Lucky for you, today we’re going to be uncovering some of its mysteries and embarking on a list full of all thingsScottish, starting from Scotland’s nature and finishing with its people and their quirky personalities. Scroll down to find out more about this fascinating country, courtesy of the ‘Anything Scottish’ Facebook page.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
RELATED:
We all probably know that Scotland is famous for its incredible nature, national animal, haunted castles, men wearing kilts, haggis, the Loch Ness Monster, ginger population, bagpipes, and the Scottish whisky (try saying that in one breath).But have you ever taken the time to learn how these fascinating aspects of the country came to be? If not, no worries, as we’re going to be delving deeper into some of them today.
We all probably know that Scotland is famous for its incredible nature, national animal, haunted castles, men wearing kilts, haggis, the Loch Ness Monster, ginger population, bagpipes, and the Scottish whisky (try saying that in one breath).
But have you ever taken the time to learn how these fascinating aspects of the country came to be? If not, no worries, as we’re going to be delving deeper into some of them today.
Globally, this trait is rare, with just 1-2% of the population having the ginger gene. However, scientists speculate that it’s so common in the northern regions because it allows the body to keep in the heat and produce vitamin D. These traits evolved over time in places where there’s not much sunlight. This is a big advantage, as efficient vitamin production helped to avoid illnesses during long, cold winters.Some also think that the red hair gene appeared in Scotland due to Vikings who settled in the British Isles, which is partly true too.
Globally, this trait is rare, with just 1-2% of the population having the ginger gene. However, scientists speculate that it’s so common in the northern regions because it allows the body to keep in the heat and produce vitamin D. These traits evolved over time in places where there’s not much sunlight. This is a big advantage, as efficient vitamin production helped to avoid illnesses during long, cold winters.
Some also think that the red hair gene appeared in Scotland due to Vikings who settled in the British Isles, which is partly true too.
Next, we’re moving onto something that is rarer than red heads—the national animal of Scotland—the unicorn. The connection to this mythical animal comes from the Celtic culture, where it symbolized innocence and purity as well as chivalry, pride and boldness. The first recorded use of the unicorn symbol appeared in the 12th century on the Scottish Royal coat of arms. By the 15th century, the animal already embellished coins that circulated for the next century.
Funnily enough, for thousands of years people believed that unicorns were real. However, in 1825, a French naturalist, Georges Cuvier, was determined to dispel this myth. He based his belief on the fact that animals with a split hoof couldn’t grow a single horn on their heads. Despite his attempts, the unicorn spirit continues to live on. Scotland even has a national day for it, which is celebrated on 9 April.
The militant and bloody past of Scotland might be the reason why some people believe the castles to be haunted. Many battles took place in them, so it’s no surprise these locations may have an eerie atmosphere to them. One of the most notable ones is the Drum Castle.
Well, I hope, dear Pandas, that we didn’t spook you too much from visiting the mythical and beautiful Scotland. If, on the contrary, we piqued your interest and you’d like to see more of what it has to offer, you can check out our previous articles aboutScottishpeople and their sense ofhumor.
Continue reading with Bored Panda PremiumUnlimited contentAd-free browsingDark modeSubscribe nowAlready a subscriber?Sign In
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited contentAd-free browsingDark mode
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber?Sign In
See Also on Bored Panda
Modal closeAdd New ImageModal closeAdd Your Photo To This ListPlease use high-res photos without watermarksOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Modal close
Add New ImageModal closeAdd Your Photo To This ListPlease use high-res photos without watermarksOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Modal closeAdd Your Photo To This ListPlease use high-res photos without watermarksOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Add Your Photo To This ListPlease use high-res photos without watermarksOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
Add Your Photo To This List
Please use high-res photos without watermarks
Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
Not your original work?Add source
Modal closeModal closeOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.UploadUploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermarkChangeSourceTitleUpdateAdd Image
Modal closeOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.UploadUploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermarkChangeSourceTitleUpdateAdd Image
Upload
UploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermark
Error occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.
TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermark
InstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermark
FacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermark
ChangeSourceTitle
You May LikeThese 50 Mildly Interesting Pics Are Actually Pretty Intriguing (New Pics)Greta Jaruševičiūtė30 Of The Dumbest, Most Insane And Spiciest Rumors People Have Heard About ThemselvesRūta ZumbrickaitėPeople With Impossibly Dumb Pets Share Their Stories, Here Are 45 Of The Most Unhinged OnesJonas Zvilius
Greta Jaruševičiūtė
Rūta Zumbrickaitė
Jonas Zvilius
Curiosities