[47] Curiosities

The topic of my article is different than I planned, but it's not the first time... Maybe it will be better, if I don't write topics in the schedule. Usually I change them really quickly. Anyway, I prepared a list of some curiosities for today. I hope you'll find them interesting. Enjoy!

Glossary 

(english - polish)

wicker - wiklinowy

ostrich - struś

fertility - płodność

beaver - bóbr

hummingbird - koliber

lower jaw - żuchwa

mollusk - mięczak

genus - rodzaj

spoil - zepsuć się

edible - jadalny

to take sth with a pinch of salt - traktować coś z przymrużeniem oka

1.  People don't like having too many options to choose. Scientists from Statford checked that only 3% of customers bought jam, when they had to 40 kinds of it in the shop. But when they had to choose between only 4 types, sales increased to 30%.

Wan Hu on his incredible chair

2. Wan Hu, who lived in XVI century, wanted to fly into universe on wicker chair with 47 rockets attached to it. Unfortunately he didn't survive. Strange...

3. 75 % of people believe in (even imaginary) statistics.

4. Ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

5. Blond hair is a sign of high estrogen level, which provides fertility and probably that's why blondes are more attractive for many men.

6. Beavers' teeth grow during their all life.

7. There are three times more cars than people in Los Angeles.

8. Name of hamburger comes from the name of Hamburg.

9. Formerly, in China, punishment for serious crime was tieing to young shoot of bamboo (bambo grows 2-3 cm per day).

hummingbird

10. In France, you can't name pig Napoleon.

11. Mohammed is the most popular name in the world.

12. Hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backwards.

13. According to the British Medical Association, women have four times more problems with lower jaw. Maybe they talk too much?

14. Tennis player Andy Roddick in 2004 set a record for the fastest service in the world - 249.5 km/h.

Deb and her collection

15. Deb Hoffman from USA, has a collection of 4405 memorabilias of Winnie the Pooh and friends.

16. People who sleep more than 8 hours are twice more prone to Alzheimer's disease.

  

17. During the whole life our feet cover the distance, which is equal three to four circut of Earth. 

18. Noodles are the oldest food discovered by archaeologists.

19.  If a man looks at a woman for longer than 8 seconds it means that he likes her appearance. 

20. World of Warcraft is a highly addictive game. There are support groups for wives whose husbands have fallen into the habit.

21. Month which starts on Sunday always have Friday the Thirteenth. 

Mercenaria mercenaria

22. About 23% of people over 15 years old can’t read or write. (And here is a question whether they don’t want to or they are not able to, because of conditions in which they live?)

23. The longest living animal in the world, more than 400 years old, is a mollusk of the genus Venus (Mercenaria mercenaria).

24.  Elephants are the only mammals that cannot jump.

25. Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting during his life. People appreciated his art unfortunately after his death.
 

    26.  First name of ‘Google’ was ‘BackRub’.

    27. Honey does not spoil. Egyptian archaeologists, who found jars of honey in the tombs of the pharaohs said that it is still edible.

28. Charlie Chaplin won 3rd place in the competition for his own double.  

I used information from sources 1, 2, 3. I'm not sure if they are true in 100%, so take them with a pinch of salt. Was that article interesting? Please let me know in comment if you liked it.

Tommorow I'm going on a trip to the Baltic Sea and I will be back in August. See you soon!