# 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:** 35
**Author:** ![Sandra\_Battye](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sandra_battye/32/552_2.png) [@Sandra\_Battye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandra_Battye)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/681 "2020-08-29T17:57:31Z")
Jake leg sounds like what is currently called foot drop. It is often caused by either a stroke or a pinched nerve. Basically, you can’t flex your foot. The are many videos on YouTube that feature the gait and exercises to help sufferers of it. I am one of them and I have a fear of falling now. There are braces that can keep the toes elevated, so as long as I’m wearing one I have a lessened chance of falling. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/682 "2020-08-31T00:07:32Z")
AT the same time Trump was speaking after accepting his nomination the other night, I noticed that the local FOX channel was airing “The King’s Speech”. 🙂 ---
**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:** [August 31, 2020, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/683 "2020-08-31T02:45:05Z")
Howie Mandel was the voice of Gizmo in Gremlins. Check the video at about 1:30. > **[CBC Archives](https://www.cbc.ca/archives)** > > CBC archives - Canada's home for news, sports, lifestyle, comedy, arts, kids, music, original series & more. By the way that interviewer played Rudy in “Meatballs.” ---
**Author:** ![StoneDKr32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@StoneDKr32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StoneDKr32)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/684 "2020-08-31T06:28:36Z")
One data byte is estimated to have a physical weight of around 1 attogram🤘🏼That’s one-quintillionth of a gram (that’s 1e-18 or 1 followed by 18 zeros). Geeky enough? 🤓 Source: [How much does the entire internet weigh? | Old News Club](https://oldnewsclub.com/how-heavy-is-data-and-how-much-does-the-internet-weigh/) ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/685 "2020-08-31T06:42:41Z")
> [@StoneDKr32](#): > > (that’s 1e-18 or 1 followed by 18 zeros). _ **Preceded** _ by. . . ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/686 "2020-08-31T06:48:15Z")
The kid who played Jeremy in the video for that song by Pearl Jam died in 2016 by drowning in Puerto Rico. He was 36. That was his only acting credit. ---
**Author:** ![StoneDKr32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@StoneDKr32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StoneDKr32)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/687 "2020-08-31T10:38:43Z")
@mikecurtis I do not follow? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/688 "2020-08-31T11:00:40Z")
1 followed by 18 zeroes would be a very large number. 1 preceded by 18 zeroes (and a decimal point) would be a very small number. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/689 "2020-08-31T13:12:44Z")
Wouldn’t it be a decimal point followed by 17 zeros followed by a 1? (Warning! I may not have a clue. Still haven’t made coffee this morning.) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/690 "2020-09-01T04:44:30Z")
I learned today that center Patrick Ewing, who led Georgetown to college basketball dominance in the first half of the 1980s, nearly signed to play for North Carolina, but during his official visit, there happened to be a Ku Klux Klan rally near campus that made him reconsider. If Ewing had picked the Tar Heels, that team would have had two years of him, Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins AND James Worthy. Does that lineup EVER lose? ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/691 "2020-09-01T06:37:29Z")
Regarding the ‘blood vessels growig in the eye’ there was actually an epidemic of blindness amongst premature babies in the 1940s and 50s. There were about 10,000 babies who suffered in the USA alone (I’m pretty sure that Stevie Wonder was one). No one knew why or what was happening [Arnall Patz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnall_Patz#:~:text=An%20epidemic%20of%20blindness%20among%20some%2010%2C000%20premature%20babies%20in,oxygen%20to%20treat%20premature%20babies.) was the man who made the connections between premature babies, humidicribs and raised oxygen levels. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/692 "2020-09-01T11:16:09Z")
Worthy left NC in ‘82, so not sure the math works out. Somewhat related is that Akeem (later Hakeem) Olajuwon was supposed to go to St. John’s, until he visited and decided he didn’t like the cold. Imagine what those Big East battles would’ve been like. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/693 "2020-09-02T12:40:11Z")
I know this was months ago, but I just read this and had to record my thanks for posting it - I’ve read a lot of this kind of stuff in the past, but this one absolutely blew my mind! ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/694 "2020-09-02T18:23:55Z")
> [@Wallaby](#): > > there was actually an epidemic of blindness amongst premature babies in the 1940s and 50s. Despite pediatricians knowing about this, concentrated O2 therapy was still a thing at least until the 80’s. I was born premature in 1981 and given high levels of O2, I’m now blind in my right eye. Eye Dr’s have long told me I’m exceedingly lucky only one eye was affected. ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/695 "2020-09-02T18:52:14Z")
Introducing **Emma Nutt** , the world’s first female telephone operator, starting work on September 1st, 1878. In January of that year, The Boston Telephone Dispatch Company started hiring boys as telephone operators. As can be expected, boys were not the best in attitude or behavior, and Emma’s “soothing and cultured voice” made for better service. Emma’s sister Stella was hired, as were other women. Stella only lasted a few years, but Emma retired after over 30 years of service. September 1st is unofficially commemorated as Emma M. Nutt Day. I’m not sure how to commemorate – maybe binge watch Ernestine? (I discovered the [Wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Nutt) one day too late. Can it still be called a coincidence?) ---
**Author:** ![Kzbre5m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kzbre5m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kzbre5m)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/696 "2020-09-02T19:02:31Z")
The above wiki article was pointed to me from the [Category of Obsolete Occupations](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Obsolete_occupations). I’m rather glad to report that one of the 23 categories in that list is “Nazi concentration camp occupations”. Nice to know, but – odd? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/697 "2020-09-03T22:19:02Z")
TIL that octopuses [dream](https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/do-octopuses-dream). ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2020, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/698 "2020-09-04T10:24:11Z")
The United States Marine Corps has 82 general officers. This for just four division and associated air wings. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2020, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/699 "2020-09-05T01:20:20Z")
Remember lowest common denominators? You want to add 1/15 and 1/12 and 1/4 and 1/10 and 1/6, but how? Break the denominators down into primes, 15=3x5 12=2x2x3 4=2x2 10=2x5 6=2x3 The lowest common multiple has to contain them all, but not repeat any. 3 x 5 x 2 x 2. Convert them all to x/60. When you get a larger prime, like 13 or 17, it usually pushes common multiple much higher. And that’s where cicadas come in. Imagine a predator that reproduces every 2 years and its prey that reproduces every 3. That means every 6 years the cycles will coincide, so that’s very bad news for the prey. So go prime, go big. > [@](#): > > Cicadas that emerge at prime-numbered year intervals, like [the seventeen-year Brood II set to swarm the East Coast](http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/05/the-song-of-the-cicada.html), would find themselves relatively immune to predator population cycles, since it is mathematically unlikely for a short-cycled predator to exist on the same cycle. In Gould’s example, a cicada that emerges every seventeen years and has a predator with a five-year life cycle will only face a peak predator population once every eighty-five (5 x 17) years, giving it an enormous advantage over less well-adapted cicadas. > **[The Cicada’s Love Affair With Prime Numbers](https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-cicadas-love-affair-with-prime-numbers)** > > Any cicada that tries to break the pattern is simply taking her offspring’s life into her own hands… ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/700 "2020-09-06T18:00:23Z")
US Navy basic training site for enlisted is on Lake Michigan, not the ocean Great Lakes station. They had sites in San Diego and Florida but they were closed down. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=36)