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Electrifying Discoveries: Top 10 Fun Facts About Energy You Never Knew!

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Get ready to spark your curiosity as we shed light on some electrifying fun facts about energy that will have you positively charged!

1. Frosty calorie-torching winter fun

Feeling a little frosty? Get ready to melt some calories away and slide your way into that favorite pair of jeans: A 2013 study in the "Journal of Clinical Investigation" revealed that even mildly cold temperatures can increase your calorie burn by ramping up heat production in your body, making fun winter activities like skiing, sledding, and skating the perfect combo of frosty fun and chilly calorie-torching!
Source => healthyeating.sfgate.com

2. Sleep deprivation's cookie monster effect

Ever felt like you turned into a ravenous cookie monster after a night of tossing and turning in bed? Don't worry, those growling monsters are really just two pesky hormones causing chaos in your body: Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased leptin levels and increased ghrelin levels, resulting in increased hunger and a tendency to overeat, especially calorie-dense snacks, all the more reason to catch those elusive Z's!
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

3. Paperclip nuclear explosion

Picture this: your humble paperclip decides to go nuclear, creating a scene straight out of a Michael Bay film – with less Shia LaBeouf: If you could somehow unleash the energy present in a mere paperclip, it would be equivalent to the explosive power of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. Einstein's famous E=mc² serves as a reminder that even tiny amounts of matter, like said paperclip, pack an enormous energy punch when converted, thanks to the colossal number that is the speed of light squared. Don't worry, though – your desk clutter isn't actually hazardous!
Source => pbs.org

4. LED light bulb savings blockbuster

Lights, camera, savings! In a world where LED bulbs are the unsung superheroes, rescuing wallets from the clutches of energy bills and defeating incandescent evil-doers one watt at a time: LED bulbs use 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and can last up to 10 years, potentially saving the average American home up to $300 a year on energy costs.
Source => blog.arcadia.com

Banishing the leaded gasoline villain

5. Banishing the leaded gasoline villain

Once upon a time, there was a liquid villain called leaded gasoline, responsible for fueling not only your grandpa's car, but also a plethora of health problems: Enter the heroic U.S. government, who banished this toxic ne'er-do-well on January 1, 1996, for good. Nowadays, our trusty steeds guzzle down three different grades of unleaded gasoline, fortified with the power of renewable ethanol – thanks to a 2005 mandate!
Source => eia.gov

6. Sun-soaking immune-boosting superpowers

Who knew Superman's powers were somewhat real? Basking in the sun not only gives you that perfect summer tan but also equips your body with super-immunity-boosting powers: Exposure to sunlight helps produce vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in maintaining bone health and has immunomodulatory effects on the body, including warding off infections and autoimmune diseases with the help of cathelicidin and beta defensin 4. So, soak up some sun and let it charge your immune system like a superhero!
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

7. Red algae liquid dancefloor

Who knew red algae were secret party animals, grooving better when they have their own liquid dancefloor? Scientists did: encasing red algae protein in liquid droplets has been found to considerably enhance their light-harvesting and energy-conversion properties, possibly tripling the efficiency of artificial photosynthesis. This cost-effective method could pave the way to sustainable and renewable energy without relying on non-renewable fossil fuels or natural gas.
Source => sciencedaily.com

8. Electric eel power plant myth

Whoever said electric eels are nature's little power plants was slightly off-kilter: these slippery creatures can activate thousands of specialized cells to generate a shock, but it lasts for just 2 milliseconds and fails to reach the often-claimed 860 volts. Nevertheless, this short-lived current flows along the eel's body and into the water, providing a stunning surprise for any unsuspecting prey!
Source => scientificamerican.com

9. Mother Nature's free gas, biogas

Who said there's no such thing as free gas? Mother Nature's got us covered with her own flatulence: Biogas, produced via anaerobic digestion of organic waste, contains approximately 50-70% methane and can be harnessed to generate renewable electricity and heat while the leftover solids double as a nutrient-rich fertilizer.
Source => eesi.org

Coal's gassy sidekick, coalbed methane

10. Coal's gassy sidekick, coalbed methane

When coal gets a little gassy: Natural gas, known as coalbed methane, is often found in coal deposits and is produced during coal formation, making it an energy source burping with potential.
Source => bio.libretexts.org

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