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Movies, and particularly the action genre features a plethora of situations in which the protagonist carelessly walks away unscathed from situations that should – by all accounts – end his/her life. In the real world, most of the scenes enacted by the hero of the story would have a completely different ending.

Now, you might think to yourself “It’s okay, it’s just a movie” and it is perfectly true that Hollywood productions would be quite boring without the unrealistic scenes. And, at the same time, if the film is not labeled “reality show” people are very unlikely to attempt to recreate the scenes in their backyard, thus getting seriously injured.

However, would it hurt the producers – and we’re not talking about the science fiction genre here – to make the movies a tad more credible by cutting out some of the following blunders? Let’s elaborate.

1. Jumping out of a ten story window and landing in dumpster safely

Garbage in all its majesty is very different in terms of consistency, but it will definitely not act like a trampoline or the firefighters’ safety net when you plummet into it from a high altitude. You will most likely see this stunt when the protagonist is completely surrounded by the villain’s minions and the only way out is through the skyscraper’s window and down into the street. Through a game of chance, a dumpster just happens to be underneath and it breaks his fall, allowing him to emerge unscarred, albeit smelling badly. Unfortunately, in real life, the neck and spine of the hero would snap like a twig on contact due to the high velocity.

2. All protagonists can hold their breath underwater indefinitely

The current record for holding your breath underwater is 19 min, 12 seconds and it belongs to a Swiss free diver who trained for many years utilizing all sorts of gimmicks and tricks to subdue the brain’s natural instinct of breathing, including induced hyperventilation. You might argue that special services train agents are able to hold their breath, even up to the point of dying and that would probably be the only scenario where the protagonists unmatched breath holding skills are not ludicrous.

But not only does he not need air to live, he is also able to engage in heroic stunts that require loads of stamina and strength like saving all the secondary characters from certain death and pulling them to safety. So when you take into account that, on average, a regular person cannot hold his breath for more than 2 minutes, does that really make sense?

3. Your ammo clips never run out of bullets

It’s like the hero entered the infinite ammo cheat code, as he relentlessly fires wave after wave of bullets at the bad guys and if he ever needs to reload, that’s just because the producers wanted to introduce a dramatic speech. Now if you consider that standard pistol clips hold about 10 bullets whereas the military versions have around 15, where did the other 200 rounds come from? Even extended ammo clips that are clearly visible won’t have in excess of 30 rounds!

4. The gun should always be discarded if the immediate dangers have passed

After all, we know that nothing bad will happen after the nearest threat has been eliminated, so what would you do with a gun anyhow? And guns grow on trees, right? You can just reach up and pick a full basket of semiautomatics at any given time. That would pretty much summarize why tossing away your pistol when (more like if) you finished the clip doesn’t make much sense. If the protagonist was an actual soldier and he discarded the weapon in the field after running out of ammo, he would’ve certainly been sent back there to retrieve it.

5. Dodging a burst of automatic bullets is a piece of cake

The bad guys, no matter how many or how well equipped with automatic assault rifles, will never hit the hero. There’s 5 guys firing in bursts but the “invisible shield” of the protagonist magically deflects all bullets, while he’s taking them out one by one. This paradox was actually explained based on a study conducted on World War 1 soldiers. Apparently, they were missing the targets on purpose because instinctually they didn’t want to harm another human being. However, while those soldiers were basically civilians in uniform plunged in a war they did not fully understand or want to be part of, in action movies we’re talking about trained bad guys who kill people for a living. Also, they don’t seem to have a problem with hitting secondary/minor characters. Bottom line, you can’t dodge bullets in a firefight.

Most people have a weird fascination with shark and love testing them out in the cold frigid waters.

Shark attacks are relatively rare. Statistically speaking, you are far more likely to get struck by lightning than you are to be attacked by a shark. 400 people per year get struck by lightning, according to the NOAA website, and 58 of those are fatal, on average. Only 60 people on average are attacked by sharks each year, and the death rate is about 10.

This video highlights the deadliest shark attack scenes. Parental Guidance is advised  Children under 18 should not be watching this without parental supervision.

Incredible Story:

In 1963, a freestyle diver named Rodney Fox, was taking part in a spear-fishing competition off the South Australian coast. While diving without oxygen, Fox had a deadly encounter with a great white shark. Fox fought the shark hard, getting free at one point and having the shark return to bite him again. Fox then wrapped his arms around the beast and was taken on horrifying ride under the sea as the shark tried to shake him off. The shark had Fox’s arm in his mouth, and when he pulled the arm out, his skin was shredded from the bone.

First dates can be one of life’s most stressful experiences, as we put our looks, personality and sense of style on the line. We’ve all experienced the classic side effects of first date nerves, be it the sweaty palms, the nervous stammer or the annoying mental blank.

Yet, no matter how nervous we might feel on a first date, there are always some conversation topics and bad behaviours that should be strictly avoided. From awkward innuendos to suggestive staring, here is a countdown of the top ten deadly mistakes that every first date goer should steer well clear of.

1. Arriving late 

It might sound like a simple one to get wrong, but getting there on time is literally the first impression you’ll ever make on your potential future partner. If you show up late to the restaurant, your date will always clock you as a disorganised person, even if it’s on a completely subconscious level.

Of course, there are always going to be circumstances that can hold us up, whether it’s bad traffic or being delayed at work. Be sure to let your date know if you’re going to keep them waiting and make a point of apologising once you arrive.

2. Alcohol

Enjoying a glass of wine with your meal is one thing, but if you find yourself shooting tequilas then it’s safe to say you took a wrong turn somewhere along the line. Limiting your alcohol intake not only stops you making a fool of yourself, it’s also a matter of safety as you get to know this new person.

3. The ex

Under no circumstances is it appropriate to go into a lengthy discussion about your ex girlfriend or boyfriend. It doesn’t matter if they’re relevant to a witty anecdote or if their persistent phone calls are driving you mad, bringing them up is awkward and will probably damage the flow of easy conversation.

Keep in mind that by dropping their name or mentioning your past experiences together, it gives the expression you haven’t got over your old feelings and aren’t ready for a new relationship.

4. The telephone

Whether it’s work calling or your sister checking up on you, turn your phone off and show some basic manners. There’s nothing ruder than writing a text message while your date is trying to get to know you. If you’re waiting on an important phone call, or need to have it switched on in case the kids contact you, then politely explain the situation and keep the phone out of sight and out of mind.

5. Table manners

Licking your knife, belching loudly and picking that niggling piece of spinach from underneath your molar are all sure-fire ways of disgusting your date. If table manners aren’t your forte, try to be on your best behaviour.

This isn’t like the scene in Pretty Woman where the socially unaware, yet beautiful lead star’s lack of cutlery knowledge is seen as sweet and endearing. Bad table manners always leave a lasting impression, so put your elbows down, read up on which fork to use and keep a napkin on hand.

Everyone wonders what the most deadly poisons they hear on the news can actually do to the human body. After watching several documentaries, I wanted to write an article about Top 10 Most Deadly Poisons Known to Mankind and expand on the aftereffects.

This article would not be a real top 10 article without proper research. No Wikipedia was used, just books, scholarly journals and other resources (i.e. newspapers, magazines etc.)

1. Cyanide:

Cyanide is a mitochondrial toxin that is among the fastest lethal poisons known to mankind. Used in both ancient and modern times as a method of execution, cyanide causes death within minutes to hours of exposure, just look at Hitler for example. Though significant cyanide poisoning is uncommon, it must be recognized quickly to ensure prompt and proper administration of life-saving treatment.

2. Arsenic:

Arsenic, element 33 on the Mendeleev chart, has a long and wicked history; its very name has become tantamount with poison. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Italian family of Borgias used arsenic as their favorite poison for political assassinations. Some even have suggested that Napoleon was poisoned by arsenic-tainted wine given to him while he was in exile.

The metal was described as the instrumental agent in an epidemic of food-borne illness after a church gathering in which the coffee urn was apparently criminally polluted with arsenic. This highlights the need for an index of suspicion when multiple individuals present to an emergency department temporally related and with similar symptoms and conditions.

Arsenic is indeed considered a heavy metal and shares many toxic characteristics with the other heavy metals, like lead and mercury. Arsenic is also omnipresent in the environment. It ranks 20th in abundance in the earth’s crust, 14th in seawater, and 12th in the human body.

3. Zyklon B

Zyklon B was used in Germany before and during the World War II for fumigation and pest extermination on ships and inside buildings and machinery. In the Auschwitz concentration camp, it was initially used solely for the purposes of sanitation and pest control until the summer of 1941. After the end of August 1941, Zyklon was used in the camp, first experimentally and then routinely, as an agent of mass annihilation. Zyklon B contained diatomite, in the form of granules the size of fine peas, saturated with prussic acid. In view of its volatility and the associated risk of accidental poisoning, it was supplied to the camp in sealed metal canisters.

BAYER used to be a much bigger German chemical company, IG Farben. IG Farben operated in the Auschwitz death camp where it used prison labor in the production of synthetic rubber and oil. However, their most ghastly act was in the sale of Zyklon B – the poison used in the Nazi gas chambers. During the Nuremburg trials, 24 IG Farben executives were indicted and charged with 5 counts including “slavery and mass murder.” 25,000 of the 35,000 slave laborers who worked for IG Farben at Auschwitz died there.

4. Anthrax:

Cutaneous exposure to this poison can kill, but the most lethal, panic-driven form of anthrax is inhaled. It starts as a flu and does not get better and then all of the sudden your respiratory system collapses.

Anthrax is produced by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. This bacterium is most commonly found in agricultural regions because it occurs principally in animals. The most commonly affected areas include South and Central America, Southern and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle East.

When anthrax affects humans, it is usually due to an occupational exposure to infected animals or their products. Workers who are exposed to dead animals and animal products from other countries where anthrax is more common may become infected with B. anthracis (industrial anthrax).

5. Sulfur Mustard:

This chemical warfare agent is a class of related cytotoxic and vesicant chemical warfare agents with the ability to form huge blisters on the exposed skin and in the lungs. Scientists Wilhelm Lommel and Wilhelm Steinkopf, developed a method during WWI for large scale production of mustard gas for the Imperial German Army. The consequence of usage is worse than death.