Did You Know ?

[shyvas]

There are many interesting facts that increase your knowledge and are also great conversation starters.
Fun or more serious facts are often a trigger to get the brain started.

How many times do you hear ''I never knew that'' or '' that's unbelievable'' '' I wonder why'' '' That's not possible!"etc.


Did you know that some Nile alligators can live up to a century ?

There are more births during the month of August.

Raisins ignite if you put them into a microwave oven.

Britain's favourite fruit is the banana.

Coffee grains help to eliminate bad breath.

 

[shyvas]

What city has the highest crime rate in the UK ? Surprisingly it's not London !

Birmingham was followed by Leicester, Manchester, London and Sheffield as the most dangerous cities, according to the research. Bristol came second as the safest UK city, followed by Brighton and Hove, Southampton and Cambridge as the top five.

I must say that Brighton really does seem like a very safe city. I've never felt neither under threat or frightened even at night.

Metro.co. UK August 2018

 

[shyvas]

Many foods that originated in Mexico are popular worldwide, including avocadoes, chocolate and pumpkins.

Livescience. com Mexican culture and tradition.

 

[Brian W]

I'm wary of "do you knows" as they often turn out to be urban myths. I was thinking of posting about tikka masala being invented in Scotland and spaghetti in China but I researched it first and found out that the jury is out on both subjects. It's good that you have named your sources in the last two examples.

 

[shyvas]

I'm wary of "do you knows" as they often turn out to be urban myths. I was thinking of posting about tikka masala being invented in Scotland and spaghetti in China but I researched it first and found out that the jury is out on both subjects. It's good that you have named your sources in the last two examples.

But there's no Do You Know police ! Off course, some are scientifically or facts that are based on statistics but myths can also
trigger lively banter.
I often hear heated arguments about who invented this or that and who's going to prove the contrary ?

 

[shyvas]

I'm wary of "do you knows" as they often turn out to be urban myths. I was thinking of posting about tikka masala being invented in Scotland and spaghetti in China but I researched it first and found out that the jury is out on both subjects. It's good that you have named your sources in the last two examples.

That just leads to interesting discussion. After all back in those ages of no internet, computers,TV and postal service who is to know which version is the real one ? Moreover culinary language is also different in each country and region. Perhaps they were invented at the same time and pasta may be just a generic term for ground cereal and water. It must have been very difficult to document facts, discoveries and theories back in those days.

I have read an article about pasta and some historians claim that it may have been invented in Greece and imported to Naples.

''Many are the theories that have been presented concerning the origin of the pasta product. Some researchers place its discovery in the XIII Century by Marco Polo, who introduced the pasta in Italy upon returning from one of his trips to China in 1271. On chapter CLXXI from the “Books of the World’s Wonders”, Marco Polo makes a reference to the pasta in China. In our opinion, the pasta dates much further back, back to ancient Etruscan civilizations, which made pasta by grinding several cereals and grains and then mixed them with water, a blend that was later on cooked producing tasty and nutritious food product.''


''On the other hand, it very likely that pasta reached Naples from Greece; Naples was once a colony of the Greek empire. In modern history pasta was already widely accepted in Spain, most of all starting from the XVI century, the era of the Spanish viceroyalty in Naples.
Hence, fresh pasta was used and appreciated in Italy since the time of the Etruscan and the Romans. As the centuries went by, pasta continued to appear in the tables of Italy with different names. For example, in the 1400 pasta was called "lasagna" and pasta manufacturers were referred to as "lasagnare". In the 1800 the name was changed and they were referred to as "vermicellai". But between the 1400 and the 1800 between the "lasagne" and the "vermicelli" the "fidelli" were born; these were pasta thread with a cylindrical shape. In this way, the pasta manufacturers also became the "fidellai".


Internationlpasta.org

 

[shyvas]

Did you know that the safest place to sit on an aircraft is in Economy (cattle) class ?

''Flying is one of the safest forms of transportation. But in the unlikely event of a crash, where exactly is the best place to sit?
Of course it depends on the type of crash, but studies show that passengers in the seats at the rear of an aircraft have a better chance of survival. More specifically, some experts believe the middle seat in the back of the plane is the safest, because it is likely to be farthest from the point of impact. (Finally a positive to getting stuck in the middle seat in economy!)

Sitting near to — and being aware of — emergency exits also helps your chances of survival, so put your magazine away and listen to the emergency briefings by flight attendants. Count the rows of seats to your nearest exit in case you have to crawl in the dark. And keep your seatbelt buckled. The most common cause of injury in flight is when there’s turbulence, and passengers are moving around the cabin or not wearing a seatbelt.''

farandwide.com

 

[shyvas]

What are the chances of dying on a plane?

According to The Economist, the probability of your plane going down is around one in 5.4 million. Other reports place the odds closer to one in 11 million.
To put this into perspective, you are far more likely to be struck by lightning or attacked by a shark than you are to die in a plane crash.Mar 25, 2015

Elitedaily.com

 

[shyvas]

What is the most popular name in the UK 2018?

Oliver and Olivia remained the most popular baby names in 2018. Oliver and Olivia remained the most popular baby names
in 2018. Oliver has been the most popular name for boys for the past six years and it is the third year running that Olivia has been the most
popular name for girls.Aug 29, 2019

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopula...irths/bulletins/babynamesenglandandwales/2018

 

[shyvas]

I'm wary of "do you knows" as they often turn out to be urban myths. I was thinking of posting about tikka masala being invented in Scotland and spaghetti in China but I researched it first and found out that the jury is out on both subjects. It's good that you have named your sources in the last two examples.

There are many versions of who invented tikka masala. Here is one of them told by the son of an owner of a restaurant in Glasgow :

''On a typical dark, wet Glasgow night in 1971, a bus driver coming off shift came in and ordered a chicken curry. He sent it back to the waiter saying it's dry. At the time, Dad had an ulcer and was enjoying a plate of tomato soup. So he said why not put some tomato soup into the curry with some spices. They sent it back to the table and the bus driver absolutely loved it. He and his friends came back again and again and we put it on the menu.[10]''

Wikipedia.

 

[KLS52]

This thread is fun. I have to see if I know anything worth contributing, lol.

 

[KLS52]

Did you know that chewing gum is banned in Singapore?

Along with having laws against spitting and urinating anywhere but in a toilet (which you're then legally obligated to flush if it's a public washroom), Singapore has also banned chewing gum in an effort to keep the city clean and orderly. The ban was established in 1992. In 2004, exceptions were made for therapeutic, dental, or nicotine gums.

Thanks Google.

 

[shyvas]

Did you know that chewing gum is banned in Singapore?

Along with having laws against spitting and urinating anywhere but in a toilet (which you're then legally obligated to flush if it's a public washroom), Singapore has also banned chewing gum in an effort to keep the city clean and orderly. The ban was established in 1992. In 2004, exceptions were made for therapeutic, dental, or nicotine gums.

Thanks Google.

It should be banned worldwide.

 

[shyvas]

This thread is fun. I have to see if I know anything worth contributing, lol.

Pleased that you joined in.

 

[silva]

It should be banned worldwide.

Stop it! They banned it from my workplace! (stupid reasons too). It was the only place I liked to chew it, after break, and after lunch.
Well well, I still do (stick of spearmint gum)

 

[shyvas]

Did you know that the Mayfly (insect) lives for one day.. Some only mange to live between 8 - 10 hours !

https://earthnworld.com/top-10-shortest-living-animals-in-the-world/

 

[KLS52]

Did you know Einstein's brain was stolen when he died?

When Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein passed away on April 18, 1955, he left behind specific instructions when it came to the disposal of his body, according to one National Geographic investigation. Einstein didn't want his corpse to be worshiped or his brain to be studied, so he instructed those who were responsible for his remains to "cremate them, and scatter the ashes secretly in order to discourage idolaters."

However, Thomas Harvey, the pathologist on call when Einstein died at New Jersey's Princeton Hospital, didn't quite follow those instructions. Instead, he stole Einstein's brain. From there, things got even weirder. When Einstein's family found out, his son apparently didn't object to the theft and Harvey was able to keep the brain in two jars in his basement before moving it to "a cider box stashed under a beer cooler."

 

[KLS52]

Did you know "arachibutyrophobia" is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth?

It's pretty common to be afraid of heights and scared of spiders, but if you have arachibutyrophobia, you're among the smaller group of people that suffer from a fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouths. This phobia is often connected to a fear of choking or a fear of sticky textures, but it can also be its own isolated fear.

 

[silva]

Did you know "arachibutyrophobia" is the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth?

It's pretty common to be afraid of heights and scared of spiders, but if you have arachibutyrophobia, you're among the smaller group of people that suffer from a fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of their mouths. This phobia is often connected to a fear of choking or a fear of sticky textures, but it can also be its own isolated fear.

I often have apple and peanut butter for break at work and more than once, a particularly crisp apple would break off in my mount and I panicked as it filled my whole open mouth and very hard to remove! I've become more afraid of crisp apples!

 

[shyvas]

Did you know Einstein's brain was stolen when he died?

When Nobel Prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein passed away on April 18, 1955, he left behind specific instructions when it came to the disposal of his body, according to one National Geographic investigation. Einstein didn't want his corpse to be worshiped or his brain to be studied, so he instructed those who were responsible for his remains to "cremate them, and scatter the ashes secretly in order to discourage idolaters."

However, Thomas Harvey, the pathologist on call when Einstein died at New Jersey's Princeton Hospital, didn't quite follow those instructions. Instead, he stole Einstein's brain. From there, things got even weirder. When Einstein's family found out, his son apparently didn't object to the theft and Harvey was able to keep the brain in two jars in his basement before moving it to "a cider box stashed under a beer cooler."

This definitely does ring a bell. It's a shame that he gave out specific instructions concerning his brain after his death, and that they were not honoured. This also reminds me of a true story where a man left his body to medical research after his death and the family couldn't allocate the body for burial.
I wonder what they discovered further to the research of his brain ?