# 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:** 232
**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 9, 2022, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4629 "2022-06-09T23:46:49Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > 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? Really? Wow. You can argue (correctly in my opinion) that Wiles’ proof uses so much recent mathematical techniques that it’s clearly not the proof that Fermat had in mind - but so what? Fermat may have even realized he was wrong, and never got around to updating a note in the margins of a book that he had no reason to think anyone else would ever look at (it may be possible that there is a proof using techniques that Fermat would recognize, but again, that doesn’t diminish what Wiles did). ---
**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:** [June 10, 2022, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4630 "2022-06-10T02:23:49Z")
I remember when MvS had a column somewhere (Parade?) in which she fielded deep questions. Someone asked her if she would like to know when she was going to die, and she answered yes. She figured she could then enjoy skydiving worry-free. I immediately envisioned her in a bed for fifty years, every bone in her body pulverized. ---
**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 10, 2022, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4631 "2022-06-10T03:03:37Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Guinness no longer recognizes highest IQ records due to such gaming. > [Alan S. Kaufman](https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/1222235), an author of IQ tests and of books about IQ testing, writes in _IQ Testing 101_ that “Miss Savant was given an old version of the Stanford-Binet (Terman & Merrill 1937), which did, indeed, use the antiquated formula of MA/CA × 100. But in the test manual’s norms, the Binet does not permit IQs to rise above 170 at any age, child or adult. And the authors of the old Binet stated: ‘Beyond fifteen the mental ages are entirely artificial and are to be thought of as simply numerical scores.’ (Terman & Merrill 1937)… the psychologist who came up with an IQ of 228 committed an extrapolation of a misconception, thereby violating almost every rule imaginable concerning the meaning of IQs.”[[9]](https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/201938#cite_note-8) > **[Marilyn vos Savant](https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/201938)** > > Born Marilyn Mach August 11, 1946 (1946 08 11) (age 65) St. Louis, Missouri, United States Occupation Author Known for magazine column; Gu Here she is on Letterman; at about the 8:00 mark she asks him what he’s doing Saturday night. Another fun fact: she married [Robert Jarvik](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jarvik). [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EsGc3jC9yas/hqdefault.jpg "Marilyn Mach Vos Savant on Letterman, March 11, 1986") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsGc3jC9yas) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4632 "2022-06-10T12:25:06Z")
In the 19th century, members of the Crow nation in Montana wore pompadours (and long braids). [![](https://cdn4.picryl.com/photo/2019/09/14/plenty-coups-crow-indian-head-and-shoulders-portrait-facing-left-pompadour-354f54-1024.jpg) ](https://cdn4.picryl.com/photo/2019/09/14/plenty-coups-crow-indian-head-and-shoulders-portrait-facing-left-pompadour-354f54-1024.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4633 "2022-06-10T12:52:16Z")
Eel is never served raw because eel blood is poisonous. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2022, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4634 "2022-06-10T14:12:55Z")
Cooked eel doesn’t sound that appealing either. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4635 "2022-06-10T14:15:16Z")
I’ve only ever seen and eaten smoked eel. Does smoking render the blood non-toxic as well? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4636 "2022-06-10T14:16:08Z")
It’s a protein in their blood that’s toxic, so anything that denatures the protein will destroy the toxin. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4637 "2022-06-10T14:16:32Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Cooked eel doesn’t sound that appealing You’ve never had it as part of a sushi platter? It is delicious!! ---
**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:** [June 10, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4638 "2022-06-10T14:39:20Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Cooked eel doesn’t sound that appealing either. It’s just another fish. Sauce it up and broil it, and it’s not bad. > **[Unagi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unagi)** > > Unagi (ウナギ) is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, particularly the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica (日本鰻, nihon unagi). Unagi is a common ingredient in Japanese cooking, often as kabayaki. It is not to be confused with saltwater eel, which is known as anago in Japanese. > Unagi is served as part of unadon (sometimes spelled unagidon, especially in menus in Japanese restaurants in Western countries), a donburi dish with sliced eel served on a bed of rice. A kind of sweet biscuit called unagi pie ... ---
**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:** [June 10, 2022, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4639 "2022-06-10T15:40:30Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > You’ve never had it as part of a sushi platter? It is delicious!! I meant I didn’t know eel blood was poisonous, and now I have to worry that any eel I have in the future may not be properly fricasseed. ---
**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 10, 2022, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4640 "2022-06-10T16:34:37Z")
The first Sunday night game in major league baseball didn’t take place until 1963. The Houston Colt 45s beat the San Francisco Giants on June 9 in Houston. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4641 "2022-06-10T16:44:16Z")
Is the toxin also in lamprey blood? (Yes, I’m thinking of Henry I) ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4642 "2022-06-10T18:34:09Z")
Well, no, you personally did _not_ mention something about cars that you’ve forgotten. It’s my mistake and I regret it: What I _was_ responding to: [Exapno\_Mapcase] not yourself, who made a comment about another posters post which was one line below your own post Expano\_Mapcase indicated, (When I think of Atmos, I think of the Ford FX-Atmos.) Hope this helps. I am truly sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4643 "2022-06-10T19:08:35Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I’ve only ever seen and eaten smoked eel. Does smoking render the blood non-toxic as well? _Now_ you ask me? 😉 j ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4644 "2022-06-10T19:13:36Z")
Yeah, last time I ate smoked eel was decades ago, and I didn’t know about any toxic blood. Glad I survived it. 😆 ---
**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 10, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4645 "2022-06-10T20:12:03Z")
I had eel sushi once. Meh. But my wife’s (non-eel) dish wasn’t th(t good either, so maybe they just didn’t know how to fix it. > Speaking of morays… > **[The Moray Eel: exquisite taste, repulsive appearance - Restaurante Es Torrent](https://www.estorrent.net/en/2018/04/02/the-moray-eel-exquisite-taste-repulsive-apparence/)** > > When preparing traditional Ibicenco mariner’s stews, restaurants tend to use fleshy cuts of fish with few bones. In “bullit” or “guisat de peix”, for ---
**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 10, 2022, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4646 "2022-06-10T20:28:38Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > Speaking of morays… Repulsive appearance… Obviously not _social_ morays. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4647 "2022-06-10T23:04:35Z")
Really no big deal at all, no need to fret over it. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2022, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4648 "2022-06-10T23:42:50Z")
TIL: Not counting the two pilots, the first regular episode of _Colombo_ was written by Steven Bochco and directed by Steven Spielberg [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=231) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=233)