Quirky Science Facts!

[Hill]

The furthest object you can see with your unaided eye is the Andromeda Galaxy. It is about 2.5 million light years away (I've seen 2.2 to almost 3.0 so I'm using a number somewhere in the middle range). Light left it before humans existed.

 

eSky: the electronic sky

[Michaelangelica]

Light left before humans existed. It is hard to get yiour head around space goodsbumpy

 

On to ahappy topic

The leading causes of death in USA 2000 were

• tobacco (435 000 deaths; 18.1% of total US deaths),
  
• poor diet and physical inactivity (400 000 deaths; 16.6%),
  
• alcohol consumption (85 000 deaths; 3.5%).
  
• Other actual causes of death were microbial agents (75 000),
  
• toxic agents (55 000),
  
• motor vehicle crashes (43 000),
  
• incidents involving firearms (29 000),
  
• sexual behaviours (20 000),
  
• illicit use of drugs (17 000).
  

JAMA -- Abstract: Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000, March 10, 2004, Mokdad et al. 291 (10): 1238

 

:) :hyper: :cup:

Anyone know comparative figures from other countries?

This is the best I can do for Oz:-

 

http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0042-96862001001100013

Some info here but too tecnical

3303.0 - Causes of Death, Australia, 2002

In the world as a whole, some 3 million deaths a year are estimated to be attributable to smoking, rising to 10 million a year in 30–40 years' time.

Mortality from smoking worldwide -- Peto et al. 52 (1): 12 -- British Medical Bulletin

# In 1998, smoking caused around 4,750 deaths in Victoria.

That equals 90 Victorians every week or about 13 per day.

If we compare this to other causes of death in the same year, on average:

 

* illicit drugs killed 5 Victorians every week

* road accidents killed 8 Victorians every week

* alcohol killed 16 Victorians every week.

Why new tobacco laws?: Tobacco reforms - Victorian Government Health Information, Australia

[Michaelangelica]

Knowing my fascination for useless information a good (female) friend just sent me this email

(4 hours ago)

 

 

Pay Attention if you are left handed

If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days you wouldhave produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

(Hardly seems worth it.)

 

If you farted consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.

 

(Now that's more like it!)

 

The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.

(O.MG.!)

A pig's orgasm lasts 30 minutes.

 

(In my next life, I want to be a pig.)

 

A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to death. (Creepy.)

 

(I'm still not over the pig.)

 

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories a hour

 

(Don't try this at home, maybe at work)

 

The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.

 

(Honey, I'm home. What the...?!)

 

(reminds me of a girl I know)

 

The flea can jump 350 times its body length. It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.

 

(30 minutes..lucky pig! Can you imagine?)

 

The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.

 

(What could be so tasty on the bottom of a pond?)

 

Some lions mate over 50 times a day.

 

(I still want to be a pig in my next life...quality over quantity)

 

Butterflies taste with their feet.

 

(Something I always wanted to know.)

 

The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.(Hmmmmmm.....)

 

Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people.

 

(If you're ambidextrous, do you split the difference?)

 

Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump.

 

(Okay, so that would be a good thing)

 

A cat's urine glows under a black light.

 

(I wonder who was paid to figure that out?)

 

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

 

( I know some people like that.)

 

Starfish have no brains

 

(I know some people like that too.)

 

Polar bears are left-handed.

 

(If they switch, they'll live a lot longer)

 

 

 

Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.

 

(What about that pig???)

 

Now that you've smiled at least once, it's your turn to spread these crazy facts and send this to someone you want to bring a smile to, maybe even a chuckle.(Give the hypography site!)

 

In other words, send it to everyone ...

 

(and God loves that pig!)

[Jet2]

Do you really want to be a pig in your next life M? I'm just wonder...

Imagine this, in the dirty and smelly farm and your 'pantner' is snoring loudly afterward!!

[freeztar]

Knowing my fascination for useless information a good (female) friend just sent me this email

(4 hours ago)

 

I don't know if those are really "science facts", but they are certainly "quirky" and had me laughing out loud (especially the comments). :)

[Boerseun]

So...

 

On Christmas eve, 2007, the search term "Quirky Science Facts" came out at numero uno in both Google and Yahoo!

 

Schweeeeet!

 

Merry Christmas, all you heathens!

[Jet2]

some people say sneezing is 1/8th of an orgasm

 

Originally from the thread [Make good use of sneezing].

[Boerseun]

...so that's why I run through so much pepper...

[Michaelangelica]

A cheery fact?

Ask anyone what the most common symptom of a heart attack is, and most people will say “chest pain.”

Well, this is incorrect.

The most common symptom of a heart attack is sudden death.

You Will Never Guess the Surprising Cause of Most Heart Attacks - Articles

[Michaelangelica]

 

from an interesting blog

notes from somewhere bizarre

[Michaelangelica]

This thread mothballed?

No!

 

When I was a kid the only available cure for sunburn was tomato.

(Eveyrone got badly sunburnt every summer.)

A fresh tomato was cut in half and gently smeared over the sunburn. (Everyone grew tomatoes in Summer).

Now look at this old-wives-remedy

Tomato paste helps fight sunburn and wrinkles

Tomato paste helps fight sunburn and wrinkles

 

Tomato can also act as sunscreen, taken INTERNALLY!!!!

 

Other research has shown lycopene may protect against prostate cancer, as well as the lung, bladder, cervical and pancreatic forms of the disease; it may also boost heart health by combating artery-clogging cholesterol

[Moontanman]

The brain of an elephant nose fish is bigger in relation to it's body size than the brain of a human:doh:

[Michaelangelica]

Australia has 21% of the world's pokermachines !!

Not bad for c 21m people.

 

Alcohol and gambling problem? Nah! Want'a bet on it?

[freeztar]

Australia has 21% of the world's pokermachines !!

Not bad for c 21m people.

 

Alcohol and gambling problem? Nah! Want'a bet on it?

 

Sure! I'll bet you that USA will overcome Australia in the year....oh damn...you got me. ;)

[Moontanman]

Sure! I'll bet you that USA will overcome Australia in the year....oh damn...you got me. :cheer:

 

It won't be long, Australia will be just as much of a stogy stuffed shirt as the USA has become. So go to Australia now while theres still time to have fun!:rolleyes:

[Michaelangelica]

Sure! I'll bet you that USA will overcome Australia in the year....oh damn...you got me. :rolleyes:

LOL

You are VERYsilly

Still laughing :cheer:

 

mm It won't be long, Australia will be just as much of a stogy stuffed shirt as the USA has become.

That's what I have nightmares about!

Hopefully the scepticism, the laid back attitude, bull **** monitors, and grog will help.

[Moontanman]

LOL

You are VERYsilly

Still laughing :rolleyes: :cheer:

 

 

That's what I have nightmares about!

Hopefully the scepticism, the laid back attitude, bull **** monitors, and grog will help.

 

As long as you keep the televangelists and fundamentalists away you might have a chance. Is it true you guys can't have guns anymore?