Interesting Facts - Page 141

701

Per capita, Australia produces nine times as much as coal as the United States.

702

According to the Salmon Act of 1986, it is illegal to "handle salmon in suspicious circumstances" in the United Kingdom.

703

Promising free bananas for all school children, H'Angus the Monkey, mascot of the Hartlepool United football team, was elected mayor of Hartlepool in 2002.

704

The largest known star, Stephenson 2-18, is estimated to be about 10 billion times larger than the sun by volume.

705

Eight of nine sitting U.S. Supreme Court justices studied law at either Harvard or Yale. The one exception is Amy Coney Barrett who attended law school at Notre Dame.

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59 Comments

+16

Level ∞

Jun 19, 2021

Per capita, it's probable that Australia is more to blame for global warming than any country on Earth.

Does Australia actually care about climate change?

If so, they should immediately stop all coal exports.

As a signatory of the Paris Agreement, surely Australia should be willing to forgo short-term profits for the sake of the environment. Or are their commitments just empty words?

Level ∞

Jun 20, 2021

Credit @ARandomQuizzer for #702.

Level ∞

Jun 20, 2021

Regarding #703. Technically, it was the guy inside the monkey suit who was elected mayor. He seems to have been a popular mayor, and was reelected in 2005 and 2009. Sadly, the post of mayor was abolished in 2012.

Level 40

Jun 20, 2021

1. Babies have around 100 more bones than adults

2. The Eiffel Tower can be 15 cm taller during the summer

3. 20% of Earth’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest.

4. There are 2,000 thunderstorms on Earth every minute.

5. One million Earths could fit inside the sun

6. Your heart beats 100000 times a day

7. 90% of Earth's population lives in the Northern Hemisphere.

8. Bangkok's full name is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit

Level 60

Jul 1, 2021

r/usernamechecksout for #8

Level 46

Jul 2, 2021

#1 is pretty well known

Level 68

May 12, 2022

Finally, I know the exact amount

Level 50

Jun 9, 2022

So the babies cracked their bones?

Level 51

Feb 1, 2024

"Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit COME TO THE KITCHEN RIGHT NOW😡😡WHY ARE THE DISHES IN THE SINK"

Level 60

Jun 20, 2021

Yay! New fact page

Level 55

Jun 21, 2021

#703 sounds like the kids who run for school council, promise to give three hours of recess and never do it. I guess this guy is their role model.

Level 52

Jun 22, 2021

I remember back in '93 we had an election for class president. Someone offered honesty, the other no homework. Guess who won?

Level 63

Jun 22, 2021

Lemme guess, no homework?

Level 60

Jun 23, 2021

Ye of little faith

Level 40

Jul 15, 2021

Hello there, Neighbour!

Level 63

Jul 16, 2021

Hello my bigger neighbor! (I now live on Texas :/)

Level 76

Jan 12, 2023

it was a little bit like that! he as the monkey promised 'free bananas for all children' or something, and then realised that actually that was quite a good idea and made it a policy, it got implemented, and i think to this day children in hartlepool schools get free fresh fruit

Level 78

Jun 28, 2021

In regards to #701, unfortunately Australia is an extremely reactionary country at the moment. We already face the consequences of climate change with our bushfire seasons becoming progressively more devastating, but our government is hell bent on being an international pariah and dismissing anything in relation to climate change.

But after all we are the lucky country, run by second rate people who share its luck.

Level 71

Jun 28, 2021

Please don't take this the wrong way, but I while really really want Australia to get its act together and start taking climate change seriously, it makes me feel slightly better that the US is not the worst offender. Especially since we've reduced emissions by a significant percentage (comparable to European countries).

But yes, I agree that Australia really needs to start joining the rest of the world on climate change.

Level ∞

Jun 28, 2021

Even though the U.S. has reduced its carbon emissions by a lot, we are still very high compared to European countries.

But I think it's unfair that the U.S. is singled out for not joining the Paris Agreement while the countries that signed it make a mockery of their commitments.

I say it is better to not make a promise than to make one and fail to live up to your word.

Australia (and Canada too) seem to want to lecture other countries about this or that, but their economies are largely based on resource extraction. Time to clean up your act, guys.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=australia+pit+mines&iar=images

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=canada+tar+sands&iar=images

Level 35

Jun 9, 2022

Yes please. Speaking as an Australian I totally agree

Level 57

Jun 28, 2021

The radiation emanating from Lake Karachay in Russia would kill you in an hour.

Level 50

Jun 8, 2022

If you swam in it?

Level 55

Jun 28, 2021

35 Years after Chernobyl, the exclusion area has become a haven for biodiversity, with Brown Bears, Bison, Wolves, Lynx, Przewalski Horses, and more than 200 species of Birds.

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/how-chernobyl-has-become-unexpected-haven-wildlife

Level ∞

Jun 28, 2021

One of my favorite places on Earth, which is why featured it as fact #307!

Level 55

Jun 29, 2021

Oh, I didn't notice that. Still super amazing.

Level 57

Jun 28, 2021

The United States spends $20.2 billion a year on Air Conditioning for its soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is more than NASA's entire budget. Furthermore, according to the Pentagon Official who calculated this amount, this is the same amount of money that would be needed to fund, train, and fully equip Afghan security forces for a full five years.

https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/the-us-militarys-air-conditioning-bill-for-deployed-troops-allegedly-tops-20-billion/#:~:text=A%20former%20Pentagon%20official%20says,for%20a%20full%20five%20years.

Level ∞

Jun 28, 2021

Color me skeptical. That would be something like 3% of the military budget. I think there is some creative accounting going on here.

Level 57

Jul 1, 2021

Well, when you think about it, AC's would kind of be necessary for climates like those of Afghanistan.

Level 75

Jul 3, 2021

Here's the relevant site:

NPR - Among The Costs Of War: Billions A Year In A.C.?

"Now it's important to note that wrapped up in Anderson's $20 billion figure are all kind of other expenditures – for instance, the cost of building and maintaining roads in Afghanistan, securing those roads, managing the security operations for those roads. That all costs a lot of money and is part of the overall war effort in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon rejects Anderson's estimate. Still his claims raise questions about how much the US footprint in Afghanistan really costs – especially something like air conditioning."

- It's rubbish, of course the US doesn't spend 20bn on air conditioning.

Level ∞

Jul 3, 2021

When you start down this path, things get ridiculous in a hurry. For example, I bought a box of nails for a dollar. But those nails had to be made in a factory, and delivered on roads. But those roads needed engineers to design them, and those engineers needed education, but teachers need to get paid, and sometimes teachers get sick and need doctors, etc...

Level 67

Oct 13, 2022

You wasteful monster.

Level 46

Aug 28, 2021

lol its not giving ac in afghanistan anymore.

what afghan security forces?

Level 55

Jun 29, 2021

The only President in American History that has always won at least 90 % of the Electoral Vote is Ronald Reagan( not counting Unanimous Winners)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_Electoral_College_margin

Level 68

Jul 1, 2021

In Englands famous (and beautiful) "Lake District" national park - There is only one body of water actually named a 'lake' - Lake Bassenthwaite. The rest of meres, waters or tarns.

Level 60

Jul 1, 2021

Fun fact: JetPunk was originally a travel website back in 2006 when it was founded?

Level 60

Jul 2, 2021

Shaquille O'neal only scored one 3-pointer in his 19 season career.

Level 83

Jul 7, 2021

There's another big man with a single 3 pointer to his name. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 38,387 points. One 3 pointer.

Level 75

Jul 3, 2021

#702 - credit to Tom Scott

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJGifTou5FE

Admit it...

Level 83

Mar 21, 2023

I can't read that fact without thinking about Matt and Tom suspiciously handling salmon

Level 75

Jul 3, 2021

I don't know if this is common knowledge in the USA, but I was really interested to hear it:

The first president of the USA to be born in the USA was Martin Van Buren. The previous presidents were of course born in a British colony.

Just never considered it myself, but maybe it's just me!

Level ∞

Jul 3, 2021

Ironically Van Buren was the only U.S, President to grow up speaking a language other than English.

His first language was Dutch.

Level 71

Jul 4, 2021

I have known this for ages but I am not sure if it is common knowledge.

Level 88

Jul 4, 2021

The term "gypsy" originates from when Romani would identify as Egyptians for greater social prestige due to the large community of Egyptians in the Balkans, which created problems for the Egyptians once persecution of the Romani began.

Level 60

Jul 6, 2021

Paris is one hour ahead of London

Level 65

Jul 6, 2021

Yes

Level 55

Jul 7, 2021

Swedish Grand Slam Champion Stefan Edberg Accidentally Indirectly killed a Line Umpire with an unintentional errant serve that hit the umpire's groin. The Umpire fell back and hit his head on the hard court.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Wertheim

Level 56

Oct 24, 2021

So a guy called Dick died after getting hit in the groin. Would this count as irony or is it just a funny coincidence?

Level 65

Jul 9, 2021

about 5.5 million years ago, the Mediterranean Sea had dried dried up but was refilled in a catastrophic flood when the atlantic broke through the strait of gibraltar. A similar flood filled the Black Sea 9000 years ago, possibly giving rise to the biblical flood story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanclean_flood

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sea_deluge_hypothesis

Level 74

Jul 10, 2021

International travel was unheard of until 2006, when it was invented by Dan Hostetler to promote his Quiz site "Jetpunk".

Level 55

Jul 10, 2021

Middle Island in Canada is south of part of Ohio.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_extreme_points_of_U.S._states_and_territories (coordinates for Ohio Northernmost Point)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Island_(Lake_Erie)

Level 67

Jul 13, 2021

Something else about #705, Ruth Bader Ginsburg attended Harvard, so from the time period of after Kavanaugh's confirmation and Ginsburg's death all Supreme Court Justices studied at Harvard or Yale.

Level 67

Jul 13, 2021

*to, not and.

Level 71

Feb 23, 2022

'Geographystar' wins the 'Nitpickers Gold Medal' for July '21. ...Congratulations.

Level 41

Apr 1, 2023

Malbaby wins most Nitpickers Gold Medals of all time. I like only one.

Level 67

Apr 20, 2022

Does it count if I was nitpicking myself? Food for thought. :)

Level 57

Jul 15, 2021

Charondas was an Ancient Greek lawgiver from Sicily. Supposedly, he once issued a law saying that anyone carrying weapons into the Assembly must be put to death. One day, he sought help fighting some brigands in the countryside, but he came to the Assembly with a knife on his belt. Upholding his own law, he committed suicide.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_unusual_deaths#Antiquity

Level 60

Jul 16, 2021

Poor knife.

Level 64

Aug 4, 2022

how does one 'suspiciously handle salmon'?

at midnight in a dark alley wearing a trench coat?