Even though you
21:49might have noticed
21:50that the hole
21:51on the barrel
21:51of ballpoint pens
21:52has no purpose,
21:54it does.
21:54It's called
21:55a venting system,
21:56which helps the ink
21:57flow more smoothly.
21:59This way,
21:59an even amount
22:00of air pressure
22:01is created inside
22:02and outside the pen,
22:04allowing the ink
22:04to flow into the point
22:06easily.
22:08It's not an accident
22:09that soy sauce
22:10bottles have
22:11two spouts.
22:12The sauce is liquid
22:13and it flows
22:13out of the bottle
22:14pretty quickly
22:15once you turn it over.
22:16Most Asian food lovers
22:18will admit
22:18they've spilled it
22:19at least once
22:20in a lifetime.
22:21That's why,
22:22nowadays,
22:23restaurants prefer
22:23serving soy sauce
22:25in special bottles
22:26that have two spouts.
22:27This design
22:28allows you to control
22:29when and how much
22:30sauce will come out.
22:31Just put your finger
22:33on one spout
22:33while you pour
22:34the sauce
22:35through another.
22:35If you press
22:36your finger
22:37tightly to the spout,
22:38the sauce
22:39will stop flowing
22:40and if you remove
22:41your finger,
22:42it will flow again.
22:43And please,
22:44do not remove
22:45your finger
22:45in a restaurant.
22:46It will freak
22:47everybody out.
22:49You've probably noticed
22:50that train and bus seats
22:52are covered in fabrics
22:53with weird patterns.
22:55Any idea why?
22:56They use these patterns
22:57to cover any germs
22:59and stains on the seat.
23:00Oh boy.
23:01The brighter the color
23:02and the more patterned
23:03it is,
23:03the harder it will be
23:05for a passenger
23:05to notice any stains
23:07and get grossed out.
23:08Also,
23:09the patterns are usually
23:10so ugly
23:11that no one even
23:12wants to look at them
23:13for long enough
23:14to spot any stains.
23:15So yeah,
23:16the pattern is there
23:17to make you look away
23:18and if you look,
23:20to make it less noticeable.
23:21No bus will ever
23:22have plain white seats.
23:24That's a guarantee.
23:27The middle tab
23:28on soda cans
23:28can be flipped around.
23:30You can slip a straw
23:31in place
23:31so you don't have
23:32to hold it up your mouth.
23:33This stay-on tab
23:35replaced the pull ring tab
23:36created in the early 60s.
23:38You remember those,
23:39don't you?
23:39Those could be quite sharp
23:41and easily discarded
23:42where they could be
23:43a menace for others.
23:44Now,
23:45you can pop your straw
23:46straight into one.
23:47Also means
23:48you can produce some bubbles
23:49and make a mess
23:50like a three-year-old.
23:53Sometimes,
23:53when you purchase
23:54an article of clothing,
23:55you receive a plastic baggie
23:57with an extra button
23:58and a swatch of fabric.
24:00While the fabric
24:01is clearly used
24:02to patch holes,
24:03it can also be used
24:04to test the effects
24:05of various cleaners
24:06on certain surfaces.
24:08It's handy, too,
24:09to test wash cycles
24:10before using them
24:11to wash the whole garment.
24:15Escalators have
24:16those fluffy black brushes
24:17for a similar reason
24:18that some have yellow lines
24:20on their steps
24:21to try and deter people
24:23from getting too close
24:24to dangerous places.
24:25People don't always
24:26take notice,
24:27and sometimes clothing
24:29can drape close
24:29to the point
24:30where the step
24:31meets the edge
24:32or skirt.
24:33The brush
24:33is a little barrier
24:34to help prevent
24:35this from happening.
24:36They can also catch
24:37bits of fluff
24:38and prevent other
24:39small things
24:40from falling down
24:41into the gaps.
24:43Those takeaway containers
24:45most associated
24:46with Chinese restaurants
24:47are designed
24:48to not only
24:49carry your food home,
24:50but to store it
24:51in the fridge.
24:52They double
24:53as a plate
24:54as you can eat
24:54straight out of them
24:55and don't have to worry
24:56about dirty dishes.
24:58Yay!
24:58They were actually
24:59patented way back
25:00in 1894
25:02to transport
25:03freshly shucked oysters
25:04and were known
25:05as oyster pails.
25:06They were later
25:07adapted to use
25:08as leak-proof containers
25:09for food.
25:12Ever wondered
25:13why coins
25:13have those little ridges
25:14along the edge?
25:15It's a leftover
25:16from earlier times
25:17when they were worth more.
25:19Counterfeiters
25:20could easily
25:20file the edges off
25:22to sell as gold
25:23or silver coins
25:23to make some profit.
25:24The ridges
25:25were created
25:26so it was
25:27much easier
25:27to tell
25:28which of the coins
25:29had been altered.
25:30It's not needed today,
25:31but the coins
25:32still have
25:33that altered style.
25:36All crackers
25:37and some cookies
25:38have holes
25:39to make sure
25:39the final product
25:40has the right texture.
25:42These teeny-tiny holes
25:43allow steam to escape
25:44so your crackers
25:45and cookies
25:46won't snap.
25:47If it weren't
25:48for these holes,
25:49also known as dockers,
25:51steam would build up
25:52inside the tree
25:53and the final result
25:54might have been scrumptious,
25:55but it would have been
25:56rather oddly shaped.
25:59Dogs like to walk
26:00in circles
26:01before snoozing
26:02because they inherited
26:03this behavior pattern
26:04from their ancestors.
26:05There were no special
26:07doggy beds back then,
26:08so most pooches
26:09would have to push down
26:10tall grass
26:11to make a sort of
26:12snoozing spot.
26:13Plus, as a bonus,
26:15those movements
26:15scared off all the critters
26:17lurking in the vegetation.
26:20Donuts are ring-shaped
26:21for a similar reason.
26:22If they hadn't had holes
26:24right in the center,
26:25the dough there
26:26would have always
26:26been undercooked.
26:28By the way,
26:29they're often associated
26:30with the police
26:31because,
26:31back in the 1950s,
26:33donut shops
26:34were among the only places
26:35openly.
26:36They were a perfect place
26:38for police officers
26:39to grab something to eat
26:40and even deal with
26:41some paperwork
26:42during the night shift.
26:44Your jeans are blue
26:46on the outside
26:46and white on the inside
26:48because of a smart way
26:49to weave the fabric.
26:51The warp thread is dyed
26:53while the weft thread
26:54has no color.
26:55It's just white.
26:56This way,
26:57manufacturers reduce
26:58the amount of dye
26:59needed for each piece
27:01of clothing.
27:01And they're still dying
27:03to make the jeans.
27:07The cylinder on the end
27:08of a cable
27:09is sitting there,
27:10useless as it might seem.
27:12In fact,
27:13this is a ferrite bead
27:15that assists with
27:16many electrical wires
27:18to reduce electromagnetic interference.
27:21Electrical wires
27:22act like unintentional antennas,
27:24broadcasting the EMI.
27:27There's a reason
27:28why the spinning wheel
27:30inside their microwave
27:31is circular.
27:32A circular object
27:33will evenly distribute
27:34the heat
27:35as opposed to a rectangular
27:36and square one.
27:38When you place containers
27:39of these shapes inside,
27:41the energy is focused
27:42on the corners
27:43rather than spread evenly
27:45like in a round container.
27:48The temperature gauge
27:49on a toaster
27:50is commonly used
27:51to determine
27:52how crisp you like your toast.
27:54But the other,
27:55more specific use
27:56for the gauge
27:56was for the different
27:57types of bread.
27:59White and sweet types
28:00of bread
28:01heat up much faster
28:02as opposed to
28:03heavier brown
28:04and rye ones.
28:05The older bread is,
28:07the more time
28:08it will need in a toaster
28:09to ensure the golden brown
28:11results you're looking for.
28:13Most ovens
28:15give you the option
28:16of leaving the door ajar
28:17when broiling a dish inside.
28:20You probably think
28:21the goal here
28:21is to help cool down
28:22the oven after use.
28:24In reality,
28:25its purpose
28:26is to focus on
28:27cooking the top of the dish
28:29and to ensure
28:29a crusty layer.
28:31Controlling the buildup
28:32of heat and steam
28:34by releasing it
28:35through the slightly
28:35ajar door
28:36gives you the desired result
28:38without cooking
28:39the entire dish
28:40to a crispy end.
28:42You probably've noticed
28:44that your dishwasher
28:45has specific areas
28:46for different types
28:47of cutleries
28:48and dishware.
28:49But all the dishware pieces
28:51should be facing
28:52towards the center
28:53and not all
28:54in one direction.
28:55What types of foods
28:56were on the plates
28:57will also determine
28:58where they should be
29:00located in the racks.
29:02As the middle of the machine
29:03gets the strongest spray,
29:05carb-based stains
29:06from tomatoes
29:07and potatoes
29:08should be placed there.
29:09The detergent
29:10is more focused
29:11on the outside
29:12during the clean,
29:13creating a waterfall-like cleanse.
29:16That's why
29:17protein-based stains
29:18like from eggs,
29:19for example,
29:20should be stacked there.
29:24Ceiling fans
29:24push cool air down
29:26on a hot day,
29:27circulating the room.
29:28But they can serve you
29:30during the winter
29:30just as effectively
29:31if you flick that switch
29:33on the side
29:33or use the pulley.
29:35So if you want
29:36to save some money
29:37on heating
29:38and try to quickly
29:39warm up your room
29:39on a cold day,
29:41turn the fan on.
29:42It will push the air up
29:43and spread the warm air around,
29:45more effectively
29:46warming the room up.
29:49Do you still use sticky notes
29:51instead of those fancy new apps
29:52on all possible gadgets?
29:54Welcome to the club.
29:55Regardless of what
29:56you use them for,
29:57they can annoyingly curl up.
29:59If you've had this issue,
30:01it's because you've peeled them
30:03from the bottom upwards.
30:04Doing it this way
30:05causes the curling.
30:07Peeling them from the side
30:08will ensure they remain flat,
30:10ready to remind you
30:11of your daily tasks.
30:13Did you know
30:14that can openers
30:15weren't invented
30:16until 50 years
30:17after preservation cans
30:19had been readily available?
30:20So how would it be possible
30:22to open a can?
30:24There are a couple
30:25of alternative methods
30:26just in case you've
30:27misplaced your trusty opener.
30:29All you need
30:30is a metal spoon.
30:31Set the can down
30:32on the counter.
30:33Hold on to it firmly
30:35and grasp the head
30:36of the spoon tightly.
30:38Apply pressure
30:39and vigorously rub the edge
30:40of the can's top
30:41over a small area.
30:43It takes time,
30:45but as you continuously rub,
30:46a small indentation
30:47soon opens a hole.
30:49Once the hole is wide enough
30:50for the spoon's tip,
30:52pry the lid upwards
30:53and keep going along the edges
30:55until you can finally access
30:57the hard-earned meal within.
31:00Most toilets rely on water pressure
31:02and gravity to function,
31:04so a power outage
31:05will not affect them.
31:06But if yours does need
31:08electricity to function,
31:09you must be worried
31:10about using it
31:11when the power is out.
31:12The good news is,
31:14the power is only used
31:15to fill the toilet
31:16and not to flush it.
31:17As the flushing mechanism
31:19will still work,
31:20open the toilet tank
31:21and pour in a couple of gallons,
31:22and you're free
31:23to flush away
31:24whatever you need to.
31:27Blockages in shower drains
31:28occur over a long period of time.
31:31It's inevitable.
31:32We lose 50 to 100 hairs a day,
31:34and many of them
31:35will endeavor to reside
31:37within our shower drains.
31:38Hair only forms
31:40the foundations of the blockage,
31:41and this attracts the buildup
31:43of various other things.
31:44A great life hack
31:45is to use your vacuum cleaner
31:47and put the nozzle in the hole
31:48once removing the plug.
31:50Apply a wet cloth
31:51around the nozzle,
31:53ensuring air cannot escape.
31:55The vacuum will suck up
31:56the blockages a lot easier.
31:58This will help avoid
31:59any extra costs from plumbers,
32:01as they themselves
32:02use this technique.
32:05To make your candles last longer,
32:07trim their wicks multiple times
32:09and keep them as far away
32:10from water and moist as possible.
32:12It will guarantee
32:14that your candle's wax
32:15stays firm and steady
32:17and continues to burn slower
32:19for a longer period of time.
32:22The empty space
32:23between the panes
32:24of the oven door
32:24is there for a reason.
32:26You can stick a brush in there
32:28to clean the oven door glass.
32:30It's easy to access this space
32:32through the bottom of the door,
32:33open the lower shelf,
32:34then push the brush
32:35through the hole.
32:38While you're parking in a garage,
32:40you might find it difficult
32:41to determine how close to it
32:42you need to be.
32:44Not all cars have sensors
32:46ensuring you keep
32:46the right distance
32:47before the bumper
32:48makes an indentation
32:49on the wall.
32:51Applying a rope
32:52with a tennis ball
32:52from the ceiling
32:53at the right distance
32:54will help you learn
32:55the best distance to park
32:56from the wall.
32:59We've all been told
33:00to loosen a lock
33:01with WD-40 or lubricant.
33:03Yes, we all know
33:04we should have these
33:05around the house.
33:06But in case you don't,
33:07a great alternative
33:08is drawing with a gray lead pencil
33:10along the edges of the keep
33:12and then putting it
33:13into the lock.
33:14Continue doing this
33:16until the keyhole
33:17has been adequately lubricated
33:18and the key functions smoothly.
33:21Pliers are prone to damage
33:23when you use them
33:24to adjust faucets
33:25and shower heads
33:26and are also difficult to grip.
33:28Take a couple of pieces
33:30from the end
33:30of an old garden hose
33:32and attach them
33:32to the jaws of the pliers.
33:34You'll find a huge improvement
33:36with grip
33:37and will avoid wear and tear.
33:40You can find a good use
33:42for discarded rubber
33:43for different things
33:44around the house.
33:45When fed up with tightening
33:46or loosening with a screwdriver,
33:48try using a simple rubber band.
33:51Place part of it
33:52into the screw grip
33:53and the screwdriver
33:54will have far greater traction.
33:58Moving cement blocks
33:59isn't safe
34:00for your lower back.
34:01Even with a wheelbarrow,
34:02it can be a risky process
34:03to place the cement
34:04onto the ground
34:05without causing damage.
34:07Three simple cylinder pipes
34:09can make a world of difference,
34:10regardless of the size
34:11of the block.
34:12Try lifting the edge
34:14onto the first pipe
34:15with a pry bar,
34:16then pushing
34:17and maneuvering
34:18as you gradually direct
34:19the three pipes
34:20towards the desired location.
34:22Just make sure
34:23you're not doing this
34:24on a slope.
34:26That first strike
34:28on a nail
34:28can be a great success
34:29or will result
34:30in a throbbing thumb.
34:32A bobby pin
34:33is perfectly shaped
34:35to hold a nail in place,
34:36allowing for your hand
34:37to be clear
34:38out of harm's way
34:39and for you to strike
34:40the nail without fear.
34:43Use a crayon
34:44instead of a pen
34:45or pencil
34:46while working
34:47with a wet saw
34:48to ensure the markings
34:49are not removed.
34:50They will also be easier
34:52to see under the murky water.
34:55Checking the drains
34:56on the roof
34:57and determining
34:58when they need
34:59to be cleaned
34:59can take a lot of time.
35:02Using duct tape,
35:03attach a mirror
35:04on the end
35:05of a long broom
35:05and review
35:06whether the drains
35:07need to be cleaned.
35:09To further assist
35:10with your balance
35:11as you check
35:12on the gutters,
35:12attach a pair
35:13of old trainers
35:14to the end
35:15of the ladder.
35:16The spread
35:16of the shoe
35:17and its grip
35:18will ensure
35:18a further level
35:19of safety.
35:21Liquid caulk
35:22normally comes
35:23in huge tubes
35:24so you can never
35:25use it all at once.
35:26The hardened tips
35:27of liquid caulk
35:28create blockages.
35:30Grab a used cork
35:32and drill through
35:32it to make
35:33a perfect lid
35:33concealing
35:34the liquid caulk.
35:35Now it's ready
35:36to be used again
35:37with no blockages.
35:41You know,
35:42there are all sorts
35:43of amazing things
35:44you can do
35:44with products
35:45already lying
35:46around the house
35:47that were meant
35:48for other things.
35:49We'll explore
35:50some of those
35:51plus everyday items
35:53that have other purposes
35:54you may not be aware of.
35:56I'm also in a silly mood
35:58so hey,
35:59let's have some fun.
36:00Many pairs
36:01of kitchen scissors
36:02today have a serrated
36:03opening where the
36:04handles and blades meet.
36:06You can use this
36:07as an herb stripper
36:08to de-stem
36:09difficult herbs
36:10like thyme,
36:11rosemary,
36:12and chives.
36:13Saves you a lot of time
36:15trying to pick
36:15the leaves off by hand.
36:17And if you're
36:18short of a vase,
36:19you could present
36:20roses to your
36:20significant other
36:21this way.
36:22Just be careful
36:23when you're
36:24pointing the sharp end.
36:26The metal tab
36:27on soda cans
36:28can be flipped around.
36:29You can slip
36:30a straw in place
36:31so you don't have
36:32to hold it up
36:33to your mouth.
36:34This stay-on tab
36:35replaced the pull ring tab
36:36created in the early 60s.
36:38You remember those,
36:40don't you?
36:40Those could be
36:41quite sharp
36:42and easily discarded
36:43where they could be
36:44a menace for others.
36:46Now,
36:47you can pop your straw
36:48straight into one.
36:49Also means
36:50you can produce
36:51some bubbles
36:51and make a mess.
36:54Sometimes,
36:54when you purchase
36:55an article of clothing,
36:56you receive a plastic baggie
36:58with an extra button
36:59and a swash of fabric.
37:01While the fabric
37:02is clearly used
37:03to patch holes,
37:04it can also be used
37:06to test the effects
37:07of various cleaners
37:08on certain surfaces.
37:09It's handy, too,
37:10to test wash cycles
37:12before using them
37:13to wash the whole garment.
37:15And if you want
37:16to clean your nose with it,
37:17that suggestion
37:18never came from me.
37:21You can use a screwdriver
37:22for leverage
37:23if you're having trouble
37:24lifting or moving something.
37:26Some also have
37:27a hexagonal shape handle
37:29that fits inside
37:30a wrench or spanner.
37:31You can use it
37:32to improve torque
37:33and, again,
37:34for leverage.
37:35A little easier
37:36on your hands.
37:37Some of us
37:38aren't that strong.
37:39Or maybe that's just me.
37:41Rubber bands
37:42are great for many things.
37:44But if you have a bottle
37:45that's hard to open,
37:46you can wrap the band
37:48around it
37:48for a better grip.
37:51Escalators have
37:52those fluffy black brushes
37:53for a similar reason
37:55that some have
37:56yellow lines
37:56on their steps
37:57to try and deter people
37:59from getting too close
38:00to dangerous places.
38:02People don't always
38:03take notice,
38:03and sometimes
38:04clothing can drape
38:05close to a point
38:06where the step
38:07meets the edge
38:08or skirt.
38:09The brush
38:10is a little barrier
38:11to help prevent
38:12this from happening.
38:13They can also
38:14catch bits of fluff
38:15and prevent
38:16other small things
38:17from falling down
38:18into the gaps.
38:20Your average pair
38:21of jeans
38:22has several features
38:23that are both functional
38:24and somewhat sentimental.
38:26The meadow rivets
38:28around the pockets
38:29help secure
38:29the stress points.
38:30This ensures
38:31they last a bit
38:32longer than average,
38:33though not all
38:35jeans have them.
38:36Many still have
38:37a tiny pocket
38:39directly above
38:40the main pocket.
38:41This was originally
38:42meant to hold
38:43a pocket watch.
38:44Even though pocket watches
38:45are mostly a thing
38:46of the past,
38:47many people still
38:48use this space
38:49to store coins,
38:50rings,
38:51or even a portable USB.
38:54Now, this may seem
38:56a little obvious,
38:57but if you've ever
38:58wondered what all
38:59the notches are
39:00in a car tire,
39:01it's for traction
39:02on the road.
39:03However,
39:04there are also
39:04a good indicator
39:05if your tire
39:06is getting too worn down.
39:08If those notches
39:09aren't so deep anymore
39:11and are almost flush
39:12with the road,
39:13it's time to replace them.
39:15If you don't,
39:16the next time
39:17you try to stop
39:18suddenly at a stop sign,
39:19you might be surprised
39:21to find your car
39:22has turned
39:22into a giant roller skate.
39:25Those takeaway containers
39:26most associated
39:27with Chinese restaurants
39:29are designed
39:30to not only
39:31carry your food home,
39:32but to store them
39:33in the fridge.
39:35They double as a plate
39:36as you can eat
39:37straight out of them
39:38and don't have to worry
39:39about dirty dishes.
39:40Yay!
39:41They were actually
39:42patented way back
39:44in 1894
39:45to transport
39:46freshly shucked oysters
39:48and were known
39:49as oyster pails.
39:50They were later adapted
39:51to use as leak-proof
39:53containers for food.
39:55While you're sitting
39:56on an airplane
39:57and looking out
39:58the window,
39:59you may have noticed
40:00those little holes
40:01or, in some instances,
40:02a small singular opening
40:04near the bottom.
40:05This is called
40:06a breather hole
40:07and no,
40:08it's not for you.
40:09It's designed
40:10to equalize
40:11the difference
40:11in air pressure
40:12which builds up
40:13between the pressurized cabin
40:15and the atmosphere outside,
40:17especially during
40:18high altitudes.
40:19It also releases
40:21moisture from
40:21between the panes
40:22to avoid frost
40:24from forming
40:24on the windows
40:25and obstructing
40:26that all-important view.
40:28Sorry,
40:29but it looks like
40:29you won't be drawing
40:30a smiley face
40:31on it anytime soon.
40:33This was first introduced
40:35way back in 1956
40:37by a company in Japan.
40:39Pretty cool, huh?
40:40They got their inspiration
40:41from snap-off rows
40:43on chocolate bars.
40:44Just don't get
40:45the two mixed up.
40:46One doesn't taste good.
40:49When it comes
40:50to measuring tape,
40:51almost every reel
40:52has an empty slot
40:53in the metallic end.
40:55This is called
40:56a nail grab,
40:57so you can attach it
40:58to a nail or screw.
40:59A handy trick
41:01to do measurements
41:02without requiring
41:03someone else
41:04to hold it in place.
41:05Ooh,
41:06very nifty.
41:08Bobby pins
41:09have grooves
41:09on one side
41:10to hold your hair
41:11in place better.
41:12Crazy notion, huh?
41:14The straight side
41:15goes face up
41:16while the grooves
41:17go down
41:18against your head.
41:19They're called
41:20bobby pins
41:21because of the
41:21bobbed hairstyle
41:22which was popular
41:24in the 1920s,
41:25though the pins
41:26were invented
41:26in the 19th century.
41:28The look is gone
41:29but the pins remain.
41:31Please take them out
41:32before you wash
41:33your hair
41:34as they don't look
41:35great stuck
41:35to your fingers.
41:37If you've been
41:38in a car
41:39or a bus
41:39and noticed
41:40the textured black dots
41:42baked into
41:42the black edges,
41:44you've probably
41:45worked out
41:45that it's not
41:46there for its
41:46pretty looks.
41:47It's called
41:48frit,
41:49a ceramic paint.
41:51Its main purpose
41:52is to protect
41:52the window
41:53from ultraviolet rays.
41:55It also creates
41:56a rough surface
41:57for the adhesive
41:57to cling to.
41:59Now,
42:00if you see
42:00a pink lump
42:01of adhesive
42:02in the corner,
42:03please do not touch it.
42:05It's actually
42:06someone's old bubble gum.
42:08If you take a look
42:09at the bottom
42:10of the lock,
42:11chances are
42:12you'll see
42:12one or two
42:13little holes.
42:14This is to let
42:15water out
42:16from the inside
42:16that may have been
42:17trapped due to rain.
42:19This mini-draining
42:20capability
42:21prevents the inner
42:22working from
42:23rusting over
42:24or freezing in place
42:25if the weather
42:26is very cold.
42:27If, in another situation,
42:29the lock becomes stuck,
42:31you can ease
42:32an oil-based product
42:33inside
42:34to lubricate the lock
42:35and get it working again.
42:38If you've lost the key
42:40and want to ease
42:41your frustrations,
42:42you can yell
42:43into the holes.
42:44It won't do anything
42:45to unlock it,
42:46but it may help you
42:47feel a little better.
42:49Some dress shirts
42:50have a fabric loop
42:51on the back.
42:52You guessed it,
42:53it's used for
42:54hanging the shirt up.
42:55The loops were
42:56reportedly first used
42:58in the navy,
42:59as it was easy
43:00to simply hang them
43:01on the wall.
43:02During the 1960s
43:04in colleges,
43:05the fashion of the day
43:06was to wear the shirt
43:07buttoned all the way
43:08to the top,
43:09which made them
43:10difficult to hang.
43:11So designers began
43:13putting the loop
43:14on the back.
43:14If the student
43:15removed the loop,
43:16it signified that
43:17they were going
43:18steady in a relationship.
43:19Unless your friend
43:21ripped one off
43:22for a prank,
43:23now everyone's asking
43:24whom you're with.
43:26There's a little more
43:27to this story,
43:27but we haven't got time
43:29to hang around.
43:31And yes,
43:32that's a bad pun.
43:33On purpose.
43:34It's what I do.
43:36Ever wondered
43:37why coins have
43:38those little ridges
43:39along the edge?
43:40It's a leftover
43:41from earlier times
43:43when they were worth more.
43:45Counterfeiters
43:45could easily file
43:46the edges off
43:47to sell as gold
43:48or silver coins
43:49to make some profit.
43:51The ridges were created
43:52so it was much easier
43:53to tell which of the coins
43:55had been altered.
43:56It's not needed today,
43:58but the coins still have
43:59that altered style.
44:01If you ever get
44:02really bored,
44:03you could try counting
44:04how many ridges there are.
44:06Actually,
44:07that is a very boring idea.
44:08Forget that
44:09and watch another
44:10Bright Side video instead.
44:14bubble wrap
44:15bubble wrap
44:15wasn't invented
44:16just to keep your items
44:17neatly stored
44:18inside packages.
44:19It was for epic
44:20stress relief.
44:21Oh,
44:22and one other thing.
44:23Apparently,
44:24someone thought their house
44:25would look awesome
44:25with three-dimensional
44:26wallpaper.
44:27They were going to
44:28plaster painted bubble wrap
44:29all over the walls.
44:31It didn't work,
44:32so they tried selling it
44:33as greenhouse insulation.
44:35That failed too.
44:36But they nailed it
44:37on the third try.
44:39Small bubbles,
44:39big bubbles.
44:40Hey,
44:41what's your favorite?
44:42After downing a whole
44:43thing of mac and cheese,
44:44you've got to clean
44:45your teeth.
44:46It's a rule.
44:47Off you go to grab
44:48your blue toothbrush
44:49from the bathroom.
44:50Up and down,
44:51circles,
44:52rinse.
44:52Hey,
44:53good job.
44:54Now,
44:54how about a bit of mouthwash
44:55to keep your breath fresh?
44:57That mouthwash
44:58you're searching for
44:59wasn't always mouthwash.
45:01It used to be
45:01an antiseptic.
45:03You know,
45:04the type of thing
45:04doctors and nurses
45:05used to do.
45:06to keep their hands
45:07bacteria-free?
45:08Mmm,
45:09minty.
45:10Mouthwash was also used
45:11as a floor cleaner
45:12and a cure for bad diseases.
45:14It was even marketed
45:15as a hair tonic.
45:17Hey,
45:17next time I clean my house
45:18and find myself
45:20out of cleaning products,
45:21I might just pop
45:22a few lidfuls
45:23of mouthwash
45:24into the bucket.
45:25Play-doh.
45:26Yeah,
45:27you love it.
45:28I mean,
45:28it does whatever
45:29you want it to.
45:30Stretch it,
45:31sculpt it into a dinosaur,
45:33make the world's longest
45:34blue pots-a type thing.
45:35Just don't chuck it
45:36at the walls.
45:37Unless,
45:38yep,
45:39Play-Doh was initially
45:40supposed to be
45:41a wallpaper cleaner.
45:42And it wasn't until
45:4320 years later
45:44that it became
45:45the clay we all love
45:46to squeeze
45:47into weird shapes.
45:48It was a popular way
45:49of getting all that
45:50soot off your wallpaper.
45:51Everyone was using coal
45:53to heat their houses
45:54back then.
45:55Rings are big business.
45:56People wear them
45:57for loads of different reasons.
45:59You even get one
45:59when you win a Super Bowl.
46:01Yippee!
46:01Back in the day though,
46:03rings weren't just for show.
46:05Archers used to wear them
46:06to protect their fingers
46:07from their bow strings.
46:09And people doing needlework
46:10used them to make sure
46:11they didn't hurt themselves.
46:13All while looking
46:14extra stylish.
46:16Egyptians used them
46:17as seals,
46:18a personal ring signature.
46:19You walk into your
46:20very nice Egyptian office
46:22thousands of years ago.
46:23Everything's made of gold
46:25for some reason.
46:26Your boss walks in,
46:27sign this please,
46:28and all you do
46:29is place a bit of wax
46:30on the paper
46:31and press your ring on it.
46:33Sweet!
46:34Great idea!
46:35What if you lose
46:36your ring though?
46:37Along with Play-Doh,
46:38everyone loves a slinky,
46:40especially when it's
46:41in a YouTube video
46:42with some funky music
46:43in the background.
46:44They were actually
46:45invented by accident.
46:47Back in the 1900s,
46:48an engineer was working
46:49hard at his desk
46:50to find a way
46:51to keep sensitive
46:52nautical equipment steady
46:54while the boat
46:55was swishing around
46:56all over the place.
46:57Instead, he came up
46:58with a fantastic toy.
47:00Find a treadmill,
47:02put a slinky on it,
47:03thank me later.
47:04Don't know where
47:05to store your freshly
47:06baked pie?
47:07Place it on a frisbee
47:08if you want the chef
47:09to scream at you.
47:10In 1871,
47:12when frisbees
47:13first came to be,
47:14that's exactly
47:15what they were used for,
47:16to serve pies.
47:17Here you go,
47:18your strawberry pie
47:19on a frisbee tin.
47:21College students
47:22came up with
47:22a much better use
47:23for them though.
47:24Can you do the thing
47:25where you throw it
47:26upside down?
47:27When you go to bed,
47:28you expect your pillow
47:29to be as soft as cotton
47:31or maybe you prefer
47:32it a bit stiffer.
47:34The first pillows,
47:35however,
47:36weren't fluffy-wuffy soft.
47:37They were as hard
47:38as stone
47:39because, you know,
47:40they were literally
47:41made out of stone.
47:43They were designed
47:43to lift your head
47:44off the ground
47:45and stop little critters
47:46from crawling
47:47all over us.
47:49Ew!
47:49They eventually
47:50turned soft,
47:51thankfully.
47:52I don't think my neck
47:53could handle
47:53a stone pillow right now.
47:55I'm sore
47:56just thinking about it.
47:57Hey,
47:58if you're anything like me,
47:59hey,
47:59aren't you glad you're not?
48:00You probably can't walk
48:02for even a few seconds
48:03in heels
48:03without falling over.
48:05I think even standing up
48:06might be a problem.
48:07Back in the 16th century,
48:09Persian soldiers
48:10used high heels
48:11to get more accuracy
48:12from their bows
48:13while on horseback.
48:15It helped them
48:16get that little bit taller.
48:18T-shirt.
48:19Now,
48:19why is that called
48:20a t-shirt?
48:20Come on, people!
48:22Well,
48:22they didn't used
48:23to call them that.
48:24These classics
48:25used to be
48:25standard-issue undershirts
48:27for the Navy.
48:28Back then,
48:29about 100 years ago,
48:30the word t-shirt
48:31wasn't even
48:32in the dictionary.
48:34Back in ancient Egypt,
48:35some people walked around
48:36with eye shadow.
48:38Now,
48:38you might think
48:38they were really ahead
48:39of the game
48:40when it came to fashion.
48:41That might be true,
48:42but mostly,
48:43they put it on
48:44to protect their eyes
48:45from the glare
48:46of the raging
48:46hot desert sun.
48:48No aviators back then.
48:49It was also used
48:51as a part
48:51of some ceremonies.
48:52We don't really know
48:53what they were doing
48:54or why,
48:55but for sure,
48:56they look good.
48:57Can't wait to see
48:58someone skiing down a hill
49:00with a face full of eye shadow.
49:02Okay,
49:03you're having memory problems.
49:05No worries,
49:06we've all been there.
49:07Where?
49:08I forget.
49:09Go to your drawer
49:10and grab a stack of
49:11yeah,
49:12those thingies,
49:13Post-its.
49:14Now,
49:15write yourself a note.
49:16I'm almost out of Post-its.
49:18Ooh,
49:18very efficient.
49:19They were invented by accident
49:21by a scientist
49:22who was researching
49:23different glues.
49:24While he was trying out
49:25different mixtures,
49:26he discovered
49:27a special recipe
49:28for a glue
49:29that only stuck
49:30very lightly
49:31to most surfaces.
49:32He was actually
49:33trying to do the opposite,
49:34find the recipe
49:35for the biggest,
49:36baddest glue ever,
49:37one that could hold up
49:38framed paintings.
49:40Still,
49:40I'd argue that Post-its
49:41are probably way better
49:43than an adhesive
49:44that strong.
49:46A Kleenex
49:47comes in handy
49:48anywhere,
49:49especially if you just
49:50bit into a hot dog
49:51and mustard is oozing
49:52all over your hands.
49:54They weren't originally
49:55thought to be
49:56multi-purpose.
49:56They were originally
49:58invented to be
49:58a cold cream remover,
50:00with a weird
50:01specific use.
50:02Over the years,
50:03people started using them
50:04for anything
50:05and everything
50:05they could think of,
50:07especially as
50:08a disposable handkerchief.
50:09When their marketing team
50:10took notice of this,
50:12they rebranded them
50:13into what we know
50:14and love,
50:15Kleenex tissues.
50:16How generic!
50:18You're trying to blend in
50:19and look cool
50:20at a restaurant,
50:21and you spill your drink
50:22all over the tablecloth.
50:24Uh-oh,
50:25you were originally
50:26going to order water,
50:27but the waitress
50:28convinced you
50:29to order their new
50:30cherry-infused
50:31something or other
50:31that's going to stain
50:33like crazy.
50:34Well,
50:34not to worry,
50:35cellophane was designed
50:37to tackle this exact issue.
50:38The idea was to wrap
50:40the tablecloth with it,
50:41and then any and all spills
50:43could be white-cleaned.
50:44It didn't quite work out,
50:46but instead,
50:47we found a great
50:47new purpose for it.
50:49Storing food,
50:50and it does the job perfectly.
50:51Plus,
50:52it's great for the odd
50:53prank now and then.
50:54You know what I mean.
50:55You know pom-poms
50:57on caps?
50:57If you've ever wondered
50:58what those are for,
51:00they're just decorative.
51:01Still,
51:02sailors used to use them
51:03a bit differently.
51:04They use them
51:05as sort of antennas,
51:06the way animals do
51:07to sense if an object
51:09is too close to them.
51:10Insects have them.
51:12Cats and other small mammals
51:13use their long whiskers
51:15to test if they can squeeze
51:16into a tight spot.
51:18And humans have pom-poms.
51:20Thanks to them,
51:21no more bumps on the head.
51:23The small square patches
51:25on a lot of backpack nowadays
51:26are mostly decorative.
51:28Still,
51:29they used to be
51:29nice little gadgets
51:30for outdoorsy people.
51:32They used to tie
51:33extra equipment
51:34onto those squares,
51:35or use them
51:35to tie their muddy sneakers
51:37onto.
51:37They might have lost
51:38their usage over the years,
51:40but they kept
51:41their funny name.
51:42You can call them
51:43lash tabs
51:44or pig snouts.
51:46A good pair of sunglasses
51:48completes any outfit.
51:50They're not just for show.
51:51A lot of professionals
51:52rely on them.
51:53Professional drivers,
51:55pilots,
51:55construction workers,
51:56they all use them
51:58to make their jobs safer.
51:59About a thousand years ago,
52:01judges used to wear them.
52:03Picture this,
52:03you're in a 12th century trial.
52:05Wonder how the judge
52:07is going to rule on this one.
52:08You try really hard
52:09to guess what the judge
52:11is thinking,
52:11but you can't.
52:12The judge has sunglasses on.
52:15The perfect way
52:16to hide your face
52:17while you interrogate someone.
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