useless facts - Page 209

Ostfriese · 12-18-23, 12:53 AM

Ebenezer "Eben" McBurney Byers, an American socialite, industrialist and golfer, was the most prominent and one of the most fervent users of "Radithor", a "medicine" made of distilled water and radium (both Ra-226 and Ra-228).
Byers started using radithor in 1927 and stopped after around 1.400 doses in 1930, after his teeth began to fall out. In 1932 he died from cancer.
His body had to be buried in a lead coffin. When exhumed in 1965 his remains still produced 225,000 becquerels. The average adult human body usually produces about 4,000 to 4,500 becquerels (one becquerel equals one decaying nucleus per second).
To this date his body, similar to those of other victims of the "radium craze", is technically nuclear waste and must be treated as such, and as Radium 226 decays with a half life of 1600 years nothing will change about that in the forseeable future.

Jimbuna · 12-18-23, 09:37 AM

Vatican City is the smallest country in the world.

Jimbuna · 12-18-23, 02:02 PM

The letter “J” was the last added to the English alphabet.

Platapus · 12-19-23, 08:28 AM

December 5 is Krampusnacht (Krampus Night), when the half-goat, half-demon of Christmas folklore visits homes to punish naughty children, armed with a bundle of sticks and a chain to take them back to the underworld.

Gulp!

Jimbuna · 12-19-23, 12:40 PM

In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas' Eve, 5 December, became the chief occasion for gift-giving during the winter holiday season. The evening is called Sinterklaasavond ("Sinterklaas evening") or Pakjesavond ("gifts evening", or literally "packages evening").

Platapus · 12-19-23, 01:51 PM

In the 1880s, a baboon worked as a signalman for nine years on a South African railroad. He was paid in brandy and never made a mistake.

Jimbuna · 12-20-23, 08:00 AM

The moon has moonquakes.

Jimbuna · 12-21-23, 09:23 AM

The longest walking distance in the world is 14,000 miles.

Platapus · 12-21-23, 06:34 PM

On average, people in India spend 10 hours and 42 minutes a week reading, the most time of any country on Earth.

Platapus · 12-22-23, 06:34 AM

Nerf balls are made from Non-Expanding Recreational Foam (NERF)

Jimbuna · 12-22-23, 06:43 AM

Humans are the only animals that blush.

Platapus · 12-22-23, 03:38 PM

The first pair of Nike running shoes was made in a waffle iron.

They tasted terrible

Jimbuna · 12-23-23, 08:18 AM

Pigs can’t look up into the sky.

Platapus · 12-23-23, 06:39 PM

25% of all animal species ever discovered on this planet are beetles.

Platapus · 12-24-23, 06:37 AM

Novelist Patricia Highsmith kept about 300 snails as pets. She carried them in her handbag to parties.

12-18-23, 09:37 AM	#3122
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,484 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-18-23, 02:02 PM	#3123
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,484 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	The letter “J” was the last added to the English alphabet. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-19-23, 08:28 AM	#3124
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,444 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	December 5 is Krampusnacht (Krampus Night), when the half-goat, half-demon of Christmas folklore visits homes to punish naughty children, armed with a bundle of sticks and a chain to take them back to the underworld. Gulp! __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

12-19-23, 12:40 PM	#3125
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,484 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas' Eve, 5 December, became the chief occasion for gift-giving during the winter holiday season. The evening is called Sinterklaasavond ("Sinterklaas evening") or Pakjesavond ("gifts evening", or literally "packages evening"). __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-19-23, 01:51 PM	#3126
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,444 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	In the 1880s, a baboon worked as a signalman for nine years on a South African railroad. He was paid in brandy and never made a mistake. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

12-18-23, 12:53 AM	#3121
Ostfriese Sea Lord Join Date: May 2004 Location: Northern Germany Posts: 1,901 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Ebenezer "Eben" McBurney Byers, an American socialite, industrialist and golfer, was the most prominent and one of the most fervent users of "Radithor", a "medicine" made of distilled water and radium (both Ra-226 and Ra-228). Byers started using radithor in 1927 and stopped after around 1.400 doses in 1930, after his teeth began to fall out. In 1932 he died from cancer. His body had to be buried in a lead coffin. When exhumed in 1965 his remains still produced 225,000 becquerels. The average adult human body usually produces about 4,000 to 4,500 becquerels (one becquerel equals one decaying nucleus per second). To this date his body, similar to those of other victims of the "radium craze", is technically nuclear waste and must be treated as such, and as Radium 226 decays with a half life of 1600 years nothing will change about that in the forseeable future.

12-20-23, 08:00 AM	#3127
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,484 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	The moon has moonquakes. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-21-23, 09:23 AM	#3128
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,484 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	The longest walking distance in the world is 14,000 miles. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-21-23, 06:34 PM	#3129
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,444 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	On average, people in India spend 10 hours and 42 minutes a week reading, the most time of any country on Earth. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

12-22-23, 06:34 AM	#3130
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,444 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Nerf balls are made from Non-Expanding Recreational Foam (NERF) __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

12-22-23, 06:43 AM	#3131
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,484 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Humans are the only animals that blush. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-22-23, 03:38 PM	#3132
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,444 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	The first pair of Nike running shoes was made in a waffle iron. They tasted terrible __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

12-23-23, 08:18 AM	#3133
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 191,484 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	Pigs can’t look up into the sky. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

12-23-23, 06:39 PM	#3134
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,444 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	25% of all animal species ever discovered on this planet are beetles. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

12-24-23, 06:37 AM	#3135
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,444 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Novelist Patricia Highsmith kept about 300 snails as pets. She carried them in her handbag to parties. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.