When tools/handy mechanisms were first started to be developed to make one’s life easy, every fine detail had a specific purpose. Nothing was put in by accident or fluke. At first thought or rather first sight, there are many designs that we, the millennials may think that are present there for design or aesthetic purposes.
Keeping that in mind, below are some designs that we had no idea why it was there in the first place.
#1- The “F” & “J” keys in a Computer/Laptop keyboard:
Being a computer science student and a developer myself, a keyboard is one thing that I use on a day to day basis. Now, if you’d closely observe the the “F” and “J” keys would have a small horizontal bump on them. Ever wondered why? The answer is quite simple. It’s the place where your index finger rests when you use a “10-finger” typing technique. Invariably it is used to find your way back to the starting position.
#2- Those little plastic discs under the bottle cap:
Open any plastic bottle and there is a plastic disc/a rim present. As kids I’m sure we would’ve all ripped it out and noticed that the bottle still closes fine. Why then, does the packaging company go out of its way to include that? To keep what’s inside on the inside, both liquid and carbonation. For ex. try ripping that seal out from a soda cap and you would notice that the soda fizz is gone in no time.
#3- Stickers on fruits:
The first fruit that comes to mind when we think of a sticker on fruit is an Apple. And if we observe a little closely we can also say that it contains the producer’ name and country. But, on more careful observation we would find a number there which we have no idea what it means.
* If there are 4 digits with the first as 4, it means that the fruit has been sprayed with pesticides.
* If there are 5 digits with the first as 9, the fruit has been grown organically.
* If there are 5 digits with the first as 8, the fruit has been genetically modified.
Now this I’m sure is going to be a useful fact to keep in mind when we shop for fruits henceforth.
#4- Why does only the ulundu/uddina vada have a hole at the center:
The uddina/ulundu vada is a very common and famous breakfast or snack item in south india. We munch on it with chutney and sambar as a side dish with great satisfaction provided. But, none of us would know why there is a hole in the center. Why is there no hole in the center on a masala vada or any of the bajji’s? The reason is that ulundu or black gram as it is known as amongst millenials takes a longer time to cook. The hole in the center allows hot oil to contact more surface area thereby resulting in less depth of penetration for oil to cook.
#5- Toothpaste Codes:
Have you ever wondered what the colored lines at the bottom of your toothpaste tube is for?
No my dear reader it is not what you are thinking of , it doesn’t signify the organic origin of a toothpaste.
In reality though, the reason is not exciting at all. The notorious toothpaste tube ‘codes’ are actually in place so that light beam sensors at the factory could detect where the tube should be cut and folded. Busted.
#6- Gas Pump Gauge at the top of the Dispenser:
Everytime I fueled my bike I noticed the metal gauge at the top of the dispenser and wondered why is it there? Well, at the time of writing this article I googled to see what is the purpose. Hollywood movie watchers would be able to recollect many action flicks where the protagonist or actor would just speed away right after fueling or during the process. Now this is where the metal gauges come into effect. These metal pieces are held together by strong magnets that will detach once your car pulls it hard enough.
#7- Bubble Wrap was initially used for what?
I don’t think any of us knew the actual use of the wildly entertaining bubble wrap. It was to be a ‘Wallpaper’. When people did not like the idea of using it as a wallpaper, the makers marketed it as a greenhouse insulation and then it was accidentally discovered to be the perfect tool for protecting breakable items.
#8- Bubble bath:
We all have enjoyed a nice ‘warm’ bubble bath in our bath tubs at some point. Apart from the wonderful aroma that a bubble bath provides, it also acts as a heat insulator. Note that this only holds true with modern acrylic bathtubs.
Feel free to comment or let us know if you are aware of the extraordinary use or reason behind the feature of any every day item !!
