Hidden Purposes of Every Day Stuff

There are certain designs that we’re so used to, we hardly ever question why they’re created that way. You know, like the grooves on the bottom of your coffee cup or the fluffy pom-poms on winter beanies. Well, these subtle design quirks are actually there for a reason and had served a purpose back in the day. Some of actually still do even to this day. Check out some interesting features ‘hidden’ in the things many of us use every day. 

Jean rivets:  These tiny buttons function as reinforcements at areas that are most likely to tear apart from strain or movement. (You’ll notice [co-host] doesn’t have them on the pocket where he carries his wallet!)

Grooves on the bottom of some coffee cups:  When placed upside down in the dishwasher, the grooves allow the water to flow off rather than spilling all over your feet when you take them out.

The hole in your pen cap:  Many of us are guilty of nibbling our pens. Believe it or now, swallowing accidents are a more common occurrence than you’d imagine, especially among school kids. The hole allows air passage to prevent suffocating if it is swallowed.

The ridges on the “F” and “J” keys on the keyboard:  Ever wonder how you can just type effortlessly without looking at the keyboard? These ridges allow your index fingers to locate other keys with your muscle memory.

The little pompoms on a toque (beanie):  They’re not just there to be cute. They were introduced to French sailors so they wouldn’t hit their heads on low ship ceilings.

The little dot next to the camera on an iPhone:  It’s not a flash. It’s a microphone, used to record audio when you’re using the back camera.