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Friday, January 20, 2023

The "You Read Or Heard It Here First! Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking out some facts that I never knew in the past.  Facts like frogs don't drink and each insect in the universe is a host to ten bacterial species.  Well, I actually found quite a few facts that were both interesting and helpful to know.  I though I would share a few with you that you may not know and which at some time may be helpful to know.  So....follow along as I take up some of your valuable time for some items that just might be useless to you in the future.

Did you know that instrument strings were made from animals?  Strings were originally made from the guts of animals like sheep or lambs, but are now made of metal wiring.

Did you know that at one time there were male engagement rings just as there are female engagement rings.  In 1926 jewelers paired with advertisers to sell the concept of the man-engagement ring.  It at one time had names like the Pilot, the Stag, and the Master.  

Did you know that Disneyland has an underground tunnel system?  The tunnels were built in response to characters having to run through other lands to get to their posts, which spoiled the magic.  Thanks to the tunnels, you won't see a Tommorowland spaceman in the Old West-inspired Frontierland. 

Did you know that water is our body's mechanical oil?  Without it, it can't function.  You lose about 8% of your body water while on an airplane flight.  This is due to the humidity in the climate-controlled environment of the plane which can be as low as 10 to 15 percent.  

Did you know that skin sheds?  The current skin you're in will be gone in a month since our skin sheds 30,000 to 40,000 skin cells each day.  In fact, over 100 of those cells probably flaked off while you were reading this sentence.  However, it rejuvenates just as quickly as it deteriorates.  Regular exfoliation twice a week helps get rid of lingering skin cells to make room for a fresh layer.  

Did you know that trees can talk?  Their roots are connected through an underground network of fungi, nicknamed the "Wood Wide Web," that allows them to share resources with each other.  They "talk" by transmitting nutrients to one another through the fungi.  

Did you know you can use willow bark for pain relief instead of aspirin?  Willow bark has been used as an alternative to aspirin.  The active ingredient in the bark, salicylic, turns to salicylic acid and is more gentle on the stomach than over-the-counter aspirin.  

Did you know that tuna fish can sail through the sea at lightening speed?  The fastest speed a tuna can swim has been recorded at 28 mph.

Did you know that the first documentary was staged?  Nanook of the North was not true!  Most of the film was staged including its cast and surroundings.  Most of the film is full of "faking and fudging in one form or another.

Did you know the longest breath held underwater is 24:03 minutes!  That's about the time it takes to watch one episode of The Office.  In 2016 professional free diver Aleix Sergura set this world record in a breathtaking attempt.  

Did you know there is a 50,000-word novel without the letter "E"?  "Gadsby" is a lipogram, or a novel written without using a specific letter or letters.  In this case it was the letter "E".

Did you know that you can tell if an egg is old or new?  If it sinks it is a fresh egg while if it floats it is old and maybe you may want to get rid of it.

Did you know that before 1920 people used to send children in the mail?  Postage was cheaper than a train ticket so parents would send their kids in the mail.

Did you know that blinking could serve as mental rest as well as eye lubrication?  Humans blink 15 to 20 times a minute for lubrication.  But it could also help your brain recharge by blinking.

Did you know there's a secret vault that holds nearly every type of crop seed.  It's the Svalbard Global Seek Vault on the island of Svalbard between Norway and the North Pole.  This remote location allows the natural permafrost cooling necessary for proper storage of the world's largest collection of crop diversity.  

Did you know why we yawn?  Yawning cools the brain down.  A study conducted on mice found that as mice sucked in air, their jaws stretched which increases blood flow to the brain.  Same for humans. 

Did you know that viruses are not living things.  They are inanimate and do not have cells.  They cannot turn food into energy and without a host are just inert packets of chemicals.

Did you know that "C" is the most common key used in pop songs?  A man analyzed 1,300 songs from the Top 100 charts and discovered that the most common key in music is "C" at 26%.

Did you know "love" is the most common word used in most music genres.

Did you know goats have emotional intelligence?  Research shows that goats are socially aware of the environment and can "differentiate between other goats happiness or displeasure by listening to their voices.

Did you know that turtles snack on jellyfish tentacles?

Did you know that the fastest reptile is the sea turtle which can swim as fast as 35 mph.

Did you know why your skin gets wrinkly in the water?  After about 5 minutes you begin to notice that time wrinkles are forming on your hands and feet.  Researchers speculate that it's the body's biological way of getting a grip when in a slippery position.  It is also similar to river drainage systems. 

Did you know that your finger length can predict attractiveness?  Your palm reader might be right when he tells you your finger length and ratios suggest facial attractiveness in men.  If a man's ring finger is longer than his index finger, he's more likely to have a more attractive face according to The Atlantic Magazine.

Did you know that Stonehenge used to be in a circular formation?  In 2014 a drought exposed an apparent circular outline of Stonehenge

Did you know that mountain goats are not in the goat family?  They are actually goat-antelopes who can jump 12 feet in one jump.

Did you know that nearly 70% of Earth's freshwater is stored in the coldest spots on the globe: glaciers and icecaps.

Did you know that the game of "Go" is the oldest strategy game which originated in China anywhere from 2,500 to 4,000 years ago.  

Did you know the world's longest pizza ia a mile long?  Actually, it is 1.15 miles in length and is in Italy.  Took 250 chefs and about 4,409 pounds of flour.

Did you know the word "Brownie" was first used in print in 1500.  It could have meant: the sweet treat, a good-natured elf or a Girl Scout.  No one from the 1500s is around to let us know.

Did you know that the residents of Barrow, Alaska must be the most avid consumers of vitamin D supplements since their town sees darkness, known as polar night, for about 65 days of the year due to their geographical location above the Arctic Circle.  

Did you know that matcha contains eight times more caffeine than green tea.  One cup of matcha packs in 280 mg of caffeine, while traditional green tea contains a meek 35 mg.

Did you know that 1 in 4 Americans believes that the sun revolves around the Earth.  

Well, there you have it.  A whole bunch of knowledge that you might not have known in the past.  How you might use it in the future is unknown also.  Just don't say that you never heard that before when talking with friends, since by now you have probably heard just about everything you can imagine!  You can thank me the next time you see me!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.     

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