All of us have at least a few knowledge blind spots that we may not be aware of. You don’t have unlimited free time at your disposal, so no matter how educated you are, there will always be at least a few areas where you could stand to brush up on the latest developments. A humbling fact is that it is practically impossible to become an expert in every field. That being said, you’d expect everyone to get to grips with at least some fundamental facts about how the world works.
Inspired by internet user u/No_Photograph1, the AskReddit online group shared what they think are vital pieces of knowledge that everyone should be aware of, but sadly, a “disturbing number of people” are ignorant of. Scroll down to read what they think are indispensable facts! Meanwhile, upvote the ones you think everyone could stand to learn.
Bored Panda wanted to find out how we can all stay curious about the world and what things we should focus on learning more about these days, so we got in touch with Melissa Church of Bad Science Jokes. She shed some light on our questions, and you'll find her thoughts as you read on.
#1
Don't let rogue billionaires hijack your federal payment systems.
Image credits: palekillerwhale
We asked Melissa how all of us can stay curious about the world around us while also dealing with all the responsibilities and stress in our lives. She was kind enough to walk us through this. The key is to approach everything incrementally so you don't necessarily have to set a lot of time aside to learn something new.
"It's imperative to find time to learn every single day because when you stop learning you stop growing as a person! It doesn't have to be something time-consuming. To stay curious every day can be anything from looking up the definition of a word to just asking a question about how something mundane works," the founder of Bad Science Jokes told Bored Panda via email.
"Personally, I like following social media pages that give you a fact of the day, or similar. It gives me a chance to learn something while still going about my daily work!"
#2
Tariffs aren’t paid by the country they target.
Image credits: Amiiboid
#3
Giving tax cuts to the wealthy does not create jobs or improved economic conditions for the non-wealthy.
Meanwhile, Bored Panda wanted to find out some of the core things that we should all put some effort into learning in this day and age. Currently, staying up-to-date with progress and changes in the field of artificial intelligence is probably a very good idea. Not just in terms of how your career might be impacted, but also from a media literacy perspective and to stay aware of how the world is shifting.
"I think everyone should be educating themselves on artificial intelligence. I have seen images and videos that will cause me to do a double-take to see if it was real or fake," Melissa told Bored Panda.
"The technology is advancing extremely quickly. We need to educate ourselves in how the technology works, how to spot A.I., and how to properly use it," she said.
#4
How to spot misinformation. Way too many people believe anything they see on social media without questioning the source or verifying facts.
Image credits: GrowthDowntown8645
#5
Driving in general. It’s disturbing that the amount of people who don’t know how to work a 4 way stop sign, park in a parking lot, change lanes, or simply back up.
Image credits: surveyor2004
#6
Disability is a numbers game.
If you live long enough, you WILL become disabled in some way.
The human mind keeps us from processing this as fact, because our brains prefer to believe that our Special Wonderful Specialness and Superior Logic will make us the exception that proves the rule, but it never will. Ever.
You, just like every other being on this planet, will experience death or physical breakdown followed by eventual death.
There is no way to escape it.
The only thing you can do is try to make disabled lives easier, with the knowledge that it will be you someday.
Image credits: saintsithney
It can be super tough to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in any field when you have adult responsibilities like work, college, taking care of your family, etc. Like it or not, it takes a ton of energy, time, and effort to learn new things. And after an exhausting day at the office, sometimes, all you really want to do is binge-watch something on Netflix or take a nap. We get it. However, things like your physical, emotional, and mental health are fundamental to your quality of life, so it only makes sense to invest some of your time into figuring out what’s good for your body, mind, and social life.
For example, we probably all know that sleep is vital to your health and longevity. However, the exact mechanism for how the brain maintains itself during sleep has been up for discussion. Recent research by neuroscientist Maiken Nedergaard from the University of Rochester Medical Center and her team has found that sleep is the rinse cycle in which the brain ‘washes’ itself.
As reported in ‘Science,’ fluid percolates through the brain and flushes out chemical waste that has accumulated while awake. It’s found that this fluid circulates through the brain via the contraction of blood vessels and the periodic release of “a chemical cousin of adrenaline.”
Meanwhile, the sleep drug zolpidem, aka Ambien, affects these blood vessel oscillations. The result? Impeded fluid flow, potentially putting a dent in the rinsing out of chemical waste. Meanwhile, this circulation is also found to be impeded in Alzheimer’s patients and victims of other neurodegenerative illnesses.
#7
Women have 3 holes in their private area. As a woman, you would be shocked at how many of my female friends growing up did not know that.
Image credits: DisabledButts
#8
A disturbing number of people seem to lack basic literacy.
Image credits: supremez-
#9
Don't put water on a grease fire.
Image credits: NitrosGone803
Broadly speaking, we need around 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. The Cleveland Clinic warns that missing even just 1.5 hours of sleep can impact your entire body, including your cardiovascular and immune systems. Sleep deprivation leads to short-term problems like moodiness, memory problems, a lack of alertness, and an inability—or unwillingness—to take part in normal daily activities.
Meanwhile, chronic sleeplessness can lead to depression, anxiety, forgetfulness, slower reaction times, blurred vision, a weakened immune system, hormonal issues, more stress, and a greater risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.
#10
Climate change is real, and both the GOP and Dems wanted to do something about it prior to a massive astroturfing campaign ran by the Koch brothers.
Literally everyone saying that global warming isn't human induced is either paid by the Kochs to say that, or someone who fell for their propaganda.
Image credits: Dahlia_and_Rose
#11
When to STFU.
Image credits: Ninakittycat
#12
Politicians don’t actually care about the people they represent.
What facts do you think that absolutely everybody should know, dear Pandas? What knowledge blind spots do you think are far too common in society? If you had to tell a crowd of complete strangers a single piece of advice or a science fact, what would it be? Let us know what you think and what you’d say in the comments section below.
#13
That you should walk on the side of oncoming traffic.
Image credits: peach_dragon
#14
The EPA was formed because in 1969, the Cuyahoga River in Cleaveland caught on fire for the *13th* time since 1868. The source of the fires was the non-stop toxic waste that factories in Cleaveland were dumping into the river. As a result of the EPA's development, factories were suddenly expected to deal with their waste in a way that didn't harm the environment.
Companies and factories didn't want to comply with those orders and, as a result, a ton of our manufacturing factory work was suddenly outsourced because other countries didn't have environmental restrictions. When other companies realized this was a much cheaper option, they followed suit. So just think: tons of Americans lost their jobs because companies didn't want to spend the money it would take to stop dumping waste from their factory into the environment.
That's how f****d up the US is.
Edit for Pt. II: The Hanford Nuclear Site in Washington state has been leaking toxic waste since as early as the 1970s. It is leaking more now, understandably; despite the fact the site is decommissioned, there's still a metric assload of waste there, a lot of which is in underground plumes. Said plumes have been eroding away at the interior and are slowly making their way towards the Columbia River, the 8th larger river in the US. Should these plumes reach the river, a LOT of toxic waste is going to be leaking into the river.
That's how f****d up the US is.
Image credits: LSama
#15
Basic critical thinking.
#16
A lot of people don’t realize just how bad sleep deprivation can be for your health. It messes with your immune system, your heart, and can even mess with your brain long term. Honestly, a lot of people think it’s no big deal, but it really is, especially if you’re constantly running on little sleep.
Image credits: BeautifulStaarr
#17
Garage door springs will f*****g k**l you. Do not mess with them.
Image credits: GrinningPariah
#18
How the US government works.
Image credits: fuzzyloulou
#19
99% of Americans don't know what a tariff is.
Image credits: Sad_Cow_577
#20
If you sit in the passenger seat of a car with your feet resting on the dashboard, and the airbag goes off, it forces your feet up and through the window, often severing your feet.
Image credits: swest26
#21
General fking kindness.
#22
Don't mix cleaning solutions. Bleach mixed with vinegar or ammonia based chemicals will create dangerous gasses that can be lethal.
Image credits: MrFantastic1984
#23
Head injuries k**l
If you or someone you know has been hit hard enough to pass out or loose consciousness , seek a doctor. Brain bleeds are a silent killer.
If you fall and hit your head, seek help
If something else falls and hits your head, get checked out.
I cringe at the videos of someone being knocked out in a street fight. Get checked out.
Image credits: lestairwellwit
#24
Congress can lie even in hearings without consequences.
#25
Having the right to do something, doesn’t mean it doesn’t also come with responsibility.
#26
How to save someone choking on something. Also being able to do it to yourself in case you are alone.
Image credits: crapeater1759
#27
You don’t drive better drunk or h**h.
Image credits: Literate-Booklice
#28
In a progressive tax system, only the part of your income over the limit is taxed at the higher rate. So if there’s a 0% tax on $0-$100k and a 90% tax on income over $100k, and you made $100,001, you’d pay 90 cents in tax.
#29
As I'm getting older I'm realizing how many people legitimately don't know how to cook/basic cooking practices. I grew up cooking with my family and a lot of my friends just happen to know there way around a kitchen but I've met people who have never even used their oven after months because they have no need.
Image credits: giganticockosaurus
#30
Only 50% of movies that have aired in a cinema from 1990 onwards are avaliable of streaming services today.
Physical media will eventually be a critical resource when preserving film culture.
Image credits: zmilks
#31
If you drive your car into a body of water like a lake or river, immediately roll down the windows. Once you’re submerged, pressure will prevent them from opening (you won’t be able to open the doors either).
Image credits: Flurb4
#32
That you should never put metal in the microwave! It’s like a little firework show, but not in a fun way. You’d think this would be common knowledge, but every year someone still discovers the hard way.
Image credits: Free-Way8647
#33
How I Met Your Mother isn't good.
#34
First Aid.
#35
You need to ventilate a room or a garage if you have an engine or generator on.
#36
It’s a 100% risk that you don’t know who your child will grow up to be or what they will do, no matter what you do.
#37
If you're dealing with a grease fire, NEVER EVER EVER THROW FLOUR AT IT, FLOUR DOES NOT SMOTHER FIRE, IN FACT IT IS HIGHLY FLAMMABLE AND WILL REACT LIKE A B**B
Idk how wide-spread this misconception is nowadays, but my Mom once said it and I had to explain the above to her.
Image credits: CNRavenclaw
#38
Your body reacts to alcohol as poison because it *is* poison (and a carcinogen).
All things in moderation.
#39
You should ssave for your retirement. young people dont acknolewge they are going to get old.
#40
You should eat food when taking any NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, etc.) to avoid GI bleeding/ulcerations.
#41
General s*x knowledge. A lot of people aren’t taught things like how common herpes(hsv) is. That cold sore you got as a kid? Yeah that a form of herpes and you can pass it someone’s genitals if you go down on them even if you’re not having symptoms.
Keeping on with herpes because there’s a stigma around it that shouldn’t exist. A lot of people won’t get symptoms and it’s not included in a lot of testing. This matters because people who do know and are responsible about it get treated like s**t over something they didn’t ask for.
There’s efforts to makes cures and vaccines right now which are underfunded and not nearly enough people know about them. If you have herpes or you don’t have it and you don’t want to get it I suggest you check out r/HerpesCureResearch and learn a bit about it.
Realize it’s way more common than people think and it’s something we can probably see a cure for in a few years if more people raise awareness on it.
Image credits: Articbarista
#42
When performing CPR, you should never bend your arms! You *have* to lock your elbows in order to get enough pressure.
Movies/shows almost never show CPR being done realistically. Like, they don’t have to include the nasty parts like vomiting or broken ribs, but I really feel like they should show the correct form :/.
#43
If we lost all electricity, it would only take a few weeks for millions of people to die of starvation or lack of water.
#44
Slips in the bathroom are very common and dangerous.
Image credits: MKMK123456
#45
That Reddit is a cesspool of misinformation and lies.
#46
The majority of states do not consider EMS (your ambulance) an essential service.
#47
You are responsible for creating your own privacy in public. It's not up to other people to give you the level of privacy you expect.
I just posted a thread like this and holy s**t the amount of hostility I was getting from lunatics.
Image credits: Ill-Organization-719
#48
The majority of the population has herpes (HSV) and don’t know it.
#49
The importance of working out consistently I guess.
Image credits: clownmannolaugh
#50
How to survive without the internet.
