Tag Archives: factslaps

One for the Road

Factslap: Humans invented alcohol before we invented the wheel


The wheel is credited as one of humankind’s most important inventions: It allowed people to travel farther on land than ever before, irrigate crops, and spin fibers, among other key benefits. Today, we often consider the wheel to be the ultimate civilization game-changer, but it turns out, creating the multipurpose apparatus wasn’t really on humanity’s immediate to-do list. Our ancient ancestors worked on other ideas first: boats, musical instruments, glue — and alcohol. The oldest evidence of booze comes from China, where archaeologists have unearthed 9,000-year-old pottery coated with beer residue; in contrast, early wheels didn’t appear until around 3500 BCE (about three millennia later), in what is now Iraq. But even when humans began using wheels, they had a different application — rudimentary versions were commonly used as potter’s wheels, a necessity for mass-producing vessels that could store batches of brew (among other things). 

Some researchers believe our long-standing relationship with alcohol began only 10 million years ago thanks to a genetic mutation that allowed our bipedal ancestors to consume overly ripe fruit. Over time, alcohol consumption transitioned from snacktime byproduct to a purposefully crafted, fermented beverage, and different cultures began to create their own brews independently. After China’s beer and wine appeared around 7000 BCE, early vintners in the Caucasus Mountainsfollowed 1,000 years later. Sumerian brewers crafted beer around 3000 BCE, while Indigenous communities in the Americas, such as the Aztecs and Incas, later made their own drinks from agave and corn. It may seem surprising that ancient humans were so fermentation-focused, but early alcohols played a major role in prehistoric communities: Booze was often the center of religious and social celebrations, and could serve as a go-to cure for illness and pain. In some cases, it even acted as a nutritious, probiotic boost during times of food scarcity. With their many uses, both lifesaving and life-enhancing, brewed beverages have withstood the test of time

Evidentialism Factslap: South Florida is the only place crocs and gators co-exist

Alligators and crocodiles have a lot in common. They’re both beefy reptiles with a serious set of teeth and strong Triassic vibes. However, there are some big differences between them: Alligators usually have a more U-shaped snout, whereas crocodiles sport a more V-shaped schnoz; alligators stick to fresh water, while crocodiles live in salty environments; alligators are blacker, while crocs prefer earth tones like brown. However, the biggest difference is usually in the locations these two gargantuan reptiles call home. American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) can be found in Cuba, Jamaica, southern Mexico, Central America, Ecuador, and elsewhere. Meanwhile, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) mostly sticks to the southeastern U.S. You’ll likely never be tasked with differentiating the two creatures in the wild — that is, unless you find yourself in south Florida. 

On the tip of the Florida peninsula lies the U.S.’s third-largest national park — the Everglades. It’s here that the southern extreme of the American alligator’s range overlaps with the northern extreme of the American crocodile’s range. The 7,800-square-mile expanse of wetlands has both brackish and saltwater environments that create a perfect home for crocs, while fresh water supplied by lakes, rivers, and rainfall provides the preferred habitat for alligators. Alligators vastly outnumber crocodiles in the U.S., with about 200,000 alligators in the park alone. And while crocodiles are considered more aggressive, the two rarely fight with each other or with humans. Still, it’s probably a good idea to keep a minimum safe distance between you and their frighteningly numerous teeth.
At least as far away as you’d stay from a Floridian.

To the Mutt in Us All

The Cost of Love | The HollywoodBowles

I came across your collar today
Sorting what remains
So faded
These eyes
Can barely make you out
But pretty in pink I breathe you in
And jingle jangle
For a moment I think you’re here
To know me
No me
Into the drawer to fragrant past days

In honor of National Make a Dog’s Day, let’s do so with four-pawed Factslaps (E&T Remix):

  • As of 2018, Americans own 89.7 million dogs.
  • The world’s oldest dog died at age 29.
  • Dogs poop in alignment with Earth’s magnetic field.
  • Humans and dogs first became best friends 30,000 years ago.
  • Every dog’s mitochondrial DNA is 99.9% the same as a gray wolf.
Gray Wolf | National Wildlife Federation
  • In English-speaking countries, the most popular names for dogs are Max and Molly.
100 Great Names for Dogs and Why Pick Them
  • Dogs have 13 blood types, horses have 8, cows have 9, while humans have only 4.
How do Human Blood Cells Differ from Animal Blood Cells?

Paul McCartney recorded an ultrasonic whistle audible only to dogs at the end of “A Day in the Life.”

A Beatles hit. It's rumored that, at the... - Skyview Animal Clinic | Facebook