23 Key Skills to Navigate Your Survival Odyssey

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Hey there! Ready to level up your survival game? Check out our latest video, 23 Key Skills to Navigate Your Survival Odyssey. Whether you're prepping for the wilderness or just curious about essential life skills, this guide has got you covered. We’ll take you through everything you need to know to stay safe and thrive in any situation. Don’t miss out—hit play and start your survival odyssey now!  Animation is created by Bright Side. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/   Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV   Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brightside Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brightside.official TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brightside.official?lang=en   Stock materials (photos, footages and other): https://www.depositphotos.com https://www.shutterstock.com https://www.eastnews.ru ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.

Transcript

00:00Listen up, you might live through this video.

00:03You know, in every survival movie ever, characters get inside a cave and start a fire to warm

00:09up.

00:10It might work on the big screen, but you should never do it in real life.

00:14Soon enough, the fumes will fill the cave, and you'll have no air to breathe.

00:18The safest thing you can do is start a fire at the back of the cave.

00:23Don't rely on two sticks to instantly start the fire when you need it the most.

00:27Yes, friction works in theory, but honestly, you'll need some practice and patience to

00:33be able to do it.

00:35If you run into a bear while hiking, pretending you are no longer alive won't always save

00:41you.

00:42If you're dealing with a black bear, you'll need to fight back for your life.

00:46A brown or grizzly bear will normally warn you first before attacking, so you'll have

00:52a chance to back away slowly or lie on your stomach with your hands over your neck to

00:56show you're not dangerous to the bear or its cubs.

01:01Your chances of being attacked by a shark are 1 in 3.75 million, but if it happens,

01:08don't even try to punch it in the nose.

01:11Movie characters might do it without a problem, but you're unlikely to hit that moving goal.

01:15Instead, try to put some solid object between you and the shark.

01:20If that doesn't work out, claw at its eyes and gills.

01:24You Might Need a Bigger Boat

01:27This black, ominous-looking snake won't hurt you.

01:30It's got no fangs.

01:32You may have mistakenly thought that this black critter is none other than a black mamba,

01:37but it's just a harmless rat snake.

01:40There's one main sign that can help you figure out if a snake is really dangerous.

01:46Unfanged species do not have a venom delivery system, therefore their bites won't harm you

01:50that much.

01:51But if you see a snake with fangs, you're in real danger.

01:56Future rock climbers, this one's for you.

01:59Don't tie a rope around your waist if you're trying to keep safe from falling.

02:03It might stop you from hitting the ground, but it can still hurt you badly inside and

02:08even break your back.

02:09Instead, use a safety harness that goes around your hips and legs.

02:15Boiling water from any nearby pond or puddle will not make it crystal clear and 100% safe

02:21to drink.

02:22This way, you can't be sure you remove possible harmful toxins from algal blooms or chemical

02:28contaminants.

02:29So, instead of enjoying a refreshing drink, you'll have to spend some time in a forest

02:34bathroom.

02:35Or worse.

02:36Consuming random berries in the forest is dangerous.

02:39First, you need to check if they smell okay.

02:42If they have a pear or almond smell, avoid them.

02:45Next, get one, rub it on your forearm, and wait for 15 minutes.

02:50If your skin starts to itch, don't eat those berries.

02:53If you bite on a berry and it has a bitter, tingly, or soapy taste, spit it out.

03:00So hydration is a must no matter the weather.

03:03But the idea that drinking hot liquids will warm you better is a myth.

03:08No amount of hot liquid can raise your body temperature.

03:11Plus, you can drink cold water faster than a hot drink, and that will help with hydration.

03:17A cactus can't be your source of water either.

03:19There are only a couple of species that are safe for drinking.

03:23But if you can't recognize them, it will get you in trouble rather than satisfy your

03:27thirst.

03:29The liquid you can take from some random cactus is often highly acidic and can give your tummy

03:35a really hard time or even paralyze you.

03:40Don't rely on your nose grease as a perfect fire starter.

03:43I mean, I don't think there's enough oil on your nose to make a bow drill spindle slippery

03:48Unless you are Shrek himself.

03:50Plus, when trying to start a fire by rubbing sticks together, you'll get more sweaty than

03:55oily.

03:56And sweat doesn't help at all.

04:00If you ever get stuck in a forest fire, don't try to hide in a cave or a big hole.

04:04You could run out of air fast.

04:07Instead, try to run through the fire to the burned-out area.

04:11Cover your eyes, face, and airways.

04:13Cover as much of your skin as you can with clothes or anything else you have.

04:17Look for a path with fewer obstacles where the fire looks smaller.

04:21Take a deep breath and run fast.

04:24Make sure you keep your mouth and nose covered so you don't breathe in the hot air and smoke.

04:30When you're chased by some predator, never jump off a cliff into the water.

04:34This is much more dangerous than meeting the predator.

04:37If you jump from a high place, the water surface will feel as hard as concrete, or the water

04:42might be too shallow and you'll hit the bottom.

04:46A sudden strong smell of fish in your house may mean an electrical fire has started in

04:51some room.

04:52Your socket or adapter is on fire, emitting this unpleasant odor.

04:58Using regular baking soda is a good way to put out a fire.

05:02If you don't have a fire extinguisher or access to water, sprinkle the fire with this

05:07powder.

05:08Also, this substance can hide your smell from predators.

05:11It's helpful if you've gotten lost in the forest and don't want wolves or bears

05:15to smell your scent.

05:19Use ordinary charcoal and a plastic bottle to clean dirty water.

05:23Cut off the bottom of the bottle and close the lid slightly on the upper part so that

05:28the liquid pours out in a thin stream.

05:30Put the coal in there and add some water.

05:33Let it pass through the charcoal several times.

05:36Then heat and boil the water.

05:38Now you can quench your thirst.

05:45Even if you get super hungry in the wilderness, don't eat whatever birds and squirrels are

05:49snacking on.

05:50If they eat it and survive, it doesn't mean your tummy will tolerate the same berries.

05:56Before going to the wilderness, remember several types of berries that grow in your region.

06:01The general rule is that green, yellow, and white berries are mostly poisonous.

06:07When lost without a compass or other navigational devices, don't rely on moss too much.

06:13You must've heard that it always grows on the north side of a tree.

06:16Actually, it can grow on any side, depending on where conditions are best for it.

06:21So you definitely won't find the right direction if you use it for orientation and will get

06:26even more lost.

06:29When stuck in the desert, you'll naturally want to take everything off to feel a bit

06:33cooler.

06:34Well, stop right there!

06:36If you let the sunlight touch your skin, you'll get a sunburn and speed up dehydration.

06:42Cover as much skin as you can from direct heat and try to maintain a normal body temperature.

06:49So don't try to bring your wet matches back to life by drying them up.

06:53Their heads have chemicals that can get ruined by moisture.

06:57When you strike a match, the friction between it and the glass powder on the striking surface

07:01of the package creates heat.

07:04If match heads get too wet, the chemicals won't work right and the match won't live.

07:09So get waterproof matches or keep your matches in a waterproof container.

07:14If you don't have those, you'll have to go back to good old friction and tinder.

07:20Snow isn't a replacement for water.

07:23In any amount of snow, there is about 9 times more air than water.

07:28Eating snow can make you very cold inside, and you could get hypothermia.

07:33Plus, your body will have to work harder to heat the snow and melt it, and you'll get

07:37more dehydrated than hydrated.

07:40So always melt snow before drinking it to stay safe.

07:44Pepper spray is good for self-defense, but if you're afraid to use it, you can keep

07:49a bright flashlight in your bag.

07:51Point its light in the robber's eyes to scare them away.

07:54Besides, this way of self-defense won't harm the robber, and you won't cause any

07:59unnecessary problems.

08:03If you leave a frying pan with oil on a turned-on stove, the oil may catch fire.

08:09In this situation, extinguishing the flames with water will be a big no-no.

08:14Water molecules will descend to the bottom of the pot, evaporate, and push the oil up.

08:20This will lead to even more flames.

08:22The best way to put out a hot oil fire is to deprive it of oxygen.

08:27Cover the pan with a lid and remove it from the burner.

08:32Flames are not the scariest thing about a fire.

08:34Smoke is much more dangerous.

08:36You can get poisoned very quickly by inhaling carbon monoxide.

08:40Therefore, always try to stay as close to the ground as possible and cover your mouth

08:45and nose with a wet cloth to filter the oxygen.

08:51Always put a small mirror or whistle in your pocket when you go camping.

08:55These two items will help you find your group if you get lost.

08:59The whistle will attract others' attention with sound, and the mirror will do it by reflecting

09:04sunlight.

09:06When you're swimming in the sea or ocean near the shore, there's a risk of getting

09:10caught in a riptide.

09:12An undercurrent will pull you further and further away from the beach.

09:17Don't try to swim to the shore against the current.

09:19You will only waste your energy.

09:22Always swim parallel to the shore in such cases.

09:25Once you escape the current, you can safely return to the shore.

09:30Imagine that your cotton clothes are great in almost any situation, but not for hiking.

09:36When cotton gets wet, it loses all its good properties and can make you feel much colder.

09:42Choose clothes made of polyester, nylon, or merino wool.

09:46Unlike cotton, these materials move sweat away from your skin and dry quickly.

09:52Choking on stones won't help you quench your thirst.

09:55Yeah, the popular myth says that when you do it, your body produces more saliva, and

10:00it will hydrate you.

10:02Well, in real life, nothing can replace water, and you could choke on the stone.

10:08Don't even think about rubbing frostbitten skin.

10:11Frostbite happens when ice crystals form in your skin and other tissues.

10:15Rubbing the area makes it worse because the ice crystals can cut and damage new cells.

10:21Instead, gently warm up the frostbitten area.

10:24Alright, a lean-to isn't the best shelter for any situation.

10:28If it's really hot, you need shade to stay cool.

10:32But if it's cold, you need to stay warm.

10:35Duh.

10:36This means blocking the wind and having something to keep you off the cold ground at night.

10:40A lean-to can block the wind and rain, but it might not be enough to keep you warm.

10:46Ah, raw meat.

10:48It's safe to eat when it's high-quality and processed with sanitary standards in mind.

10:53So unless you're a chef who brought some tartare on the hike, don't eat raw meat.

10:58It can be risky because it might contain germs that can make you sick later on.

11:04One roof is not enough to protect you from all evil, and you'll waste way more energy

11:09than you think trying to build it.

11:11So instead of focusing on it, try to build a comfy bed using sticks, leaves, or old newspapers.

11:18This bed will keep your body heat from escaping into the cold ground.

11:25Every car has a thermometer, a device that shows you the temperature of air outside.

11:30Sometimes, manufacturers put its sensor behind the front bumper, near the engine.

11:35While driving, the thermometer gets heated by the engine and shows you a higher temperature.

11:40Even if it's freezing outside, the device can indicate that it's warm.

11:45Therefore, don't trust the thermometer if it's installed this way.

11:49What if there's some ice on the road, and you're driving completely sure that the

11:52asphalt is dry?

11:55You don't have to stay away from a person who has been hit by lightning.

11:58They won't shock you.

12:00And they really need medical help, so check for the pulse and make sure you call the emergency

12:05services for them.

12:08Quicksand isn't as dangerous as you might think.

12:11It's a myth that if you get trapped in it, you should stay still and wait for help.

12:16What you should do is lean back and make forward and backward movements with your body to wriggle

12:21yourself out of trouble.

12:24You shouldn't really suck the venom out after a snake bite.

12:28This way, you'll just get more bacteria into the open wound and risk your life too

12:32if you're the one trying to help.

12:35Try to stay as calm as you can in such a situation to reduce your heart rate and slow down the

12:40spread of venom.

12:42Call 911 and remember the size and color of the snake to give these important details

12:47to the doctor.

12:48Ok, stay safe!

12:51When you're out hiking in the bush, remember not to mess with any snakes you come across,

12:56even if they don't seem alive.

12:58Some sneaky snakes play possum and can strike if bothered.

13:02If you spot one, give it some space.

13:05When it comes to snakes, they're usually pretty shy and won't bother you unless they

13:09feel threatened.

13:10Trying to catch or harm a snake is a big no-no, as that's when most snake bites occur.

13:16And don't be tricked by their size.

13:18Even little snakes can pack a punch.

13:21For example, baby brown snakes are born with venom, so it's best to admire them from

13:25a safe distance.

13:28Each year, over 7,000 Americans fall victim to snake bites, often due to misguided attempts

13:34to handle or fight a snake.

13:36It's crucial to avoid such actions and seek immediately medical help if bitten.

13:42Understanding how to differentiate between venomous and non-venomous snakes is key to

13:46assessing potential risks.

13:48Contact a professional if you're unsure about a snake's identity, and never handle

13:53a snake, even if it appears harmless.

13:59If you come across a snake, it's best to leave the area and seek assistance from a

14:02wildlife professional in identifying the reptile.

14:06Here are some tips to help you distinguish between the two types.

14:10Observe their behavior, nesting habits, and habitats.

14:13Some snakes may shake their tails as a warning signal.

14:17Also, venomous snakes typically have triangular-shaped heads, compared to non-venomous snakes with

14:23rounded heads.

14:26Here's another venomous star, the copperhead snake.

14:30Their musk smells just like cucumbers.

14:34Their venom is pretty particular too.

14:36Will you be in trouble if this snake bites you?

14:39Totally.

14:40Does it help cure lethal conditions?

14:42Sorta.

14:43It's not a 100% proven fact so far, but scientists have been testing this theory for

14:49quite a while.

14:50And they did notice that the copperhead snake's venom can, if not cure some serious conditions,

14:55but slow down their progression.

14:58Even so, they have the most venomous bites among all the U.S. snakes.

15:02But antivenom for the bites somehow is not always needed.

15:07Coralsnakes are known for their non-aggressive nature, as they are shy and secretive creatures.

15:13Theirs make up less than 1% of snake bites in America.

15:16Their venom is a neurotoxin that paralyzes nerves, and due to their small teeth, they

15:21must chew on their prey to inject the venom.

15:25When feeling threatened, a coralsnake will curl the tip of its tail to confuse the attacker

15:29about the location of its head.

15:32Now if a leech attaches to you, never burn it off.

15:36This can cause the animal to basically throw up directly inside your skin and cause massive

15:41infection.

15:42Try using a credit card to break the seal and remove the leech.

15:46Or if you're brave enough to wait for an hour, the parasite will fall off once it's

15:52fed.

15:53If a power line falls near you, you should run away.

15:57Electric current is now everywhere on the ground.

16:00When it comes into contact with one leg, it passes through the person's body and

16:05exits through the other leg, thereby hitting the whole body with a powerful charge.

16:12Always take some gum with you when going to the wilderness.

16:15If you get lost, chewing gum will help you relieve stress.

16:19You can also use this material as glue.

16:23Always keep your car keys next to your bed.

16:26If a thief enters your house, use the keys to turn on the car alarm and scare the thief

16:31away.

16:32But installing a good security system in your home is even better.

16:37While skiing or snowboarding, there's always a chance of getting caught in an avalanche.

16:42If you find yourself under a layer of snow, don't try to get out immediately.

16:47Your mind is confused, and you need to know where is up and where is down.

16:52Spit and see where the saliva flows.

16:55Then start digging in the opposite direction.

16:58When your plane makes an emergency landing on the water, your instinct can force you

17:03to put on your life jacket immediately.

17:05Don't do this until you're in the water.

17:08If you put on the vest and water starts to fill the cabin, it will be difficult for you

17:12to move.

17:14So get to the emergency exit first, then put on the jacket.

17:19If you start feeling unwell in a crowd, don't ask all the people around for help.

17:24Most likely, no one will help you.

17:26Not because people are bad, but because every person passing by will think that someone

17:31else will help you.

17:33But if you choose one person and ask them for help, you'll have a better chance to

17:38get it.

17:39GPS is not the best navigational tool.

17:42It's reliable and easy to use, but it can break down.

17:46So you should learn how to use a map and a compass.

17:49They won't let you down if you know how to use them correctly.

17:54You shouldn't swim parallel to the shore if you find yourself in a rip current.

17:58Instead, try swimming at an angle away from the current and toward the shore.

18:03Remember, you shouldn't feel too much resistance while swimming.

18:07Following birds to find water is a myth.

18:09They could be flying anywhere.

18:11Land animals like deer are a much better option.

18:14They usually know where the source of water is.

18:17When you feel someone is following your car, make 4 right turns.

18:21This way, you will make one circle around a block.

18:25And if the car is still following you after that, drive to the nearest police station.

18:32While walking outside, you may notice or feel hairs on your head starting to stand on end.

18:37Look for shelter quickly.

18:39Lightning is about to strike you.

18:43Surface dogs are wearing special jackets with the inscription SERVICE.

18:47If such a dog approaches you, you need to follow it.

18:50Perhaps you will save someone's life.

18:53If a person gets in trouble and no one is nearby to help, the dog will start looking

18:57for someone to save them.

19:00During a fire, the flames spread more slowly if the doors in the room are closed.

19:05So when you go to bed, close the bedroom door.

19:09It'll hold the flames for a while.

19:11But don't forget that it's always better to have a good fire alarm.

19:16Tornadoes move fast.

19:18So if you notice a vortex that seems to be standing still, you must run.

19:23It means the tornado is moving right towards you.

19:27The smell of gas in a room indicates a leak.

19:30Therefore, don't turn on the light.

19:33The smallest spark can set the whole house ablaze.

19:37When you scratch a person, their DNA remains under your nails.

19:41Police can help you in case of an attack.

19:44Especially when the robber has run away, and you want to help the police find them.

19:50If you've disturbed a hornet's nest or a beehive, run in any direction as fast as

19:54possible.

19:55Sooner or later, the insects will stop chasing you.

19:59But if you jump in the water, they'll wait until you get out.

20:04That's it for today!

20:05So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your

20:10friends!

20:11And if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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