Why?

2023-03-10 21:00:33 WHY is it essential to soak nuts before consumption?

Soaking is a simple and effective way to get all the nutrients from nuts. When in contact with water, the kernel is saturated with moisture, which activates enzymes and changes its composition. It increases the number of vitamins and antioxidants.

And these substances become available to the human body, as phytic acid passes into the water during soaking. The removal of phytic acid improves the absorption of nut pulp in the intestines, prevents unpleasant consequences in the form of bloating and increased gas formation. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-10 14:00:35 WHY do we lick the wound when getting cut?

We reflexively bring the spot with a little skin damage to our mouths. According to Nermina Malanovic and Karl Lohner (Institute for Molecular Biology, University of Graz), the secretion of human salivary glands contains certain substances that kill microbes.

In particular, it is a special peptide - a chain of amino acids with an antibacterial effect. Such compounds are present in the human body not only in saliva, but also in lacrimal fluid, white blood cells, are part of the skin. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-09 21:00:28 WHY do celebrities parade the red carpet?

The tradition of a famous or influential person walking the red carpet dates back long before Hollywood blockbuster premieres or annual fashion shows by famous designers.

This phenomenon has such an ancient history that you can find references to it in the works of the famous Greek playwright Aeschylus (525 BC - 456 BC), namely, in his play "Agamemnon". In it, the Greek king, who has returned with victory from his conquest of Troy, is greeted by his wife Clytemnestra, who has laid a red carpet for him. Agamemnon remarked that it was inappropriate for him, a mortal, to walk as the gods walk. From this we can conclude that the red carpet probably has its origins in ancient Greek myths about the gods.

In the early 20th century, the red carpet becomes closer to ordinary people: it is laid out in front of the passengers of the famous 20th Century Limited train that ran across the United States. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-09 14:00:35 WHY do jeans carry a small pocket?

The origin of the little pocket on jeans goes back to the XIX century, when in 1873 Levi's company first introduced jeans with such an addition. The name of this model was 501 XX. Such an element, according to the story, was invented by American designer Michael Regalo.

There is another version: the idea of creating a pocket belongs to Leiba Strauss (or Levi Strauss, as we call it today), which directly and brought to market jeans in the mid XIX century.
Under this theory, these pants, which the author called "overalls with no top," were invented just in the run-up to the gold rush, and the pocket was intended for prospectors, giving them the opportunity to safely store gold nuggets. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-08 21:00:31 WHY are the buttons on men's shirts sewn on the right but the ones on women's shirts stitched on the left?

High society women used to dress with the help of maids. It was easier for the helpers to button the buttons, so they were placed on the left side.

Men, on the other hand, preferred to dress themselves, so it was more convenient for them to have the buttons on the right.

Men used to carry weapons on the left side, so the left shelf was on top of the right, so the hand wouldn't cling to the clothes. It was also easier to reach for a weapon that was under his clothes with this option. If a man was already holding a weapon, it was easier for him to unbuckle his clothes with his left hand. In cold weather, men could keep their right hand, which held the weapon, warm under the left hem. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-08 14:00:37 WHY do champions adore to bite their medals?

Athletes first decided to bite their medals in 1991. The British steeplechase team did it. As the athletes admitted, the photographers asked them to do something weird and amusing for the frame, as the traditional posing with the award was no longer so interesting.

According to some historians, metal biting began back in the Middle Ages. Allegedly that’s how pirates tested gold coins for authenticity. Gold is soft enough, so the dent marks caused by the teeth must have remained on the precious metal. For comparison, gold has a hardness of 2.5, silver 2.7, and platinum 4.3. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-07 21:00:30 WHY is it quiet outside when it's snowing?

Sound is a mechanical oscillation of a certain frequency that propagates in solid, liquid, and gaseous media. As the layer of freshly fallen snow grows, more and more empty cells containing air appear between the snowflakes.

Sound waves hitting the snow layer are not reflected from it as well as, for example, from a solid homogeneous surface, and some of them are absorbed by the snow cover. But if the snow settles, the number of air cells will immediately decrease, and the sound can be better reflected from the surface.

That's why it's quietest outside when the snow is still soft and freshly fallen. After a few hours, the snow cover thickens, and the amazing silence and charm of the snowfall dissipates. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-07 14:00:36 WHY does a person need privacy?
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A person should be alone for at least two hours a day staying in a state of peace. It is just as vital for mental health as communication.

The smooth flow of thoughts, self-knowledge and reflection, sometimes just emptiness and silence - we tend to do this unknowingly, but we need the solitude.

On the way to and from work, disconnecting from the world in public transportation, idly looking at storefronts, not planning to shop, etc. We need solitude to balance our souls. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-06 21:00:33 WHY can some fungi turn ants into zombies?

Some parasites are capable of dramatically altering their host's behavior to achieve their goals, turning it into a zombie.

These include the cordyceps lopsided fungus, which penetrates the ant's body and then somehow forces the insect to follow a place optimal for the parasite's development.

The ant seeks out the plant, climbs to a height of 20-30 cm, finds a leaf with a certain temperature and humidity, and bites into the central vein on the underside of the leaf. The ant then dies and the fungus sprouts from its body. Открыть/Комментировать

2023-03-06 14:00:36 WHY does the wind howl when the door is ajar?

The narrow slit can't let much air in, and there is a noticeable pressure differential on the sides of the door. This causes the airflow to flow rapidly through the slit. At high velocity, the flow becomes turbulent, and vortices are created and destroyed in it.

The frequency of the eddies, and with it the height of the sound, increases as the air pressure increases. Hence the howl. Открыть/Комментировать