The Random Facts Thread

[Earthshine]

I've been wanting to do a thread like this for a while now so I decided to open it up. This thread will focus on random facts, information and random bits of advice that are not specialized to any particular inquiries but are just there.

Consider this a "Didya Know?" kind of thread.

Your facts and information can be anything so long as it does not tread into 'banned categories' such as; politics, religion, and overly sexual themes. Facts about political figures do not count as a banned territory, that is history.

If someone makes a mistake in their 'facts' please be kind, politely correct it. Research is always good as well. Also be kind even if someone's 'fact' is well known and not necessarily uncommon knowledge.

As always, have fun.

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Did you know that it is a myth that a momma bird will reject its young if you touch it? This myth was popularized in the 1930s when parents were concerned for their children contracting avian parasites from touching baby birds, finding it hard to explain this they decided to come up with the myth of "if you touch it and put it back, the mom will reject it because of your smell" to keep their kids away from them. This unfortunately was adapted into common knowledge by said children who didn't know any better when they finally reached adulthood.

So if you find a baby bird out of its nest, don't be afraid, pick it up and put it back. The mother will not care. Be sure to wash your hands though afterwards thoroughly.

[Juanita]

Ladybugs can live for up to 3 years.

[tailz]

Lobsters can live forever.

[Astro Forever]

Did you know that it is a myth that a momma bird will reject its young if you touch it? This myth was popularized in the 1930s when parents were concerned for their children contracting avian parasites from touching baby birds, finding it hard to explain this they decided to come up with the myth of "if you touch it and put it back, the mom will reject it because of your smell" to keep their kids away from them. This unfortunately was adapted into common knowledge by said children who didn't know any better when they finally reached adulthood.

So if you find a baby bird out of its nest, don't be afraid, pick it up and put it back. The mother will not care. Be sure to wash your hands though afterwards thoroughly.

On the other hand, do not be the first moving object seen by some baby birds, unless you literally want to adopt one.

Source: Konrad Lorenz

Observing newly hatched ducklings and goslings, he discovered that they behaved in peculiar ways if they were exposed to abnormal environments during a few critical hours after hatching. He played with the hatchlings and recorded his observations. The newly hatched goslings and ducklings followed and became socially bonded to the first moving object they encountered. Even at maturity, these animals tried to court and attempted to mate with humans if they were imprinted to them. Lorenz was impressed by the fact that a young bird does not instinctively recognize adult members of it's own species but require this special type of learning( Lorenz 1935, 1937a).

He noted that this bond seemed to form immediately to a moving object and that it appeared to be irreversible. Imprinting to moving objects is a form of species specific behavior, since only a few species of birds exhibit this kind of behavior. This process of object acquisition is distinctly different from typical learning. First, imprinting is irreversible. It is essential in learning that what has been learned can be either forgotten or modified. Second, imprinting is restricted to very specific and brief stages in development, often only lasting for a few hours.

[Earthshine]

Yes! While that's true, one shouldn't be afraid to put a bird back in its nest regardless, it might be better to have an imprinted bird to a needlessly dead bird. Imprinting is real but it's rare as most birds fall out of their nests after imprinting has already occurred.

What a wonderful world we have!

[Shiyonasan]

The oldest verified person in modern history was Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to be 122 years and 164 days old. She lived from 1875 to 1997.

Also, if Queen Elizabeth II is still ruling the British throne on September 10, 2015, she will become the longest-reigning monarch in British history and the longest-reigning female monarch in world history.

[Earthshine]

That's a long reign...

I read an article once in Scientific American that some scientists believe very strongly that the next person to live to be 1000 years old is alive right now, and anyone under the age of about 40 has a very good chance of living beyond what is expected 'normal' due to the advances of medical technology. Of course this is speculation and not proven to be any sort of 'fact'.

[Fuzzy Pickles!]

That's a long reign...

I read an article once in Scientific American that some scientists believe very strongly that the next person to live to be 1000 years old is alive right now, and anyone under the age of about 40 has a very good chance of living beyond what is expected 'normal' due to the advances of medical technology. Of course this is speculation and not proven to be any sort of 'fact'.

...really? I'd be curious to read more about that.

[Earthshine]

...really? I'd be curious to read more about that.

I honestly can't remember where I read this, I'm pretty sure it was a 2011 issue of Scientific American though.

Here's a random fact; people used to think that tomatoes were poisonous because they are related to the deadly nightshade, it wasn't until fairly recently in human history where they were consumed regularly.

[Shiyonasan]

A teaspoon of peanut butter will instantly cure the hiccups. Nothing else has ever worked for me, but when I found this cure about a year ago, I was amazed at how fast it stopped my hiccups. I've tried it four other times since then, and it's worked every time.