Five interesting facts to get you to think

Banana flower Wikimedia Commons

Spacing out is a common occurrence and during such instances, people might begin to wonder different things, like “is lava wet?” or “do animals also get periods?” There is a vast amount of knowledge for people to discover out there and the internet makes the search for that knowledge much easier. Here are a few facts to get you thinking:

1. Some babies can leak breast milk

Though a little odd, it is possible for babies to leak milk from their breasts. The condition is called neonatal galactorrhea, or Witch’s milk for short. It is rare and only happens to around 5% of infants, according to a 1986 study by the National Library of Medicine.

It can happen in both males and females, but will usually go away after about two months.

The condition had gotten its nickname from the 17th century when people still believed in witches. People at the time thought that leaked milk from babies were used to power a witch’s magic and would drain it before it could be collected.

2. Brown is actually orange

They may seem like completely different colors, but when looking at color theory, they’re quite similar. Orange is the mixture of red and yellow. Brown can technically be made using a bunch of different colors, but one of the combinations are red, yellow and black. Really, it is just a darker shade of orange.

3. Dogs and cats can be allergic to humans

Just like how some people can be allergic to dogs and cats, pets can also be allergic to their human owners. The term for it is human dander allergy and symptoms can range from sneezing to hives to diarrhea, depending on how severe the case may be. 

4. Bananas are berries, but not strawberries

As crazy as it might sound, strawberries are not actually berries, but bananas are. According to the subject of botany, the definition of a true berry is a simple fruit “stemming from one flower with one ovary and typically has several seeds.” Bananas do fit this category and yes, there is such a thing as a banana flower.

The reason a strawberry is not classified as a true berry is because it is not even a true fruit, it is actually multiple clustered into one. Those little “seeds,” actually called achenes, outside of the strawberry are the real fruits, they just happen to sit atop an oddly shaped orb of flesh. They also only carry one tiny seed each, so even the achenes are not berries.

5. California has had around 5 canine mayors

Elections are important events that determine who will be the new members of organizations like the government, city council, etc. Oftentimes not everyone is satisfied with the results, but some cities in California really said “screw it” and had a dog put into office.

The first dog mayor was elected in 1981 and was named Bosco. He was a black Lab-Rottweiler mix living in Sunil. He was a part of the “re-pup-lican” party served until his death in 1994.

The third dog mayor was a golden retriever, named Max, from Idyllwild. Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller II was elected in 2013. His golden predecessor was also mayor and had the same name. His campaign was modeled as a fundraiser for local animal rescues.

Frida, a chihuahua, became the mayor of San Francisco in 2014, but it was only for a day. Her owner had bid the highest during a charity for animal care and control, which granted Frida such an opportunity.

The last dog mayor was Gus Hall, elected in 2018. He was from Coronado and secured over half of 20,000 votes.

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