15 Weird History Statistics

From Redditor u/raginglilypad:

The Philippines has over 7,000 islands.

Editor’s Note:Located in Southeast Asia, 500 miles from Vietnam, the Philippines has about 7,640 islands and islets. Approximately 2,000 of these are inhabited.Approximately 2,000 islands are inhabited..

From Redditor u/JESquirrel:

Dragonflies have a 95% hunt success rate. This makes them the world's most effective hunters.

Editor’s Note:Despite their small size, dragonflies evolved to be nature’s most efficient predators compared to other animals. They have over 3,000 species; over 400 exist in North America, so they are also very widespread.

The insects evolveda number of traits that help them.These traits include speed, wings that move independently for many maneuvers, enhanced vision, and strong neural function. As a result, they take down prey about 95% of the time, compared to 25% for an average lion.

From Redditor u/peon2:

20% of mammal species on Earth are different types of bats. There are about 5,000 mammal species total, and about 1,000 of them are bat varieties.

Editor’s Note:Bats make up a surprisingly large percentage of mammal species worldwide, even though they are often small.

Most scientists estimate they make up around20 to 25%of all mammal species, though this number shifts because more species are being identified constantly.species are being identified all the time..

From Redditor u/Kriss0612:

Sharks have existed longer than Saturn's rings (450 million years versus 100 million).

Editor’s Note:Sharks have existed on this planet longer than many other species, like dinosaurs and grass. Sharks are also older than Saturn’s rings, which formed only between 10 and 100 million years ago (sharks have been around since at least 359 million years ago, emerging during the Devonian Period).since at least 359 million years ago, emerging during the Devonian Period.

From Redditor u/Hysterical_Realist:

Continents move at the same rate that fingernails grow.

Editor’s Note:Continents move a few centimeters yearly, while the average fingernail grows at about the same speed.grows at approximately the same rate.

From Redditor u/THElaytox:

At least 50% of adults in the US likely show lead exposure symptoms from childhood. These include IQ loss, increased phobias, addiction issues, and neuroticism. This makes the current situation make more sense.

Editor’s Note:Lead pipes are common in many US homes. Many Americans have been exposed to this metal’s toxic influence. One study estimates as many as 170 million Americans—half the population—have been exposed.

From Redditor u/IDontKnowWhoBobRossIs:

Rabies has a 99% death rate. You can live a year without symptoms, but when symptoms appear, you die in a few hours.

Editor’s Note:Rabies has a high fatality rate. A person must get vaccinated right away after exposure. Pre- or post-bite shots stop the disease. If you aren't vaccinated, rabies kills once symptoms start.It is 100% fatal..

From Redditor u/BlueCandyBars:

Another agency tested things. The TSA missed weapons, bombs, and other destructive materials 95% of the time.

Editor’s Note:Travelers face stress at the TSA. The agency aims to stop bombs from planes. Homeland Security investigated, using undercover agents, and found the TSA misses dangerous materials.95% of the time.

TSA history shows similar failures. This happened in 2013, too.

From Redditor u/Barcelona10CG:

The average drunk driver drives drunk more than 80 times before getting caught.

Editor’s Note:Drunk driving happens often in the U.S., taking almost 30 lives daily, some estimates show. Drunk driving can also become a habit. Mothers Against Drunk Driving states a person might drive intoxicated.80 times before arrest.

From Redditor u/nervemiester:

In 2020, fentanyl overdose became the top death cause for Americans aged 18 to 45. Car accidents were the top cause before that age group.

Editor’s Note:The opioid crisis is a major health danger for the U.S. Fentanyl is now the top killer for young Americans, especially ages 18 to 45.

The CDC recorded over 79,000 fentanyl-related deaths between 2020 and 2021. The substance acts like morphine, but it is much stronger.Fentanyl substance is much stronger..

From Redditor u/Dnyasty2201:

National Geographic found in 2018 that only 9% of all plastic globally gets recycled.

A U.S. study by the Environmental Protection Agency found only 8.4% of U.S. waste was recycled.

Biffa Waste Services Ltd was caught shipping over 1,000 tonnes of private home waste to India, labeling it as paper to save money per container.

Recycling is basically a depressing joke.

Editor’s Note:Efforts to get Americans to recycle more to cut environmental waste have given mixed results, especially for plastic.

Plastic is hard to recycle. Only about 9% on average is actually recycled (a 2018 EPA report). Even plastics like water bottles that seem recyclable only get recycled about 30% of the time.Only recycle about 30% of the time.

From Redditor u/hellothere42069:

Six percent of Americans think they could beat a grizzly bear without weapons.

Editor’s Note:The grizzly bear is a fearsome predator in North America. Weighing up to 1,700 pounds, these animals are nature's effective killing machines. Yet, this fact has not stopped 6% of Americans from...believing they could defeat one,according to a study by market research firm Yougov.

An 8% believed they could take a lion.

From Redditor u/kraagenskul:

Less than 10% of Americans wear seatbelts, yet this group causes 51% of car fatalities.

Editor’s Note:Despite safety announcements, 10% of Americans still skip seatbelts. This happens even though wearing them cuts down car deaths.

This group makes up most people who die in car crashes. In 2020, 51% of those killed in car accidents lacked seatbelts—a 4% jump from last year..

From a former Redditor:

The human eye blinks about 4.2 million times yearly on average.

Editor’s Note:Blinking happens without thought, like breathing or swallowing. This body function keeps irritants out of the eye. Humans do this unconscious action often each year, though the number exceeds what the Redditor figured out.

One study published in theJournal of the Royal Society Interface, humans blink 12 times per minuteon average. That equals 17,280 blinks daily, and 6,307,200 blinks annually!

From Redditor u/molesandmangoes:

48%British people would not go to space for safety assurance; most people lacked interest.

Editor’s Note:People often think going to space is something they want to do,but not everyone is keen.To do (witness the much-publicized space adventures of the megawealthy such as Jeff Bezos), not everyone is so enamored with the idea. A recent survey showed that 48% of people living in the UKhad no desire to go to space, either due to a lack of interest or fear of flying.

Other reasons included lacking interesting sights on the moon and preferring Earth locations.