Who doesn't love a deep dive into a rabbit hole of interesting facts? I know I do... sometimes (or often) at the most ungodly hours. But every now and again, I come across something that I wish I hadn't. The type of information I'm convinced I was better off not knowing. The stuff that keeps me awake even later at night, brewing over, or worrying about, whatever it was that I just read.
Did you know that thousands of lives are cut short every year because of doctors' sloppy handwriting? Or that when a pregnant woman is buried, the gases inside her can push the baby out... A grim occurrence known as coffin birth. These are just two creepy facts that were mentioned when someone posted on TikTok, "Tell me the scariest fact you know. I don't want to sleep tonight."
Bored Panda has bravely gone through more than 20,000 comments to select the ones that gave us a case of the creeps. Feel free to add more in the comments section, and don't forget to upvote your favorites.
#1
© Photo: 0liliac_edits0
If you're just learning (from this list) that thousands of people pass away every year due to messy handwriting on doctors' notes, you're not alone. It does sound crazy... Although now that we think about it, it might make sense.
Many of us have tried, and failed, to read what's meant to be a diagnosis and script for medication. And while jokes aplenty have been made about doctors' handwriting, it's no laughing matter.
An estimated 7,000 people suffer fatal consequences every year because of illegible scribbles on prescriptions, medical charts or notes. And according to a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), a further 1.5 million injuries occur annually due to pharmacists and healthcare workers misreading sloppy handwriting.
#2
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#3
We are on a rock floating in the middle of a dark void we don’t understand.
© Photo: reem1994r
A rather old (2005) study produced some shocking results. Three surgeons in the U.K. randomly selected operative notes from an orthopedic ward. Nurses, physiotherapists, and medical officers were then asked to rate the legibility of the notes.
Get this: only a quarter of the notes were rated as good or excellent. 37% were categorized as poor. And yes, times have moved since two decades ago, with electronic prescription systems and technology available at our fingertips, but many doctors around the world still choose to use a pen and paper to write prescriptions and notes.
#4
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#6
There’s a rare brain disorder called Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI), where a person loses the ability to sleep completely. No matter how exhausted they get, their brain’s sleep center shuts down permanently. Within months, they begin hallucinating, lose control of their body, and eventually [pass away] from total sleep deprivation. There’s no cure, and it’s genetically inherited, meaning if one parent has the gene, their child has a 50% chance of developing it later in life.
© Photo: myluv.kiki
At least one expert says patients should never be afraid to ask for clarity when it comes to a badly-written doctor's note.
"Your health is worth a quick question or two, and most healthcare providers welcome the chance to ensure understanding," wrote Dr Nyandia Maina, adding that doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and patients all play a role in catching potential errors before it's too late.
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The brain named itself.
#9
© Photo: Specialist-Freedom64
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When a [deceased] pregnant woman is buried, the gases inside can push the baby out, which is also [deceased]. This is called coffin birth.
© Photo: farfromthelighttheygo
#13
You’re not scared of heights, you’re scared of falling.
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© Photo: Random-Mutant
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#18
There's a real medical condition where a persons body starts shedding layers of skin much faster than normal, leaving them in constant pain and wrapped in bandages, so they are technically skinless.
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#21
If you're ever in a forest and it goes fully silent, like FULLY silent. Never turn on a light or make noise. fine the nearest object, rock or tree, and lay down and wait for sunrise. If the crickets stop making noise then it means a big predator is coming and you have to hide.
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#23
Thousands of people [pass away] every year because of messy handwriting on doctors' notes.
© Photo: allstartedwthebigbang
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#27
Your eyes see the world upside down so your brain flips it back.
#28
The movie the human centipede was inspired by real things that happened in Unit 731 during WW2.
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#29
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#30
Your body is at its weakest when it hits 3am.