Why do sneakers have a white rubber coating? And why are there engraved parts on the bread? These types of questions have crossed our minds at least once.
Today we will share with you the real meanings behind the things we use every day. It is interesting to note that some of these were influenced by historical events and others emerged as a result of linguistic confusion as with the last issue on our list.
Why are the letters on a computer keyboard not alphabetically sorted?
Some people believe that this arrangement of letters was created to help you reach the most commonly used keys easily. But that is only part of the truth. In the original typewriters, the letters were placed alphabetically. However, the placement of the keys made fast typing difficult, as the old typewriters could be easily blocked. This is why letters that are often used together are placed away from each other.
Then came the well-known QWERTY keyboard layout. It's far from perfect, but people don't want to change it because everyone is used to it.
Why do some clothes have patches on the elbow?
This fashion trend first appeared in military clothing. Soldiers had to crawl on the ground with their elbows and the fabric melted and tore. That's why the elbows were covered with an extra layer of fabric.
Later, hunters adopted elbow pads for their uniforms, making shooting more convenient and saving fabric. And after the 50s, students at many American universities borrowed the idea and transformed it into a real fashion trend.
Why is ice cream sold in a waffle cone?
At the end of the 19th century, ice cream was sold in "ice cream glasses". They were rinsed with water, at best, before another customer used them.
However, a simple solution appeared in 1904. Due to the extremely hot weather, people rushed to buy ice cream, but the seller did not have enough glasses for all this. A waffle maker was empty. The waffle seller quickly put one of his cone-shaped waffles and gave it to the ice cream vendor.
Everyone was happy with the result, especially the doctors, since the glasses they were licking were a reason for the spread of tuberculosis.
What is this little black dot doing?
The little black dot between the flash and the camera on an iPhone is a noise microphone. It was placed there to filter out ambient noise from the desired sound, which is especially useful in noisy environments. It helps the phone to cut off ambient noise and keep your voice down.
Why do sneakers have rubber on the front?
Sneakers were primarily footwear for basketball players and the rubber cover was used to protect their feet from accidents during a game. Unlike now, it was made of very hard rubber.
In addition, the fingertips were initially darker. They became white as a decoration for modern sneakers.
Why do Converse shoes have holes on the side?
Did you know that these extra holes on the side of your sneakers really have a purpose? The holes allow air to circulate around and provide some kind of ventilation for your feet. This prevents your feet from sweating.
What is the use of this cylindrical thing at the end of a charger?
This little thing is a very useful item that helps any laptop or desktop to work properly. It's called a ferrite bead. Suppresses high frequency noise in electronic circuits. In other words, it isolates your laptop from electromagnetic noise. Ferrite beads can be used to remove power line noises on phones, computers, televisions, audio players and DVDs.
What do the dimples on the bottom of a bottle mean?
These are not signs for people with vision problems, as you might think. Everything is much simpler. These are used during the production process for the code of a form number and the labeling of defective packaging.
Why are the parks divided at the bottom?
A parka is one of the most common types of outerwear. Have you ever tried to guess why some parks have a split point at the back?
A modern parka comes from the type of outerwear worn by the military in the 50s. The tails of their coats were much longer so they could wrap them around their ankles and stay warmer for longer. The same feature appears in modern parks but in a slightly modified way.
Why are there cuts over a baguette?
Even bakers can't come to a conclusion on this issue. Some of them say that they carve the top of a baguette so that it does not break in the oven. Others claim that it is done for aesthetic reasons. The second version seems more realistic because there are many types of bread without cuts and openings at the top.
Why do moccasins have tassels?
In the mid-20th century, a shoemaker, Niels Tweranger, was inspired by the shoes of Norwegian fishermen. Their shoes had tassels that could be tightened and thus fastened a shoe to the foot.
He decided to combine fishermen's shoes and Indian moccasins and created today's moccasins, known to all of us. The tassel soon lost its practical use and remained just a nice accessory.
Why is there a loop on the back of a shirt?
Surely you have all noticed this little loop in your shirt. However, there is no public opinion on its true purpose. According to one version, the loop on the back of a man's shirts was used to attach a tie. Another version claims that it was designed to hang the shirt on a hook.
Why does a PIN only contain 4 digits?
In 1996, Scottish inventor James Goodfellow came up with the idea of creating a PIN to protect people's access to bank accounts. Initially, the code contained 6 digits. But Goodfelo's wife complained that she kept forgetting. That's why he shortened it to the modern version of a four-digit code.
What are the colored circles in food packaging?
Almost every product in a supermarket is characterized by colored circles and squares. In fact, they are the color blocks of the printer used in the production of packages and have nothing to do with the food inside. These circles indicate which shades of ink were used to produce the design on the package.
What's the reason for fur jackets?
A fur hood was a feature of the clothes of the indigenous minorities living in the Far North. All of their outerwear was very warm, but the face was still exposed to the cold. To protect it, they put several pieces of long fur on the edge of the hood. This simple technique helped keep their face warm. Today the reason we use fur on hoods is mostly decorative.
Why does Turbo chewing gum have this shape?
It turns out that the shape of this legendary chewing gum from the 90's mimics the shape of the tires of a vehicle.
How did the pretzel get its shape?
The origin of the story dates back to the Middle Ages and is quite ambiguous. However, as far as we know, the pretzel was created by a monk when he decided to make a hand-shaped bun in prayer.
"It doesn't look like that!" You might say, but the piece of the puzzle will come in handy when we tell you that the Franciscan monks crossed their arms over their shoulders while praying.
Why did the piggy banks look like pigs?
In medieval England, people kept their money in clay pots called "box jars", which came from the word "pygg" (orange clay). Over time, these types of jars disappeared, but the combination of words remained.
Soon the "pygg" turned into a "pig" and people started making piggy banks in this shape. This is indeed the case with the name of an object that appears first.