When is the last time you found yourself wondering about how or why something works a certain way? Maybe you used the web to find the answer, or maybe you were too busy or too lazy to do so. This list of surprising facts just might include answers to some of the things you have wondered about. The information comes from a video posted on the Facebook page Unbelievable Facts.
How do emergency calls work when there is no network signal?
The video’s creator explained that when your phone shows that it doesn’t have any network coverage, it simply means that your carrier’s network is out of range. Emergency calls are carried by any mobile network within range of where you are, so unfortunately, if no mobile network has service wherever you are, then you won’t even be able to place an emergency call.
How can NASA communicate with Voyager 1 even though it’s 21 billion kilometers away but it can be difficult to get a mobile signal on Earth?
The spacecraft‘s high-gain antenna is 3.7 meters in length and always pointed at Earth so it can communicate on GHz frequencies with three deep space network stations. However, mobile devices use short-range, ultra-high frequencies to communicate.
What’s the difference between four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive?
Vehicles equipped with four-wheel drive provide the same amount of power to all four wheels in order to get more traction, which is why these vehicles are best for unpaved roads. However, vehicles with all-wheel drive provide different amounts of power to each wheel, which maximizes drivability and works better on paved roads.
Why can’t bots check those “I am not a robot” checkboxes?
Those checkboxes are otherwise known as reCAPTCHAs, and they monitor the path the user’s mouse takes to move from its initial position to the checkbox. Bots move to the checkbox in a perfectly straight line, but humans do not.
Why is the same side of the moon always facing Earth?
This surprising fact explains the phenomenon of tidal locking. The moon is tidally locked to Earth, which basically just means it takes the same amount of time to rotate on its own access as it takes to revolve around Earth.
Why would a temperature increase of only 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit or 2 degrees Celsius be devastating for Earth?
It takes massive amounts of heat to warm the entire atmosphere, oceans and land even by a single degree. Scientists believe the last time it was 5 degrees Celsius cooler than it is today was 20,000 years ago during the ice age. During the 18th century, the temperature was 1 degree Celsius cooler on average than it is now, and at that time, the ocean off the coast of New York froze. Thus, an increase of 2 degrees Celsius in temperature would be extremely hot.
Why do things get so quiet when it snows?
Snow is an excellent sound absorber similar to foam. The empty space between the snowflakes absorbs the sound.
Why do water bottles have a flat bottom, but bottles of soft drink have five points on the bottom?
Soft drinks are aerated, which means that if the bottom where flat, it would bulge when the bottle gets warm because pressure increases. Placing five bumps on the bottom of the bottle prevents this bulge.
Why do I think I look better in the mirror than I do in pictures?
Mirrors display a reversed image of yourself, but cameras do not flip images unless you have set the camera on your smartphone to do so. (Some smartphones do offer this setting.) Additionally, we tend to be more familiar with the face we see in the mirror because we look at it daily, while we don’t usually look at pictures of ourselves every day.
Why does it seem like time passes more quickly the older you get?
As you age, everyday life becomes very routine, which means you don’t pay as much attention to minor things as you did when you were younger. This surprising fact suggests that one way to slow down time would be to try learning a new skill.
