- 3 months ago
Unlock the mysteries behind the overlooked components of your everyday items. These unassuming bits of plastic and metal serve crucial purposes you likely never considered. Discover the fascinating truths about these hidden features and how they enhance your daily life. From clever attachments to practical uses, explore the world of design that lies just beneath the surface. Are you ready to see what you've been missing?
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00:00There's nothing better than a nice piece of buttered toast for breakfast, if we're not counting hot fudge sundaes.
00:06But if you find it harder to spread out cold butter over your toast, here's an idea.
00:11Use a cheese grater. Figure out the amount you need and grate the product.
00:16The process will also soften the butter, making it easier to spread, and you won't have to melt a too
00:21large amount of it in the process.
00:23But still, that hot fudge!
00:26Dried pasta comes in all sorts of different shapes and sizes for a reason.
00:31That's because each type of pasta goes best with a particular sauce.
00:35Pasta shells, for example, are perfect with denser and chunkier sauces.
00:40Why? Because the sauce gets inside the shells, making it easier to serve and eat the dish.
00:46The ribbed outer surface also helps with covering the shells in the sauce.
00:52If you ever end up burning your cookies, you can save them with your trusty grater, too.
00:58Just grate off the blackened parts after carefully taking the cookies from the baking tray.
01:02But be careful and wait until the cookies have cooled down.
01:06Also, if you ruin their shape a bit, you can always dip them in some melted chocolate.
01:12After the chocolate cools down, you'll have perfectly shaped cookies.
01:16Although, after it gets past your lips and beyond, does the shape of the cookie actually matter?
01:22Just saying.
01:24If you like adding a lot of ingredients to your sandwiches, but don't really appreciate it when the bread gets
01:30soggy,
01:30there is a way to reduce the amount of moisture.
01:33Pick your sliced tomatoes or cucumbers and place them between two paper towels for up to five minutes.
01:39After that, you can use them.
01:42Also, make sure to spread butter, cheese, or sauces, like mayo or ketchup, onto the bread first.
01:48This will help you seal the bread and keep moisture at bay.
01:53Some people think that the little white string that you find near an egg yolk needs to be removed before
01:59you cook the egg.
02:00Well, I'm here to tell you that these strands are called calaza, and you don't actually need to get rid
02:05of them.
02:05They help keep the yolk in place, at the egg's center.
02:09A calaza is not going to mess up the consistency or the taste of your food.
02:13So, removing it is completely up to you.
02:16Ever notice that most juice boxes come with two flaps, one on each side?
02:21Those are actually handles.
02:24Manufacturers design the boxes this way to make it easier for us to hold them.
02:28This way, we don't end up squeezing the box, making the juice spill out.
02:34Now, you don't need to be a baking pro to know that you can use both white and brown sugar
02:39in your recipes.
02:40But have you ever wondered what the difference between these two is?
02:44It turns out that the only thing that sets them apart is that, during production, a small amount of molasses
02:51is added to the brown sugar.
02:53Molasses is basically a sort of syrup you get when processing sugarcane.
02:57It's usually removed during the refining process.
03:00That's how white sugar is produced.
03:02But if some amount of molasses remains in the final product, we end up with brown sugar, with its specific
03:09taste and darker hue.
03:11It's a good thing.
03:14There are a lot of things you can put in your dishwasher, apart from your dishes.
03:18For example, you can clean such things as your silicone oven mitts or the knobs of some kitchen appliances, like
03:25your oven or stove.
03:26Some kitchen sponges and reusable towels may be safe to clean in the dishwasher as well.
03:32Speaking of kitchen cleaning products, there are a lot of things you can do with dish soap, like de-griming
03:39your patio furniture.
03:40Just add a bit of dish detergent to some warm water and use the solution to wipe down your outdoor
03:45furniture with a piece of cloth.
03:48Finally, rinse it clean using your garden hose.
03:51You can also use dish soap to get rid of greasy stains on your clothes, be it pasta sauce or
03:57salad dressings.
03:58Hey, sometimes we miss our mouths.
04:00So, just apply a little dish detergent to the stain and then rinse with water.
04:05Use non-colored soap for lighter clothes.
04:08For more difficult stains, let the dish soap sink in for a bit, then throw the piece of clothing in
04:13the washer as usual.
04:14And think about maybe getting a bib.
04:17If none of the methods have helped you organize your closet, and you're still overwhelmed with large piles of clothes,
04:24there's a simple way that might be effective.
04:26It's called the one-in-one-out rule.
04:30That means for every new piece of clothing you buy, you need to get rid of one you already have.
04:35That means you'll always be decluttering your space.
04:39To make it easier to find something in your closet, good luck, keep your most used items at eye level.
04:45This way, they'll be easier to find and pull out when you're in a hurry.
04:49Those items that you tend to use less often, like your evening clothes, for example, can stay on the shelves
04:55above or below your eye level.
04:58You can make good use of old spice tins.
05:01If you glue some powerful magnets to the inside of the tins, they can double as magnetic shelves.
05:06You can use them for all sorts of everyday items, like kitchen pliers, ice cream scoops, or even cutlery.
05:14You can also place them on any metallic surface, like your refrigerator door.
05:18They'll blend in nicely with your kitchen magnets.
05:22Hidden in your laundry room, there's a great tool for picking up pet hair.
05:26It sometimes works better than lint rollers.
05:29Take a dryer sheet and, using some elbow grease, you'll get rid of that dog or cat hair in no
05:35time.
05:36It works on all sorts of surfaces, but it's especially effective for upholstered furniture.
05:42Now, if you don't like it when a door starts squeaking whenever you enter a room,
05:46get a bar of soap and rub it straight on the hinges.
05:49This will only help for a while, though, but it'll do the trick until you manage to get to a
05:54hardware store.
05:55And, you know, buy some oil.
05:58Have you ever noticed that in some elevators, there's a star next to the number of a specific floor?
06:04No, it's not to indicate where my office is.
06:08It's there to point out where the nearest exit is.
06:10And it's not always on the first floor.
06:13It's most likely located on the floor closest to the street.
06:17Have you ever wondered why stop signs are red?
06:21Well, back in the day, they didn't actually have any particular color at all.
06:25Before the 1920s, they didn't even have a standardized shade.
06:29In 1922, though, someone came up with the octagon.
06:33But initially, it was painted yellow.
06:36All because the red coloring tended to fade out too quickly because of sun exposure.
06:40So, yellow turned out to be the best option.
06:44It took another 30 years for fade-resistant enamel paint to be invented.
06:48We ended up changing the color of the stop sign back to red.
06:52After all, it's still the best color if you want something to be easily noticeable.
06:57Do you know there's a type of rose that can grow taller than people?
07:01According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the tallest rosebush ever found grew in Vienna, Austria.
07:09It was a staggering 28 and a half feet tall.
07:12Yes, it arose to a great height.
07:15In the same way we all have unique patterns on our fingerprints, no two tigers have the same set of
07:21stripes.
07:21It makes it easier for people working with this feline species to distinguish one tiger from another.
07:27I'll bet you didn't know, the White House has its own flower shop hidden in the basement of the building.
07:33It's supposed to provide flower arrangements for all sorts of events that take place there.
07:39It's probably no surprise that pizza has become an American staple dish despite its Italian origin.
07:46People in the U.S. love it so much that they buy 350 slices of pizza every second in the
07:53States.
07:54Man, I am not getting my fair share.
07:56To manage the huge demand for this delicious dish, around 17% of all restaurants in the U.S. are
08:03pizzerias.
08:05Finally, there's a way to make lemon juice without the seeds getting into your beverage.
08:10Try cutting the fruit in two and squeezing it with a pair of kitchen tongs.
08:14The pointed end of the lemon should be facing down.
08:17The juice will flow down, but the seeds will remain inside the lemon.
08:22Ooh, lemonade.
08:23It goes well with pizza.
08:27Have you ever wondered what these extra holes at the top of your running shoes are for?
08:32They're designed so that you can tie the shoes in multiple different ways.
08:36That's useful when you want to compensate for things such as a bad stride or even a damaged toe.
08:42Plus, you can change the look of your shoes the way you prefer.
08:48Many people use a dust jacket of their book as a bookmarker.
08:52No problem with that.
08:53It will save your book from bent page corners.
08:56But the primary purpose of a dust cover is to keep the book safe from distortions.
09:01For instance, if you spill juice or drop some of the food on your book while reading it.
09:07The tic-tac dispenser has this little groove on its top, so you can dispense only one tic-tac at
09:13a time.
09:14Even though, let's be honest here, nobody does that.
09:17Most of us just spill a whole bunch at once and then we wiggle all those extra tic-tacs back
09:22in.
09:24Those rubber bumps you see between the tire treads are there for your safety.
09:28The raised edges tell you what the minimum height of your tread is.
09:32If the bump and the edges are even, it's time for you to visit the tire shop as soon as
09:38possible.
09:38But if the bumps are well beneath the level of the edges, you're good to go.
09:44What about that black grating on the microwave window?
09:47It's something called a Faraday shield, and it's there to prevent microwaves from getting away and turning the entire room
09:54into a Faraday cage.
09:56If the microwaves escape, your meal won't cook properly either.
10:00So yep, the cage is not there to make it difficult for you to see your meal while it's cooking.
10:05It's keeping the electromagnetic energy inside.
10:10How about a wrench-compatible screwdriver?
10:12Cover your screwdriver with the end of your wrench and you can increase its torque.
10:17That's why the head of your screwdriver is designed the way it is.
10:20When you have odd angles, you can use this strategy.
10:25You've probably heard those myths, the blue side of the eraser can erase the pen.
10:30False.
10:31Its purpose is to erase a pencil.
10:33But in case you're writing something on heavier paper.
10:36The blue side can remove smudges you see after using the pink eraser too.
10:42Have you ever wondered why oranges in supermarkets mostly come in the red mesh bag?
10:48It's a trick to make this food look more orange and encourage you to make a purchase.
10:53An extra tip.
10:54Don't throw away the mesh bag.
10:55Tie it up so you can have a small pot scrubber to clean your sink, kitchen, appliances, and dishes.
11:04You can see golf balls don't have a perfectly round shape.
11:07Their surface is covered with many little dimples, something golf balls didn't always have.
11:12At one point, experienced golfers started noticing how through time,
11:17older balls with imperfections, such as nicks and bumps, could travel further.
11:23Such things create turbulence in the air around the golf ball, which eventually reduces drag.
11:29So, manufacturers started producing balls with dimples so they could go farther and faster.
11:37You might have noticed that sometimes there are ridges in toothpick tops.
11:41It's more hygienic because when you break that off, you can prop the toothpick up on it,
11:45and it won't touch anything.
11:49Another safety feature you'll find, this time in your car, is a tab on your rearview mirror.
11:56With it, you can change the position of the mirror,
11:58so you don't get blinded if there's a car behind you with its high beams on.
12:02So, this little tab helps you control the glare of lights coming from behind.
12:07This feature showed up in the 1930s, but in the early 1970s,
12:11it became a part of standard equipment in most trucks and cars.
12:16Do you see that tiny hole on your iPhone right next to the rear-facing camera?
12:21It's a microphone, and it's there so your phone can record sound as you turn your camera around.
12:29Some cables have a thick cylinder towards the end of the cord.
12:33It's called a ferrite core, or a choke.
12:36It's a magnetic iron oxide that stops high-frequency electromagnetic interference.
12:41For example, you know that annoying static noise you get if you bring your phone too close to a speaker?
12:48This interrupts your call, which is why cable cords with big cylinders are pretty useful,
12:53because they prevent these things.
12:56Do you know why nearly all luggage bags and backpacks have two zippers?
13:00It's way more convenient and easier to open in that way.
13:04But not just that.
13:05You can also lock these two zippers together to keep the stuff inside your bags safer.
13:12You know how toilets at public spots like malls have those big gaps at the bottom?
13:18It's primarily for better circulation of air.
13:20This type of door also makes it easier to clean the toilet or check if it's occupied if you're standing
13:26in line.
13:27Other than that, if you get stuck there and the lock gets broken,
13:31you still have a way to escape.
13:34You can just crawl out.
13:37Ever notice those plastic end caps on utility knives?
13:41And they also have scales on them,
13:43which indicates you may use them multiple times but with sharp edges.
13:48You can separate the blades through these plastic end caps.
13:51Then, you can move the slider and bring the sharp blade to the front.
13:56If you've ever taken a moment to examine a regular grocery cart,
14:00especially their fold-out section,
14:02you probably noticed those metal loops jutting out.
14:05They're designed to protect the items you carry in your cart.
14:09You can use them to hang bags with soft items.
14:13You don't want to accidentally squish with heavier products, like bread,
14:17or easily breakable things, like eggs.
14:21Many coffee mugs come with curved notches on their bottom.
14:25When you're washing your mugs,
14:26put them against the rack at an angle in your dishwasher.
14:29This way, the water won't pool in there,
14:31so your favorite cup will be completely dry by the time you take it out of the dishwasher.
14:37If you're a McFlurry fan,
14:39you've probably noticed there's a square hole in the handle of the spoon.
14:43It's there so you can attach it to the special machine
14:46that mixes the ice cream and your favorite toppings together.
14:50The machine has a bar that slips into this square-shaped spoon
14:53and then thoroughly stirs it.
14:56And you get the spoon so they can minimize the mess during the process.
15:00Quite neat, wouldn't you say?
15:03A regular milk jug has a dent on one side.
15:07Some might see it as a random design decision,
15:09but a dent has several purposes.
15:12One of them is to get bigger if there's a gas buildup.
15:16This happens when your milk is spoiled.
15:18So you don't even have to try to check this out.
15:21Also, the dent is there so the jug doesn't burst if you accidentally drop it.
15:26The dent allows the expansion space that deals with the sudden pressure
15:30that happens when you drop the jug.
15:34Dental floss.
15:35Sure, it's important for your dental health
15:37and it's easy to assume what you do with it.
15:39But dental floss is great in the kitchen as well
15:42because it's a very precise cake slicer.
15:45Way better than a regular night.
15:50Most kitchen shears have a serrated opening
15:53right there at the center where the blades and handles meet.
15:56It's something you can use to trim difficult herbs such as rosemary, thyme, or chives.
16:02Because of this opening, you don't need to pick the leaves off by hand,
16:05but de-stem them in one motion.
16:09The majority of gelatin containers or single-serving yogurts
16:13come with a tinfoil lid.
16:15And in most cases, you can use this covering as a disposable spoon.
16:19Just peel away the covering and after a couple of simple folds,
16:23you'll have a perfect little spoon for your midday snack.
16:27Can you believe it?
16:29There are two different ways to drink juice from a juice box.
16:32The first way is the default one.
16:34And the second is to flip the straw over
16:37so that its shorter side sits at the bottom of the box.
16:41Using the first method,
16:42you may have difficulty getting the last sips of liquid
16:45because the straw can't reach all the corners properly.
16:48Some straws have their bottom corner sharper than the top.
16:52It's deliberately designed that way to pierce through the seal.
16:55That's why some people believe the right way to drink juice
16:58is the conventional one.
17:00Now, let's continue with straws.
17:02Do you know there's a correct way to use a straw
17:05while drinking from a can of soda?
17:07So, you're about to have some Coke.
17:09You pop the tab open,
17:11then you put a straw in the can.
17:13Now, you need to make a constant effort to keep the straw steady.
17:16See this hole in the top?
17:18Yeah!
17:19Turn the pop tab around and put your straw through the hole.
17:22It'll serve as a straw holder.
17:24No need to be annoyed by the tipping straw.
17:28So, what's the best way to eat a cupcake?
17:30Turn it into a sandwich.
17:32Step 1.
17:33Peel off the paper wrapped around the cupcake.
17:35Step 2.
17:37Carefully divide the cake into two parts.
17:39Step 3.
17:40Put the bottom side of the cupcake on top of the frosting.
17:44This is how you eat a cupcake like a pro.
17:47Okay, another quick word about cakes.
17:50People generally use kitchen knives to cut cakes into two parts.
17:54But you can use dental floss.
17:56Take a piece of floss and wrap it around the cake horizontally.
18:00Hold the ends tight with both hands and pull them in opposite directions.
18:04There you go!
18:05Now you have an evenly cut cake.
18:07Smooth, huh?
18:08You can use floss to cut through a cake vertically, too.
18:12This way, you'll reduce the chance of messing up the frosting.
18:15Do you use your fingers to dip your Oreos in milk?
18:18Try using a fork.
18:20Stick it between the wafers vertically and dip the cookie in milk.
18:24Well, you try it.
18:25I'm sticking with my fingers.
18:27Been doing it all my life.
18:28Hey, call me a rebel.
18:30You put your food in the microwave.
18:32The plate is hot and the upper part of the dish is steaming.
18:35You start eating.
18:37Oh no, not again.
18:38Your meal hasn't heated evenly.
18:40If you want your dish to be equally warm, arrange it in a donut shape and leave an empty spot
18:47in the center.
18:47The middle part of your dish takes longer to heat up.
18:50By the time the center warms up, the edges might be overheated.
18:55Sometimes, you need to microwave two bowls of food at the same time.
18:58In this case, you can try placing the second bowl on top of a cup.
19:03This will give you a free space for the second bowl.
19:06Creative solutions for small microwaves.
19:08Now, better to secure the cup first, though.
19:11Cleaning the splashed food will take more time than using this method.
19:15To save space, you should roll your clothes instead of folding them when packing.
19:20They don't get creased when you roll them.
19:22Plus, they take less space this way.
19:25Okay, we might as well continue with another packing trick.
19:28After rolling your clothes, pack them in your suitcase vertically, not horizontally.
19:33Your clothes will fit better into the bag, and you'll have more room for other essential stuff.
19:39Drinking iced coffee is a great way to cool your body on a summer day.
19:43Sadly, the ice cubes start to dilute the coffee pretty soon, changing the taste of the drink.
19:49To avoid this, you can freeze some coffee into ice cubes beforehand.
19:53This way, your iced coffee won't get watered down.
19:57It turns out that taking a shower too often isn't good for your hair.
20:02Experts say you should wash your hair two to three times a week, because overwashing can result in extra oil
20:09in your hair.
20:10Do you know there's a correct way to fit salami on a toast properly?
20:14Yeah, there's a geometry problem.
20:16Toast bread is square, but salami is mostly round.
20:20You can, of course, do it in a traditional way, by putting two slices next to each other.
20:25But then the edges of your sandwich won't have any filling.
20:28All you need to do is to cut the slices in half.
20:32Next, you line the straight pieces with the sides of the toast.
20:35You get four slices covering the entire piece of bread.
20:39Most people peel bananas starting from the top, but this way, you squeeze the fruit.
20:45The best way to peel a banana is to start from the bottom.
20:49Hey, take a closer look at monkeys.
20:51Apparently, they figured this out a long time ago.
20:54Do you want to have more space in the closet where you store your cleaning supplies?
20:58Then this one is for you.
21:00You can hang spray bottles on a clothing rod.
21:03It's convenient.
21:04You can find those rods online or in stores.
21:07This way, you'll keep your cleaning sprays organized.
21:11Also, this method leaves more cupboard space for other cleaning supplies.
21:16There's a right way to hold a burger.
21:18Grab it with both hands.
21:20Now, place your little fingers at the bottom next to your thumb for extra support.
21:25You want to cross out miswritten words?
21:27You can draw a line on top of them, but in most cases, you can still read the words.
21:32Instead of scribbling some lines, just write a bunch of random letters on the top of the word you want
21:38to cross out.
21:39Problem solved.
21:41What is the best way to cut crusty bread?
21:44By turning the loaf upside down.
21:47The underside of the bread is usually softer than the top.
21:50But try not to squeeze the bread too much.
21:52The traditional way to drain pasta is to place the colander in the sink.
21:58After that, you drain the water and put your pasta back in the pan.
22:02But this method isn't the most effective.
22:04Sometimes, pasta gets into the holes of the colander.
22:08The second option is less difficult.
22:10Place the colander into the pot and, while holding them together, drain the water.
22:15This way, you don't have to move your pasta from the pot.
22:19This trick works best if your colander fits your pot.
22:23If you don't want to buy several colanders, you can still use this method.
22:27But you should be more careful during the draining process.
22:30Now, does your freezer ever spoil food?
22:33You put ready meals and groceries in the freezer.
22:36Two weeks later, you'll open it only to find your food freezer burnt.
22:40There are two reasons for this.
22:42First, you stock your freezer with too much stuff.
22:46Overloading can block the vent.
22:48Then the air inside the freezer won't circulate properly.
22:51The second reason might be the wrong temperature.
22:54The recommended freezer temperature is 0 degrees Fahrenheit or a bit lower.
23:00Now, what's the best way to hold a steering wheel?
23:03Most people clutch it at 12 o'clock, 2 o'clock, and 10 o'clock.
23:07This is not very safe, even if you have three arms.
23:09For those of us with just two arms, the proper way to grab the wheel is to put one hand
23:15at 3 o'clock and the other at 9 o'clock.
23:18It means placing your hands where the joints are, in case you need to give way to airbags.
23:23Holding the wheel differently prevents them from fully inflating.
23:27Toblerone is a fancy chocolate bar.
23:30But did you know there's a correct technique to break off pieces of this chocolate?
23:34Mm-hmm.
23:34Just push the triangle you want to separate toward the rest of the bar.
23:39Who would have thought?
23:41Pringles are another hard-to-eat but delicious thing.
23:44While trying to dig a piece out of the can, don't shove your whole hand in there.
23:49Instead, use a sheet of paper.
23:51Fold it lengthwise and slide it into the can.
23:54Then gently pull it out, together with Pringles.
23:57Now you have a tray of crispy goodness.
24:00Okay, I know it's kind of cold to the touch, especially on a freezing winter's day.
24:05But did you know that brass doorknobs actually serve a purpose apart from looking classy and shiny?
24:09Since it's a copper alloy, brass has antimicrobial properties.
24:13That means it can help get rid of harmful germs and bacteria, sometimes in up to two hours.
24:19In high-traffic areas, that's all the more useful.
24:22But since brass is much costlier than other metals like nickel and steel, you barely see these types of doorknobs
24:28anymore nowadays.
24:30Speaking of lovely multi-purpose items, most screwdrivers have a tiny little secret of their own.
24:35They can sometimes be slid through a wrench so that they can be used to create more torque when twisting.
24:40Not to mention the uses when it comes to bolts in hard-to-reach places.
24:45There's a reason why buttons on women's shirts are for the left-handed, and it has nothing to do with
24:50fashion.
24:51This practice dates back to the times when chambermaids were helping ladies dress themselves,
24:56and it was easier for them to perform their job with this orientation.
25:00Having the buttons placed as such indicated a sign of wealth,
25:04so it's easy to imagine why the practice carried on, even though most people dress themselves nowadays.
25:10Next time you receive a package in your mail, take a look at your box cutter.
25:15If it features some diagonal lines on the blade, you're in for a little design perk.
25:19Turns out that these are blades that snap off.
25:23Continuously cutting cardboard can dull the sharp edge of the blade.
25:26To help prevent the need to buy a brand new box cutter,
25:28the top segment along the next line can be broken off to reach a new sharp edge.
25:33To do this, check out the small hole at the base of the tool, sometimes called the blade snapper.
25:39The people that first came up with this brilliant invention were engineers,
25:43inspired by the way chocolate bars are segmented.
25:46Hold on a minute, don't throw away the cardboard package just yet.
25:50Most likely, you'll have some silica gel packets somewhere at the bottom of the box.
25:54Since this gel is basically a drawing tool, it gathers up the moisture out of its environment,
25:59so you can store these packets for further occasions.
26:01Whether you'll need to dry out your phone or some other electrical object,
26:05you can place them in a container next to the silica gel to reduce the damage.
26:10You don't have to be a mechanic to know when a standard car tire needs replacing,
26:14since they come equipped with a neat indicator.
26:17Take a closer look, and you'll see that treads within the tire are a bunch of rubber notches.
26:22When the treads are evened out with the perpendicular bars,
26:26it's a sign you need to book an appointment with your local car service.
26:30Since most likely, the tires have lost most of their traction and may not be safe for driving any longer.
26:36The upper corners of a car windshield feature textured black dots melted into the glass edges.
26:41This neat add-on isn't there for design purposes.
26:45It's called frit glazing,
26:47which means that a special type of ceramic paint is added to the window for protecting its sealant from UV
26:53rays.
26:54It also conceals and creates a coarser surface for the adhesive used to set the window in place.
27:01Whenever you're up for a drive,
27:03check out if there's a small tab under your car's rearview mirror.
27:07Bet you didn't know it's there to help switch the mirror from daytime to nighttime views.
27:13It uses a prismatic glass technology to blur the reflection and reduce the glare of headlights behind you in traffic.
27:21People came up with these manually tilted mirrors in the 1930s,
27:24but they became standard somewhere in the 1970s.
27:28While you're in the car, check out the headrests,
27:30as you most likely don't know that they carry a little disguised purpose.
27:35Of course, they're adjustable to accommodate passengers of any height
27:38so that they get the proper support for their heads and necks.
27:41The hidden feature is that they are detachable and come with two very solid metal bars.
27:47Should you ever find yourself stuck in a car and need to make a fast getaway?
27:51These bars come in handy to crack out the car windows.
27:55So you're out for a drive and you're suddenly out of gas.
27:59What I'm about to describe sounds more like a meme than an actual situation bound to happen.
28:03But what if you're in such a hurry that you accidentally drive off with the gas nozzle still in the
28:09tank?
28:09Well, the nozzles have been designed to prevent any hazards from happening, rest assured.
28:15They feature a breakaway device that will allow the hose to separate when taken out with enough force.
28:21Initially designed in the early 20th century to be worn exclusively by basketball players,
28:27sneakers soon became one of those fashion fundamentals, similar to jeans and leather jackets.
28:31If you take a closer look at them, you'll see they have two extra holes on the side, similar to
28:37the shoelace holes.
28:38They're manufactured as such not only to provide extra ventilation,
28:42but to allow people to get extra creative with their laces when wearing the shoes.
28:46Admit it, you've always thought that chopsticks are merged at the end for the sole purpose of keeping them together
28:52until you're ready to dig into your meal.
28:54So, that may or may not be the whole truth.
28:57Under a more detailed inspection, the wooden tools feature a square-shaped end.
29:02Chopsticks manufactured like this date back to an old Japanese traditional design,
29:06which can help with breaking the ends easily.
29:09The separated end can then be used as a resting block for the chopsticks
29:13to keep it more sanitized in hopes it can be used again,
29:16since they won't be touching the table or any other surface.
29:20Women's bikes have a special design, which, surprisingly, has a historical and fashionable purpose.
29:27The lower frame is for the most part meant to make up for the generally shorter height of ladies,
29:32compared to that of the average gentleman.
29:34While that is the case for handlebars and saddles,
29:37the overall frame is lower for an additional purpose.
29:40Way back when women wore long skirts and dresses all day,
29:44every day they needed to make sure their outfits wouldn't get caught in the frame.
29:48That's how we came up with a lower-framed bicycle,
29:51perfectly made for women and their needs at the time.
29:54The fact that toothpastes are multicolored is not just a nice perk to make dental hygiene more fun.
30:01There's a secret meaning related to each of the colors, which dates back to the 1970s.
30:06In those days, people grew more and more interested in their oral health care,
30:11and as such, they were looking for products which could do more than merely clean their teeth.
30:16One company was the pioneer in that regard, adding mouthwash to its toothpaste, meaning the blue strip.
30:22They later added on the red strip, meant to feature ingredients which helped with gum care.
30:28Speaking of toothpaste, check the cap next time you open a new tube.
30:32You may be in for a little surprise.
30:34There's a pointed cone shape inside the cap, so you can puncture the seal of the toothpaste without cutting yourself
30:40or ruining your manicure.
30:42Not to mention, it's more hygienic since you won't be able to transfer germs or other bacteria into the product
30:48itself.
30:49On the subject of bathroom countertop items, toothbrushes come with a neat add-on hidden in the bristle patterns.
30:56Apart from making the toothbrush look cooler, they also do come with a practical purpose.
31:01Most toothbrushes come with a pattern of blue bristles intertwined with white ones.
31:06The blue dye is meant to fade out, signaling the time when you need to replace your toothbrush.
31:12Dentists say that toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months, but it does serve as a great reminder
31:18in case you forget.
31:19Still love playing with Lego?
31:21Don't judge.
31:22Hey, it's a great hobby for all ages.
31:24Notice there's a hole on top of the Lego heads?
31:27Behold, you're looking at a safety feature that the people at Lego designed to prevent choking hazards.
31:33The most dangerous issue should a person swallow any of these pieces is the blocking of the airways.
31:39Designing a hole inside the Lego head helps the air to flow freely through the piece until it can be
31:45removed safely.
31:47We're now used to all sorts of modern light bulbs, some tubular, some shaped like diamonds, and some even twisted
31:53all together.
31:55Historically, light bulbs were round and the initial shape served a purpose in itself.
32:00It was mainly connected to the fact that glass bulbs were hand-blown, which gave them the round shape to
32:05begin with.
32:06The hidden practical reason was that the light bulb filament needed to be at the same distance from every surface
32:12of the glass sphere.
32:13The easiest way to achieve this was to make the glass in the shape of a globe.
32:20Hey, have you ever been vibing out in your room, listening to some of your favorite songs,
32:25admiring the subwoofer of your speaker as it delivers magnificence to your eardrums?
32:30We all have.
32:31But have you ever asked yourself why that same speaker, along with other speakers across the globe, is almost always
32:38black?
32:39Some of you are probably screaming at your screen right now about your speaker being green, red, or any other
32:45color found in the rainbow.
32:46Number one, I said, almost always.
32:49And number two, if you look closely at the gorgeous design of your brightly colored music player,
32:55you'll often find that the speaker beneath it is still colored black.
32:59One possible explanation for this is that the original technology of speakers had a diaphragm with black particles on it.
33:06So, as soon as a sound is amplified, it sends a charge through the diaphragm, and these black particles are
33:12driven upwards.
33:13The carbon particles bouncing and touching the upper membrane of the diaphragm are responsible for creating some of the distinct
33:20sounds from our speakers that we all love so much.
33:24Speaker manufacturers must have gotten tired of their products changing color with prolonged use,
33:29combined with these black particles settling on the upper membrane of the diaphragm.
33:34So, their logical solution was to color most speakers black.
33:39Another more practical belief as to why speakers are mostly colored black is that it's a hue that easily matches
33:46up with many types of decor.
33:48Walls, furniture, and clothes all often look quite well when combined with this color, which is why it's so prevalent
33:55everywhere you go.
33:57Listening to music has repeatedly scored in the top 10 pastimes in the U.S. based on research.
34:03Nowadays, you find sound speakers everywhere.
34:06In your television, laptop, and your phone, you can't escape them.
34:11But let's take a look at how they started off.
34:14Their origins are in radio and telephone technology.
34:17The first form of a speaker was developed by Johann Philipp Reis in 1861.
34:23The German was a self-taught inventor and installed the speaker on his telephone.
34:28It was just about able to reproduce clear tones, but it could also replicate muffled speech after a few revisions.
34:38Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, decided to try and produce an improved version of Reis's speaker.
34:45Essentially, Bell and other inventors wanted to make an electrodynamic speaker.
34:50By 1877, it was still yet to exist.
34:53But due to the desire of inventors worldwide to change this, research confirmed that it was extremely possible to make
35:01one.
35:01In particular, the work of Wernher von Siemens, who came up with the idea of an electromagnetic coil-driven speaker,
35:08was a driving force in arriving at this conclusion.
35:12Why are there magnets in speakers, you might ask?
35:15Every speaker nowadays has an electric current,
35:18something the inventors were discussing would never have taken for granted at any point in their lives.
35:24When this electric current is changing, it produces a magnetic field.
35:28To make the panel of the speaker move, magnets are used to create an opposing magnetic field, which creates vibrations.
35:35These vibrations are the sound we end up hearing.
35:38The bigger the magnet, the louder the speaker will be.
35:42Another inventor by the name of Thomas Edison from the U.S.
35:46had filed a British patent for a system using compressed air for an amplifying mechanism.
35:51The first commercial electric loudspeaker saw the light of day only in 1924.
35:58The sound quality produced by the speaker was good enough for motion pictures.
36:02It took nearly 20 years for the next groundbreaking development in the world of loudspeakers.
36:08This came with the arrival of the duplex driver in 1943.
36:12It offered better clarity and coherence at high volumes, which was important in movie theaters.
36:18Fittingly, it was nicknamed the voice of the theater.
36:22The duplex driver was immediately tested by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
36:27and instantly made its film house industry standard in 1955.
36:32Until now, this loudspeaker design is still used.
36:36Indeed, the film industry does seem to put a lot of effort into its sound,
36:41and so did the theaters we watched them in.
36:43You may have noticed that these buildings often have thick curtains on the walls.
36:48These are soundproof or acoustic curtains, and both are much thicker than regular curtains.
36:53They will either consist of heavier fabrics that are tightly woven or have better quality linings.
36:59This means that these curtains will absorb sound and reduce the acoustic reflection
37:04off the ceiling, windows, and flat walls of the room.
37:07This ultimately creates a much better sonic experience.
37:11The carpet floors are so thick in theaters for the same reason.
37:14It helps to trap sound by providing insulation.
37:17From a practical standpoint, this carpet is also set up to prevent the sound of footsteps during film screenings.
37:24This concept of trapping sound is also the reason why putting a phone inside a cup
37:30will make the phone's speaker seem louder.
37:32Any speaker sitting or suspended in an open space projects its sound in all directions.
37:37As the speaker vibrates to create sound waves, an equal amount of energy leaves from both the front and the
37:45back.
37:45By placing a speaker in some form of enclosure, we can redirect some of the energy that comes from the
37:52back of the speaker and project it forwards.
37:54By putting the speaker in a cup, you're directing the sound more efficiently.
37:59It travels only one way, making it seem louder than what you'd hear when you take it out of the
38:04cup.
38:05Speaking of phones and speakers, ever wonder why your mobile device makes your speaker produce a buzzing noise?
38:12This can occur when the two gadgets are near one another and your mobile is trying to send and receive
38:17data.
38:18The transfer of information produces electromagnetic disturbances in the medium around the speakers.
38:24It creates noise in the audio, and as a result, you can hear the buzzing sound coming from the speaker.
38:30A simple way to protect the amazing vibe your speaker is creating for you from this irritating buzzing noise
38:37is just to move your phone away from your speaker, or vice versa.
38:42This will eliminate what is officially known as electromagnetic interference.
38:48Research across America shows that, on average, 74% of people own two or more pairs of headphones.
38:5546% of them mention they listen to their headphones for more than two hours per day.
39:01Some choose the headphones by their looks, others by the sound quality.
39:05In either case, finding the right pair is important, since a lot of people are willing to spend over $100
39:11on it.
39:12Headphones have become a true fashion accessory.
39:16That's why well-known figures are trying to make an impact in the headphone industry like it's the fashion industry.
39:22Music moguls Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine came up with the idea for the now world-famous Beats by Dre
39:29Headphones brand.
39:30They were walking along the Pacific Ocean one day in 2006, discussing a sneaker deal as they had an offer
39:37on the table from a major brand in that arena.
39:40After some discussions, they decided they wanted to do something they were more passionate about and landed on headphones.
39:47The duo's idea turned into a brand that was purchased by Apple in 2014 for $3 billion.
39:54It was the largest deal in Apple's history, and Beats by Dre controlled 70% of the headphone market at
40:01the time of signing.
40:02The move allowed Apple to take over the headphone space.
40:05The release of their popular wireless AirPods headphones in 2016 was another reason it happened.
40:12But how did these popular wireless headphones that many of us own actually work?
40:17These headphones rely on internal batteries to have enough power to remain wireless.
40:23Most often, they have conveniently built-in rechargeable batteries.
40:27But sometimes, they keep going thanks to standard AA or AAA batteries.
40:32They receive wirelessly transmitted signals from their paired audio sources, be it your phone or laptop.
40:39These signals are encoded by the source device and transmitted most commonly via radio frequencies or infrared carriers.
40:47The headphones receive the signal and decode it to audio.
40:51And just like that, it's music to your ears.
40:57Okay, today I'll show you things you've never seen and tell you stuff you never knew.
41:02Wow, all in one video!
41:04What a bargain!
41:05For example, these soda found stations in fast food restaurants.
41:09We all see the nice side of it, but have you ever wondered where all this soda comes from?
41:14Let me take you behind the scenes.
41:17Ta-da!
41:17Turns out, it's a pile of boxes with tubes.
41:20So when the drink runs out, the employees change the box and plug the tube back in.
41:26Okay, let's peek into a couple more places where we normally don't belong.
41:31This is, for example, what you will see if you cut the screen of a Mac open.
41:36And here's what's hidden behind the dryers in a public laundromat.
41:40Today, 4 out of 5 households in the U.S. have a dryer.
41:43But they weren't so widely accessible when they first appeared in the 1950s.
41:48Because they were way too expensive for the average homeowner.
41:51Now, grocery shopping isn't an uncommon practice.
41:55And we all have walked past dairy fridges a million times.
41:58But have you ever wondered what's behind them?
42:01Turns out, they're just shelves.
42:03And store employees stack the products from the other side.
42:06It makes perfect sense, but I never imagined it like this.
42:10Now, this photo shows what's behind the elevator button.
42:13Obviously, a bunch of cords.
42:15The buttons are all wired to a computer that manages the elevator.
42:19How does the computer know where the elevator is at a particular time?
42:23Well, there are several possible systems.
42:25But the most common one is a long vertical tape in the shaft with a series of holes.
42:31A sensor counts the number of holes that are passed.
42:34And that's how the location is determined.
42:36Okay, there are a couple of common things we all know.
42:40But the purpose of which remains a mystery to most.
42:43So, let me share these secrets with you.
42:46Those metal rivets on jeans have been there from the very beginning.
42:50Jacob Davis, the iconic man who made the first pair of jeans,
42:54added copper rivets to places where pants are most likely to rip.
42:58Today, they have more of a decorative and distinctive purpose
43:01since they are a traditional attribute of the jeans everyone knows of.
43:06Now, I'll bet you know there are extra loops on some shoes.
43:10No, they're not for sweat or ventilation.
43:12Those are extra loops for laces, just like other loops you use.
43:16But they're there to tie your shoe around the ankle to prevent your foot from moving aside.
43:22That's especially helpful if you're hiking and ascending and descending hills and trails.
43:26Now, have you ever noticed those half-belt thingies many coats and jackets have at the back?
43:32Turns out, they first appeared on oversized military jackets.
43:36So, the extra fabric could be collected on the back,
43:39and the person doesn't stumble when working.
43:42Today, those belts are only added for the sake of style and tradition.
43:46Most clothing items you buy come with a small bag of fabric or a button or both.
43:51These are actually not useless.
43:53Buttons, obviously, can't be replaced if you lost the original one.
43:58Pieces of fabric can serve two purposes.
44:00You can patch up the hole, but the main purpose is to provide you with a sample of cloth,
44:05so you can use it to test different washing products on it and see what happens to the fabric.
44:11Now, pom-poms on woolen hats.
44:13Did you know that sailors were wearing hats with pom-poms in the 18th century
44:18to protect their heads in case they accidentally whacked them?
44:22Regular people were wearing them in Scotland,
44:24and the color of the pom-pom signified the person's social status.
44:28People got back to wearing hats with those cute decorative items during the Great Depression.
44:33They're made of spare yarn, so it was a cheap way to decorate your hat.
44:37Now, if you haven't noticed, some sidewalks have little plates with bumps on them.
44:42Most people don't pay much attention to them, but they're very important for visually impaired people.
44:48It signals a slope that then leads to a crosswalk.
44:51Also, several patterns signal different things.
44:54Have you noticed that the icon of a gas tank on car dashboards has a little arrow next to it?
45:01Well, the arrow has a purpose.
45:02It points at the side of the car where the gas tank is located.
45:06Very useful for forgetful people, like me, who constantly wonder which side it is on,
45:12and also for those who drive rentals once in a while.
45:15The answer is right in front of your eyes.
45:18If you can't find the arrow on your panel, then the fuel hose on the icon indicates the side instead.
45:24Now, on the back of many makeup and hygiene products,
45:27you'll find this symbol with a marking like 6M, 12M, and 24M.
45:32This is the number of months this product can serve you before you should toss it out.
45:38You might know that whistles work perfectly fine even if they don't have that ball inside.
45:43And yet, they have it.
45:45But why?
45:46Even though there's a sound without the ball, the noise it creates is very flat,
45:50and it's not distinguishable enough.
45:53When the whistle has a ball inside, then it starts moving with every blow,
45:57indicating different pitches and making the noise more noticeable.
46:02Lollipop sticks have those squared holes on the end of their sticks for a reason, too.
46:06When the candy is put on the stick, some of it goes into the hole, fixating the candy part.
46:12This way, the candy ball or whatever shape is less likely to fall off the stick.
46:18Yeah, it's a bummer when that happens.
46:20Measuring tapes have that little metal stud on the end.
46:23Most people know that you can use it to stick it to the side of the surface you're measuring.
46:28But it's not the only cool thing about it.
46:30Look, there's also a small slot.
46:33And this slot can be used to hang it on a nail.
46:36Again, to free your hands and keep measuring.
46:38The bottom of the end of the tape has a ridged edge.
46:42It'll help you make a mark if you don't have a marking tool with you.
46:45Have you ever wondered why the tape's blade is curved?
46:49Well, it helps to keep it rigid when extended.
46:51Pay a closer look at the blade.
46:54Apart from numbers and markings, there are also black diamonds.
46:59Those are there every 12.2 inches, and they're useful for construction workers to space engineering joists.
47:06They can also be useful for you if you want to hang something heavy, for example.
47:10The diamond will mark the exact center of a stud, which is placed 16 inches apart from one another.
47:17And you can drill something to that center to make sure whatever you hang is safely attached.
47:23Now, most coins have ridges.
47:25And this is the legacy of the olden days.
47:28You see, back in the day, all coins were linked to a silver standard.
47:32The amount of silver used in a coin was proportionate to the value of the coin.
47:36So, the more actual silver was used to make the coin, the higher its value was.
47:42Hi-ho silver!
47:43Do you remember the Lone Ranger?
47:45Silver was the name of his horse.
47:47Eh, never mind.
47:48Anyway, all the coins had precious metal in them, and some people started shaving off a little bit of silver
47:55from it.
47:56It wasn't noticeable on one, but if done on several, people could get quite a bit of that precious metal.
48:02So, to prevent fraud, the edges were made with ridges for security reasons.
48:07So, if someone attempted to shave it off, the ridges would disappear, and no one would accept that coin anymore.
48:14Smart!
48:15Today, no one makes coins out of silver.
48:17The coins just represent the value.
48:19But the ridges are kind of a cultural heritage now.
48:22And finally, a typical plastic milk jug often has inverted circles on one or more of the sides.
48:29Not like alien crop circles, this dimple is there to make the jug more resistant and to prevent it from
48:36erupting in case the jug falls on the floor.
48:38The dimple gives some more space for the liquid to expand.
48:42Also, as the expiration date approaches, the microbes in the milk start to expel some gases.
48:47As there are more of them trapped inside, the pressure in the jug is rising.
48:52The dimple takes care of the expansion and prevents the jug from exploding.
48:56And the cows are utterly delighted that their hard work is not wasted.
49:02Grrr!
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