ONLINE CODEX

10 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About The History Of Emojis

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Anyone who has ever engaged in an online conversation knows that there’s an important element missing that can easily lead to misunderstandings: nuance. When we are talking, we use tonality and facial expressions to convey an important part of the meaning of what we are communicating. Emojis come to save the day, adding color, emotion, and much-needed nuance to our text-based conversations.

But where did these tiny pictographs come from, and how did they evolve into the diverse set we use today? Let's take a journey through the history of emojis and uncover some fascinating facts along the way.

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Emojis originated in Japan in the late 1990s, a graphical evolution from their punctuation mark-based predecessors, the emoticons. Contrary to popular belief, their name does not stem from the word emotion (like emoticons) but from the combination of the Japanese words for "picture" (e) and "character" (moji). The first set of emojis - consisting of 90 icons - was created in 1997 by SoftBank, a Japanese mobile carrier.

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In 2010, emojis gained global recognition when they were standardized by the Unicode Consortium, allowing them to be used across different platforms and devices. This standardization ensured that emojis would display consistently, regardless of the operating system or application.

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While emojis initially began with simple smiley faces and expressions, they have evolved to encompass a wide range of symbols, objects, animals, and even flags representing different countries. Today, there are over 3,000 emojis available, offering users a diverse palette for expressing themselves.

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Emojis have transcended linguistic and cultural barriers, becoming a universal language of sorts. In recognition of their influence, in 2015 Oxford Dictionaries named the U+1F602 (😂) emoji, known as "face with tears of joy," the Word of the Year. From the United States to China, people around the world have incorporated emojis into their digital communication seamlessly, adding a layer of emotional context to their messages.

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In recent years, there has been a push for more inclusive emojis, leading to the introduction of gender-neutral options and diverse skin tones. In particular, skin tones in emojis are based on the Fitzpatrick scale for classifying human skin color, a scale designed to estimate the effects of UV light on different types of skin. When no modifier is selected, emojis are often set to the default, non-realistic, Simpson-esque yellow.

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Emojis don't just convey emotions; they reflect cultural trends and internet phenomena. Furthermore, linguists believe that as they continue to grow and develop, true emoji "dialects" will arise. And while many emoji have acquired almost standardized meanings, we could easily argue that it is already happening, as small groups of people tend to interpret and use emoji in quite different ways.

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July 17th is celebrated as World Emoji Day, commemorating the date originally displayed on Apple’s calendar emoji (📅). Although an unofficial holiday, the festivity remains a testament to the widespread popularity and cultural impact of emojis, with events and activities held around the world to mark the occasion.

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According to linguists, emoji do not necessarily carry their own fixed meaning but rather act as a paralanguage, adding meaning to text. This can lead to all sorts of communication problems as emojis are translated between different cultural settings or even between different platforms. Even a seemingly universal emoji like the smiling face can convey a meaning apparently opposite to its intended meaning.

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Emojis have even found their way into legal proceedings, with courts grappling with the interpretation and admissibility of emojis as evidence. In some cases, emojis have been used to clarify the intent behind messages or to establish a timeline of events. However, the meaning of emojis can be easily misconstrued, as their interpretation often varies from user to user. For example, in a 2004 case regarding alleged industrial espionage, an email that referred to a "spy" within one of the involved companies was dismissed as evidence of criminal intent due to the usage of a smiley face emoji, suggesting it was a playful comment rather than a serious message.

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Emojis have fundamentally changed the way we communicate in the digital age, even influencing the way we think. Psychologists have found that emojis can activate the same brain regions that are responsible for processing emotions. Also, they effectively change how messages are read and perceived, sometimes helping to soften or emphasize the information. In a highly visual world, emojis seem to be a highly successful addition to our written language, making communication faster and more efficient regardless of the medium.

NATURE’S TITANS

Mega Fauna: The 10 Largest Animals To Have Ever Lived

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Once, true giants roamed the Earth, inhabiting a planet vastly different from the one we know today. If we could travel back in time, the world might seem almost unrecognizable. Yet, some of these colossal creatures existed not so long ago, and remarkably, a few of the largest animals to ever exist still live among us today! Let's embark on a journey through time and space to discover the 10 largest animals that have ever lived.

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Surprisingly, the blue whale is the largest animal known to have ever existed. Measuring up to 100 feet in length and weighing as much as 200 tons, these gentle giants are true marvels of the ocean. Even the largest dinosaurs are dwarfed in comparison, putting the extraordinary nature of these magnificent ocean inhabitants in perspective.

Their heart alone can weigh as much as a car, and their tongue can be as heavy as an elephant. Despite their colossal size, blue whales feed primarily on tiny krill, marine crustaceans less than an inch long. To satiate their enormous bodies, blue whales have to consume up to four tons of krill daily during feeding season.

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The megalodon was an ancient species of mackerel shark that dominated the seas around 23 to 3.6 million years ago. Reaching lengths of up to 60 feet, it wasn't just the largest shark but also the largest fish to ever exist. Most estimates are based on tooth size, as a complete megalodon skeleton has never been recovered. In fact, the name megalodon means "large tooth," which is fitting given that its teeth could exceed seven inches in length.

With such formidable teeth, megalodon was certainly a top predator of the seas for millions of years. It preyed on large marine animals, including whales, using its powerful jaws to deliver a bite force far greater than that of any modern shark.

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Argentinosaurus was a titanic herbivorous dinosaur that roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous period. While their exact size is hard to estimate due to incomplete fossilized remains, it is widely considered one of the largest dinosaurs ever found. Reaching lengths of over 100 feet and weighing up to 100 tons, it could have even measured up to the mighty blue whale.

Moreover, it is likely that this massive sauropod's size was its best defense against predators. Its long neck allowed it to reach high vegetation, while its colossal legs supported its enormous weight. They are classified as titanosaurs, a class shared with other equally massive dinosaurs such as the Patagotitan and Puertasaurus.

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Quetzalcoatlus, a pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous period, had an impressive wingspan of up to 36 feet, making it one of the largest flying creatures of all time. This formidable flying reptile likely soared over prehistoric landscapes, using thermal currents to glide efficiently.

This animal likely hunted on land, feeding on small vertebrates and carrion with the help of its long, toothless beak. And when on the ground, it may have stood taller than a giraffe at over 16 feet high, towering even over contemporary Tyrannosaurus, although the latter was far more massive.

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An animal right out of a sci-fi movie, Paraceratherium was a gigantic hornless rhinoceros that lived during the Oligocene epoch, around 30 million years ago. It stood about 16 feet tall at the shoulder and weighed around 20 tons.

Despite its size, this colossal animal was a peaceful herbivore that likely fed on leaves and soft plants, using its long neck to reach vegetation high in trees. Its size makes it one of the largest land mammals to ever exist.

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Dreadnoughtus, another colossal sauropod dinosaur, lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Measuring about 85 feet in length and weighing at least 50 tons, it earned its name from its immense size and perceived invincibility. In fact, the name Dreadnoughtus literally means "fears nothing," and is a nod to the dreadnought, a powerful class of battleship of the early twentieth century.

Regarded as one of the most massive land animals ever, Dreadnoughtus's full potential size remains uncertain. The largest specimen discovered was not fully grown when it died, leaving open the possibility that it could have surpassed other colossal competitors like Patagotitan and Argentinosaurus.

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Megatherium americanum, also known as the giant ground sloth, roamed South America during the Pleistocene epoch. Growing up to 20 feet in length and weighing as much as 4 tons, it was nothing like its modern relatives. Furthermore, Megatherium was terrestrial and primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves, fruits, and possibly small prey.

Its massive claws and strong limbs helped it to strip vegetation and defend against predators when necessary. And despite its large size, the Megatherium is thought to have been capable of adopting a bipedal posture while standing, which allowed it to reach high-growing leaves or adopt a defensive position. Interestingly, the extinction of Megatherium around 10,000 years ago is believed to be due to a combination of climate change and early human presence on the American continent.

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Leedsichthys, one of the largest fish known to have existed—only surpassed by the monstrous _Megalodon_—could grow up to 54 feet in length. This gentle giant swam the Earth’s oceans during the Middle Jurassic period, feeding on tiny shrimp, jellyfish, and small fish, much like modern baleen whales.

Its first fossilized remains were discovered in the 1880s by a farmer named Alfred Nicholson Leeds, who collected large fish fossils from loam pits near Peterborough, England. In fact, its scientific name, Leedsichthys, means "Leeds' fish," derived from the Greek ichthys, meaning "fish."

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Deinosuchus, an ancient relative of modern crocodiles, lived during the Late Cretaceous period around 80 million years ago. It could grow up to 40 feet in length and weigh around 8 tons, making it one of the largest crocodilians to ever exist. Its name translates to"terrible crocodile," as with its powerful jaws and massive teeth, Deinosuchus was a formidable predator, capable of taking down even large dinosaurs.

Interestingly, fossil evidence suggests that despite its massive proportions, Deinosuchus bore a strong resemblance to its modern (and smaller) relatives. It featured large, robust teeth adapted for crushing, and its back was covered with thick, hemispherical osteoderms—armor-like bony structures found in most crocodilians.

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While most of the colossal creatures on this list are long gone, there are a few exceptions. The giant squid, scientifically known as Architeuthis, is one of the largest living invertebrates. These deep-sea dwellers can grow up to 43 feet in length, with some estimates suggesting they may reach up to 66 feet. Their long tentacles, equipped with suckers lined with sharp teeth, are used to capture prey like fish and other squid.

Despite their size, giant squids are elusive and rarely seen by humans. Most of our knowledge about them comes from specimens washed ashore or found in the stomachs of their primary predators and long-standing enemies, sperm whales.