# 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:** 466
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2024, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9313 "2024-04-14T16:54:58Z")
You’re right, I read too fast. It’s in Fishlake National Forest. Utah I got right. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2024, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9314 "2024-04-14T23:48:31Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > isnt the largest living organism some kind of fungus that spread below the surface for more than 1000 miles somewhere in the usa? > > … and all the fruit (funghi?) that pop up share identic dna? Are coral reefs considered “living organisms”? If so - the Great Barrier Reef off Australia is 345,000 sq km. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2024, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9315 "2024-04-14T23:49:54Z")
Each coral is an individual ---
**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:** [April 14, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9316 "2024-04-14T23:51:15Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > Are coral reefs considered “living organisms”? I don’t think so, it’s like saying that the Amazon rainforest is a “living organism”. Both consist of zillions of different life forms. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9317 "2024-04-15T00:34:18Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Each coral is an individual I’m not. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9318 "2024-04-15T01:16:03Z")
All the polyps in a single coral colony are genetically identical, so one could argue that a colony is a single organism. But a reef is a collection of many genetically distinct colonies, so it doesn’t really make sense to consider the whole reef to be one organism. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2024, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9319 "2024-04-15T01:47:07Z")
Even the genetically-identical coral polyps aren’t usually metabolically linked, though. Pando and the Humongous Fungus both exchange nutrients among the bits through their root systems. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9320 "2024-04-15T02:04:53Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > the genetically-identical coral polyps aren’t usually metabolically linked It’s possible for two things to be metabolically linked while being different individuals: > **[Conjoined twin Abby Hensel is now married](https://www.today.com/parents/family/conjoined-twin-abby-hensel-married-rcna145275)** > > Abby and Brittany Hensel, who documented their lives in the TLC reality series "Abby & Brittany," have a new member of the family. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2024, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9321 "2024-04-15T10:48:05Z")
The Hensels are morally, ethically, and legally different people, but they’re biologically the same organism. Of course, it’s also possible for genetically-distinct creatures to be metabolically linked. Biologists generally require both genetic identicalness and metabolic connection to consider something one organism. Though of course, as always with biology, there can be blurry edge cases. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9322 "2024-04-15T11:43:47Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The Hensels are morally, ethically, and legally different people, but they’re biologically the same organism. Can you give me any evidence for (1) being morally different, (2) being ethically different, (3) being legally different, and (4) beng biologically the same? ---
**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:** [April 15, 2024, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9323 "2024-04-15T12:23:55Z")
I think there’s ample evidence conjoined twins are legally two people. They can vote individually, need each get a driver’s license if either can drive. The other questions may not have established answers, but I’ve never heard of conjoined twins being considered one person. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9324 "2024-04-15T12:30:59Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The other questions may not have established answers Then why did you say that? ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9325 "2024-04-15T12:31:54Z")
And why do you say that they are biologically the same? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9326 "2024-04-15T14:00:51Z")
…one body? ---
**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:** [April 15, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9327 "2024-04-15T16:32:20Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > Can you give me any evidence for (1) being morally different, “Conjoined twins who can’t get along! Next on Oprah!” ---
**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:** [April 15, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9328 "2024-04-15T16:50:04Z")
I didn’t. I only addressed the legal issue. ---
**Author:** ![slowpony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@slowpony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowpony)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9329 "2024-04-15T21:55:28Z")
Many diarrhea medicines are dirt. Literally. Kaolin as in kaopectate. ---
**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:** [April 15, 2024, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9330 "2024-04-15T22:17:22Z")
Sandersville, Georgia is known as the Kaolin capital of the world. It’s 161 miles NW from Andersonville, Georgia, where thousands of Union prisoners died of the flux. ---
**Author:** ![slowpony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@slowpony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowpony)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2024, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9331 "2024-04-15T23:20:07Z")
Oh! Had they only known how close they were to the cure. ---
**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:** [April 16, 2024, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9332 "2024-04-16T00:55:31Z")
The cure would have been not having the only water supply double as the camp sewer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=465) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=467)