Wait...What?
- The Editors at Very Cool Facts
- Jul 18
- 1 min read
Updated: Aug 4
It’s Cool Facts Friday—your weekly excuse to stop doing normal things and start thinking about ancient dental care, vending machines, and the surprising intelligence of baby poultry.
Let’s get into it.

Ancient Romans Brushed Their Teeth with Mouse Brains.
The ancient Romans took dental hygiene seriously. Maybe too seriously. Some early toothpaste recipes included crushed bones, oyster shells, and—yes—mouse brains.
Minty fresh? Not exactly.

You're More Likely to Die from a Vending Machine Than a Shark
Statistically speaking, vending machines kill 2–3 people per year. Sharks? Usually 1 or fewer.
Apparently we shouldn't shake the machine. Just walk away.

And...You're More Likely to be Bitten by a New Yorker than a Shark.
NYC hospitals report more human bite injuries than shark attacks in the entire world.
So maybe skip the subway before worrying about the surf.

Baby Chicks Can Do Basic Math
This is rare in the animal kingdom. At just a few days old, chicks can track quantities and even understand "more than vs. less than"—a basic form of addition.
That’s more than most of us can do before coffee.

From ancient toothpaste to math-literate poultry, we hope at least one of these facts made you say, “Wait, really?”
If so, tell a friend, follow us online, or sign up at VeryCoolFacts.com. The facts only get weirder from here.
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