Fun fact; when you begin a sentence with “fun fact,” you pique the curiosity of your audience and they wait with bated breath, hanging on to every word you utter thereafter. This is because information is interesting and we humans are a naturally curious species.

If you’re in the mood for some interesting facts, you’re in luck, because we’re sure these tidbits of information will amaze you!

Pixabay/Pexels| Guinea pigs

In Switzerland, it is illegal to own just one Guinea Pig

The above-mentioned phrase might seem strange but there is a very good reason for this–guinea pigs are social animals and get depressed when lonely. Once a guinea pig is eight weeks old, by law, it should be kept in groups whenever possible. If you get caught owning just one guinea pig in Switzerland, you could get slapped with an animal cruelty charge.

Weird, right? Well, Switzerland also has other seemingly strange laws protecting animals–for instance, you are forbidden from forcing a chicken to wear glasses or contact lenses. Although we applaud the government for taking an initiative against animal cruelty, one still has to wonder why on Earth anyone would make a chicken wear sunglasses.

Aman Bhatnagar/Pexels| Feather

Pteronophobia

Yep, this unique word with the silent ‘P’ is reserved for those who are scared of being tickled with feathers. Let's face it–we all have fears. While some of us will be afraid of the dark, others among us are terrified of heights or tight spaces, and to be honest, all of these phobias are quite justified. What does need some explaining is why exactly someone would be scared of being tickled by a feather. Hmmmmm.

Mark Broadhurst/Pexels | Snakes can sense earthquakes

Snakes can sense earthquakes

Many animals can sense seismic changes or vibrations on the Earth’s surface and even we humans use seismographs and other equipment to detect and record earthquakes. That might not be so impressive, but what is awe-inspiring is the fact that animals like snakes can do that without using any sensors or seismographs. These majestic creatures are the best at predicting earthquakes, even sensing them from some 75 miles (121 Km) away.

What's even more impressive is that they can even sense an earthquake up to five days before it happens. So if you have a phobia of earthquakes, you might want to consider getting a snake friend to give you a heads up on an upcoming earthquake. Jokes aside, don’t get snakes as pets unless they are completely harmless and you are legally allowed to do so.