While big data is fast becoming an essential tool for businesses and marketers, it can still be hard for the average consumer to grasp. Faced with dense data sets and jargon-like “Hadoop,” people’s attentions tend to quickly wander elsewhere.

But big data isn’t all about optimizing shipping routes and streamlining customer support calls. Sometimes, it reveals details about the world we might never have suspected. As data scientists crunch more and more numbers, they’re finding a few startling trends— and they’ve managed to conclusively prove some long-held beliefs.

Read more at CNBC.com