Miscellaneous Factoids (Part 13)

1. Did you know the reason aluminum foil has a shiny and dull side is due to how it's made, a process called milling ? (According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture two layers of foil are placed on top of each other and squeezed through polished steel rollers to flatten and shape the foil. The two layers are then separated for packaging and distribution.The side that was in contact with the polished steel rollers is shiny. The other side, where the two layers of foil touch each other, comes out dull.)

2. Did you know otters have the densest fur of any animal, with sea otters having up to one million hairs per square inch ? (River otters have less dense fur, with densities between 100,000 and 450,000 hairs per square inch. This dense, multi-layered fur provides essential insulation for both types of otters, as they rely on it to stay warm in cold water rather than having a thick layer of blubber.)

3. Did you know the modern safety pin was invented by American mechanic Walter Hunt, who patented the device in 1849 ? (Hunt designed it to secure clothing more safely and paid off a $15 debt by selling the patent rights for $400.)

4. Did you know The Three Gorges Dam in China is the world's largest dam, primarily known as the largest hydroelectric power station by installed capacity (22,500 MW) and for its massive scale, creating a huge reservoir on the Yangtze River for flood control, power generation, and navigation ? (While other dams might be taller (like Rogun Dam, nearing completion) or have more material volume (like Syncrude Tailings Dam), Three Gorges is unmatched in its overall power output and reservoir size.)

5. Did you know mascara's origins trace to ancient Egypt (c. 4000 BCE) for eye protection and enhancement using kohl, but the first commercial mascara was invented by French perfumer Eugène Rimmel in the 1830s, a mixture of coal dust and petroleum jelly ? (The first mass-market, modern mascara in the U.S. came later in 1917 from Thomas Lyle Williams, who created "Maybelline" for his sister, Mabel.)