The world can be a worrying place, one where people get lost and unable to look after themselves outside of the safe space that is civilization, so it's important that people know how to look after themselves. That's why there are television shows about this sort of thing, and why men like Bear Grylls have shows telling us how to look after ourselves outside of civilization. However, they don't tell us everything, and we want to make sure that people are prepared.
What we've done is pull together some of the best survival tips out there, the ones that nobody will have heard anywhere else as they seem weird or dangerous. When we're lost and worried, we need all of the tips we can get, so we're offering everyone out there the opportunity to see some crazy things that could genuinely save someone's life.
So, we think it's about time that people learnt how to look after themselves if they ever get stuck out in the middle of nowhere. Want to know how people look after themselves in the wild? Then it's about time that we got started. This is important stuff!
25 Spit Can Be Used To Catch Fish
We don't think that most people out there will be aware that people can fish with nothing more than a t-shirt and spit. Yes, that's right, spit can be used to catch fish.
What people have to do is stand in a stream and hold the bottom of their t-shirt out from their body to act as a net. Then, start to spit in the water collected there.
Minnows and other smaller fish will confuse this for food and come rushing. That's when the fisherman should pull their t-shirt out of the water and use these smaller fish for food or bait for larger fish.
24 So Can Tampons...
When opening a tampon, a small amount of air can be trapped in the wrapper, allowing people to use this as a bobber by attaching it to a fishing line and make it easier to catch fish!
This isn't all somebody can use a tampon for in the natural world though.
By taking the tampon out and pulling it apart, the cotton can be used to make perfect tinder for starting a fire or even as a filter for water at a real push!
23 Bubble Wrap Can Save Lives!
While it's mainly used to send packages from one place to another safely, or as a form of stress relief, this stuff can be used to save lives as well!
For someone with hypothermia, bubble wrap can be used to create an insulating shield that keeps the body heat up.
This is due to the fact that the little air bubbles create the insulating shield. Not only that, but unlike a blanket, the plastic is much better when stuck in wind or rain.
22 Contraceptives Are Perfect For Survival...
Latex contraceptives can be used to hold a lot of water, or any other liquid, as they are built to stretch to an enormous size.
They're also a fantastic form of kindling, as latex burns immediately with a strong flame. It won't last for long, but can work great with another form of ignition.
There are some people who think that these contraceptives make a great catapult as well, allowing people to either defend themselves or take out some big prey.
21 Breathe Through A Bra!
When people think of a bra, they don't really think of something that could help save a life, despite the fact that a lot of people could end up using a bra to do just that in certain situations.
If you're somewhere surrounded by smoke or dust in the air, a bra can be used as a face mask.
It may sound funny right now, but if it saves your life, you won't be laughing anymore!
20 Ring Pulls Can Be Turned Into Fish Hooks
A ring pull taken off the top of a can is easy to find when lost in the middle of nowhere, so it should make people very happy to know that they can be utilized to help people survive.
If you have a tool, like some pliers, it can really help out, but they aren't needed to turn these into fish hooks.
With just a simple bit of reworking, a ring pull can really be helpful. They will help someone catch a fish, which will keep them well fed till they can get back to civilisation.
19 Water Bottles Double As Lights
If there is a hole in the shelter that someone is using, it's possible to make use of a water bottle, to ensure that the shelter is always well lit throughout the daytime so that people can see what they're doing!
Yes, fill half a water bottle with water and secure it in the hole at the top of the shelter.
The sunlight will shine through this water and spread light throughout the shelter. It's important that people can see what they're doing when they're attempting to survive in an unnatural environment!
18 Close Wounds With Super Glue
We know that it doesn't sound too hygienic, but these techniques are only to be used by people who have no other choice in the short term, so we want people to remember this one.
In a pinch, if anybody ends up with a fairly serious cut and they're not close to a hospital but have their hands on some super glue, they can use the glue as a temporary solution, forcing the two parts of skin back together again before they can get to a doctor.
17 Pants Can Be Used As A Life Preserver
We know that this sounds pretty ridiculous, but yes, people can use their pants to save their lives if they get stuck in a large body of water.
Firstly, tie the ankles of the pants together. Then, catch air in the pants and get them underwater, making sure that the air doesn't escape.
Slip your head through the legs, and you have a life preserver! That is exactly how people can end up saving their own lives when they're drowning, just by using a pair of pants!
16 There's A Universal Test To Check If Anything Is Edible
It starts by separating the plant into its basic components, then smell it. If there are any strong odours, then you should probably stay away.
If it doesn't smell, don't eat anything for eight hours. See if the plant causes a rash on the skin. If it does, then throw it away.
Test for burning against the lips. Chew it to see if it irritates your mouth in any way. Then, swallow it. If you don't feel ill, then it may be edible. This is only something someone should do in extreme emergencies!
15 Foil And A Battery Can Start A Fire
We know that we keep going on about starting a fire, but heat is one of the most important things to bear in mind in the natural world, alongside food and shelter.
That's why it's good to know there are so many ways to start one, even with just aluminium foil and a battery.
By holding the foil to both the positive and negative sides of the battery, electricity will shoot through the aluminum and cause a fire for anyone who needs it.
14 Create Fire With Ice
People who get stuck surrounded by ice have to worry immediately about how they're going to warm themselves up, as hypothermia is a serious issue that can end the body fast.
Believe it or not, but this solid form of water can actually be used to create fire by focusing the light of the sun onto some kindling.
By rubbing a chuck of ice against something until it is rounded and free of any rough edges, the ice will be formed into a sort of natural lens.
13 Time To Turn The Ground Into Water
If someone finds themselves in a sunny environment without water, a tarp can be used to turn a hole in the ground into a cup of water.
Dig a hole into the ground, before placing a tarp into the hole and keeping logs or stones on the sides to keep the tarp in place.
Then, place a small pebble into the middle of the tarp, above where the cup is within the hole. As the air within the tarp evaporates, it will leave water on the underside and it will slowly drip into the cup.
12 Plastic Lung
Puncturing a lung is quite possibly one of the most dangerous things that a human being can do, especially if they're out in the middle of nowhere with no trained professionals to help.
A sucking wound is one that causes air to leave the hole in the chest cavity.
These wounds are fatal without immediate help from a medical professional. At a push, Saran Wrap can be placed over the top of this wound to stop air escaping from the body and maybe saving the person's life.
11 Got Shoelaces? You've Got A Bow And Arrow...
If people aren't interested in using a latex contraceptive to make a catapult, or they don't have any to do that, they can use their shoelaces to make something to take down prey.
It's easy really, as long as somebody is able to find a stick.
They can then use the shoelace as the string part of the bow, by tying it to either side of the stick and then using this to take down any animals that comes their way.
10 Use A Watch As A Compass
Getting lost somewhere without a compass can be a real danger as it will lead to you wandering in the wrong directions. However, if you have a watch, it is possible to create a compass.
Hold the watch horizontally and point the hour hand towards the sun before noticing where the centre point is between the hour hand and the number 12.
This is your north and south line, north facing away from the sun. People need to bear in mind this only works in the Northern Hemisphere though!
9 Crayons Make Fantastic Candles
While they certainly won't be of much help when it comes to heating someone up, candles can provide a light source for around fifteen minutes. This might not seem like a long time to some people, but candles often come in packs, so if you have one then you're likely to have quite a lot of them!
Not only does this give people an emergency light source, but it can also be a perfect form of kindling for anyone struggling to put together a fire for themselves in the wilderness.
8 Stay Away From Cotton
When people think of cotton, they often think of it as a positive in nature, as we think of it keeping us warm, but this isn't true. This is down to the fact that cotton grows in a way that allows places to exist within the fibres.
This means that any cotton clothes can actually soak up to 27 times its own weight in water.
It doesn't have to rain though, as sweat can be enough to leave any cotton clothing soggy. It won't be long before that soggy clothing can lead to hypothermia.
7 Dakota Fire Hole
If for whatever reason, you are stuck somewhere and need to survive while not letting anyone know that you're there, then this could definitely come in handy.
It's important to create fire, but at the same time, this makes it pretty obvious where you are.
How people can deal with this is by creating a small tunnel in the ground. Start a fire in one of the entrances, while the other entrance allows oxygen to get to the fire, making it hard to spot and safe against the wind.
6 A CD Can Be Used To Get People's Attention
When we're stuck somewhere and we need someone's help, we will try anything to get someone's attention. It's important to find something that can reflect light as this is one of the best ways to get someone's attention.
This is where the CD comes into play. If you don't have a CD, you can use any reflective surface, such as a mirror.
Using this, someone can reflect light into the distance. This is a perfect way of getting somebody's attention far away, which you will want to do if you're stuck somewhere and need a lot of help.