Useless fact
The metallic smell on your hands after touching coins is actually a type of human body odor triggered by the chemical reaction with the metal.
Why this is true — Scientific research, notably a 2006 study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, demonstrated that the 'metallic' smell is 1-octen-3-one, a compound produced when skin lipids break down upon contact with iron or copper.
More useless facts
- The metal band that holds the eraser onto the end of a pencil is called a ferrule.
- The small extra pocket on the front of jeans was originally designed to hold pocket watches.
- The wire cage that holds the cork in a bottle of champagne is called a muselet.
- The pleasant, earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil is called petrichor.