Traditionally, if you were to break a pinky promise, your pinky would be cut off.

Mosquitoes are responsible for more deaths in human history than every war combined.

Lingchi, roughly translated as ‘death by a thousand cuts’, was a Chinese torture method whereby the subject would have different parts of their body removed over a long period of time, eventually resulting in death. The practice, reserved for only the most severe crimes, was outlawed in 1905.

People who sleep for less than 6 hours a night are 12% more likely to die prematurely.

In order to keep the burial sight of Genghis Khan a secret, all 2000 people who attended his funeral were killed. This included over 800 executioners.

A worm that was sent to the international space station came back with another head. When researchers cut it off, it simply grew another one.

Japanese Flying Squid can ‘fly’ above the water for a distance of 30m. They do this to avoid being eaten.

The coconut crab is the largest land-based Arthropod. They can grow larger than a dog and live for up to 60 years.

In 19th century Britain, it was highly fashionable to host a ‘mummy unwrapping party’ in someone’s home.

Goldfish have been known to participate in orgies.

In the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed that witches would steal the penises of men and keep them in jars. They’d even feed them in the hopes that they’ll grow bigger.

The bite of a venomous Boomslang can cause snake can cause bleeding from every orifice. .

Some turtles have the ability to urinate through their mouth and breathe through their anus.

In the U.S.A. alone there are over 16,000 babies born prematurely every year due to factors related to air pollution.

Approximately 30% of the air pollution in San Francisco comes from China.

Men are 6 times more likely to get struck by lightning than women.