FACTS
ABOUT
THE TIME
CHANGE
WHY DO
CATS HATE
WATER?
Cats avoid water because they can’t swim,
right? Not so! The real reason cats tend to shy
away from water: Their fur soaks it in and becomes heavy as a result,
which also means it loses its insulating function. The consequence:
The cat cools down fast; it also becomes less agile and runs the risk
of drowning. Moreover, a cat’s fur also has other signifi cant functions:
It serves as a sensory organ—the whiskers can even help cats orient
themselves in the dark. It’s also an important part of their personality
because it carries a cat’s own individual body odor. If the fur gets wet,
the cat must restore the odor through its saliva and secretions from the
scent glands on the sides of its head.
At least four weeks...
...is how long the human body needs to adapt when
switching to or from Daylight Saving Time, as hormone
production and metabolism are thrown out of balance.
Up to 40%...
...lower academic performance has been measured
in students on the Monday after the change. Students
suffer from sleep disruption, diffi culty concentrating,
and a loss of appetite.
25% more patients...
...with heart or circulatory complaints are registered
in hospitals in the three days after the time change.
Up to 30% more accidents...
...happen in the month after clocks are set back—
particularly animal-vehicle collisions, because dusk
coincides with rush hour.
Hundreds of thousands of clocks...
...must be changed by the train companies in their
stations, control rooms, and ticket machines alone.
In addition, special timetables must also be created.
15% more sick days...
...are taken on the fi rst three working days after the
change because the alteration in the light-dark cycle
weakens our immune system.
Less than 0.03% energy...
...is saved by the time change. Although less electric
light is needed in the evenings, more heat is needed
in the morning hours.
Four in ten Americans...
...say that they have problems with the time change.
Twelve states have even considered opting out of it.
Up to 14 days...
...is how long it takes until cows once again supply
their regular amount of milk.
Not all countries...
...implement the time change. In Russia, Argentina,
India, and China, winter time is considered normal time.
Even those not in the immediate vicinity of a lightning strike can still
be hit by lightning—indirectly. Since the lightning’s current becomes
distributed throughout the ground in all directions, the danger zone
extends for at least 30 feet outward from the point of impact. If you are
surprised by a thunderstorm while in an open space, squat down low
and keep your legs close together because otherwise life-threatening
step voltage could build up between your feet, which in the worst case
can lead to cardiac arrest.
How close can you get to a lightning strike
before it gets dangerous?
10
