10 Common Things Whose True Purpose You Didn’t Know

1. The pen lid’s hole: This plastic tool was not only made to cover the pen after using it, but it also has a hole at the top;, allowing the passage of air if someone accidentally swallows it, so it does not block the airway completely.

2. The hole in lollipop sticks: Who hasn't tried and even cried for a lollipop when we were little kids? But who would have guessed that the sticks had another task apart from holding the candy and preventing it from falling and sticking on hands. The stick has a hole to let air pass if the child swallows it by mistake. So this hole will prevent a blockage of the airways allowing time for the paramedics to come.

3. The arrow next to the petrol tank icon: When you look at the fuel pointer, you will notice an arrow to the left or right. This arrow indicates the location of the fuel tank in the car. So, if you’re in a rented car, don’t stick your head out trying to figure out on which side is the fuel tank. Just check the arrow’s direction next to the tank icon.

4. The zigzag side of the hair pins: if you look at this type of hair accessories, you will notice that one end is straight, while the other side is curvy, why is that? Well, it turns out that the zigzag is the side that is supposed to be inside the hair as it holds hair in a better way, while the straight end should be the one out.

5. The rings on the headphones input: You may not notice the rings on the headphones input, but they have an important function. They can offer you different types of sound, either “mono”, “dual” or “stereo”. They control the distribution of the sound. Most of the headphones we buy have two rings, meaning that the sound distribution is "stereo". Thus, if the speaker contains one ring, you will feel that the sound comes from only one source.

6. The long necks of bottled drinks: Have you noticed that all the drinks that are served in a bottle have a long neck? It turns out that bottles should be held from this long neck, not the bottom or middle of the bottle, particularly if it contains cold drinks as it doesn’t allow the heat to be transferred from your hand to the drink.

7. The ridges on (J) and (F) buttons on keyboards: On the keyboard, and on the letters J and F in particular, you will notice a small piece of plastic sticking out from the two buttons. This is very useful for writers using both hands to correctly position their hands without having to look at the keyboard. It is supposed to help you write faster.

8. The fuzzy ball on top of beanies: This invention that is considered decorative today, and has no real benefit, was used to protect people in the eighteenth century! French Marines used to wear these beanies to protect their heads from crashing into the ceilings of the ships’ lower rooms.

9. The colored strips in toothpastes: Have you noticed that some types of toothpastes are colored; some are blue and red, some are in other colors, and some are in one color only. Companies added these colored strips to convince their customers that their toothpaste contains other effective features in addition to cleaning the teeth, such as remaining a fresh breath or eliminating cavities. However, these colored stripes don’t indicate any additional benefits in real life. They’re solely used for promotional purposes.

10. The small disk within plastic bottles caps: If you look at the lid of plastic bottles, you will notice that there is a small disk attached to the cap. It doesn’t seem helpful but without it, you would not buy soft drinks in plastic bottles. This disk ensures that the materials remain inside the plastic package, preserves the flavors and seals the bottle properly. It also prevents dirt and dust from accumulating inside the package.