- [Instructor] What if I told you that your understanding of
the objects you use every day is barely the tip of the iceberg? Well, it's true. From the real uses of McFlurry spoons, to the hidden functions
of your own microwave, get ready to find out some amazing secrets
hidden in everyday things. (soft music) - Amazing! - [Instructor] Number 20, zipper flipper. Ever been stuck with a zipper that won't stay all the way up? It's a mild inconvenience that
every jeans-wearer has faced, but there's an easy fix. Most jeans use a similar type of zipper, with a little-known
built-in locking mechanism. Instead of leaving the zipper handle in an upward position, make sure you flip the handle downwards. This automatically locks
the zipper in place, stopping it from slipping
down, and making sure you're never left with
your pants down in public. Number 19, secret safety glass. You may have noticed these
unusual glass panels skirting the ceiling around stairwells
in certain types of buildings. While, initially, they seem
like an aesthetic choice, they actually serve a
potentially life-saving purpose. In the event of a fire,
the sealed glass panes, block smoke from rising to the
floors above via the stairs. By trapping it on one level, the people above are
less likely to suffocate, and can see their way out much easier. Number 18, toilet stall gaps. For any visitors to the USA, one of the worst things is discovering how large the
gaps in toilet stall doors tend to be and for any who have wondered why this evil practice exists,
the answer is no better. The doors are specifically designed to minimize the level of comfort and privacy experienced by
the users of the restroom. This is in an attempt to get
people to do their business and move on as quickly
and cleanly as possible, by making it clear that others can see in. I guess clever design doesn't
have to be pleasant, does it? Number 17, stink pipes. When exploring your local town, you may have stumbled
across these unusual poles. They look like old lampposts
but with the lamp part missing, which may have left you
scratching your head. But they have a purpose,
and it's pretty weird. These headless lampposts are actually called
"stench-poles" or "stink-pipes", and you'd better be thankful that they're as tall as they are. They're designed to release
the air from the sewers below. This is to prevent the
build-up of dangerous, explosive gases down below, while also draining out some of the stink. Luckily, they're usually
taller than lampposts, so the stink dissipates
above our heads and noses. But pro tip, don't climb these,
the only prize at the top is that you'll be smelling for weeks. Number 16, pocket hooks. If you've ever put your cold hands inside your jacket
pockets on a winter's day, you may have discovered one of these hooks connected to the jacket
with elasticated string. While these hooks probably won't work as miniature grappling hooks, they do serve a useful function. They're designed to be
attached to your keys, or onto any ID passes you may need handy, to prevent them falling out if you remove other
items from your pockets. The hooks clip easily on
and off of your keyring and prevent you ever being
locked outside in the cold. Unless your roommate changes the locks. Number 15, blank pages. You may have noticed while reading a book, there are often blank pages at the end. It seems like an
unbelievable waste of paper, but it comes down to the
manufacturing process. Books are printed on large sheets that depending on the size of the sheet can fit multiple printed pages. As these sheets mostly house
pages in multiples of four, a book with an odd number of pages, or a number of pages that
isn't a multiple of four can result in space being leftover. To save time, publishers
simply include the blank pages in their assembly process, to
the confusion of us readers. Number 14, cork talk. If you've ever bought a wine bottle but had no bottle opener
to remove the cork, you've probably asked yourself, why aren't all wine bottles screw-capped? Well, the answer varies
depending on who you ask. But the main reason cork is still favored despite the existence of screw-caps is that it allows wine to breathe. Although it's water-tight, cork allows a tiny amount of air to pass between the wine and the outside world. This is what allows corked wines
to age into better flavors, something that's almost impossible
with screw-topped wines. But as most supermarket wines are best consumed within
two-or-so years of purchase, maybe screw-tops really
are the way forward for the non-connoisseurs out there. Number 13, hidden locks. If your home is relatively old, you may have noticed some
of these circular notches embedded in the doorframes by the handle. No, they're not a secret code
left by previous tenants. These notches are part of an old-fashioned locking mechanism. Pressing one of the buttons in will disable the doorknob
on one side of the door until a key is used. This came in handy before
the simpler button-press lock came along to bless bathrooms everywhere. Number 12, golf ball brilliance. Ever wondered why golf
balls have dimpled surfaces? Well, this wasn't always the case. Originally, golf balls
were designed to be round and smooth. But in the 19th century,
golfers started noticing that their overused
chipped dented golf balls actually flew better than
their unblemished ones. So, people began intentionally creating dimpled golf balls, but why do dimpled golf balls fly better? Well, when a perfectly
round smooth ball flies through the air it
leaves a wake behind it, which creates drag slowing the ball down. Adding dimples creates a
thin boundary layer of air that clings to the surface,
which causes the air to flow further toward
the back of the ball. This reduces the size of the wake and consequently reduces the drag. The dimples also optimize
the lift force on the ball, giving it more of an upward
motion in its flight, letting it travel further for longer. So maybe we should lay into airplanes with BB guns for smoother flights. Best to ask your local law
enforcement for approval before you do that. Number 11, wine wisdom. At some point, you
might've felt ripped off when you noticed the big
dent seemingly wasting space, in the bottom of your wine bottles. But the unusual feature known as a punt serves
several important functions. For starters, it flattens
the bottom of the bottle preventing it from toppling easily, while also collecting
sediments from the wine, preventing most of them being poured out. But these functions are likely a happy by-product of the wine
bottle's manufacturing history. Wine bottles used to
be fashioned by blowing a bubble of glass and
spinning it into shape. Doing this often left a mark
at the bottom of the bottle but by pressing the mark inward, it would be shielded from view while also adding those
handy benefits I mentioned, among others, cheers! Number 10, windshield dots. You've probably noticed
those unusual black dots around the border of car windscreens. But other than looking
kinda cool, what do they do? Well, the black dots help to block and disperse the glare of sunlight at the edges of the windscreen, essentially giving your
vehicle partial sunglasses. The dots also serve as a smooth transition from the solid black line
around the windscreen, which serves a bigger purpose. The black border covers up the adhesive that secures the window in place, while also protecting it
from the sun's UV rays. This prevents damage to the adhesive, keeping your windshield
firmly in place for longer. All while pimping your
ride with pop-art stylings. Number 9, lollipop lifesaver. I don't know about you but as a kid I was certain the hole in
the end of a lollipop stick was there to turn it into a whistle. Unfortunately, the truth
isn't quite so musical. The hole is there, so that a little bit of candy
can harden inside the hole, securing it in place so it doesn't slide off
the stick when it hardens. Way less fun, I know. Number 8, crosswalk assistance. The eagle-eyed or
eagle-fingered viewers out there may have noticed this
well-concealed spinning dial under the buttons at pedestrian crossings. It's not just a fun thing for bored kids to twist while they wait, it actually acts as an indication of when it's safe to cross for people who are both deaf and blind. When it spins, it means the
little green man is showing, and it's safe to cross. Number 7, highway hints. It may surprise you to learn
that there's some clever logic behind American road numbers. For example, even-numbered roads tend to run east and west, odd-numbered roads tend
to run north and south. Highways with 3 numbers tend to be roads that
circumnavigate cities instead of going right through them. For example, I-294 goes around Chicago, skirting right around
the edges of the city. This all comes in super handy if you need to skip those busy city roads on your next cross-country trip. Number 6, pen cap precautions. Did the hole in pen caps is legally required to
be there to save lives? It's true! In the event that a child or dumb adult, swallows the cap, the hole allows some air to pass through, reducing the severity of
the blockage during removal. This isn't the only useful
hole on a pen though, as the hole in the side
or end of a ballpoint is designed to prevent a
build-up in air pressure. This vent hole prevents a vacuum forming, which would stop ink flowing into the nib. It also prevents the pen from exploding during a change of
pressure, like on airplanes. Many an air-traveler's pocket was soaked with ink on the
path to this invention, so pour one out for the
inky heroes of the past. Number 5, McFlurry spoons. Admit it! At least once, you've tried to use a
McFlurry spoon as a straw I know I certainly have. But despite their straw-like appearance, they have a totally different function. They're actually just elaborate stirrers. When your McFlurry is being made, all the ice cream and
additional components, like chocolate sprinkles and syrups, are poured in one after the other. To make sure the
ingredients are distributed throughout the whole McFlurry, the server will shove your
spoon into the middle, and hook the spoon up to
a specialized machine. Once clipped in place with that hook at the top of the spoon, the machine stirs the McFlurry,
and it's soon ready to go. Bon Appetit! Number 4, chip bag circles. While enjoying some chips,
you've probably noticed these mysterious colored dots
along the back of the bag. They're actually there to add
a dash of color to the bag, but not for your entertainment. The dots serve as a quick way for manufacturers to check
the quality of the colors their printers are producing. If the color dots aren't right, it's back to the assembly
line for a new ink job. Number 3, microwave silent mode. Desperate to enjoy a late-night snack without waking the whole neighborhood with your microwave's incessant beeping? Say no more. You may not realize, but most microwaves with digital
displays have silent modes, typically activated by a single button. On many machines, all you need to do is hold down the number 1
button for a couple of seconds. Once you've held down your
machine's specific button for long enough all
those loud annoying beeps should be deactivated. Enjoy your late-night burritos! Number 2, elevator door holes. Though it looks like a peep-hole, this hole in an elevator door isn't there to spy on
whoever's in the elevator. These tiny holes you may
have spotted on your travels are, in fact, keyholes. They're built into elevator
doors so they can be opened whether the elevator is
on that floor or not. This allows quick access
to the elevator shaft during emergencies. So, in this case, what
looks like a bullet-hole is actually there to save lives. Number 1, pen fins. If you've ever bought a pen slightly above the quality
of a standard ballpoint, it may have featured
these strange fins inside. Far from simply a visual choice, these fins serve an important purpose. As ink travels toward the head of the pen, it pools in each of the fins. This means that more
ink is always available instantly for the user plus, in the instance
the warmth of your hand causes the air in a pen to expand, the ink is sent into the fins instead of being forced out
all over your page or hands. Fountain pens usually feature
a similar mechanism too. It's a surprisingly sophisticated design that may have saved you from
many an ink-ruined page, and you probably never even realized. Did you learn anything new about everyday items from this video, do of any other hidden
functions in common things? Let me know in the comments section below. And thanks for watching. (soft music)
