# Is there anything which is universally known? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 30, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989 "2014-08-30T19:08:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/41 "2014-08-31T23:24:32Z")
A person really sucks when they can’t breathe. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/42 "2014-09-01T02:09:26Z")
Somewhere on PBS (Nova?) I saw an show where they said only humans, chimps and dogs get the concept of pointing at something. If you point at something, everyone knows that the thing exists where you’re pointing, not at the end of your finger. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/43 "2014-09-01T03:48:10Z")
\*Cogito, ergo sum. \* ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/44 "2014-09-01T07:54:18Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > Somewhere on PBS (Nova?) I saw an show where they said only humans, chimps and dogs get the concept of pointing at something. If you point at something, everyone knows that the thing exists where you’re pointing, not at the end of your finger. Dolphins have also been known to figure this out. Cite: Karen Pryor, former curator/trainer at Sea Life Park, Honolulu, in _Lads Before The Wind_, her memoir of her experiences there. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/45 "2014-09-01T09:04:58Z")
Water is wet. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/46 "2014-09-01T12:50:11Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Could someone explain the “all men…” reference. [From **Pride and Prejudice.**](http://simple.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/47 "2014-09-01T18:04:20Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > \*Cogito, ergo sum. > \* Cogito, ergo cogito sum​​. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/48 "2014-09-02T02:54:59Z")
Han shot first. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/49 "2014-09-02T03:34:35Z")
Fifteen minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/50 "2014-09-02T18:33:52Z")
There is no universal knowlege. Everyone knows that. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/51 "2014-09-02T19:01:33Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > Somewhere on PBS (Nova?) I saw an show where they said only humans, chimps and dogs get the concept of pointing at something. If you point at something, everyone knows that the thing exists where you’re pointing, not at the end of your finger. I can tell you from experience that this takes a while for the youngest of our species to figure out. I can’t remember when my kids first figured out that I was pointing at something rather than asking them to look at my finger, but with my son (who is 15 months), it was fairly recent…sometime in the last 3 months I’d wager. My favorite answer so far is ‘food goes in mouth.’ Newborns have this down within minutes of being born. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989/52 "2014-09-02T19:53:51Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > There is no universal knowlege. Everyone knows that. Win.😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-anything-which-is-universally-known/696989.md?page=2)