If you ever find yourself in a dire situation, you want to make sure you’re armed with the right information to help you survive. And those pieces of advice may come from unexpected sources—like a recent Reddit thread.

In the very useful thread, people sounded off about the most unknown survival facts that they thought other people could benefit from keeping in their back pocket. Here are the top facts, but be sure to check out the thread for more.

1. You Can Eat Dandelions

   “Every part of a dandelion, from the flower to the stem to the root, is edible.”

2. Know Your Gun Sounds

   “If you are ever involved in gunfire or a shooting of any sort, a sharp cracking sound means the gunfire is aimed at you, a deep thumping noise means the gunfire is aimed away from you.”

3. How to Open Canned Foods Without a Can Opener

   “If you are stuck with canned food but no can opener flip the can upside down and rub it back and forth on asphalt or concrete. While a can opener cuts through the lid, the retaining ring holding the lid on is actually quite thin and can be abraded in 30 seconds or less. Don’t starve to death next to a flat of Alphagetti in your bunker.”

4. What to Do if You Fall Off a Ship

   “If you ever fall off a ship/ferry at sea and were lucky enough to be spotted – don’t try to swim your way to safety. The more you try to swim, the lesser the chances of survival. Just try to keep afloat and conserve energy (and body heat) while rescue team do what they’re supposed to. Unless you are in hypothermic waters, the best bet always is to stay afloat without trying to swim to somewhere. This information about falling overboard, hypothermia and conditions, survival at sea etc are based on my own experience of 12 years sailing on merchant ships like this.”

5. Lead the Pack if You’re Scared of Snakes

   “You’ll disturb them but the person behind you is more likely to get bitten.”

6. What to Do When Overheating

   “If you’re about to pass out from being exposed to heat, pour cold water on your forearms. Ice works even better. This is an old farmer trick. You will feel the effects immediately. You will stop being dizzy and feel better almost immediately.”

7. Or When Being Stalked

   “If you’re walking and suspect someone is following you, pretend like you’re calling someone on the phone asking them their whereabouts, then face a direction your follower can’t see (Like the corner of a building ) and raise your hand and start waving it saying, ‘Yes I see you, I’m over here.’ Your follower will think you’re meeting someone who’s around the corner and will go the other way.”

8. Check In With Yourself When You’re Depressed

   “When you’re feeling super depressed ask yourself these questions: Am I thirsty? Am I hungry? Am I tired and in need of sleep? Have I showered today? Have I gotten up and walked around in awhile? Have I gotten out of bed and dressed?”

9. How to Survive Drowning

   “If you somehow are in a situation where you feel like you could drown and have no energy to go on turn on your back and do the backstroke!! Saved my life while at the beach last week after getting sucked out by rip current.”

10. Always Pack a Whistle

    “There’s no chance your voice will hold out yelling at the top of your lungs, and whistles carry long distances. Especially handy if you’ve injured yourself and need to rely on others finding you.”

11. Bite Your Fighter

    “Biting is an underrated technique in a life or death fight. How many times in an apocalyptic style world does a character get pushed on the ground and literally just submits to being punched out? Seriously, when someone means to kill you or advance on your sexuality, BITE THEM.”

12. What to Do if You’re Stuck in The Car in the Snow

    “STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE!!! Hypothermia makes you delirious and you can wander the wrong direction and freeze to death. Your vehicle is also a LOT easier to locate than YOU are.”

13. How to Handle Being Swarmed By Bees

    “If you accidentally disturb a bee hive or wasp nest and are being swarmed, DO NOT run for water. It seems intuitive that jumping in water will keep the bees off you, but actually they will wait for you to resurface and resume stinging you. Instead, run as fast and as far away as you can. Bees/wasps are territorial and will not easily leave their home range. So once you leave their comfort zone, you’re pretty much safe.”

Do you know a piece of advice that might help someone survive? Share it!