10. Secret Service at the White House
Some TV series mention this service, but those representations are of a rather fictional character. There is actually a special secret service at the White House. These guys are hidden from the public eye: they wear dark glasses, they have code names, and, most surprisingly, they travel in packs. Their only job is to protect current and past American presidents and their families. And not just for the time they are in office but for 10 years after they retire. Snipers also keep watch on the roof of the White House. What is more, they must renew their qualifications every month by hitting targets accurately from a distance of 1,000 yards.
9. The Pentagon building’s design
The building definitely has a bit of an odd design. However, it’s not surprising that there is a purpose behind it. It didn’t need to be tall (for security reasons, of course), but it had to be large enough to accommodate many offices. Now about 40,000 people can work there, and it has space for 10,000 cars to park. The Pentagon has nearly twice the floor area of the Empire State Building, yet its hallways are built so cleverly that it takes no more than 6 minutes to get from one point to any other.
8. Food scanners at the White House
Any food that is delivered to the White House for the chef to cook and any food brought by visitors has to be checked by scanners in a special facility. Secure food is a priority.However, the First Lady is the only mistress of the kitchens. Michelle Obama had a vegetable garden, and healthy eating was a priority in her agenda. On the contrary, Donald Trump seems to be quite a fan of fast food. Nevertheless, whether it’s a vegetable or a cheeseburger, it’s going to be thoroughly checked before getting to the President’s table.
7. $100 banknote protection
The $100 banknote has been changed recently, and there are now many hidden features on it. For example, it has a wider 3D security ribbon on the right side of Franklin’s portrait. And if the note is tilted back and forth, the bells change to 100s. This feature provides a level of security almost impossible to break. The new bill costs a bit more than the previous one, but, as officials say, it will save money in the long term, since $100s are more frequently faked than any other US currency.
6. The super-secure presidential car
The doors of the presidential car are basically indestructible. The body of the car is made up of 5 inches of military-grade armor. No bomb placed under the car can really damage it, and its windows are made of the strongest ballistic glass. The doors are 8 inches thick, each weighing the same as the door of a Boeing 747 jet, and they completely seal the cabin to protect it from any kind of attack. Official documents show that it cost $15 million to develop the vehicle. However, the most interesting thing is its name: The Beast. Cool enough, right?
5. Royal travel security
Members of the royal family do not always fly in private jets; they often fly on ordinary airlines. They normally choose British Airways to support the homeland company. However, and this is not a surprise at all, they never travel without their top-notch security team. But still, this team is not as big as we would expect. William and Kate, on their trip to Los Angeles in 2011, had just 7 guards with them, and they traveled to Australia with a team of 11 people. It really says a lot about their modesty because, for example, the King of Saudi Arabia travels with at least 1,000 people.
4. EURion constellation
The EURion constellation, also known as the Omron rings or doughnuts, is something really impressive. It’s a pattern of symbols that has been drawn on a number of banknote designs worldwide since 1996. Its function is to help imaging software identify if a banknote is present in a digital image. However, in terms of security, such software prevents counterfeiting using color photocopiers. Technical details about the EURion constellation are kept secret by its inventors and users. Such a multifunctional doughnut!
3. Microprinting for banknotes
There is a separate field for security printing, which uses various methods to make money very difficult to reproduce. This special technique was created to print tiny letters and symbols on banknotes so that ordinary printers and scanners can’t recognize them and make copies. Only special printers can do this, and, as you might have guessed, you can’t find them on eBay. This is applied, for example, on the $20 banknote.
2. Air filtering at the White House
This one is really unexpected. Maybe the White House’s air filtration system is cooler than we imagined. Its job is to filter the air going into the White House and keep it clean. When Donald Trump entered the office, a 27-year-old air conditioning system was replaced during the renovations. However, there were times when no air conditioning was available at the White House (well, because it wasn’t created yet), and the presidents used to spend the hot months at their summer residence.
1. The Pentagon’s plan for a zombie apocalypse
Again, popular culture is full of scary scenarios of zombie invasions, and sometimes our imagination comes up with our own ideas. However, have you ever wondered if the Pentagon has a plan for zombie apocalypse survival? Well, it does. The document is titled “CONOP 8888.” It’s a real, well-prepared, and detailed plan of a battle against zombies. However, officials say that the plan in no way signals that an invasion of zombies is on the horizon. It’s actually a training module that has proved its efficiency for many years over. So we shouldn’t be afraid anymore — the Pentagon will save us all.
