You’ve probably used these everyday items in the past but had no idea about their hidden quirks
Many of these may have escaped your notice, but you’ll be shocked by how handy these small, subtle designs really are.
The small hole on the bottom of a padlock
You may have never noticed, but there’s a small hole next to the keyhole on the bottom of most padlocks – and the reason is twofold.
Firstly it lets water drain out if you’re using it outdoors, preventing it from rusting or freezing up in the rain or snow.
Secondly, the hole can also be used to oil the lock to keep it functioning properly.
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The hole in a saucepan handle
While it’s obvious use is to hang it up on a rack, there is another handy reason why most saucepans feature a hole at the end of the handle.
Next time you’re stirring your tomato soup and need somewhere to place the mucky wooden spoon, use the hole to prop it up over the pan.
The arrow next to your car’s petrol gauge
Ever noticed that little triangle next to the picture of a petrol pump on your car dashboard?
That’s there to let you know which side of the vehicle you fill up from.
Super handy if you’re driving a hire car!
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The chunky bit found on cables
Ever wondered what that cylinder-shaped lump is just before the plug on your USB cables?
They’re called ferrite cores, or chokes, and they’re actually pretty crucial.
The lumps contain magnetic iron oxide which acts to suppress high-frequency electromagnetic interference.
Ever experienced that annoying sound when your phone rings close to a speaker?
The ferrite cores prevent that from happening to your computer screens and other power supplies. Clever, hey?
The secret about utility blades
If you take a close look at the blade on your utility knife, you’ll notice there are small, diagonal score lines.
They’re not just there to look pretty – they enable you to break off the end of the blade so you can have a fresh, sharp knife whenever you need.
Carefully remove the back cap, slide the blade out of the rear end and use the cap to snap off the blunt blade before reconstructing it.
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The small bumps on the F and J keys on a keyboard
If you ever did a typing course you may know the reason behind these strange lumps.
In ten-finger typing, the F and J keys are the home keys, where your index fingers rest.
The ridges make it easy to trace your way back to the home position without having to look down at your keyboard.
The dot next to the camera on an iPhone
Ever wondered what that smaller hole is next to the main lens?
Simple – it’s a rear microphone for when you’re using the rear camera.
The indentations on the bottom of wine and champagne bottles
They may make it easier for sommeliers to pour the bottles in posh restaurants, but that’s not the main reason for the indents in the bottom of wine bottles.
It’s main function is to compensate for the pressure that the liquid goes through during the corking process.
As the sides and bottom of the bottle are weak spots, the indentation helps to evenly distribute the pressure inside.
You’ll notice they’re much more pronounced on champers bottles, as they’re under more pressure due to them being fizzy and full of bubbles.
The little holes in the windows of planes
It sounds nuts, but it’s necessary for plane windows to have small holes – usually located at the bottom of the inner layer.
This is for two reasons – one being to compensate for the huge pressure difference between the inside and outside of the plane as it takes off and cruises at high altitude, so that the outer window doesn’t have to do all the work.
The other is to prevent the window from fogging up.
Credits: SunUK