With a few notable exceptions, humans aren't exactly known for their powers of observation
and deduction — which is why the objects on this list never get the appreciation they
deserve.
From takeout containers to airplane windows, these everyday items are full of mystery and
purpose, and their seemingly random features are actually genius design elements that could
save your life… or at least make it a little bit easier.
The box of aluminum foil
Whether you're wrapping a baked potato or covering a casserole, aluminum foil is one
of life's greatest conveniences… if only the box weren't such a pain in the butt.
Every time you try to pull out some foil — or its cousin, plastic wrap — the roll tumbles
right out!
That is, unless you know that the box is designed to be your hero, not your nemesis.
There are two perforated tabs on the box called "end locks," and all you have to do is push
them in to hold the roll firmly in place.
Chinese takeout boxes
Invented in Chicago by Frederick Weeks Wilcox, these takeout boxes with the cool red lettering
are already one of humanity's greatest treasures because they come filled with delicious Chinese
food.
But if you check out the original patent, you'll get a surprise: this origami-inspired
invention is made from a single piece of paper, which unfolds into a plate — and then re-folds
back into a paper bucket for easy storage in your fridge.
It's like a Transformer!
Only better, because it's full of chow mein.
The airplane window hole
Even experienced flyers may not know what's up with this weird little hole that's found
at the base of every airplane window — but once you know its purpose, you'll be glad
it's there!
It's called a bleed hole, and it regulates air pressure, which changes drastically when
a plane climbs from sea level to thirty thousand feet.
Once you're airborne, the pressurized air inside the plane wants to get out; the bleed
hole works to reduce pressure on the second of the airplane window's three panes — which
is important, because if the outer pane shatters, then the middle pane is your only protection
from both the outside air pressure and that creepy monster from The Twilight Zone.
The oven drawer
We know you've been sticking your baking sheets in there, but this drawer isn't just for storage;
on many oven models, it's what's known as a warming drawer.
The warming drawer is designed to keep your pies, cookies, and lasagna warm and toasty
— after you've baked them in the oven up above.
Not all oven models have this useful feature, but if yours does, you'll never have to serve
your guests cold pie again.
Just gotta find another place to stick all this crap, though.
The dashboard arrow
You probably know which side of your car the gas tank is on.
But if you've ever driven rental or borrowed a friend's car, you know the exquisite agony
of pulling into a gas station, getting out of the car … and screaming in frustration
because the pump is on the other side.
Those stupid car makers!
Couldn't they put some kind of indicator on the dashboard that lets you know which side
to align with the pump?
Uh, yeah: they actually already do that.
That arrow near the fuel gauge?
It's not an Illuminati code; it's there to tell you which side your tank is on.
And though most drivers don't know about it, the arrow is standard in all modern cars.
Pen cap hole
Have you ever gazed into the abyss at the center of a plastic pen cap, wondering what
mysteries are contained within?
The answer could save your life… if you're a baby who likes to eat things you find on
the floor.
That hole in the top of the cap is a vent that air can pass through, just in case an
adventurous toddler accidentally gets one jammed in his windpipe.
Heinz 57
Despite the popular urban legend that once sold fifty-seven different products, the truth
about the number 57 embossed on ketchup bottles is far more interesting — and knowing it
marks the difference between a true fan and a pretender.
The 57 is there to mark the bottle's "sweet spot."
According to Heinz, applying a "firm tap" to that particular location is the trick to
unleashing the notoriously slow-moving red stuff from its glass prison… although they
make no guarantees about your safety if you put it on a hot dog in the city of Chicago.
Keyboard bumps
Bumps aren't usually a good sign, but in this case, they're there to help.
Those little nubs protruding from the F and the J keys can be found on almost any QWERTY
keyboard — right in the spot where you place your index fingers for optimum typing awesomeness.
People who are touch typists — the ones who don't need to look at their hands while
they're pecking away — work their magic by feeling for those bumps, which tells them
what position their fingers are in without having to take their eyes off the screen.
The elevator hole
In the end, it always comes back to holes.
This time, we're talking about that tiny opening that can be found on the outside of many elevator
doors.
What is this, a peephole for ants?
Actually, it's a keyhole called an escutcheon tube, and it's usually found on the elevator
doors on both the topmost and bottom floors.
The key that slots into the hole is usually kept on the premises, and when used, it will
cause the doors to open wide — whether the elevator is there or not.
This is good news for passengers who've gotten stuck between floors on a malfunctioning elevator,
but it's also useful for more routine stuff like maintenance, inspections, and cleaning.
The fifth pocket
Despite being the perfect size for toting a certain latex accessory, that teeny tiny
extra pocket on your jeans isn't meant for condoms.
Back in the day, men used to carry around loose pocket watches, often hanging from a
chain.
But when a man wasn't looking at his watch, he needed a place to put it...
"So he hid it!
In the one place he could hide it, his a--."
Actually, no, that would be the fifth pocket, a tidy and comfortable place to store your
favorite timepiece.
Don't listen to Christopher Walken.
He's crazy.
"Winston Churchill once said the eyes are the windows to your face."
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