topic Re: Did you know? in Our Front Porch

Did you know?

DaveMcK — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 18:57:33 GMT

Not sure where this fits so I'm starting a new topic! So let's see if it takes off!

Do you have any fun facts to add to this?

Re: Did you know?

DaveMcK — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 18:51:37 GMT

Did you know?

It also makes great wine! When we get dandelions, we get LOTS OF DANDELIONS! They are everywhere! Along the driveway, in the garden, in the yard – hundreds (maybe thousands?) of dandelions. What do you do when you're overrun with dandelions? Eat them – and make some wine! The boys and I got picking and we gathered a large bowl full of dandelion flowers for wine and cookies, plus some greens for a decoration. (Boy photos are from 2010. They have grown quite a bit since then, but I kept these photos here for the happy memories.)

Link: https://commonsensehome.com/dandelion-wine-recipe/

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Sun, 21 Apr 2019 21:12:15 GMT

Thanks Dave!

I grew up being told about the benefits of dandelions, but I always saw them as nothing more than an annual yard invader to be gotten rid of at all costs.

Re: Did you know?

DaveMcK — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 19:44:40 GMT

History did you know?

Did you knowCoca-Cola originally contained cocaine
Did you knowthe Internet was originally called ARPANet (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) designed by the US department of defense
Did you knowthe first Burger King was opened in Florida Miami in 1954
Did you knowAustralia was originally called New Holland
Did you knowin 1878 the first telephone book made contained only 50 names
Did you knowCoca Cola launched its 3rd product Sprite in 1961
Did you knowpaper originated from China
Did you knowinstant coffee was invented in 1901
Did you knowthe word 'testify' derived from a time when men were required to swear on their testicles
Did you knowtennis was originally played with bare hands
Did you knowthe Olympic flag was designed in 1913
Did you knowthe electric toothbrush was invented in 1939
Did you knowIsaac Newton invented the cat door
Did you knowthe Titanic was built in Belfast
Did you knowHawaii was originally called the Sandwich Islands
Did you knowthe doorbell was invented in 1831
Did you knowThe first English dictionary was written in 1755
Did you knowTokyo was once known as Edo
Did you knowthe tea bag was invented in 1908
Did you knowplastic bottles were first used for soft drinks in 1970

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 21:34:05 GMT

Of all the people in history that have reached 65 years of age, half of them are living right now.

wisegeek.com

Goats have rectangular pupils.

listverse.oc

You are more likely to be killed by an asteroid than to win the lottery. But I'm more than willing to take my chances.

Buena Vista Pictures / Via telegraph.co.uk

Re: Did you know?

DaveMcK — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 13:44:25 GMT

History did you knows

Did you knowthe $ sign was introduced in 1788
Did you knowthe term 'disc jockey' was first used in 1937
Did you knowthe first train reached a top speed of only 8 kmh (5 mph)
Did you knowNew York was once called New Amsterdam
Did you knowHawaii officially became apart of the US in 1900
Did you knowNew York's Central Park was opened in 1876
Did you knowthe word old English word 'juke' meaning dancing lends its name to the juke box
Did you knowthe first rugby club was formed in 1843
Did you knowthe yo-yo was originally used as a weapon for hunting the in the Philippines
Did you knowdraughts (checkers) is older than chess
Did you knowthe first metered taxi was introduced in 1907
Did you knowthe Chinese used fingerprints as a method of identification as far back as AD 700
Did you knowthe revolving door was invented in 1888
Did you knowSir Isaac Newton was 23 when he discovered the law of gravity
Did you knowthe drinking straw was invented in 1886
Did you knowpaper money was first used in China
Did you knowScissors were most likely invented ancient Egypt
Did you knowall of the cobble stones used to line the streets in New York were originally stones found in the hulls of Belgian ships ballast
Did you knowDiet Coke was introduced in 1982
Did you knowShakespeare invented the words 'assassination' and 'bump'

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Wed, 01 May 2019 00:21:34 GMT

Re: Did you know?

DaveMcK — Wed, 01 May 2019 14:31:02 GMT

Did you know the average U.S. household has 300,000 things in it?

Whether you’ve been inspired by Marie Kondo or not, you probably still have close to a third of a million items in your home. One report found that the average U.S. house has around 300,000 things in it. Yeah, we like stuff. Lots of stuff.

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Thu, 02 May 2019 22:05:11 GMT

Did you know lemons contain more sugar than strawberries?

And together they make one great drink!

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Thu, 02 May 2019 22:10:53 GMT

Did you know the smallest bones in the human body are found in your ear?

This illustrates the bones in the inner ear:

And this is how small those bones are:

Re: Did you know?

DaveMcK — Sun, 12 May 2019 22:25:50 GMT

31 Weird Science Facts

The moon is moving away from the Earth at a tiny, although measurable, rate every year. 85 million years ago it was orbiting the Earth about 35 feet from the planet's surface.
The star Antares is 60,000 times larger than our sun. If our sun were the size of a softball, the star Antares would be as large as a house.
In Calama, a town in the Atacama Desert of Chile, it has never rained.
At any given time, there are 1,800 thunderstorms in progress over the earth's atmosphere.
Erosion at the base of Niagara Falls has caused the falls to recede approximately seven miles over the past 10,000 years.
A ten-year-old mattress weighs double what it did when it was new due to debris that it absorbs over time. That debris includes dust mites (their droppings and decaying bodies), mold, millions of dead skin cells, dandruff, animal and human hair, secretions, excretions, lint, pollen, dust, soil, sand, and a lot of perspiration, which the average person loses at a rate of a quart a day. Good night!
Every year 16 million gallons of oil runs off pavement into streams, rivers, and eventually, oceans in the United States. This is more oil than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez.
In space, astronauts cannot cry because there is no gravity and tears can't flow.
Most lipstick contains fish scales.
A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time: 1/100th of a second.
If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies you have $1.19. you also have the largest possible amount of money in coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors.
Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to operate a television for three hours.
The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
The main library at Indiana University sinks over an inch a year. When it was designed engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
A category three hurricane releases more energy in ten minutes that all the world's nuclear weapons combined.
There is enough fuel in full jumbo jet tank to drive an average car four times around the world.
An average of 100 people choke to death on ballpoint pens every year.
Antarctica is the only continent without reptiles or snakes.
The cruise liner Queen Elizabeth 2 moves only six inches for each gallon of fuel it burns.
San Francisco cable cars are the only National Monuments that can move.
February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.
Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously.
A rainbow can be seen only in the morning or late afternoon. It can occur only when the sun is 40 degrees or less above the horizon.
Lightning strikes the Earth 100 times every second.
La Paz, Bolivia has an average annual temperature below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it has never recorded a zero-degree temperature. Same for Stanley, the Falkland Islands, and Punta Arenas, Chile.
There are over 87,000 Americans on waiting lists for organ transplants.
Catsup leaves the bottle at a rate of 25 miles per year.
Toxic house plants poison more children than household chemicals do.
You are more likely to be infected by flesh-eating bacteria than you are to be struck by lightning.
According to Genesis 1:20-22, the chicken came before the egg.

Did you know?

DaveMcK — Sat, 18 May 2019 17:50:39 GMT

Did you know the 1939 novel Gadsby is the longest book ever published that doesn’t contain the letter ‘e’?

Wikimedia Commons/Wetzel Publishing

Back in 1939, American author Ernest Vincent Wright published Gadsby, a 50,000-word novel that doesn’t use the letter ‘e’ once. What’s more, it’s not the only novel that ditched the letter. Author Georges Perec also wrote the French-language book La Disparition without the letter ‘e’ in 1969. That’s even more astounding when you consider that the letter ‘e’ is the most commonly used letter in the English (and French!) language.

Re: Did you know?

gm5271 — Sat, 18 May 2019 18:21:20 GMT

@DaveMcK @LydiaN586309

Thanks for sharing.....very interesting

Really wild about dandelions if ever lost in woods hopefully could find some to eat Like Lydia I just thought were weeds

Ginger : )

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Sun, 19 May 2019 14:49:05 GMT

Did you know the life span of a house fly is generally less than 30 days?

10 interesting facts about flies you never knew

Flies can be a big nuisance to anyone and their constant buzzing around can really get on your nerves. However, flies can be quite fascinating creatures. Their breeding, feeding, and even moving habits are quite different from ours and can actually be quite interesting.

Facts About Flies:

Below is a list of facts about flies you need to know.

1. House flies live on a liquid diet

Yes, that’s correct. Flies tend to live off a diet based on liquids. Why? Well, that’s just how they are built. See, they lack the mouthparts needed to chew food, so instead, they have to drink it.

How do house flies eat?

A house fly will regurgitate digestive juices onto solid foods and these juices break down the food into small pieces, allowing them to use their mouthparts, called proboscis, to drink the meal.

2. They can taste with their feet

Like butterflies, flies can taste food using their feet!

This is all down to taste receptors (chemonsensilla) being located on their lower legs and feet. When a fly lands on a tasty meal, which can be anything from animal feces to your lunch, they will often wander around to give their next meal a good taste before consuming it.

3. House flies defecate… a lot

And they aren’t too worried about where they do it either!

As you know, house flies like to live off a liquid diet. Because of this, their digestive system can move quite quickly, which means they defecate often. It is speculated that house flies defecate every time they land, even if it’s on their next meal!

4. They can spread a range of diseases

Due to their feeding and breeding habits (more on that later) house flies come into contact with a range of harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E.coli. Because of this, house flies will often aid the spread of these bacteria passing them onto us by contaminating things, such as food and cooking utensils.

5. House flies can walk upside down

Let’s face it, you probably already knew this one.

The anatomy of a house fly enables it to walk and climb on most surfaces no matter if it’s horizontal, vertical, or even upside down.

This is due to each foot containing two fat foot pads (called pulvilli) which contain tiny hairs that produce a glue-like substance made of sugars and oils which provides them with excellent grip, perfect for scaling any surface.

6. Flies are able to see behind them

That’s right, house flies can see behind them and it’s all to do with their amazing eyes.

Unlike human beings, house flies have compound eyes. These intricate eyes provided them with nearly a 360-degree field of view, which allows them to see behind themselves. Unlike ours, the eyes of a house fly don’t move. Being able to see in all directions allows them to navigate while also being on the lookout for danger.

7. The lifespan of a house fly isn’t that long

On average, the life cycle of a house fly only lasts for around 30 days, which means they don’t live for long at all.

However, in their short lifetime, they manage to accomplish quite a lot. House flies can lay up to 500 eggs in their lifetime which are usually in batches of around 75 to 150. So, although they don’t live long, an infestation can quickly arise through new generations.

8. House flies have amazing reaction times

Ever wondered why it’s so difficult to swat a fly? Well, it’s pretty much down to their quick reaction times and their agility.

House flies are able to process what they see and react accordingly at amazing speeds. To put things into perspective, our brains process around 60 images a second, whereas a fly can process around 250 in a single second.

9. They have unhygienic breeding habits

House flies aren’t really fans of rushing to the hospital to give birth. Their chosen method is rather disgusting as well.

House flies will lay their eggs on items such as feces, rotting carcasses, and decaying fruit. Why is this? Well, it’s mainly to provide the larvae (maggots) with something to eat when they hatch.

10. Male house flies are constantly looking for a date

Remember, in Fact 6, when we discussed the compound eyes of a fly? Well, they also play a role in how houseflies find a partner.

Studies show that there’s a specific region within the eyes of a male fly called the "love spot." It is pretty much used for detecting and chasing female flies. This "spot" is located within the dorsofrontal region of their eyes. This is typically used to detect small target motion, however, males also use it to stay “locked onto potential mates during aerial pursuit.”

Re: Did you know?

DaveMcK — Mon, 20 May 2019 00:38:12 GMT

12 Weird and Fun Facts About Sports

In 1963, major league baseball pitcher Gaylord Perry remarked, "They'll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run." On July 20, 1969, an hour after Neil Armstrong set foot on the surface of the moon, Perry hit is first, and only, home run while playing for the San Francisco Giants.
Retired basketball sensation Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike each year than all the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.
The Olympic flag's colors are always red, black, blue, green, and yellow rings on a field of white. This is because at least one of those colors appears on the flag of every nation on the planet.
The average lifespan of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.
Dueling is legal is Paraguay as long as both parties are registered blood donors.
All major league baseball umpires must wear black underwear while on the job in case their pants split.
In 1920, Babe Ruth out-homered very American League team.
Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep his head cool. He changed it every two innings.
Every year 56,000,000 people attend major league baseball games.
In 18th century England, gambling dens employed someone whose job was to swallow the dice if there was a police raid.
A Costa Rican worker who makes baseballs earns about $2,750 annually. The average American pro baseball player earns $2,377,000 per year.
There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Fri, 31 May 2019 03:47:49 GMT

Very interesting list of "weird" facts indeed, Dave. But two facts in particular have me respectively scratching my head and thinking "icky poo" all at the same time. First, #18: How is it that 100 people end up choking to death on ballpoint pens EVERY YEAR? Is this a "thing?" And then second, #6: If all of that yukky stuff is embedded in my mattress (it's well over ten years old right now), then I think I might hafta sleep on the couch tonight!

Re: Did you know?

DaveMcK — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 12:53:55 GMT

Did you know lobsters have clear blood?

Most of us are well aware that lobster shells change color when exposed to heat (like in a pot of boiling water, for example). But the sea creatures’ blood is also intriguing. Lobster blood is initially clear and turns blue when it hits oxygen.

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 21:59:02 GMT

Did you know that........?

Most lipstick contains fish scales.

That "jiffy" is an actual unit of time: 1/100th of a second.

Leonardo Da Vinci invented scissors.

Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to operate a television for three hours.

The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

There is enough fuel in full jumbo jet tank to drive an average car four times around the world.

Re: Did you know?

DaveMcK — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 20:00:24 GMT

12 Weird and Fun Facts About Sports

In 1963, major league baseball pitcher Gaylord Perry remarked, "They'll put a man on the moon before I hit a home run." On July 20, 1969, an hour after Neil Armstrong set foot on the surface of the moon, Perry hit is first, and only, home run while playing for the San Francisco Giants.
Retired basketball sensation Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike each year than all the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.
The Olympic flag's colors are always red, black, blue, green, and yellow rings on a field of white. This is because at least one of those colors appears on the flag of every nation on the planet.
The average lifespan of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.
Dueling is legal is Paraguay as long as both parties are registered blood donors.
All major league baseball umpires must wear black underwear while on the job in case their pants split.
In 1920, Babe Ruth out-homered very American League team.
Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep his head cool. He changed it every two innings.
Every year 56,000,000 people attend major league baseball games.
In 18th century England, gambling dens employed someone whose job was to swallow the dice if there was a police raid.
A Costa Rican worker who makes baseballs earns about $2,750 annually. The average American pro baseball player earns $2,377,000 per year.
There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.

Re: Did you know?

LydiaN586309 — Wed, 07 Aug 2019 21:33:32 GMT

Did you know grapes light on fire in the microwave?

Back in 2011, a physicist at the University of Sydney went viral after he placed a grape in the microwave and filmed the fiery aftermath. And oddly enough, scientists couldn’t explain the phenomenon until quite recently. A March 2019 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported that the fruity fireball occurs as a result of the loose electrons and ions that cluster to form plasma when grapes get hot.

Did you know spaghetto, confetto, and graffito are the singular forms of spaghetti, confetti, and graffiti?

Although it might sound a little strange, the word for an individual piece of spaghetti is spaghetto. The same goes for a single piece of confetti, which is confetto, as well as a single piece of graffiti, which is graffito, according to Merriam-Webster.

Did you know McDonald’s once created bubblegum-flavored broccoli?

McDonald’s is always introducing new items for their loyal customers. And obviously, some are more successful than others. But their bubblegum-flavored broccoli, which the fast-food chain developed in 2014 as a tastier version of the leafy green for children, was a complete failure. McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson admitted that kids were confused by the taste.

Did you know the longest place name in the world is 85 letters long?

Wikimedia Commons/Eyreland

Unfortunately, this is one of the did you know facts you probably can’t repeat to your friends—and that’s because it’s nearly impossible to pronounce. Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is in New Zealand and is 85 letters long. And when it comes to other super long place names, it’s followed by Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch in Wales, Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg in the U.S., Tweebuffelsmeteenskootmorsdoodgeskietfontein in South Africa, and Azpilicuetagaraycosaroyarenberecolarre in Spain.