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More People Die from Selfies Than from Shark Attacks Each Year
Studies have found that selfie-related deaths — from falls, drownings, and vehicle accidents — significantly outnumber shark attack fatalities globally. India, Russia, and the United States have the highest selfie death rates.
Why It’s Fascinating
It is a striking example of how humans are terrible at assessing risk. We fear the dramatic and rare (sharks) while ignoring the mundane and common (distracted behavior near edges). Our risk perception is shaped by narrative, not data.
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Vending Machines Kill More People Than Sharks Each Year
Vending machines cause an average of 13 deaths per year in the United States, usually from people rocking or tipping them. Sharks kill about 5 people globally per year on average.
A Day on Venus Is Longer Than a Year on Venus
Venus takes 243 Earth days to rotate once on its axis but only 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun. This means a single Venusian day is longer than its entire year.
Humans Share About 60 Percent of Their DNA with Bananas
Roughly 60 percent of human genes have recognizable counterparts in the banana genome. These shared genes handle fundamental cellular processes like cell division, energy production, and growth.
The Total Weight of Ants on Earth Rivals the Total Weight of Humans
There are an estimated 20 quadrillion ants on Earth, with a combined biomass of roughly 80 million tonnes. This is in the same order of magnitude as humanity's total dry biomass.
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