If you’re the kind of person that would correct someone on the proper terminology of one humped camel versus two humped camels this might be of interest to you.

Although some of us might think of camels when we think of hump day, that is certainly not where it originated. It’s a term that’s believed to have originated in the mid-20th century, likely in the United States. It’s a playful way to describe Wednesday, as the middle of the workweek, as the “hump” that needs to be overcome before reaching the weekend. Some people even celebrate Hump Day with happy hours or other activities to help get them through the rest of the week.

Thanks to the Geico commercial featuring the talking camel, the camel motif gained popularity on more recent years.

Camels are truly remarkable creatures. They’re incredibly well-adapted to their desert environments, with their long eyelashes to keep out sand, their humps to store fat for energy, and their unique physiology that allows them to go long periods without water. And of course, they’ve played a significant role in human history as pack animals for trade and transportation across vast desert landscapes.

It may surprise you to learn that camels actually originated in North America around 45 million years ago, with ancestors like the Camelops and Procamelus roaming the continent. They eventually migrated to Asia and Africa over the Bering Land Bridge during the Ice Age. So, in a sense, camels are just returning to their ancestral homeland when they’re brought to places like zoos or used for entertainment purposes in the U.S. It’s pretty wild to think about, isn’t it?

There are actually three types of camels: the one-humped Arabian or Dromedary camel and the two humped domesticated or wild Bactrian camels with two humps.

Camels are the only mammals with oval-shaped red blood cells. This helps them better regulate their body temperature. Everything on a camel seems to be designed to regulate their body heat, except the excessive heavy gear they are often tasked to carry around.

A camel’s coat can reflect sunlight and insulate it from heat during the day, and keep it warm at night. It can also help keep the wealthy Arab men warm at night.

“Dromedary” comes from the Latin word “dromedarius,” which means “swift camel.” And “Bactrian” refers to the dumb ones that come from the region of Bactria, an ancient area of Central Asia where those two-humped camels originated. The wild Bactrian camel, native to China and Mongolia, is critically endangered. Less swift I guess.

I never realized camels are born without humps because their humps are actually made up of stored fat, not bone or muscle.  As camels mature and enter puberty… just kidding. As they grow and start to eat more, their bodies store excess fat in the form of humps on their backs.

Dromedaries end up with one hump, while Bactrian camels develop two humps. The humps serve as an energy reserve for when food and water are scarce, and they also help regulate the camel’s body temperature.

Camels can reach speeds of up to 40 mph (65 km/h) in short bursts. They hold moisture and fat in their jump for extended periods of time, but when they gotta go, they gotta go.

Camels have two sets of eyelids and three sets of eyelashes to keep sand out of their eyes. The eyelashes serve as natural sunshades to protect their eyes from sand and sun, much like Vulcans.

The average camel can drink up to 30 gallons (113 liters) of water in just 13 minutes while nearby camels chant chug chug chug.

Camel milk is lower in fat and cholesterol than cow’s milk. Contrary to common belief, you do not milk their humps.

camels are funny looking and have no concept of when Wednesday is. It important to note, camels do not smoke cigarettes.

It’s important to learn the difference because women don’t like it when you confuse them.