Really TRUE odd factoids

[newfhouse]

Contrary to what you may think, humans don’t smell with their noses. It’s actually the brain that does the job. The more than 10 million olfactory nerves in your nose are only responsible for capturing smells and sending them to the brain, where the smells are then identified.

Isn’t the same true of sight and hearing and all the other senses too?

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Dick Dastardly invented the artificial heart.


Paul Winchell, the original voice actor of Tigger, Dick Dastardly and more, was also a prolific inventor and the first person to build and patent a mechanical artificial heart.

 

[Chris S]

John Travolta wore a white suit in Saturday Night Fever because a black one wouldn't have shown up in the low light of the disco.

 

[classic33]

George I passed an act making it illegal for any common pet animal to have "relations" with a Royal pet.

 

[classic33]

The Habeas Corpus Act of 1679 came about because of a lady that drank a lot and had loud rowdy parties at night. In 1621, Alice Robinson (the lady) and her Husband were having one of these rowdy parties in High Holborn, London and a passing coach heard fighting and brawling. He investigated and saw, quote:
"Men and women in disordered and uncivil accompanying togther"

So the Police inprisioned Alice for keeping her entire Parish awake.

Her friends missing her rowdy parties pushed for her to go before the court.

She was treated badly in Prision, namely whipped. She was forced to sleep on a bare floor and eat black bread and water (which was harsh for even then). It was then established that she was pregnant and the outcry was huge.

 

[Chris S]

Animal in the Muppets was based on Keith Moon.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Ever wonder why it's called The Iliad? Troy was also known as Ilium and the -ad means "the story of".

So really "The Iliad" means "Troy Story"

 

[Blue Hills]

Manchester gets its name from a giant tit.
A breast-shaped hill.

Not sure where this hill was - now built on.

 

[roley poley]

The summit of Everest is made of Qomolangma limestone made from the shells of invertebrates which fell to the seabed over 470 million years ago

 

[classic33]

Mount Everest is now recognized as being nearly three feet taller than it was seven years ago. Prior to the 7.8 magnitude Quake in the region, in April 2015, it's accepted height was 29,029 feet. It now stands at, an agreed height*, of 29,031 feet.

*China & Nepal had previously disagreed over the height.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Nature has evolved different species into crabs at least five separate times - a phenomenon known as Carcinisation

 

[ClichéGuevara]

The first Trams in the UK were the idea of Mr Train.

On 30 September 1860, the first tram service in the UK started operating at Birkenhead on Merseyside. The tram service was the idea of the (aptly named) George Francis Train, an American entrepreneur who was a pioneer of innovative transport systems

 

[classic33]

The first Trams in the UK were the idea of Mr Train.

On 30 September 1860, the first tram service in the UK started operating at Birkenhead on Merseyside. The tram service was the idea of the (aptly named) George Francis Train, an American entrepreneur who was a pioneer of innovative transport systems

Wikipedia gives the following
"The world's first passenger tram was the Swansea and Mumbles Railway, in Wales, UK. The Mumbles Railway Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1804, and this first horse-drawn passenger tramway started operating in 1807."

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Wikipedia gives the following
"The world's first passenger tram was the Swansea and Mumbles Railway, in Wales, UK. The Mumbles Railway Act was passed by the British Parliament in 1804, and this first horse-drawn passenger tramway started operating in 1807."

Apparently that was something of a one off.

https://www.tramwayinfo.com/Tramframe.htm?https://www.tramwayinfo.com/tramways/Articles/Origins.htm

 

[classic33]

And a man from Yorkshire "invented" electric trams used in Blackpool!

https://www.theengineer.co.uk/january-1886-blackpools-electric-trams/