Why every Londoner should have a criminal record and other #FridayFunFacts

Have you ever wondered why most passenger planes are painted white? Me neither, but apparently it keeps Jake up at night. Turns out the main reason is that it protects the aircraft from the effects of solar radiation. Aircraft struggle to stay cool while loading and unloading passengers at airports in hot countries, and brilliant white paint helps bounce back some of the sunlight. 

The sense of smell, (any many of your other senses, actually) changes over time. Newborns can only smell a few different things, like their mother’s body smell. It improves up to about the age of eight. But, from the age of 20 (or even 15, according to some studies), the sense gently declines. Some studies have found that children can’t detect certain musk odours until they reach puberty. Why? Probably so that you can take in as many pheromones as possible when you're at the right age for procreation, according to our cave-dwelling ancestors. 

England is a wonderfully whimsical place that has been making laws for over 700 years. Some of those laws should have been repealed from the statute book by now but just, er, haven't. It is still the law in England that every male over the age of 14 must carry out 2 hours of archery practice a week, London Hackney taxis must carry a bale of hay and a bag of oats at all times, no member of parliament is allowed to enter parliament in a full suit of armour, but here's the one that gives every Londoner a criminal record - it is illegal to be drunk in a pub.

And here we have a comparative chart of popular expressions for "as big as a ..." over some pretty different time gaps. Enjoy!