A list of curious facts
One: One of the earliest animals in the world—and perhaps the first to be mobile—is called Quaestio simpsonorum. It is more than 500 million years old—and looks like a fleshy blob with a question mark on it. It is also the first creature whose left side was different from its right side—which is apparently very important to the evolution of life. What we like best: its nickname: ‘Sea Roomba’. Very fitting as you can see in the lead image. (New Atlas)
Two: The latest demented TikTok trend involves soaking raw bhindi in cold water overnight—and drinking the liquid. Yes, it’s every bit as “thick and slimy” as it sounds.
It promises to improve digestion, regulate blood sugar, blah blah—but most importantly “increase vaginal lubrication.” Just remember that when you’re eating bhindi ki sabzi.
Here’s a bonus bit of advice from the Guardian column:
“If you’re not actually eating the okra slices from your water, you’re missing out on a chunk of those nutrients,” says [nutritionist Chelsea Rae] Bourgeois, including insoluble fibre from the pod and protein from the seeds. You can technically eat the okra slices after steeping, but I drained and pan-fried mine and they were still very wet, so I can’t particularly recommend it.
Itni bhindi samasya. FYI: Pinterest predicts Okra Water will be “everywhere” this coming season. You have been warned. (The Guardian)
Three: Did you know there is a name for the annoying people who cut the line when boarding a plane? They’re called ‘gate lice’: “The parasitic name is ascribed to over-eager individuals who crowd the gate, impatiently nudging and pushing to board the plane before their group is called.”
Exactly the kind of behaviour that results in delayed flights—and cranky passengers. American Airlines is trialling a new system to shame such lousy people. Every time someone tries to board out of turn—when their group has not been called—there will be an “audible” beep that alerts the gate agent. For it to work in India, it will have to be a police siren, ofc. (AFAR)
Bonus fact: You can design and commission your own bespoke jewellery thanks to a new AI platform called Arcade. The materials include gold, brass, silver, and a variety of gemstones, including diamonds, garnet, ruby, and more. Our question: Why isn’t there an Arcade out here? This is a totally ‘made for India’ product. You can give it a spin here. Raghav was so inspired, he created the splainer necklace below lol! (TechCrunch)
