Happy Wednesday!
Quick stat:
Did you know there are 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 possible March Madness brackets?
No one has successfully predicted all 63 games, but the closest was Gregg Nigl who correctly picked the first 49 games in 2019!
Here’s what we’ve got this week:
TRIVIA
Sleepiest animals? 🥱
Which animal sleeps the most per day?
(Explanation at the end!)
ANIMAL FOCUS
Kangaroos: built for efficiency? 🦘
Kangaroos might be one of the most optimized animals on Earth!
They’re the only animal to use their tail as another leg! It performs as much mechanical work as a human leg! 🦿
They can pause their pregnancies for months until environmental conditions improve. ⏸️
They’re strong swimmers! They move their legs independently (unlike on land) to dog paddle. 🤿
Their hop is the most energy-efficient movement among all mammals! They don’t use more energy as they go faster, and they can reach speeds up to 44 mph! 🚥
Their teeth move forward like a conveyor belt as their worn teeth fall out and they never stop replacing their molars. 🦷
Did you know a group of kangaroos is called a mob?
EVER WONDER?
Is cracking your knuckles bad? 👊
What makes the pop? 🫧
The fluid within your joints contains dissolved gases.
When you bend your finger, gas bubbles form and collapse inside the joint fluid. That collapse makes the “pop”.
After that, it takes 10-12 minutes for the gases to reset - which is why you can’t re-crack the same knuckle right away.
Is cracking your knuckles bad for you? 🦴
No evidence it causes arthritis
No evidence it damages your joints (no structural damage, enlarged joints, or weakened grip)
Most research says it’s harmless
PICKS OF THE WEEK:
🐬 How marine animals stay hydrated in saltwater
⚾️ What happens when an MLB team plays a college team
Bernard Beaune | Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards
You reached the end! Thanks!
- Steve
P.S. Koalas sleep about 22 hours per day, more than lions (18-20 hours), sloths (15-20 hours), the little brown bat (20 hours), and pythons (18 hours)! Compared to these, teenagers don’t sleep that much!