11 Truly Random Facts That May Save Your Life

No one ever really plans to find themselves in an emergency situation. Knowing basic first aid and general safety practices is always a good thing—but there are some tidbits of information you’ve probably never thought of that could also potentially save your life. 

As we explored in the above episode of The List Show on YouTube, these random facts may make the difference between life and death in some very specific situations. (And while most of our videos won’t necessarily save your life—unless you’re in a really high stakes trivia game—they will definitely make you a little bit smarter.)

1. Dogs might be able to identify magnetic North and South.
2. 911 works outside the U.S.
3. A fishy smell is an early sign of electrical fires.
4. Kangaroos cough to show submission.
5. Airplane aisle seats have a hidden armrest button.
6. Your thyroid has an iodine limit.
7. Oil-soaked rags can spontaneously combust.
8. Doritos make a great firestarter.
9. Some subway platforms have a hidden shelter beneath them.
10. The human body is naturally buoyant.
11. Rabid animals may appear tame. 

Dogs might be able to identify magnetic North and South.

The ability to sniff out snacks that rolled under your couch isn’t your dog’s only superpower. According to one study from 2013, dogs tend to align with the Earth’s north-south axis when doing their business. Researchers tracked the bowel movements of 70 domestic canines over two years and found that dogs are both attuned to the planet’s magnetic field and have a preference for which direction they face—at least they do while pooping.

Of course, your dog’s butt isn’t a perfect compass. Those involved in the study only found these results when the magnetic field was calm, and replication of those results has been hit or miss—so you should still definitely bring a compass when you’re hiking.

911 works outside the U.S.

Americans are taught from a young age to dial 911 in an emergency. That advice works great if you’re in your hometown, but it’s less helpful if you drive your car into a ditch while traveling abroad. 

Fortunately, several foreign countries use 911 as their emergency number, including Canada and Fiji. Nations that use a different number may still redirect you to their emergency services if you dial 911. That’s the case in the UK, where the official number to dial is technically 999. This convenience is as helpful for hapless tourists as it is for residents raised on American movies and TV. 

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A fishy smell is an early sign of electrical fires.

If you smell a fishy odor in your house, the possibility that last week’s tuna salad has gone bad is the best case scenario. The worst case is an electrical fire. Your home’s outlets and circuit breakers are protected with heat-resistant chemicals, and they’re the first line of defense when things start to overheat. The chemicals can give off a fishy smell when they start getting really hot. 

The good news is that this stage often comes before a full-blown fire, so there may be time to prevent an electrical disaster. You should get an electrician to take a look regardless, and if that doesn’t stop the stench, maybe it’s time to clean out your fridge. 

Kangaroos cough to show submission.

Kangaroos are the kickboxers of the animal kingdom, but that doesn’t mean they fight dirty. The animals sometimes use a weak cough to show submission to stronger males. You can use that trick if you ever find yourself face-to-face with a kangaroo and their unsettlingly large biceps. 

Before the animal can attack, let out a short, nonthreatening cough, and try to make yourself look small and unthreatening. If you sound pathetic enough, the kangaroo may take pity on you and hop off in the other direction. 

Airplane aisle seats have a hidden armrest button.

Every commercial flight begins with a safety demonstration, but airplane cabins have one clever feature even seasoned travelers may not know about. The armrest nearest to the aisle can be raised by pressing a button or pulling a lever hidden on the underside near the hinge. 

The main purpose is for accessibility for flyers with mobility impairments, but it might also be useful for safety: During an emergency, lifting the outer armrests can clear the way for a speedy evacuation. And though you shouldn’t have it up all the time for multiple safety related reasons, the feature might also come in handy when you have to make frequent bathroom trips midflight. 

Your thyroid has an iodine limit.

When your body absorbs iodine, your thyroid gland converts the chemical element into vital hormones. This can become a liability in the aftermath of a nuclear power plant problem. 

Nuclear power plants can produce the radioactive isotope iodine-131. While in controlled amounts it can be useful for many medical procedures, in uncontrolled situations, it can lead to things like thyroid cancer. It’s not the only type of nuclear radiation that causes health issues, but it is the easiest to protect against. 

Since your thyroid can only absorb so much iodine at once, meeting its limit with the stable version can protect it from the unstable isotope in case of exposure. It’s not a radiation shield by any means, and unless a doctor tells you to, you definitely shouldn’t be preemptively taking potassium iodide pills. 

Oil-soaked rags can spontaneously combust.

A bucket of oily rags doesn’t need an outside heat source to combust. If ignored long enough, it can catch fire spontaneously and spread to anything that’s flammable nearby. The root of the problem is oxidation. As the oil on a rag oxidizes, it generates its own heat; if that rag is buried at the bottom of a pile, the heat has nowhere to go. Temperatures may eventually rise high enough for the rags to ignite on their own—even if they’re stored away from outlets and electronics. 

That’s why it’s important to dispose of your oil-soaked trash the right way. If you can’t find the energy to do that after a big painting or staining project, fill your rag container (which should be made of metal) with water and a little detergent, which will help to break down the oils. Then take that container to a hazardous waste disposal center. 

Doritos make a great firestarter.

A highly flammable material is a hazard in your home, but on the trail it can be a lifesaver. That’s why you should always pack a bag of Doritos when hiking in the backcountry. The snack food consists of corn fried in vegetable oil, which is a perfect recipe for flames—even if you didn’t opt for the Flamin’ Hot version.

If you need to start a fire, stack the chips beneath your kindling before igniting them. The snack catches fire easily and burns long and hot, making it the perfect base for your campfire. This trick also works with corn-based chips like Fritos, Cheetos, and Tostitos.

Some subway platforms have a hidden shelter beneath them.

Metro systems around the world have come up with creative safeguards to protect passengers who fall onto the tracks. One helpful safety feature is hidden from view until the moment you need it. 

If you ever find yourself in a train’s path and don’t have time to climb to safety, look for an alcove tucked beneath the subway platform. The sole purpose of these shelters is to give fallen riders a place to hide until the tracks are clear. But take note: Not all stations have them, so the best way to stay safe is by keeping your distance from the tracks until your train arrives. 

The human body is naturally buoyant.

The average human body is less dense than water, at least when the lungs are full of air, which means—in general—we're buoyant enough to float without exerting much effort. Under the right conditions, someone lost at sea can survive more than 24 hours by floating on their backs. For comparison, it would take just a few hours of treading water for most people to succumb to fatigue. 

To increase your odds of survival after falling overboard, lean your head back, stretch out your arms and legs, and keep your lungs as full as possible. This strategy works best in warm, calm, and ideally shark-free waters.

Rabid animals may appear tame. 

Animals with rabies are often depicted as violent and out-of-control. According to the Humane Society, this is typical of rabid animals in their “furious” form. But the disease also has what’s slightly misleadingly called the “paralytic form.” In this state, the infected creature may be slow, disoriented, and even partially paralyzed. They may seem tame to the outside observer, but you shouldn’t mistake them for a friendly pet. A seemingly easygoing rabid animal is just as dangerous as a furious one.