You think you’ve just about got the planet figured out, then boom ― a fact comes along that changes the fabric of your reality.

First, came the news that in most cases, it doesn’t matter too much whether you choose white or brown rice. And now, in another bit of chromatic trivia, it turns out that tennis balls used to be black or white until the ’70s (and Wimbledon held out until 1986).

Their colour was dictated by the colour of the court (a light ball for a dark court and vice versa, so spectators can see it).

’Twas ever thus ― until a certain David Attenborough came along.

What? Why?

The Planet Earth presenter started working at the BBC in 1952 (having only

© HuffPost