10 Seemingly Random Facts that Could Potentially Save Your Life Someday

Love random facts?

This list should entertain you and give you valuable information on life’s everyday details that you might have missed.

Life’s unforeseen circumstances sometimes demand a touch of ingenuity and resourcefulness, much like the legendary problem-solving abilities of MacGyver.

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Channeling his iconic spirit, we can uncover a wealth of random facts that possess the potential to become our secret tools for survival.

10 Random Facts That Might Save Your Life

Just as MacGyver creatively wielded everyday objects to extricate himself from danger, we, too, can equip ourselves with a repertoire of life-saving knowledge, transforming mundane information into valuable resources when we need them most.

Who knows?

These might just save your life someday.

1. Your car thermometer is not accurate.

Want some interesting random facts about your car?

Every car thermometer contains a component called a thermistor.

Basically, it’s a temperature gauge.

It’s an integral component that your car has in common with every high-grade weather station in operation.

Thermistors are obviously highly sensitive to their surroundings.

Temperature sensitivity is, well, kind of the point.

But when the thermistor is placed behind the front bumper of a vehicle, as they usually are, the sensor picks up heat from the engine.

The temperature reads hotter than the actual ground temp.

So why is this important?

Many assume they needn’t worry about black ice unless the car thermometer reads below freezing.

In fact, even if the car thermometer says it’s above 32 degrees, there still might be patches of black ice on the roadway.

Knowing road conditions and giving your thermometer a 3-4 degree buffer could save your life.

2. Blue lights steal your sleep.

Most people have experienced trouble getting to sleep after messing around on their mobile phones late at night.

LED lights have been proven to disrupt the human brain’s ability to release melatonin, which helps in relaxation and sleep.

And we all know about the negative side effects of sleep deprivation.

The blue light issue has become so widespread that in June 2016, the American Medical Association released specific guidelines to regulate the blueness of streetlights.

Street lights that are too bright not only affect the neighborhood and drivers but also impact the migratory patterns of sea turtles and birds.

Here’s hoping the new AMA regulations will make it easier for everyone to navigate and sleep again.

Until then, just one week of camping – and exposure to only natural light – can help reset your circadian clock.

3. Keeping your phone face down will save battery.

Running out of battery can be dangerous if you’re traveling on mountain roads.

It’s always a good idea to map out directions ahead of time just to be on the safe side.

More importantly, you’ll want your phone for more than the map if there’s an emergency.

You want to be able to call a tow if you break down.

Sometimes, it’s the little things that drain the phone battery.

Once you’ve taken the usual precautions, like removing battery-draining apps, set your phone on the seat face-down.

This will keep it from lighting up when it receives notifications.

These random facts could make all the difference in a pinch!

4. Ice can make you sick.

Farm kids out there won’t be surprised by this one – but everyone else will be.

If you find yourself parched on a hike this winter and stumble upon a barn, do not try to drink iced-over water containing hay or debris.

Horse aficionado Kathy Key reminds us that, if gone uncleaned, old hay frozen in water will build up gasses beneath the ice that can make you (or your horse) sick.

For hundreds of years, horses have silently taken the hit for humans.

They get wounded in our wars and chased down in our hunts.

So if you do happen to come across a trough with iced-over hay in it, do the horses a favor: break up the ice and remove it from their corral.

While dirty ice is bad for humans, it is a double threat to horses.

Not only do the trapped gases pose a health risk, but ice is not a substitute for water.

Dehydration can lead to equine colic.

5. You can start a fire with a battery.

If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation without matches or a lighter, don’t fret!

You can still make a fire without resorting to rubbing sticks together.

Just dig up the following everyday items from the far reaches of your car (or better yet, assemble an emergency kit and stash it in your trunk).

• 9V battery
• Extra fine steel wool
• Cotton ball
• Kindling
• 3-4 medium pieces of wood

Pile the kindling atop the steel wool, wedge the cotton ball beneath the kindling, and rub the battery against the steel wool until the wood begins to spark.

Once it has caught, surround the kindling with the larger pieces of firewood, and you’re in business.

If that is not a MacGyver move, I don’t know what is!

6. An overloaded keyring could hurt your car.

Here are more random facts about cars.

Gift shops nationwide are full of all sorts of fun keychains.

From bottle openers to stuffed animals, there’s no denying that keychains are a fun bauble to carry around.

But keeping them on your car keys is probably NOT the best thing.

All the weight of keychains and extra keys on your car keyring can eventually wear out the sensitive internal parts of the ignition mechanism.

In short, you’ll have all your cool toys, but your car won’t start.

If you don’t want to give up your keychain toys, a mini carabiner will let you unclip your car key from the rest and drive safely.

7. Police need a reason, but not a warrant, to search your car.

A common misconception about a routine traffic stop is that you must do whatever a police officer says.

Many people think refusing an officer’s request to search their vehicle is unlawful.

But that’s simply not true.

Under the Fourth Amendment, you have every right.

It’s extremely important to understand the nuance of the situation, though.

Even though an agent of the state does need probable cause to search a car, he or she does not need a warrant – because of its mobile nature, obviously.

So if they have any grounds to suspect illegal activity, they can search the vehicle even if the driver disagrees.

8. In tornado vs. bathtub, the tub often wins.

When a tornado warning sounds, there isn’t always the opportunity to run to the neighbor’s basement or the nearest shelter.

Sometimes, we just have to make do.

A windowless bathroom is a good place to seek shelter quickly.

All the framing it takes to hold the plumbing in a bathroom just might make the difference if a tornado hits the house.

In the bathroom, the safest place to hide is the tub.

The tub and the toilet are often the only things left intact after a tornado.

If you see a tornado heading your way and don’t have time to get to a shelter, hop in the tub.

9. Green potatoes are toxic to humans.

Here are some random facts about our favorite side dish.

Green potatoes are green because of excess chlorophyll, which is harmless, but it lets us know that the potato has been exposed to the sun.

Solanine is a toxin that potatoes produce to protect themselves against insects.

Levels of it increase with exposure to sunlight.

Thus, green potato equals toxic potato.

It would take a mighty large green potato to make someone sick, but it is entirely possible.

Solanine can cause headaches, nausea, and neurological disorders.

Do yourself a favor and steer clear of potatoes that don’t look right.

10. Laughter is good for your health.

Laughter is proven to improve blood flow, immune response, blood sugar, and relaxation.

It loosens us up and helps us connect with others, too.

Need proof?

Q: What do you call a fake noodle?

A: An impasta

You’re welcome.

Did you enjoy these random facts?

You learn something new every day.

Just because random facts may seem like useful bits of information at first, you never know when such details could be useful.

So keep them in mind.

The time may soon come for them to save your life.

Let us know some other interesting facts in the comment section below.

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