15 ‘Uncomfortable’ Facts to Make You Just a Little Uneasy

Isn’t trivia fun? We all love to share little tidbits of knowledge we got from around the world. More and more though, and mostly thanks to the prevalence of the world wide web, people have been sharing the same fun facts at gatherings and parties. It’s time for an update.

We need to make it memorable, though, and that means thinking about human frailty or how the world holds more dangers than we realize on first thought. We’ve gathered just a few unsettling facts for you to take to a party, and be the talk of the town. Just maybe not in a good way.

Tiny Mites Live on your Eyelashes Right Now

Tiny arachnids called Demodex mites are permanently camping out on your face. Related to spiders, these little guys live in your follicles, feeding on cells and depositing eggs right near your eyes. Try not to think about it.

Your Immune System Does not Know your Eyes Exist

Thanks to a quirk called immune privilege, your immune system is basically blind to your eyes. This keeps inflammation at bay, because if your natural defenses ever decided to fully attack your eyeballs, you could actually lose your sight.

Pigs are Capable of Eating an Entire Human Body

A hungry pig is not picky about its dinner. Because they consume both plants and all types of flesh, a group of them can entirely consume an unattended human body, leaving almost nothing behind at all.

Your Phone Screen has More Bacteria than a Toilet

You take your phone everywhere, and it shows. Since we constantly touch screens after touching door handles, pets, and everything else, your device ends up harboring far more germs than the porcelain throne sitting in your bathroom.

Pineapples Contain an Enzyme that Eats your Mouth Back

When you snack on fresh pineapple, it genuinely fights back. The fruit contains bromelain, a special enzyme mixture that actively breaks down proteins. That stinging sensation you feel is the fruit actually digesting the cells in your mouth.

Vending Machines Crush and Kill more People than Sharks

Reports throughout the decades revealed that approximately two to five Americans are crushed by falling vending each year. That rate of over 2 incidents a year from rocking the machines easily exceeded the annual shark fatalities during any era.

Rats can Tread Water for Three Straight Days

As long as their nose and mouth stay above the surface, rats can tread water for nearly 72 hours straight. These incredible swimming abilities are exactly how the resilient rodents manage to travel through pipes and into toilets.

The Smell of Cut Grass is a Distress Signal

That nostalgic scent of a freshly mowed lawn is actually a chemical warning. The green leaf volatiles released when grass gets cut act as distress signals, warning neighboring plants of danger while attempting to attract predators for rescue.

Tarantulas can Actually Swim if they Really Need to

If chased by a predator, tarantulas can easily row across water by using their hairy legs as paddles. Some species, like Hysterocrates gigas, can even stay completely submerged for well over 2 hours without a problem.

Stomach Acid is Strong Enough to Dissolve Razor Blades

With an extremely acidic pH between 1 and 2, your stomach acid is incredibly powerful. Laboratory research using simulated acid found that razor blades lost about 37 percent of their mass within a day, becoming heavily corroded.

You Swallow About a liter of Mucus every Day

Your body is constantly working to keep your respiratory system clear. To manage all the dust and pollen floating around, you naturally produce huge amounts of mucus, and the vast majority of it just casually slides right down your throat.

Most Television Laugh Tracks Feature Dead People Laughing

Those canned chuckles in classic sitcoms have a slightly spooky origin. Since many standard laugh tracks were recorded decades ago and reused endlessly, you are likely listening to the genuine giggles of audiences who passed away a long time ago.

Your Brain Begins Eating Itself when Deprived of Sleep

Getting enough rest is crucial for your health in more ways than you realize. When you stay awake too long, your exhausted brain goes into a sort of overdrive, clearing out old connections in a rather extreme self-cleaning process.

Sunburn is Simply your Skin Cells Destroying Themselves

Spending too much time outdoors without protection triggers a dramatic response. When radiation damages your skin, those affected cells essentially initiate a self-destruct sequence to protect your body from further harm, resulting in the peeling redness you see.

Dogs like Squeaky Toys Because they Mimic Dying Prey

It might seem adorable when your furry best friend furiously bites down on their favorite squeaking toy. However, their intense enthusiasm really stems from deep predatory instincts, as that high-pitched noise sounds awfully similar to a tiny distressed animal.