14 Facts That Might Save Your Life One Day

As a child, I spent a significant amount of time reading survival books. I was convinced that knowing how to escape quicksand, build a fire in the wilderness, and identify various types of poisonous snakes, was information I would need on a daily basis as an adult, and this both thrilled and terrified me. Years passed, and I learned that 1) quicksand isn't nearly as prevalent as I had been led to believe, 2) "How many different types of snakes do you know?" is not a good date question, and 3) for most people, the only time you're asked to build a fire is at a barbecue, and if you don't know how, you can just look it up on your phone.

Still, it's not a bad idea to have some facts on hand that could potentially be useful in a dangerous situation. After all, who knows when one will come face to face with an angry kangaroo, or trapped in an avalanche? These things are rarely planned. Fortunately, in a thread titled "What knowledge might save your life one day?" the scholars, survivalists, and medical gurus of Reddit shared their best tips and tricks for surviving everything from a heart attack to an octopus attack.

So climb into your bomb shelter, nibble on some of your favorite non-perishable foodstuffs, and take notes!