Fun facts thread

Tori_Scope

Time to book some annual leave @Ross_Scope

leeCal

@Tori_Scope we need far far more trees regardless.

[Deleted User]

Apparently people from Barnsley are known as "Dingles", eh?

Ross_Alumni

Humans have more than 5 senses. Scientists believe there could be up to 23

Sandy_123

How coffee was discovered 
There, legend says the goat herder Kaldi first discovered the potential of these beloved beans. The story goes that that Kaldi discovered coffee after he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night.

Skye314

This thread is amazing! So many great facts, my minds gone into overdrive with facts now. I wish I could reply to them all! 
@Adrian_Scope good job Switzerland! Guinea pigs are highly sociable so I hate to hear of one alone. I am piggy mad myself.

Guinea pigs sleep usually sleep with their eyes open and for 10 minute bursts. If your guinea pig defies this general rule it means they feel very safe in your company. 

When guinea pigs are really happy/excited they "Popcorn" (it's a mix of jumping, twitching and wheeking - my first thought when I seen this was "Oh no my guinea pig has epilepsy").

An excited guinea pig will also do zoomies (running around in circles) and a guinea pig trying to assert their dominance will rumblestrut (they strut, and they rumble- it's quite amusing to watch).

Also, a fun one I've always loved: It is illegal for a frog to croak after 11pm in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ross_Alumni

Sandy_123 said:

How coffee was discovered 
There, legend says the goat herder Kaldi first discovered the potential of these beloved beans. The story goes that that Kaldi discovered coffee after he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night.

Love this, never knew that  

Thank you for sharing those super facts @Skye314, they're all great, especially the one about guinea pigs sleeping, 10 minute bursts is such a strange way to sleep when considering it from a human point of view

That last one about frogs is very random too, I wonder if a frog has ever been arrested for doing that?

Sandy_123

@Ross_Scope thank goodness the goats ate the berries, because I love coffee

Tori_Scope

They're frogmarched out by police quite frequently I believe @Ross_Scope.

Love the facts @Skye314! I love animal zoomies. Tippy taps are my favourite though, I'd highly recommend a watch.

leeCal

@Tori_Scope I believe that most of the frogs are simply told to hop it.

Tori_Scope

Ah yes, I frogot about that @leeCal

Dragonslayer

Here's a few I've heard over the years.

England is around 74 times smaller than the USA, but has about 150% more people than the state of California alone!
The medieval version of football was so violent players sometimes died on the pitch.
It is illegal to get drunk in Scotland whilst in possession of a cow.
Apparently right handers live longer than left.
Come to think of it. I'm left handed, and proud of the fact too I might add.  ?
Any more out there?

euro

@Dragonslayer If memory serves me right, left handed premature mortality is down to fatal accidents caused by left handers unsuccessfully using tools designed for right handers.  Be careful out there xx

66Mustang

I read that things that make a satisfying noise when closed like car doors don’t need to make a noise. They are just built to make a sound because people like it for reassurance!

Ross_Alumni

Interesting @66Mustang

I can't say I've ever found the sound of a car door that comforting, though I guess it's one of those that I'd maybe notice if it wasn't there.

leeCal

The word bored was probably first used in around 1768 apparently. So presumably before then there was no boredom, lol.

did I hear you say “meh”? 

66Mustang

Ross_Scope said:

Interesting @66Mustang

I can't say I've ever found the sound of a car door that comforting, though I guess it's one of those that I'd maybe notice if it wasn't there.

It's more that people like a sound and a clicking sensation when they are opening and closing things, like a door or a lid, or pressing a button, just to give that confirmation that the thing has indeed closed or the button has been pressed. Apparently it is totally unnecessary from a functional perspective!

Dragonslayer

A few more 'true' facts. Or so I'm told. ?

In Israel, it is illegal to bring bears to the beach.

In Switzerland, it is illegal to flush the toilet after 10pm.

In Utah, birds have the right of way on a highway.

Well, there are some strange things in the world. ?

Caz_Alumni

This thread is swiftly becoming our very own version of 'Q.I.' 

spankie76

The native American Mohawk tribe never actually wore the mohawk hair style.

Peanuts are not really a nut but are from the same family as beans and lentils.