# 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:** 231
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4609 "2022-06-07T23:13:24Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > King David apples taste like the apple Granny Smiths weakly aspire to be. Now I want to try one. U.S. grown Granny Smith apples are terrible compared to the delicious originals grown in New Zealand, but those originals didn’t store for very long and it’s cheaper to grow an American version evidently, but not nearly as delicious. My guess is neither do King David apples store well. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4610 "2022-06-07T23:36:37Z")
I’m a nerd, and I listen to physicist-related YT videos when going to work. A few have talked about a mysterious number called the **fine-structure constant**. It is a unitless constant, and the latest measurements say the value is 0.0072973525693. It is more commonly known by its reciprocal: 137.035999084. Apparently lots of physicist scratch their heads when looking at at this number, wondering what it “means.” IANAP, but am guessing it’s “weirdness” come from the fact that it’s not a nice integer? ---
**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:** [June 8, 2022, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4611 "2022-06-08T13:05:01Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Apparently lots of physicist scratch their heads when looking at at this number, wondering what it “means.” IANAP, but am guessing it’s “weirdness” come from the fact that it’s not a nice integer? There was a lot of mysticism associated with it when it was first discovered and the reciprocal was thought to be exactly 137. That’s unusual enough. It’s dimensionless, which is cool – it’ll work in any system of units. Then people pointed out that it’s the sum of three squares (100 plus 36 plus 1). And then some party pooper pointed out that it WASN’T exactly 137, and that pretty much ruined everything. > **[Fine-structure constant](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fine-structure_constant)** > > In physics, the fine-structure constant, also known as the Sommerfeld constant, commonly denoted by α (the Greek letter alpha), is a fundamental physical constant which quantifies the strength of the electromagnetic interaction between elementary charged particles. > It is a dimensionless quantity, independent of the system of units used, which is related to the strength of the coupling of an elementary charge e with the electromagnetic field, by the formula 4πε0ħcα = e2. Its numerical value i... [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344980295\_Mysticism\_and\_the\_Fine\_Structure\_Constant](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344980295_Mysticism_and_the_Fine_Structure_Constant) > **[The Enigma of 137: Science's Most Magical Number](https://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/physics-terms/why-is-137-most-magical-number.htm)** > > The number 137, which is significant in multiple applications, has long been an object of fascination for physicists, mathematicians and mystics. ---
**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:** [June 8, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4612 "2022-06-08T15:02:10Z")
I think originally it was thought to be 1/136, and Arthur Eddington came up with a nice numerological reason why 136 was a great number. Then further results refined it to 137, and Eddington updated his work, leading to witty folks calling him “Arthur Adding-One” - and now of course we know it’s not exactly 137 either. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4613 "2022-06-08T15:06:29Z")
Baseball - Gaylord Perry began his pitching career in 1958 after being signed by the Giants. He was not known for being a hitter, and he realized that. He said: “They will have a man on the moon before I hit a home run”. On the afternoon of July 20, 1969, Perry was pitching for the Giants. The game was stopped briefly, so that the fans could hear live audio of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the Moon. Ten minutes later, Perry hit his first major-league home run (he hit 7 in his career). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4614 "2022-06-08T15:49:44Z")
Armstrong walked on the Moon fairly late at night. The home run was when the lander touched down ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4615 "2022-06-08T17:32:58Z")
Another source has the quote as “… a man will land on the moon before …”. If that’s correct - technically “man” had “landed” when the LEM touched the lunar surface. The game started at 1 pm PDT; the landing was at 1:17. The home run was hit around 1:45 (3rd inning). The “giant step” happened after 7 pm PDT. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4616 "2022-06-08T18:06:58Z")
They store just fine. I guess the common apple closest in flavor would be a good, ripe Winesap, but King Davids have a superior texture. The market right now is glutted with overly sweet varieties, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4617 "2022-06-08T22:04:39Z")
Flags don’t fly at half staff in the UK. Tell them that, and they won’t even know what you’re talking about. The proper term there is _half mast_. I mean I know obviously where we got the term from. But it’s not correct. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4618 "2022-06-08T23:36:31Z")
So the word elevator is not correct American English because that’s not the term in British English? ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4619 "2022-06-08T23:59:18Z")
There have been a number of proposals over the past 100+ years to build a [tunnel across the Atlantic Ocean for mass transit](https://fossbytes.com/54-minutes-to-travel-from-london-to-new-york-through-a-vacuum-transatlantic-tunnel). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4620 "2022-06-09T00:32:56Z")
63 years ago today: [https://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/object-spotlight/regulus-missile-mail](https://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/object-spotlight/regulus-missile-mail) > **[That Time the USPS Launched a Missile Full of Letters Off a Navy Submarine](https://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a21601/usps-first-official-missile-mail-1959/)** > > A brief history of missile mail. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4621 "2022-06-09T01:26:12Z")
The Monty Hall problem, explained. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dOQowCeAnRs/maxresdefault.jpg "The Simple Question that Stumped Everyone Except Marilyn vos Savant") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOQowCeAnRs) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4622 "2022-06-09T10:38:06Z")
She’s correct, and we have had long discussions on the SDMB about it. IANA statistician, but I have always been perplexed on why so many people have confusion over it. Just thinking about it a little while should make it obvious that you have a 2/3 chance of winning by switching doors. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4623 "2022-06-09T12:36:50Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Just thinking about it a little while should make it obvious that you have a 2/3 chance of winning by switching doors. I can’t speak for anyone but myself, but I got stuck on the idea that there are 2 doors and therefore it must be 50/50. If you look at the chart in the video (around 3:30)—there are six possible ways the game can go—you see that 2 of the winners involve switching and 1 involves staying. Of the losers, 1 involves switching and 2 involve staying. So it adds up to 50/50, but the six outcomes means it’s like rolling a die, not tossing a coin. The key is that he’s showing you a loser. Suppose that he **randomly** chose one of the remaining doors. Meaning if you chose #1, he would chose #2 or #3 without knowing anything. Two times out of six outcomes he’d pick the car. Two times you would switch and lose. Two times you would switch and win. 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. If you stay no matter what he shows, also 1/3 chance. The bigger question, perhaps, is why goats don’t get more love? They’re adorbs…AND delicious! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AWvefaN8USk/hqdefault.jpg "Crazy Baby Goat! Back Flips off Other Goats!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWvefaN8USk) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4624 "2022-06-09T13:41:43Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > The key is that he’s showing you a loser. Exactly. And the host _must_ show you a loser, else it wouldn’t be much of a game: would be kinda lame if you initially chose a door, and then the host opens the door with the prize (assuming the host can do that). ---
**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:** [June 9, 2022, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4625 "2022-06-09T15:27:57Z")
Statistics is a branch of mathematics that humans have surprisingly poor intuition about, which is how sharpsters have won sucker bets throughout the ages. One common street hustle is to offer you 50/50 odds on rolling three dice and getting the number you called at least once. ⅙ + ⅙ + ⅙ = 3/6, right? Wrong. The chance of your failing to roll a given number at least once is ⅚ × ⅚ × ⅚ = 125/216, or significantly greater than 50/50. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4626 "2022-06-09T21:20:35Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > The market right now is glutted with overly sweet varieties, IMHO. Agreed. My favorite is a Haralson, but they are a very seasonal apple. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4627 "2022-06-09T21:22:18Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > They’re adorbs…AND delicious! Yes, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2022, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4628 "2022-06-09T23:38:31Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > The Simple Question that Stumped EVERYONE Except Marilyn vos Savant (Re: " The Simple Question that Stumped EVERYONE Except Marilyn vos Savant") She did **not** pose the question correctly. So a variety of answers were possible. As to her IQ, she kept taking tests over and over which allows you to boost your score significantly by simply remembering answers. Guinness no longer recognizes highest IQ records due to such gaming. She also wrote a book point out how Andrew Wiles’ proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem _had_ to be wrong since it used continuous Math. Huh? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=230) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=232)