Brains, Shrooms & Sips

Today, we’re asking the big questions: Could Neanderthals out-brain us? Are mushrooms low-key Earth’s original Wi-Fi? And what is the deal with people calling it “chai tea”? (Spoiler: that’s like saying “tea tea.”) Let’s dive in—before your mushrooms go microdosing without you.

🧠 Neanderthals Had Bigger Brains Than We Do

• Yep, those so-called cavepeople? Bigger brains than modern humans. On average, Neanderthal brain volume clocked in at around 1,500 cm³—compared to our measly 1,350 cm³. They also made tools, used fire, buried their dead, and possibly wore feathers as fashion statements. Basically, prehistoric goths with PhDs.

  So why didn’t they last? Theories range from climate changes to getting out-competed by Homo sapiens with better networking skills (read: gossip and group chats).

  🔹 Punchline: Neanderthals walked so your group text could run.

🍄 Mushrooms Communicate Using Electric Signals

• You read that right: fungi “talk” to each other. In 2022, scientists discovered that mycelium—the underground network of fungi—sends electrical impulses that resemble language. These pulses can even vary in frequency and length, kind of like a Morse code for mushrooms.

  Some researchers suggest it’s their way of signaling food sources, warning of danger, or just throwing some underground shade.

  🔹 Punchline: Mushrooms are out here sending vibes—literally. Meanwhile, your Wi-Fi still drops in the kitchen.

🍵 Why Some People Call It “Tea” and Others Say “Chai”

• Whether you sip “tea,” “chai,” or “té,” it all goes back to trade routes. In coastal China (like Fujian), the word for tea was “te,” which traveled via Dutch merchants to Western Europe. Inland, however, the Mandarin word “cha” spread through overland trade, especially to places like India, Russia, and the Middle East.

  So if you say “chai tea,” you're basically ordering “tea tea.” Redundant? Yes. Delicious? Also yes.

  🔹 Punchline: Global trade: bringing you linguistic bloopers and hot beverages since the 1600s.

From Neanderthal headspace to fungal text chains and steamy etymology, this week’s trivia proves that intelligence, communication, and caffeine cravings have always been part of the human (and non-human) story.

Stay curious (and maybe ask your mushroom risotto how its day went),

— Max Whitt🎩🧠🍄🍵

Your feedback matters: what intrigued, what fizzled?

Any curious facts you’re hiding? Reply to this email and let us know.

Don't Be a Twit—Get Your Daily Fix of Fascinating Facts! Subscribe here.

Enjoyed today’s dose of curiosity? Share the wonder! Forward this newsletter to friends and family who love quirky insights as much as you do. And don’t forget to follow us on social media for more daily delights and conversations—because curiosity is even better when it’s shared!