A list of curious facts
One: Did you know that in depictions of Venus in ancient art, her second toe is always way longer than the big one? It was considered visually pleasing—and in accordance with the Golden Ratio that rules aesthetics. To this day, the feature—shared by 15-20% of humanity—is called the ‘Greek Foot’. Atlas Obscura has more on its history. And you can admire the digits of Botticelli’s famous depiction of Venus de Milo below.
Two: Scientists have finally started mapping which genes control our facial features—and have identified more than 130 chromosomal regions associated with specific aspects of facial shape. What they learned: “Your nose, like it or not, is the part of your face most influenced by your genes. Perhaps not surprisingly, areas like the cheeks, which are highly influenced by lifestyle factors like diet, showed the fewest genetic associations.” Entrepreneur magazine has more.
Three: In Japan, ‘rice sommeliers’ conduct a blind test to determine the world’s best rice. The winner is Toyo Rice which costs 10,800 yen for 840 grams—or $95 for less than 2 pounds—making it the most expensive chawal on the planet. And the company only makes a few hundred boxes a year. (TasteCooking)
Four: Every couple of months, the photo—of a Sikkimese woman carrying a white man—below goes viral as an ugly example of British colonialism. But the story behind it is far more complicated and fascinating. It is hard to sum up here, but we highly recommend this fact-check by Fake History Hunter.
Five: A US company has rolled out the equivalent of an Apple Watch for your pooch—a smart dog collar that will track canine respiratory and heart rate using advanced technology that was until now reserved for smartphones. (The Verge)