18 True Meanings Behind the Objects We Use Every Day

Why do sneakers have a white rubber toe topper? And why are there cuts on top of a baguette? These types of questions have popped up in our minds at least once.
Bright Side will share with you the true meanings behind the things we use every day. It’s interesting to know that some of them were influenced by historical events, and others appeared as a result of linguistic confusion as with the last item on our list.

Why aren’t the letters on a computer keyboard arranged in alphabetical order?

Some people think that this arrangement of letters was created to help you reach the most frequently used keys easily. But that’s only part of the truth. On original typewriters, the letters were arranged alphabetically. However, the placement of the keys made fast typing difficult as old typewriters would easily jam. That’s why letters that are frequently used together are placed far from each other.
Then the familiar QWERTY keyboard layout appeared. It’s far from perfect, but people don’t want to change it because everyone is used to it.

Why do some clothes have elbow patches?

This fashion trend initially appeared on military clothes. Soldiers had to crawl around on their elbows, and the fabric would thin and rip. That’s why uniform elbows were covered with an extra layer of fabric.
Later, hunters adopted elbow pads for their suits, thus making shooting more convenient and saving the fabric. And after the ’50s, students in many American universities borrowed the idea and turned it into a real fashion trend.

Why is ice cream sold in a waffle cone?

At the end of the 19th century, ice cream was sold in "penny lick ice cream glasses." They were rinsed with water, at best, before another customer used them.
However, a simple solution appeared in 1904. Due to the extremely hot weather, people crowded to buy ice cream, but the seller didn’t have enough glasses for all of them. A waffle booth was empty. The waffle seller quickly rolled one of his waffles into the shape of a cone and gave it to the ice cream vendor.
Everyone was happy with the result, especially doctors since the penny lick glasses were a reason for the spread of tuberculosis.

What does this little black dot do?

The little black dot between the flash and the camera on an iPhone is a noise-canceling microphone. It was placed there to filter ambient noise from the desired sound, which is especially useful in noisy environments. It helps the telephone cut out background noises and retain your voice.

Why do sneakers have rubber toe toppers?

Sneakers were once mainly footwear for basketball players, and the rubber cover served to protect their toes from accidents during a game. Unlike now, the topper was made from a very hard rubber.
In addition, the toe toppers were initially darker in color. They became white as a decoration for modern sneakers.

Why do Converse shoes have holes in the side?

Did you know that those extra holes in the side of your sneakers actually have a purpose? The holes allow air to circulate around and provide a kind of ventilation for your feet. This prevents your feet from getting sweaty.

What is this cylindrical thing at the end of a charger for?

This little thing is a very useful element that helps any laptop or computer work properly. It is called a ferrite bead. It suppresses high-frequency noise in electronic circuits. In other words, it isolates your laptop from electromagnetic noise. Ferrite beads can be used for the removal of power line noises in telephones, PCs, TVs, audio players, and DVDs.


What do the bumps on the bottom of a bottle mean?

These are not signs for the visually impaired as you might think. Everything’s much simpler. These bumps are used during the production process to code a form number and mark faulty packaging.

Why do parkas split at the bottom?

A parka is one of the most common types of outerwear among modern hipsters. Have you ever tried to guess why some parkas have a split bottom in the back?
A modern parka descends from the type of outerwear worn by the military in the ’50s. The tails of their coats were much longer so that they could wrap them around their ankles and stay warmer for longer. The same feature appears in modern parkas but in a slightly modified manner.


Why are there cuts on top of a baguette?

Even bakers can’t come to a common opinion on this matter. Some of them say they cut the top of a baguette so that it won’t crack in the oven; others claim it’s done for aesthetic reasons.
The second version seems to be more realistic because there are a lot of bread types without cuts and cracks on the top.

 Why do loafers have tassels?

In the middle of the 20th century, a shoemaker named Nils Tveranger was inspired by the footwear of Norwegian fishermen. Their shoes had tassels that could be tightened, and thus fixed a shoe on a foot.
Tveranger decided to combine fishermen’s shoes and Indian moccasins and created the loafer. The tassel soon lost its practical use and became just a nice accessory.

Why is there a loop on the back of a shirt?

We bet you’ve all noticed this little loop on your shirt. However, there is no common opinion about its real purpose. According to one version, the loop on the back of a man’s shirt was used to attach a tie. Another version claims that it was designed to hang the shirt on a hook.

Why does a PIN code contain only 4 digits?

In 1996, Scottish inventor James Goodfellow came up with the idea of creating a PIN code to protect access to people’s bank accounts.
Initially, the code contained 6 digits. But Goodfellow’s wife complained that she kept forgetting it. That’s why he shortened it to the modern version of a 4-digit code.

What are the colored circles on food packages?

Almost every item in a supermarket is marked by colored circles and squares. In fact, they are printer’s color blocks used in package production and have nothing to do with the food inside. These circles indicate which hues of ink were used to produce the design on the package.

How did the pretzel get its shape?

The origin of the story dates back to the Middle Ages, and it’s quite ambiguous. However, as far as we know, the pretzel was created by a monk when he decided to make a bun shaped like hands in prayer.
"It doesn’t look like that!" you might say, but the jigsaw will fall into place when we tell you that the Franciscan monks put their crossed hands on their shoulders while praying.

What is the reason for fur on hood jackets?

A fur-trimmed hood was a characteristic feature of clothes of indigenous minorities living in the Far North. Their whole outerwear was very warm, but the face was still exposed to cold. To protect it, they sewed several pieces of long fur to the edge of the hood. This simple technique helped to keep their face warm. Today the reason we use fur on a hood is mainly decorative.

Why does "Turbo" gum have this shape?

It turns out that the shape of this legendary chewing gum from the ’90s mimics the shape of the track of a vehicle’s tires.

Why is a piggy bank shaped like a pig?

In Medieval England, people kept their money in clay containers that were called “pygg jars,“ derived from the word ”pygg“ (an orange-colored clay). Over time, these types of jars disappeared, but the word combination remained. Soon “pygg” turned into ”pig," and people started making piggy banks shaped like pigs. This is indeed a case of the name of an object appearing first.
Do the shapes of everyday things bug you? Tell us in the comments, and we’ll try to find out their origin and initial purpose.


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