From how quicksand got its name to whether electric eels can shock themselves, we answer
several of your most burning questions about life.
- The name’s Hellbent and I’ve been told in order to get paid I have to read out the
real answers.
Let’s make this quick, which idiot do you have paired with me today?
- Hey what’s up folks, Pringle the One here.
- Oh great!
- Don’t worry big guy, I’m a pro at delivering the truth.
Just watch!
- *Hellbent grunts* Alright, you giant twinkie.
Let’s see what you got.
1.
Belinda Buckly - Will humans evolve ever again?
- Sure!
It can’t be too hard for humans to change themselves, right?
Maybe they can grow some extra legs or maybe wings!
Actually, that’s not a bad idea.
- * - See?
Evolution is just that easy!
- * - Oh no you don’t, we’ve got a video to
get through here!
- Ah-man, you need to evolve a sense of fun.
- * - YOU ARE A TWINKIE, I KNEW IT!
All life on Earth is constantly evolving, including humans.
Changes brought on by evolution do not happen overnight but even just 11,000 years ago adult
humans were unable to digest lactose.
As diets changed with the increase in dairy farming, human bodies adapted to be able to
digest this type of food beyond infancy.
As for what humans will become in the future, I don’t know.
Maybe they’ll all revert into apes.
I can hardly tell the difference anyway.
2.
Raquisha Hurt - Who was the first known Pirate?
- * - That would be Peg-legged Pringle the Jolly.
I know because he was me.
- * - *pirate voice* Avast ye swabs!
I hope ye all be prepared for some swashbuckling on the high seas!
But first - ‘ave any of ye seen me precious booty?
- Right in here, captain.
- * - A curious place to stash me doubloons, first
mate.
- * - I’m the captain now, anyone got a problem
with that?
- *
The act of piracy has been in existence since the early days of naval trading.
Some of the earliest recorded mentionings of piracy describe raids that took place in
the Mediterranean Sea around 1400-1200BC.
Although not the first, one of the earliest known pirates was Dionysius the Phocaean,
originally an admiral of ancient Greece who became involved in piracy against Carthaginian
merchants in his later life.
- * - Looks like we’ve got ourselves a sea monster
lads!
- *
3.
ThePokemonFuser - Why are moths attracted to light sources?
- Aren’t we all?
I remember back when I was a pirate I would always sail towards bright lights.
- * - I think I can relate to the little guys.
I should probably hang with them.
- * - Ouch.
- Ow!
- Ouch!
This is fun!
OW!
YOW!
Some experts believe that moths are drawn towards light sources because light interferes
with their internal navigation system.
Moths evolved when man-made light sources were minimal and some flying insects navigate
by keeping a constant angle relative to a light source.
Basically, man-made light sources confuse them.
Stupid things.
- * - Ow!
- Ouch!
- *
4.
Xian Ji - Why do we say ‘Royal blood’ is blue?
- When you’re a monarch, you’ve gotta be a little cold, right?
Maybe their blood was icey and that’s what helped them go about the business of chopping
off people’s heads.
I couldn’t do it.
- I could, being a King would be easy.
- You wouldn’t chop my head off, would you?
- No, you’d at least make a decent court fool.
I could have servants pelt you with rotten fruit.
- Ah man…
I hate fruit.
- That’s fine.
I’m sure there’s other things that could throw.
- *
The term ‘blue blood’ comes from ye-olde-fancy-pants-time, around the 19th century, when European aristocracy
were paler than the lower class, which caused their veins to be more visible.
This was partly due to them being exposed to sunlight less than the working class and
because of their breeding habits.
It may also have been because of a discoloration of the skin called Argyria, which can be caused
by ingesting traces of silver - and those dandy noblemen sure did love their silver.
5.
Anthony - How did Popcorn become a snack in Theatres?
- Oh man, can you blame them for having it?
Popcorn is probably one of the most fun foods to eat!
You don’t have to use a knife or fork or any of that junk.
You just throw it at your mouth and hope for the best!
- * - *
- Hey, Hellbent.
You want some?
- No.
I’m fine.
- *
Popcorn was a popular snack at fairs and carnivals in the 1800s but was not commercially sold
in movie theatres until the late 1920s.
This was in part due to movie theatres not wanting to ruin the movie experience for audiences
by allowing loud food to be chomped endlessly by disgusting fat slobs who can’t chew with
their mouth closed-
- * - *mouth muffled with food* SHUT THE HELL
UP!
- You ok, man?
- *swallows* Yeah - yeah I’m good.
- Anyway, once movies with sound became popular theatres weren’t so concerned with ruining
the experience, they even started selling popcorn themselves which, turns out, brings
in a healthy profit.
- *
6.
ayluan tan - Can an electric Eel shock itself?
- Well sure, just show them their own reflection!
- * - For real though, let me show you.
- * In fact, they can.
Electric eels have been observed both in nature and in aquariums to occasionally shock themselves
and other Eels.
This can happen due to a miscalculation on the Eel’s part as they need to flex their
bodies in a certain way that avoids harming themselves but shocks their prey.
7.
Daillen E De Rama - Where do germs came from?
- They come from really disgusting places, like up people’s noses - or swamps.
They slither out and rub themselves all over you until you’re sick.
- * - Thankfully, Melissa always tells me that
a nice hot bowl of soup helps.
- * - *
Germs are microorganisms that rapidly breed and live anywhere they can find warmth, food
and moisture.
This includes inside of you, humble viewer.
Most are harmless but some are infectious as they can rapidly mutate to breach your
immune system’s defences.
These infectious agents can be divided into Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi, Protozoans and Helminths.
If you want to make sure they don’t breach your defences, wash your filthy hands.
- * - I’ll get right on that.
8.
Kitty Cate - When you shake liquids, how do bubbles form?
- You know, I don’t even know how to bubbles get in there in the first place.
You know what?
Just for you I’m going to investigate.
- * - Hmm, one sec, let me try that again.
- * - Ok, these bubbles are pretty tricky to spot.
- * - Man this isn’t easy.
- * - We’re going to be here a while, folks.
- *
The reasons you see bubbles in a bottle of liquid, let’s say water, is because of dissolved
gases.
The amount of gases that are dissolved in the water depend on temperature, pressure,
type of gas and the composition of the bottle.
When the bottle of water is shaken you hasten the escape of the dissolved gas by causing
more liquid molecules to vaporize, which forms more bubbles.
9.
- Why is it called quicksand if it’s slow?
- * - You know, I was thinking the same thing.
I mean look at this!
I’ve been here for an hour already and so far the sand is only up to my knees.
I’m pretty disappointed and I feel like I’ve been ripped off.
- * - Hey.
No refunds.
- Can you at least try and speed it up a bit?
- *
Quicksand is regular sand that has come into contact with a lot of water.
The ‘quickness’ of quicksand refers to how rapidly the sand grains move around when
oversaturated with water.
As for it being slow, well, you can always test for yourself how ‘slow’ the sand
is.
You might be surprised with how quick you sink should you struggle against it.
- Having fun yet, Pringle?
- *
10.
emma the kitten - Could we die from laziness?
- Man that’s something I worry about, I used to have a buddy called Jingle.
He would just sit around all day watching space operas and snacking until eventually
he turned to stone.
- * - It’s a sad sight I tell you.
- Hey!
Where did he go?
- * - *
- Not bad.
If by laziness you mean physical inactivity then yes.
Not exercising or simply not being active enough can cause serious health problems.
Some of the risks might include higher blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
On top of that, a lack of physical activity can lead to feelings of anxiety or depression.
- This is Hellbent, reminding you all to get active and exercise.
Don’t sit around rotting your mind and body, get fit and get strong.
- Hey, that’s a pretty good piece of advice, Hellbent.
I think I might follow it!
- Thanks, you can read more about it in my book “How not to be a fat disgusting loser”.
- * - Er - thanks.
Hey - can I get my friend Jingle back?
- No.