Everything You Didn't Want to Know Quiz

Answer: 24 hours

The average person produces up to 720 ml (3 cups) of saliva per day, although this amount varies depending on factors such as age, gender, and overall health.

So, if my calculations are correct, that same average person produces 21.6 litres (5.7 gallons) of saliva per month, and over the course of a year, this amounts to 262.8 litres (69.4 gallons). That's a lot of spit!

Saliva is an important part of a healthy body, as it helps keep the mouth moist and comfortable, aids in digestion, and fights germs in the mouth. The salivary glands, which are located inside each cheek, at the bottom of the mouth, and near the front teeth by the jaw bone, produce saliva when you chew. The harder you chew, the more saliva you make. Sucking on a hard candy or cough drop also helps you make saliva.

Answer: Dust mites

Dust mites feed on dead human skin cells, which are shed by us every day. These microscopic pests are found in almost every home and thrive in environments with humidity of 70% - 80% and temperature between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius - 25°C (68 to 77 F). They are a common cause of allergies and asthma, and their fecal pellets contain allergens that can cause symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and itchy skin.

And as mentioned, it is in the bedroom where one typically finds the highest concentration of dust mites, where there could be up to 10 million of them present in a mattress. Regular washing is not effective in killing dust mites, but using a HEPA filter can help trap them and their fecal pellets.

Answer: True

Yes, it is true that dead bodies can exhibit goosebumps (AKA horripilation). Of course, I should explain that it happens in an entirely different way for the living than for the dead.

Normally, goosebumps (AKA horripilation) are an involuntary response of the sympathetic nerve system, caused by cold, fear, or excitement, which makes the tiny muscles (called arrector pili muscles) at the base of each hair follicle contract, making the hair stand on end.

With corpses, however, this phenomenon is a part of the post-mortem decomposition process and is caused by rigor mortis.

Answer: To help with childbirth

Essentially, this early form of a chainsaw was designed to cut through bone. Two Scottish doctors - John Aitken and James Jeffray, developed it in the late 18th century for symphysiotomy and excision of diseased bone respectively. Symphysiotomy is a (thankfully) outdated surgery used to separate the mother's pelvic bones when they blocked the baby's descent into the birth canal. Chainsaws weren't actually used to cut wood until almost the 20th century.

Answer: Venezuela

In northern Venezuela, where the Catatumbo River empties into Lake Maracaibo, is where the aptly named Catatumbo lightning phenomenon occurs. Over the course of a year, the region sees between 140 and 160 days of lightning activity, with 16 to 40 flashes per minute. And this happens in a relatively small area with a high density of strikes, counting approximately 250 per square kilometer.

Answer: False

The strongest muscle in the body is actually the masseter, which is what you use to clench your jaw. It can provide a force of 25 kg (55 lbs) on the incisors, and up to 91 kg (200 lbs) at the molars.

That's not to say that the tongue isn't also impressive, comprised of eight smaller muscles that are paired (superior longitudinal, inferior longitudinal, transverse and vertical muscles), and keep busy all day, assisting with talking, chewing, and swallowing.

Answer: Mount Everest

Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, has been a challenge and a fascination for mountaineers since it was first recognized as such in 1841 by a British survey team led by Sir George Everest. The first attempts to climb the mountain were made from the north side (Tibet) in the 1920s, with the first recorded deaths on the mountain occurring in 1922, when seven Nepali porters were killed by an avalanche.

The first successful ascent of Mount Everest was achieved in 1953 by Edmund Hillary (of New Zealand) and Tenzing Norgay (of Nepal), who climbed from the south side (Nepal) as part of a British expedition. They became world famous for their feat, and opened the way for many more climbers to follow in their footsteps. However, climbing Mount Everest is not without risks, and hundreds of people have lost their lives on the mountain over the years. According to various sources, there are more than 200 corpses on the slopes of Everest, and many of these bodies have not been recovered or identified, due to the harsh conditions and the difficulty of transporting them. Some of them have become landmarks or guideposts for other climbers.

Answer: Malaria

As noted in the question, malaria is a disease caused by the parasitic protozoa Plasmodium, which are transmitted to humans by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

Malaria is one of the oldest and deadliest diseases in human history; it has been estimated that malaria may have killed 50-60 billion people throughout history, or about half of all humans that have ever lived. The disease was widespread in ancient times, affecting civilizations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Malaria has influenced the course of wars, migrations, and colonization.

But on the flip side, malaria has also been a major driver of scientific and medical discoveries, such as the identification of the mosquito as the vector and the development of preventive measures such as antimalarial drugs and the use of insecticides and bed nets.

Even with modern technology and awareness, malaria remains a major global health challenge, especially in tropical and subtropical regions, where it causes millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths every year.

Answer: Stapedius

The stapedius muscle is the smallest muscle in the human body, located within the ear. Its primary function is to stabilize the stapes bone of the inner ear, its smallest bone counterpart. By stabilizing the stapes, the stapedius dampens sound vibrations that eventually make their way to the inner ear, preventing potential damage from loud sounds.

The brachioradialis muscle is located in the lateral part of the posterior forearm. The pectinius muscle extends from the pubis to the area just below the lesser trochanter of the femur. The gracilis muscle is a long, thin muscle in each of your inner thighs that extends past your knee.

Answer: Brain freeze

Brain freeze is caused by the sphenopalatine ganglion nerves, which is a group of nerves near the trigeminal nerve in the brain. The sensation of brain freeze is caused by the rapid cooling and rewarming of blood vessels in the sinus area, which will typically result in a sharp, stabbing pain in the forehead or temples.

The scientific name for phantom pain (of a missing limb) is actually simply phantom limb pain (PLP) or residual limb pain (RLP). The term for hiccups (or hiccoughs) is singultus, which derives from the Latin 'singult' meaning 'to catch one's breath while sobbing.' And that feeling of pins and needles in your limbs is called paresthesia, which occurs when sustained pressure causes one or more of the nerves in a body part to become compressed.