#1 Wednesday Fun – Did You Know

Good afternoon Wednesday! Welcome to our first post in the Wednesday Fun Day series! We are here to share some myths and fun facts with you so you can power through the rest of the week! Beautifully illustrated by Christy C.

Go bananas!

That’s bananas, knowing that we are 50% alike with bananas. But this saying isn’t entirely true. We, human, share 50% of our genes with bananas (actually, with plants), but not DNA. Where does the 50% come from? It is because animals and plants share a common ancestor from 1.6 billion years ago, and those genes were passed down to many other plants and species on Earth today and to us. The 50% genes only code for 2% of our DNA, so technically, we only share 1% of our DNA with bananas – not 50. So be rest assured, occasionally we might go bananas on certain things, but we are not bananas 🙂 (Source from the Naked Scientist).

How Many Hearts Does an Earthworm Have?

The earthworm is our farmer’s friend! Because of the critical role they play in our ecosystems, loosening and aerating soil, breaking down rotting organic matter and increasing the fertility of the soil. This fairy might look simple on the outset. Still, it actually has 5 into arches/hearts to pump blood throughout its body. It takes a lot to move around underneath heavy soil!

How strong an ant is?

Oh well, they are exceptionally strong and fast! An average ant can carry about 50 times its own body weight, and run at approximately 300 meters an hour (ask a biologist). So next time when you are at the gym thinking that dumbbell is too heavy, think again! (safety come first lol)

Natural all-nighter in the wild – Giraffe

Master Google will tell you giraffes only sleep 30 minutes per day, but this isn’t entirely accurate. Research shows long-necked mammals fit about 4 hours sleep in a day. Deep sleep is a luxury in the wild because while you are sleep, you are less reactive and prone to attacks. Comparing to human, we will have spent 20-26 years asleep by the time you know…we kick the bucket (#theimportanceofagoodbed). Giraffes only spend 4 years asleep in their entire life. When they sleep, they are sooooooo cute (photo credit to inish.world)!