We spend most of our time living lives of low-risk, shuffling between our homes and our workplaces, and making few stops along the way. Though that significantly reduces the chances of ever facing life-threatening situations, it still never hurts to be prepared and preparation can come in all shapes and forms. Despite the instinct to carry a weapon and considering our lack of access to James Bond-esque gadgets, our best defense against any kind of serious situation is knowledge. Information is power, and all that jazz.
Every crime-drama on television is peppered with clever characters miraculously making their way out of terrifying traps using nothing but a flashlight and a paper clip. You never know what information could be your trick to surviving an unexpected threat, being trapped in the wilderness, a virulent illness, or even the end of the world. These random facts are just what you need to live out your very own MacGyver-moments.
The elevator button with a star denotes the floor with the most direct access to the exit.
If you’re low on energy and on the verge of drowning, flip over and do the backstroke to counter the flow of the current.
If you hear gunfire, keep your ears perked. Gunfire aimed near you will have a sharp cracking sound. Gunfire aimed away will have a deep thumping sound.
Store dark chocolate as an emergency ration. While milk chocolate has a life of 1 year, dark chocolate can be stored for up to 3 years.
If you feel like you’re about to pass out from heat exposure, just pour cold water or ice on your forearms and you’ll feel better within seconds.
SOS in Morse code is: … – – – …
Three short blasts, three long blasts, three short blasts. Pause and then repeat.
(By Auckland Museum, Wikimedia Commons)
Always pack a whistle. Whistles carry sound over 5 miles, which is more effective than screaming, even at the top of your lungs
Every single part of a dandelion is edible, so if you’re starving and lost, look for a field and cross your fingers
If you fall off a ship at sea and are spotted, do not swim toward the point of safety as it could reduce your chances of survival. Let the rescue team do its job.
If you only have AAA batteries for a big cartridge, just place tinfoil balls in the space between the battery and the cartridge
An old military trick was to wear a pantyhose underneath socks, to avoid getting blisters during long hikes. Pantyhoses have a myriad of survival uses including emergency water filtering and food storage.
(By Atomicdragon136, Wikimedia Commons)
Lint from dryers is excellent for starting fires. A little bit goes a long way.
There is a space under most subway platforms for a person to crawl into if they fall onto the tracks.
During periods of sustained intense exercise, only drink 1 to 1.5 quarts of water per hour and balance it out with salt. An imbalance in sodium and liquid levels can cause swelling in the brain.
Groups of three, whether its piles of rocks or signal fires are universally recognized as a sign for help.
If you find yourself far from help with a broken car radiator, crack an egg over the hole. It’ll cook and seal the hole until you can get to safety.
An animal standing its ground and being loud is a sign that it wants you to leave and if you don’t, it may attack. A quietly approaching animal is more likely to strike quickly.
While it might seem better to excessively bundle up in the winter, being cold is safer as sweating in the cold can increase the chances of catching hypothermia.
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