50/100
A Bryde’s whale accidentally scooped a diver but spat him out.

A man was snorkeling off the coast of South Africa when a massive Bryde’s whale accidentally scooped him up headfirst in its mouth. Feeling the pressure around his body, he quickly realized he was too large for the whale to swallow him, which gave him “kind of an instant relief.” After a few moments, the whale spat him out, leaving him unharmed.

49/100
Olives require curing before eating, with origins still largely unknown.

Olives are naturally inedible when picked due to their bitterness. It takes a long curing process to make them edible, though the exact history of how this process became known remains unclear.

48/100
China’s smooth bullet trains can balance a coin at 350 km/h.

China’s high-speed bullet trains operate so smoothly that even at speeds of 348 km/h, a coin placed upright on a windowsill can remain standing without falling.

47/100
Japan tests first tooth-regrowing drug, with potential future availability.

Japan is testing a world-first tooth-regrowing drug on humans, following successful animal trials that could lead to broader availability by 2030.

46/100
Aphantasia affects 1-3% of people who cannot create mental images.

Aphantasia affects 1-3% of people and prevents them from visualizing images in their minds, often referred to as “mind blindness.”

45/100
Palm oil in cow feed caused hard butter in Canada.

In 2021, Canadian dairy farmers added palm oil to cows’ diets, causing butter that wouldn’t spread at room temperature. This sparked the Buttergate controversy, with calls to stop the use of palm oil.

44/100
Annalisa Flanagan holds the record for the loudest shout.

In 1994, teacher Annalisa Flanagan set the loudest shout record at 121.7 decibels with a yell of “quiet.” Her record has remained unbeaten for almost 30 years.

43/100
More steel is made hourly than all gold ever mined.

Gold is incredibly rare. The world produces more steel in just one hour than all the gold that has been mined throughout recorded history.

42/100
Hurricane Milton nears its mathematical limit with 180 mph winds.

Hurricane Milton is near the mathematical limit for storms from that region, with sustained winds of 180 mph and a 3.8-mile-wide eye. It ranks as the fifth most powerful hurricane recorded in the Atlantic, with a central pressure of 897 mb.

41/100
Christopher Knight lived alone in Maine woods for 27 years.

In 1986, Christopher Thomas Knight drove into rural Maine, ran out of gas, and decided to live alone in the woods. For the next 27 years, he survived in total isolation without human contact, living in a secret camp near North Pond.