Only 12,000 years ago there was a species closely related to modern humans called Homo floresiensis that had been living on an Indonesian Island. They used fire and rather advanced tools, yet were only about 3 feet tall and weighed around 25kg.
15
Cellophane is not made of plastic. It is made from a plant fiber, cellulose, which has been shredded and aged.
44
Most liquid laundry detergents are alive with living organisms that help to break down stains!
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Some toothpastes and deodorants contain the same chemicals found in antifreeze.
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Hot water can freeze faster than cold water.
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Columbia University has developed an artificial tree that passively soaks up carbon dioxide from the air using "leaves" that are 1,000 times more efficient than true leaves that use photosynthesis.
15
Nuclear power prevented an average of over 1.8 million deaths between 1971-2009 as a result of lower air pollution from reduced coal usage according to NASA.
5
The weight of a carat (200 milligrams), standard unit of measurement for gemstones, is based on the weight of the carob seed.
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