Unveiling the Why: 60 Eye-Opening Explanations for the Way Things Are

The reason why spiders don't get tangled in their own webs is that they can distinguish between the sticky and non-sticky threads they spin and use their leg movements to avoid the sticky silk.

52. The original reason why umbrella handles are curved is that it made it easier for servants to hold the umbrella at an angle to shield their employer.

53. The reason why Mickey Mouse was drawn with white gloves is that Walt Disney wanted his hands to be more visible and expressive, and the white gloves made them stand out against his black body. He also thought mouse nails were too violent for children to see.

54. The reason why shops, pharmacies, etc. are always close to each other is due to Hotelling's Law, which suggests that clustering is the most profitable solution for businesses because it maximizes market share. If the shops separated themselves more sparsely, that would allow one shop to capture more than 50% of the local market.

55. The reason why pandas eat bamboo instead of meat is because of the deactivation of an umami taste receptor gene, which makes them unable to taste the savory flavor of meat.

In 1916, William H. Coltharp shipped 80,000 bricks through the USPS, which was the largest shipment ever made through mail, and this is the reason why customers can now only ship up to 200 pounds of goods per day.

57. The reason why women's buttons are on the left while men's are on the right is due to historical gender roles, where men dressed themselves while women were dressed by servants.

58. The reason why US Senators are elected by public vote was due to a large brawl in the Indiana Assembly in 1887, where over 600 Republican lawmakers dragged Democrats outside and threatened to kill them during a riot that lasted over 4 hours.

59. The reason why people think they look better when looking at themselves in the mirror versus in pictures is that mirrors reflect a flipped image of what cameras capture, and people are more accustomed to looking at themselves in mirrors.

60. The reason why we bury our dead 6 feet deep dates back to the Bubonic Plague, when corpses were buried that deep to prevent the spread of disease.