Tell me more stuff
August 15, 2011 |
55 comments
Another tiny blog as I’m involved in an exciting late night event called The Wrestling. But hey, remember the other night I asked
for trivia? Well I really do actually need it. I need
facts on any topic. It’s for the work in progress show I’m doing here. It doesn’t have to be wacky or even that interesting. I just need a selection of pieces of knowledge. I’d like to challenge everyone reading this to leave SOME kind of fact. Even if you just go on Wikipedia and pick the first thing you see. You’ll know why soon. GO!!
Posted by Lesley on August 18, 2011
My work colleague informed me first thing this morning that if you consume 4 tubes of toothpaste in one go it will kill you! Nice!
By the way I saw you and your family ambling around outside my office on George Sq this morning. Always a nice surprise to spot a comedian (a good comedian) out the office window when you’re working away. :0)
Posted by Tibbs on August 18, 2011
Something I just learned about ten minutes ago: Edison proposed to his second wife in Morse code, and she accepted the same way. Aw.
Also, The Wrestling was AMAZING. I’m glad you didn’t get broken.
Posted by Steve P on August 17, 2011
The last man to walk on the moon was Eugene Cernan
Posted by Rachael on August 17, 2011
The longest field goal in NFL history was kicked by a man with only half a foot. It was in 1970.
Posted by Natalie-Helen on August 17, 2011
Ciabatta was invented in the 1980′s in order to rival the popular baguette.
They use old pennies to correct the clock in Big Ben, which incidentally is just the name of the bell not the tower.
^_^
Posted by MargaretL on August 16, 2011
Those of us who are left handers already know that we are more intelligent and eloquent than our right-handed counterparts but tests conducted by Dr. Alan Searleman from St Lawrence University in New York, proved that left-handers are considerably more intellectually gifted.
There are more left-handed people with IQs over 140 than right-handed people, more left-handed astronauts, American presidents and political leaders than would be expected and particularly high numbers of left handers in creative professions – such as music, art, writing ( and comedy??)
Posted by Rhian on August 16, 2011
Sheep graze by nibbling and close cropping grass. Cattle graze by wrapping their tongues around the grass and pulling.
A sure fire way to achieve emptyness of mind is to be asked for facts.
Posted by Beth on August 16, 2011
In the Black Museum at Scotland Yard, they have a pair of arms preserved in formaldehyde.
They belonged to an English criminal who fled to Germany, was cornered by the German police, and promptly shot himself in the head.
The English police asked for the Germans to send them his fingerprints so they could link him to crimes here.
So the ever-efficient Germans sliced his arms off at the elbow, popped them in the overnight post, and traumatised the poor young police officer who was opening the mail the following morning.
Posted by Ingrid on August 16, 2011
Megan- One of my best friends lives in Twatt
Posted by Jen on August 16, 2011
In the Olympics the only sports where men and women compete equally against each other are the equestrian events (dressage, showjumping, three day eventing)
Posted by Ingrid on August 16, 2011
Buzz Auldren’s mums maiden name was moon. No idea if that’s what you’re looking for but that’s the first thing i thought of!
Posted by David on August 16, 2011
Super Furry Animals held the record for the most f words in a record when they relased “the man don’t give a fuck”. This record was then taken by Insane Clown Posse who’s song “Fuck the World” uses the word fuck 93 times.
And as far as I am aware when Super Furry Animals released a live version of the man don’t give a fuck they regained the record for the united kingdom with well over 100 f words.
Posted by Jamie/James on August 16, 2011
Water Boatmen are the loudest creatures on the planet proportional to their size. AND they make their sound by rubbing their willy on their bum.
By the way, I tried to buy a ticket for your work in progress show on Friday and it was sold out!! ..which makes me sad. Having not been to any watsonian events or seen you live since last June
..hopefully I’ll catch you at a Horne Section before my run finishes..
Posted by Corey on August 16, 2011
If you were able to cycle vertically upwards and if you travelled at a steady pace….you would be in outta space in 40 minutes!
Posted by Dawn on August 16, 2011
Some babies are born with teeth (ouch if you’re breastfeeding!)
Posted by Megan on August 16, 2011
There’s a town in Turkey called Batman.
There are villages in Orkney and Shetland called Twatt.
Posted by ChrisP on August 16, 2011
Dogs can’t look up.
Posted by knox on August 16, 2011
@clembear – I *love* that list – love all that kind of stuff. I’m off to read the Svalbardposten!
Posted by Clembear on August 16, 2011
This is more QI type things – but of use. The one about erections is pretty good
http://ask.metafilter.com/149981/You-make-me-want-to-be-a-better-man
Amd bulls being colour-blind – the cape is for artistry not the bull. Poor bull.
Posted by MusicalLottie on August 16, 2011
Darn, I put in the links for verification without thinking. Linkless comment:
Mandarin has four tones: high level, falling, falling rising, and falling. This webpage describes them simply: mandarin.about.com/od/pronunciation/a/tones.htm though I have never seen or heard of pinyin using numbers instead of tone marks :S
When Klingon Monopoly was mentioned on the Big Bang theory, it didn’t actually exist. Now it does!
The reed on the* 64′ long subcontrabass clarinet vibrates at 4.09Hz, one octave below the lowest organ note, and six octaves below middle C.
*there is only one
The X-rays on the Wikipedia page for Scoliosis under the ‘Surgery’ section belong to one of my violinist friends … that’s probably no use to you, but I thought I’d put it out there anyway.
Posted by MusicalLottie on August 16, 2011
Mandarin has four tones: high level, falling, falling rising, and falling. This webpage describes them simply: http://mandarin.about.com/od/pronunciation/a/tones.htm though I have never seen or heard of pinyin using numbers instead of tone marks :S
When Klingon Monopoly was mentioned on the Big Bang theory, it didn’t actually exist. Now it does! http://twitter.com/#!/billprady/status/102028648734920705
The reed on the* 64′ long subcontrabass clarinet vibrates at 4.09Hz, one octave below the lowest organ note, and six octaves below middle C. http://www.contrabass.com/2002/2002-06-08.html and http://www.contrabass.com/pages/frequency.html
*there is only one
The X-rays on the Wikipedia page for Scoliosis under the ‘Surgery’ section belong to one of my violinist friends … that’s probably no use to you, but I thought I’d put it out there anyway. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoliosis#Surgery
Posted by Phill on August 16, 2011
Random fact:
A ‘Nazirite’ (in the Bible) was someone who took a vow to dedicate themselves to God, as a sign this involved not shaving their heads and staying away from alcohol.
Samson (as in, Samson + Delilah) was a Nazirite. That’s probably one of the most useless facts you’ll get, but still!
Posted by Sam on August 16, 2011
The most popular enevelope in Britain in 2006 was the plain brown windowed c6.
The inventor of the electric fence was from New Zealand.
Hitchcock’s Psycho was the first film to have a flushing toilet in it.
Posted by Weaselspoon on August 16, 2011
Mobile homes, the prefabricated type that once placed on a plot never roam again, are named after the oldest city in Alabama, Mobile (pronounced moh-BEEL), where they were first built.
Posted by Cathy on August 16, 2011
The little holes in the front cover of a lever arch file, that slot over the top of the 2 arches inside, are called ‘Rados’ (pronounced Rah-doughs). I think I just bored myself.
Posted by Lydia on August 16, 2011
The thumb thing isn’t true for me. My thumbs don’t match, one is significantly longer and a different shape from the other. I know. Weird.
Dick Turpin was caught and arrested because of a postman. Glad to see I’m not the only one who watches Horrible Histories.
Posted by Steven on August 16, 2011
Pogonophobia is the fear of beards which probably isn’t that surprising if you speak greek.
Posted by Briony on August 16, 2011
There is an islet near the Shetlands called Junk
Posted by Tim Waugh on August 16, 2011
You only need to gather 23 people in a room, and more likely than not, some of them will have the same birthday.
There are mountains in Chile than have not had rainfall in LIVING MEMORY.
Posted by Al Kennedy on August 16, 2011
The Bank of England was founded by a Scotsman.
The Bank of Scotland was founded by an Englishman.
Your nose and ears do stop growing – they can become longer but this is because they are made of cartilage which can droop over time (nice).
Posted by Sarah on August 16, 2011
It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
Posted by Andrew on August 16, 2011
One fact: the only day of the week with an anagram of itself is Monday.
One ‘fact’ from below dispelled: the eye does not stay the same size from birth. A baby’s eye measures about 18mm, an adult’s 24-5mm (http://www.tedmontgomery.com/the_eye/overview.html).
Dynamo. Tricky one, isn’t it?
Posted by amycool on August 16, 2011
I learnt last night that F R Leavis was a right arse if you happened to belong to the working classes or supported their culture. He wrote a book called The Great Tradition, which said that only a handful of authors (including the most boring of all authors – Henry James) were worthy of reading.
Posted by Elise on August 16, 2011
It snowed in Auckland yesterday for the first time since the 1960s.
Posted by Britt on August 16, 2011
Not so much a fact as a shameless piece of self-promotion:
For any Melbournians out there, I’m starting a rock & pop culture pub trivia night at the John Curtin Hotel in Carlton on Monday nights from the 5th September. It’s going to be awesome. At least, I really hope that it will be. You should come. Please.
Posted by Britt on August 16, 2011
In France in the 90s, there was this kids TV show called Soupe Opéra, which used stop-motion animation to create animals out of fruit and vegetables. It’s actually quite clever.
One particular episode, featuring a bat with wings made out of cabbage leaves, caused over 600 children to have epileptic seizures. It has since been removed from syndication [but you can find it on YouTube if you so desire].
Posted by Misha on August 16, 2011
-Busses from the bottom of the Windmill Hill in Allesley leave at 5 and 35 minutes past the hour, apart from after 7 and on sundays, when they leave on the half past. This has been the same for over 8 years.
- It takes longer to say the acronym WWW than it does to say world wide web. (more syllables at least)
- Tonight I was genuinely worried you might get snapped by a wrestler (fact)
- You can only synthesize melatonin in darkness.
Posted by Georgie on August 16, 2011
The youngest mother ever was 5 years old when she gave birth. And the record for the youngest grandmother is 17 years. Freaky.
Posted by Sue (DiB) on August 16, 2011
The Scott Monument in Edinburgh has 287 steps. My hotel room in Edinburgh is up 67 steps. Edinburgh is full of steps, and hills.
Posted by Lauren on August 16, 2011
Butterflies taste with their feet.
Posted by Knox on August 16, 2011
oh my gosh – i’ve just looked up the yoruba thing, and actually it’s wrong – they’re not implosives, they’re labial-velar plosives!
actually, reading more of that wikipedia entry, it doesn’t seem to totally make sense…
anyways, scrap the above.
new fact: yoruba is a tonal language, with three tones – low, mid (default), and high.
Posted by Knox on August 16, 2011
The yoruba alphabet contains voiced and voiceless implosives, sounds which are not found in the English language.
Posted by jen on August 16, 2011
If you could take away the space in an atom, just leaving the particles, the entire human race would be the size of a sugar cube
Posted by Dan on August 16, 2011
The first random fact given to me by this random fact app is that the skateboard was invented in 1963. Hope that helps
Posted by Bansri on August 16, 2011
There is no evidence that vikings wore horns on their helmets
The British consume twice as many baked beans as Americans
Posted by Lukey on August 16, 2011
Fact: Mark Watson is brilliant
Posted by Jen on August 15, 2011
I got told today the oldest cat ever lived to be 39 years old….I googled this…. and apparently she was called Lucy and her age would work out to be 172 years old in human terms!!!Jx
Posted by lora on August 15, 2011
The fact that the internet decided to tell me was Gnomes originated in 19th century Germany.
Not the most interesting of facts I shall try and come up with a better one when I’m more awake.
Posted by Megan on August 15, 2011
The source of the Nile is in Rwanda.
The first two Canadian Prime Ministers were born in Scotland.
The most northerly permanently inhabited settlement in the world is in Alert, Nunavut.
Gene Kelly became a vocal atheist after a trip to Mexico because he believed the Roman Catholic Church (in which he was raised) hadn’t done enough to help the poor.
Caffeine does *not* stunt your growth.
There was no armed civilian resistance to the Allied ‘invasion’ of Iceland in 1940. Taxi and truck drivers actually helped move the invaders and their equipment.
Nudibranchs (which are sea slugs) are cannibalistic, poisonous, and reproduce hermaphroditically. They also look really cool: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/06/nudibranchs/doubilet-photography
Posted by lisan66 on August 15, 2011
This August has been the coldest one so far in twenty years. That means that I’ve never seen an August this cold in my entire life (From the radio).
Your thumb is the same length as your nose. I just checked this, and it’s true in my case, BUT, your nose and ears are the only parts of your body that never stop growing, so what happens in thirty years when my nose has grown but my thumb hasn’t?
Your eyes stay the same size from birth on, which is why a baby’s eyes always look huge.
The smallest measurable amount of time is a yoctosecond (one septillionth of a second)….I don’t know how many zeroes are in one septillion
People share their birthday with about nine million other people
I’m going to stop now….I googled the last two.
Posted by Emily on August 15, 2011
You only need to know pi to 39 decimal places to calculate the circumference of the universe to within less than the diameter of a hydrogen atom. It is still useful to know pi to billions of decimals, however, as it can be used to test computer accuracy.
The first point at which the digits “999999″ occur is known as the Feynman point and starts at the 762nd decimal. Feynman “once stated during a lecture he would like to memorize the digits of π until that point, so he could recite them and quip ‘nine nine nine nine nine nine and so on’, suggesting, in a tongue-in-cheek manner, that π is rational.” (quoted from Wikipedia)
Posted by hornseygirl on August 15, 2011
The largest spider (by leg-span) in the world, the giant huntsman spider, was only discovered in Laos in 2001. It’s a big f**ker.
Posted by alot of rachels on August 15, 2011
the Internet has just told me that in china, they eat fish and chips with sugar.
Posted by Kathryn on August 15, 2011
Trains from Cambridge to Sheringham leave once an hour at twelve minutes past.
I really don’t know anything; I’ve just been researching this.
Posted by Hannah Q on August 15, 2011
Alfred Nobel’s death was mistakenly reported in a newspaper before he’d died. If I remember that episode of Horrible Histories correctly.
Argh I wish I could be in Edinburgh