Everyone’s got a question or two they’d like answered. Here are a few classic questions with answers from top trivia experts.
SUPER FLY
Q: How do flies walk upside down on the ceiling?
A: A fly has six legs. On each leg there are two little claws that look sort of like a lobster’s claw. Underneath the claws are a pair of small fuzzy pads called pulvilli. These are suction pads, which the fly presses to the surface to squeeze out the air, creating enough suction to hold itself up. (From How Do Flies Walk Upside Down?)
GOOSEBUMPS
Q: Why do people get goosebumps?
A: There was a time (ages ago) when the human body was covered with thick hair. When it got cold, the hairs would stand on end, keeping the cold air out and the warm air in. The hairs have long since disappeared, but the place where the hair used to be still bristles, trying to get warm. (From The Book of Answers)
BIRD POOP
Q: What’s that black dot in the middle of bird droppings?
A: The black dot is poop. The white part is urine. They come out together, at the same time, out of the same hole. The white stuff, which is slightly sticky, clings to the black stuff. (From Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?)
Q: What’s the most popular topping for a Domino’s Pizza in Japan? A: Squid.
RUMBLY IN THE TUMBLY
Q: Why does your stomach growl?
A: Every 75 to 115 minutes, your stomach’s muscles contract. If there is no food present, the stomach creates a wavelike motion that causes the air and your digestive gases to roll around and create that rumbling sound. That rumble becomes your own personal lunchtime bell, which can be totally embarrassing. (From Why Can’t You Tickle Yourself?)
SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS
Q: Do people who are born blind ever dream?
A: People who are blind from birth do dream, but they don’t dream the same visual images as sighted people. Said one man who has been blind since birth, “my dreams are never with shapes or colors. I dream about touching things. Once I dreamed I was being chased by someone with a gun and felt as if the bullets were actually piercing my back.” So rather than see shapes, textures, and colors, they hear and feel the dream.
It is also interesting that people who can see and become blind later in life will still see images in their dreams. However, the images tend to fade the longer they remain blind. (From Do Fish Drink Water?)
Top 3 ice cream flavors in the U.S.: 1) vanilla, 2) chocolate, 3) butter pecan.