Useless Facts

Wikipedia:

Didn't even consider that, but no, a fungus that consumes tree roots in a forest in Oregon. It's estimated to be 1800 to 8500 years old and weight estimated 605 tons. It is assumed (due to how this fungus expands and lives) that all parts of the mycelium in the area of 2200 acres are connected to function as one organism.

 

The southern third of Isle La Motte contains remnants of the Chazy Reef, which, at 480 million years old, is considered the oldest reef in the world where corals first appeared.

 

So there's 480 million year old coral? Or is it regrowth? Did they date the actual coral?

 

If that coral is that old it's the oldest still-living specific organism on the planet I think.

 

I think it's like saying some civilizations are tens of thousands of years old, simply because they're passed down generations. A person who descends from that culture might be considered as old as the heritage, in a matter of speech. But no I can't say corals get that old. I remember reading that coral can get fifty thousand years old, speaking of individual specimen. I think that if a species lasts that long, they could be potentially immortal, until some external event ends it. But I have no clue if coral, or any earth species works like that.

I found this while browsing.

 

That's beautiful.

 

High-heels originated in France, and were designed and worn by men. Not until some point in the 1900s (guessing here, too lazy to get too technical with this one) did they exchange over to be worn by women. So men were the initial wearers of those sexy shoes we see women proudly wearing to day.

 

A domino is capable of knocking over another domino 50% larger than itself. It would theoretically take only 29 dominoes for a domino that's 5mm tall and 1mm thick to knock over a domino the size of the Empire State Building.

 

Maybe sexy to you. I prefer a guy in a birthday suit myself.

 

In World War II a businessman was on a train when it stopped on a bridge. It was dark and he didn't notice. He walked out the open doors thinking it was at the station nearby he was waiting for... and fell to his death.

 

Russia didn’t consider beer to be alcohol until 2011. It was previously classified as a soft drink.

 

It is possible for quail meat to be poisonous, causing breakdown of the muscle cells. This is believed to be because the quail ate poisonous plants, but no one knows exactly which plants they're eating. Theories include hellebore, hemlock, and woundwort.

Pitohui, parrots found in Papua New Guinea, carry a poison that causes the same effects. Their poison is in their feathers, so even touching them can cause numbness. Their poison is believed to come from eating Choresine beetles, the same beetles that give poison to poison dart frogs.

 

Polar bears really like toothpaste.
This is the New Guinea Singing Dog; . It is also very good at climbing trees.

 

True story

 

When I was a child

I used to be scared of barefeet

USELESS FACT ABOUT MYSELF!

 

People who go commando are much more interesting. (Based on all the science and statistics)

Also a shovel can be so much more with a little imagination.

 

I found out today that Hitler's surviving male descendants have made a pact not to have children. The youngest is in his 50s and is still childfree.

 

Months that begin on a Sunday will always have a ‘Friday the 13th.

 

Hitler had kids?!? How did I not know that Hitler had kids???!!!???

 

I can't find any information proving that he did. He may have had one son, but this isn't proven, only claimed by the mother (she died in the 50's). The alleged son died in the 80's, aged 67, and had 9 children..

 

Sorry, 'descendants' was the wrong word. I think they're his nephews. It's his male bloodline, basically.

 

Oh, okay. I feel better, now.

 

Oh, good. That makes more sense.

 

I think if Hitler had a kid, we would've known about it. Still, yeah, the descendants of Hitler's newphews made a pact to not have children of their own.

Sheesh, of all the dark family secrets out there, that has to be one of the darkest: knowing that you're directly related to Adolf frickin' Hitler himself. And people here in the States make a big deal about how awkward it is to learn that your ancestors once were slaveholders. I'm serious! Back in college, I once had to watch a documentary where a woman had learned her ancestor was a big-time slaveowner, she got all upset about it and retracted the Atlantic Slave Trade to better understand it. Honestly, she ought to have instead gone, ‘Well, at least my ancestor wasn't Adolf Hitler.’

Really, that should be of comfort to anyone who uncovers dark family secrets. Rejoice! You're not related to a genocidally insane mass murderer!! You've just got some assholes in your family tree.

 

My great-uncle was a murderer but he only killed one person (ONLY) so that's okay.