We are one with the universe, and we don’t just mean that figuratively. Science tells us that most of our body is made of cosmic dust. And speaking of the universe, it might come as a shock to find out that it is beige rather than dark blue. Some facts are so astonishing, they might be hard to believe at first despite being scientifically proven.

Bright Side has gathered 19 fascinating truths that will make you never look at some things the same way again.

1. Mosquitoes are attracted to certain colors.

We might not expect this, but what we are wearing can have a direct effect on why mosquitoes won’t leave us alone. These little insects are attracted to dark colors since, according to this study, the color black catches more mosquitoes than white. The same study also tells us that these flying insects are attracted by heat which dark colors absorb more than light ones.

2. Eating before bed leads to nightmares.

Snacking on that tasty leftover right before bed might not be a great idea if you’re looking for a sound and peaceful slumber. According to this study, food intake close to bedtime can have a negative influence on sleep efficiency, especially for women. Moreover, another study suggests that consuming dairy products before bed can lead to disturbing and bizarre dreams, more than other types of food.

3. Phones are dirtier than toilets.

We might consider our smartphones to be an indispensable part of our daily lives, but this useful device might be hiding a not-so-great surprise after all. A study on secondary school students’ mobile phones revealed that they were highly contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria. In fact, according to scientists, cell phones carry 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats.

4. Trees are connected to each other by an underground network.

Science tells us that that the human eye is able to differentiate between approximately 10 million different colors. This might, at first, seem like an impressive amount, however when we think that a 24-bit monitor can display more than a whopping 16 million color combinations, we might start seeing things a bit differently.

16. The pink corner in the eye is our third eyelid.

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Even though we all have it, we might not know much about the mysterious membrane in the corner of our eye. In fact, this tissue is the remnant of a third eyelid and is much more prominent in birds and some mammals to protect their eyes from dust. However, for us humans this membrane doesn’t actually serve a purpose and therefore it is believed that it will completely disappear over time.

17. Most of the atoms in our body are made of stardust that is billions of years old.

We are part of the universe, and according to scientific research, this statement is quite literal. Aside from the hydrogen in our body which is big bang dust, all of the other elements come from stardust. After doing the calculations, this would mean that 97% of our body is made up of stardust.

18. Not all oranges are orange.

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These fruits might share their name with the actual color, but this doesn’t mean that all oranges are orange. As a matter of fact, oranges initially contain big amounts of chlorophyll which is the reason why this citrus is initially green-colored. As it matures, the chlorophyll dies off when they are exposed to cool temperatures and the color orange appears. This is the reason why in warmer parts of the world, oranges stay green.

19. Blinking causes the brain to rest.

With all the things our brains have to constantly process, it is fair to say that they might often need a much-deserved break. Thankfully blinking is here to the rescue about 15 to 20 times per minute. According to a study, that miniscule moment of shut-eye helps the brain to power down and go on a mental break for a split second before attention being restored once again. Therefore, according to scientists, we blink more when we are conducting a task that requires more mental activity since our brain would require more rest the more we stress it.

Which of these facts did you find the most surprising? Are there any facts that you love and would want to share with us?