15 IRL Things With Outsized Influence

It turns out people, organizations, and even animals we never think twice about impact the world in huge and mind-blowing ways.
15 IRL Things With Outsized Influence

There are lots of things we look at or hear about and never give a second thought to. It turns out if we did, though, we might learn about the actual people, organizations, and even animals that impact the world in huge and mind-blowing ways.

 We bet you didn’t know what the letters ‘YKK’ stand for on your zipper.  Don’t feel bad, neither did we.  That’s not even getting into the horrific death toll and mass extinction that’s been caused by one of the most common pets in America.

Here’s the thing, there’s a lot of wild stuff happening right under all of our noses. We’re not proud to say we didn’t know about it, but we sure were pumped to learn about these absolutely wild factoids. So come along for the ride!

We asked our readers to bring together the ones that affect us the most. The winner is below, but first the runners-up...

Feral or undomesticated cats are considered one of the most potent predators in America. Globally they have been blamed for the worldwide extinction o
CRACKED COM A single Japanese company called Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha (shortened to YKK) makes 90% of the zippers on Earth. Few manufacturers wil
CRAGKED The ESRB : A board of six individuals who decide whether a video game will appear on the shelves of major retailers ...by applying their perso
These 3 people are the Texas Railroad Commission. CONIISSION Don't let the name fool you - they OF regulate the oil & gas industries and coal & uranju
In 2002 the World Health Organization released a report that added sugar (sugar not naturally occuring in food) should be capped at 10% of a person'
I DSMs DSM-5 DACACONC AN0 STAatc o oncn DSM-S Dechiens for DSM-S Samar of The twenty voting members me by the Boardof Trastees iaclude. Key decisees t
THINK MORMONS ARE JUST MISSIONARIES AND MAGIC UNDERWEAR? THEY'RE ACTUALLY A CORPORATION WORTH AN ESTIMATED $40 BILLION DOLLARS AS OF 2012. ALSOIN 2012
Ever wonder why sunglasses, which seem SO cheap to make, are SO expensive? Luxottica. That's why. Luxottica is an Italian company which has a near mon
Bowling Green, OH County seat of Wood County, Ohio, With a county population under 130.000 T HOT DONS HAM URGS DOGS TEAK OAYO 11 SIEEL Ohio is famousl
CRACKEDCON Like roaming around the white beaches in the Caribbean? You may have second thoughts when you learn that the fine white sand is mostly parr
CRACKEDCON These dead trees are the handiwork of the Mountain Pine Beetle. 5 mm (actual size!) Affecting millions of forest acres in the US and Canada
One of the most powerful lobbyist groups in Washington DC is: AARP A D
Vultures are one of the most important disposal units on the planet, consuming as much as 70% of all meat in sorne regions of Africa, and thus prevent
FUNG I What does It do for 4S? Break down dead wood Make medicines for our Ilnesses Aid in making bread, wine, cheeses, and beer Often edib/e to us Oh
CRACKEDC COM The most powerful hydroelectric project in history, China's Three-Gorges Dam, has slowed Earth's rotation down by 0.06 microseconds.

There are FOUR chances for you to win some cold, hard cash. Click on the prompt that catches your fancy, and post your entry in the thread .. or submit to all four and quadruple your chances of becoming rich and famous. (Photoplasty winners get 10,000 pennies; macro winners get 20,000!)

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