# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674 "2020-04-13T03:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 201
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4009 "2022-03-21T14:13:59Z")
Was that money paid to “Negroes” for their teeth, or money paid for teeth of Negro origin? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4010 "2022-03-21T15:33:18Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Deep within one of [Washington’s account books](https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/health/teeth/)is an entry which details Washington’s purchase of nine teeth from “Negroes” for 122 shillings. > > (There’s a story about how Washington’s chef - a slave named Hercules Posey - earned extra money by selling leftovers. Now, Hercules eventually escaped, so he certainly made use of that income, but I’d have expected that your typical enslaved person wasn’t able to go to the store to spend their money) There was a highly-regarded fictional piece written about those teeth a few years ago > **[The Secret Lives of the Nine Negro Teeth of George Washington](https://firesidefiction.com/the-secret-lives-of-the-nine-negro-teeth-of-george-washington)** > > “By Cash pd Negroes for 9 Teeth on Acct of Dr. Lemoire” –Lund Washington, Mount Vernon plantation, Account Book dated 1784. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4011 "2022-03-21T19:01:20Z")
Pliny the Elder claimed that Mark Antony lost the naval Battle of Actium because he had too many remora fishes attached to his flagship. > **[Remora | Mythology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remora#Mythology)** > > In ancient times, the remora was believed to stop a ship from sailing. In Latin, remora means "delay", while the genus name Echeneis comes from Greek ἔχειν, echein ("to hold") and ναῦς, naus ("a ship"). In a notable account by Pliny the Elder, the remora is blamed for the defeat of Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium and, indirectly, for the death of Caligula. A modern version of the story is given by Jorge Luis Borges in Book of Imaginary Beings (1957). ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4012 "2022-03-21T22:52:41Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Pliny the Elder claimed that Mark Antony lost the naval Battle of Actium because he had too many remora fishes attached to his flagship. > [Remora - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remora#Mythology) Do remora ever attach themselves to ships? I’d never thought about it. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4013 "2022-03-21T23:06:56Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Gold if an excellent material for false teeth. That didn’t sound right - gold is malleable ! But then i checked and discovered that [dental gold is different from regular gold !](https://www.drericmorrison.com/post/understanding-the-difference-between-dental-gold-regular-gold) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4014 "2022-03-22T10:09:56Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Do remora ever attach themselves to ships? I’d never thought about it. A quick Google search suggests that yes, they do. Some remoras are picky about what host species they’ll attach to, but others will take whatever they can get, so long as it’s moving. Wikipedia notes that they save energy this way; even if they’re not trying to get anywhere in particular, having water rammed across their gills by the movement of their host saves them the effort of having to breathe for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4015 "2022-03-22T10:35:01Z")
Absolutely amazing that there is an animal out there that’s too lazy to breathe, yet still exists. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4016 "2022-03-22T12:00:52Z")
I remember an episode of Babylon 5 where Londo compares the Centauri attaching themselves to humans like remora to sharks. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4017 "2022-03-22T12:44:11Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Absolutely amazing that there is an animal out there that’s too lazy to breathe, yet still exists. You clearly haven’t met my ex/boss/landlord/etc. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4018 "2022-03-22T14:32:39Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > You clearly haven’t met my ex/boss/landlord/etc. The only response possible! 💯 ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4019 "2022-03-22T15:22:47Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > my ex/boss/landlord/etc. _ **101** _ if those are all the same person… “Take my ex-wife and my boss and my landlord and my banker and my realtor and my dealer and my notary publlc… please!” ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4020 "2022-03-22T15:48:44Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Search YouTube for compilations, and you’ll find dozens of instances where this specific sound was dubbed into TV shows and movies. For people who know about it, it’s an amusing detail to listen for when watching new content. In addition, there are many [noiseless props](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6btmJSRueE) that are specifically invented to be used in filming. They are used to better control what sounds are made during filming. And if you want more pronounced real sounding sounds they can be added in later. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4021 "2022-03-22T19:13:47Z")
Some remora attach themselves to software engineers. > **[Dilbert Comic Strip on September 02, 1991](https://dilbert.com/strip/1991-09-02)** > > The Boss: Dilbert, this is your new co-worker, Floyd Remora. Floyd has worked here for twenty years without developing any skills. He survives by attaching himself to other employees. > Dilbert: Go ahead... Ask me how my day went. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4022 "2022-03-23T17:08:11Z")
Shapnel, the deadly fragments of an explosion caused by a bomb or shell, is named after a person. Henry Shrapnel (1761 - 1842) was a British army engineer who invented a new type of cannonball that was filled with lead shot that exploded in mid air. ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4023 "2022-03-23T18:04:37Z")
Many languages have at least two words for each cardinal point. In addition to the more common (nouns) north, south, east and west, English also has (the adjectives) septentrional, austral, oriental and occidental, respectively. It’s pretty much the same in Spanish, which has the commonly used (nouns) _norte, sur, este_ and _oeste_ and the less commonly used (adjectives) _septentrional, meridional/austral, oriental_ and _occidental_. Interestingly, the adjectives came from Latin (the sept- in _septentrional_ refers to the seven stars of the Big Dipper) and the more commonly used nouns came to Spanish from Old English through French. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4024 "2022-03-23T18:37:44Z")
> [@alovem](#): > > Many languages have at least two words for each cardinal point. In addition to the more common (nouns) north, south, east and west, English also has (the adjectives) septentrional, austral, oriental and occidental, respectively. “Septentrional” is a new one on me. I’d heard of the other three, but had only ever heard “boreal” as the counterpart to “austral” (e.g. aurora borealis, aurora australis). ---
**Author:** ![alovem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4025 "2022-03-23T18:41:31Z")
For me, too, and it’s what led me to read about all of this earlier today. I’d seen septentrional a few times but could never remember the exact meaning, spelling or pronunciation. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2022, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4026 "2022-03-23T18:50:08Z")
Along those lines, “quotidian” is a fancy word for daily ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4027 "2022-03-24T10:51:32Z")
This is something I didn’t stumble across so much as realize: John Lennon (1940-1980) has now been dead longer than he was alive. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2022, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4028 "2022-03-24T12:16:26Z")
Most often used (in my experience) to mean things that are “everyday” in the sense of “ordinary,” rather than in the sense of “occurring once a day” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=200) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=202)