It is wrong to assume that your first answer is more likely the better answer.  60 studies consistently showed that going with your initial response or answer is not a good strategy if you start second guessing yourself.  Typically, people who changed their answers more when they were unsure scored higher.

Apparently thinking with your brain is better than going with your gut.  Wild.

8 out of every 10 people killed by lightning are men.

Guys rule!!!!!

In the United States and Canada, the male-to-female ratio of nurses is roughly 1:19.

Those guys must get so many girls!

According to Men’s Health, the top 3 most patriotic cities are as follows: 1. Portland, OR- 2. Salt Lake City, UT- 3. Kansas City, MO.   Patriotism was calculated by considering the percentage of registered voters who turned out for state and federal elections, by the amount of money spent on military veterans per capita, percentage of residents who volunteer, participate in civic activities, or work with neighbors, and (most important) sales of fireworks and American flags.  Because every time I light off a firework I am doing it for America!  If I was in another country, I would still set off fireworks for America!  The ancient Chinese in the 12th century invented fireworks for America!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

U.S.A! U.S.A! Fireworks!

Generally, in the United States, a hill becomes a mountain once it reaches 2000 feet (~610 meters).  Ultimately, though, it depends on who you ask.  If you ask me, I will tell you 2000 feet is the cut-off between a hill and a mountain…. as I have already told you.

It has been estimated by the U.S. Soccer Federation that, on average, the World Cup referees run 12 miles (19.31 km) in a soccer game.  That’s 5 miles (8.05 km) more than the average player.  They also get less rest too.  For example, a soccer player from Ghana can lie on his back delaying the game for minutes…the refs don’t have this luxury.

I’m over it.

Geese and some other migratory birds fly in a V formation for a couple main reasons.  First, the V formation reduces the drag force that each bird encounters compared to the force he would feel flying solo.  In one study, the heart rates of pelicans was monitored.  It was found that a flock of 25 birds in formation can fly 70% farther than a single bird using the same amount of energy.  The second benefit of the V is communication.  All the birds can keep track of their fellow travelers.  This is the reason why I will train my family to move in a V formation when we go to amusement parks, airports or other crowded places.  Not to mention the benefits I will get from drafting off of my family members.  I will be able to walk 70% farther than if I was at Disneyland by myself.  And it would be 70% less depressing than being at Disneyland by myself.

According to Scientific American, approximately 85% of people are right-handed.  This majority appears to be a result of evolutionary natural selection which catered to the majority of people who have speech/language control in the left hemisphere of the brain.  Because the left-hemisphere controls the movement of the right hand (and with it, the movement necessary for producing written language), thousands of years of evolutionary development resulted in a population that favors people with left-side language production, and right-handedness.

I did a lot of research.  But it doesn’t look like there is any data proving the evilness of left-handed people.  I know it’s true.  I just need some stats.

Currently 66% of the world’s population drives on the right side of the road, while 34% drive on the left side.  Here is pretty cool picture of a cross over road at a border where the drivers must switch sides of the road to accommodate the rules of the road in a new country.  It looks like a giant 7 year-old designed this with track used for Hot Wheels cars.

In a Michigan State University study, 20 percent of the participants felt that a relationship was not “official” until it was made public on Facebook.  Does that mean that if I don’t post where my hometown is, I don’t actually live there?  Or if I don’t post all of my favorite music, I don’t actually like it?  Or if I don’t have a Facebook, I don’t actually exist?  It sounds like 20 percent of people have some attachment issues.  Or a super hot girlfriend they are trying to show off to the popular 80 percent.

According to the Journal of Sex Research, the risk of infidelity decreases 4% for every year of a marriage.  Which makes a lot of sense as I would argue people get 4% uglier every year.

A longitudinal study of over 3,500 Swedish women who had cosmetic breast implants between 1965 and 1993 revealed that these women were nearly 3 times more likely to commit suicide than women without implants.  Who ever thought that a study involving 3000 Swedish women with big boobs could be so depressing…

The average NBA player has a vertical jump of 28 inches, slightly smaller than the rims on the average NBA player’s Escalade.

Did you know that the percentage of people who felt religion was an important part of daily life in Mississippi (85%) is higher than the people of Iran (83%)? Based on information gathered in 2007, 2008, and 2009 Gallup polls, a list was compiled of the most and least religious countries.  The poll asked the question, “Is religion an important part of your daily life?”  A handful of the top 10 countries where religion was the least prevalent included Estonia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Japan, and France.  The most religious countries included Egypt, Bangladesh, Congo, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Senegal, Djibouti, and the United Arab Emirates.  Hmm… I will just leave it at that.

You have a 100% chance(?) of dying.  So that’s comforting…  According to the National Safety Council, your chances of dying in an accident are 1 in 36.  Auto accident 1 in 81.  Death by firearm 1 in 202.  Death by poisoning 1 in 344.  Death from a falling object 1 in 4,873.  Death from drowning while you bathe 1 in 10,455. Death from suffocation due to a plastic bag 1 in 130,498.  What?!  Seriously?  Unless you are a baby, you have no excuse for suffocating on a plastic bag.  Babies barely have an excuse.  These statistics are really eye-opening though.  I will definitely be more cautious when I drive with a grocery bag on my head down the highway waving a loaded firearm and chewing on Chinese-made toys.