# Something you learned recently, that you didn't know before **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 9, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199 "2017-08-09T22:05:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/1 "2017-08-09T22:05:28Z")
I know there are other threads on here about this, but I’m not going to post-dive for them. The first one is that there is such a thing as a hybrid solar eclipse - part annular and part total. The next one will be in the southern Indian and Pacific ocean a few years from now, and hit parts of Indonesia and Australia. 🆒 I also found out last night on Facebook that a boy in my social circle (we weren’t friends) is married to another man. :eek: AFAIK, he never dropped any clues along these lines as long as I knew him. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/2 "2017-08-10T00:16:25Z")
That Pierce-Arrow made bicycles and motorcycles, and all of their products were made in Buffalo, NY; also made there, such things as General Mills cereals and [Wildroot Cream Oil](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJA-uj9bW9g). ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/3 "2017-08-10T03:54:23Z")
I learned today that some people use Denorex (NOT Desenex) to treat, or better yet, prevent head lice. Thanks, Dopers; I had never heard of it being used for this purpose. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/4 "2017-08-10T04:19:24Z")
I just learned how to add a picture to my Straight Dope profile (something I have zero interest in doing as I wish to remain totally anonymous here). ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/5 "2017-08-10T11:59:40Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > … I wish to remain totally anonymous here (Looking at username) I thought you **were**. ---
**Author:** ![MareIt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@MareIt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MareIt)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/6 "2017-08-10T12:03:48Z")
I have a unique name for the US because it is not only from a different language, but it is an old fashioned name in that language. I’ve always known the English language translation (think Maria\>Mary) but had no idea that it also can mean pearl. I have no independently verified this, but I like the idea of learning something new about my name! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/7 "2017-08-10T12:44:23Z")
They used to make vitamin D (for vitamin supplements) by irradiating yeast with ultraviolet light, or irradiating lanolin with ultraviolet. It turns out that the ergosterol that strengthens the cell walls in yeast is similar to the cholesterol in the human body that, exposed to UV, makes Vitamin D3. Exposing ergosterol makes vitamin D2, which is functionally equivalent in people\*. But _lanolin_? Why would irradiating lanolin create vitamin D? It turns out that this is how sheep get their vitamin D. The lanolin secreted by their sebaceous glands to lubricate and protect their wool is also a sterol. When hit by UV from sunlight, some of it converts to vitamin D, which the sheep ingests when it grooms itself. Sheep can’t create vitamin D by sunlight penetrating their kin – the wool is in the way, and their skin isn’t transparent enough. \*but not in chickens, it turns out. If you give your chicken vitamin D2 as a supplement and they don’t get D3, they get rickets (people can use either D2 or D3). This is how they first realized there was a difference. There are, in fact, six forms of vitamin D – D2 through D7. What happened to D1? It was a misidentification of a mixture of D2 and a related substance. Not wanting to screw up their work on D2 and D3, they simply dropped D1 from the list of vtamins. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/8 "2017-08-10T14:17:01Z")
Speaking of vitamins, I found out recently that humans and guinea pigs are the only two animals that can’t manufacture their own vitamin C, and have to get it through diet or supplements. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/9 "2017-08-10T14:22:44Z")
I learned recently that Osama bin Laden chose that particular date for the attack on the World Trade Center because he hated Porsches. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/10 "2017-08-10T14:34:04Z")
That the word “windfall” derives from fruit that falls off the tree due to wind. Duh, but it never occurred to me until I started reading _Pastures of Heaven_ last week, by Steinbeck. It’s in a passage on the first page where this becomes evident. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/11 "2017-08-10T15:02:55Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Speaking of vitamins, I found out recently that humans and guinea pigs are the only two animals that can’t manufacture their own vitamin C, and have to get it through diet or supplements. [Nope](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_C#Biosynthesis). ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/12 "2017-08-10T15:06:38Z")
I learned about pots syndrome which is a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/13 "2017-08-10T15:20:35Z")
I just learned a few weeks ago that Porsche is a German company. I always thought they were Italian. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/14 "2017-08-10T17:31:38Z")
A documentary I viewed last night informed me that the Ku Klux Klan was roughly modeled on the American Mafia and that they were, in fact, competitive organizations. I had never known there was any such connection, assuming each organization had entirely different missions and motivations. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/15 "2017-08-10T17:51:42Z")
I learned last Saturday that I’m old enough to “fall and can’t get up”, or at least not be able to get up in an hour. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/16 "2017-08-11T03:20:38Z")
I didn’t know until today that zucchini is a type of squash. I mean, now that I know it makes sense, but I’d never given it any thought. If not for an ad for “zucchini squash” I probably never would have, either. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/17 "2017-08-11T03:24:08Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I just learned a few weeks ago that Porsche is a German company. I always thought they were Italian. What? Ferdinand Porsche was a friend of Hitler, designed the ‘peoples car’ (Volkswagen) for him, and the Porsche company contributed financially to the Nazi party. German, not at all Italian. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/18 "2017-08-11T03:31:30Z")
Last night/early this morning, I watched a late 1990s Channel 4 documentary about housecats on You Tube. I found out that not only have feral cats driven several small-animal species to near extinction in the outback, they are also a ready source of bushmeat for the Aborigines who still live in that area. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/19 "2017-08-11T03:32:49Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > A documentary I viewed last night informed me that the Ku Klux Klan was roughly modeled on the American Mafia and that they were, in fact, competitive organizations. I had never known there was any such connection, assuming each organization had entirely different missions and motivations. Huh? The Klan was around 80 years before the ‘Mafia’ was known as such. The Klan came about soon after the Civil War, as an attempt by the rebels to keep slavery clandestinely. The Mafia became organized as a recognized group around the time of Prohibition. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2017, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199/20 "2017-08-11T05:33:52Z")
I learned that “istle” (or “ixtle”) is the name of a hard fiber found in the agave or yucca plants. It’s used for making carpets, nets, and other things. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/something-you-learned-recently-that-you-didnt-know-before/793199.md?page=2)