# 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:** 469
**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:** [April 25, 2024, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9373 "2024-04-25T11:48:58Z")
They never left. You can come up to Salem, Massachusetts and get pictures of your supposed aura in several stores. > **[The Art of Aura with HausWitch Home and Healing - Destination Salem](https://www.salem.org/blog/hauswitch-home-healing/)** > > What would the world look like if everyone had the chance to see themselves as an energetic being? This is the driving philosophy behind our new in-store offering, Personal Rainbow... ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9374 "2024-04-25T11:53:44Z")
In the 1940s in Harlem NY, two men named John Sanford and Malcolm Little worked together as dishwashers at a restaurant. Since they both had reddish hair, Sanford was called Chicago Red and Little was called Detroit Red after the cities they came from. Little later joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Malcolm X, while Sanford got into stand-up comedy and became Redd Foxx. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9375 "2024-04-25T12:42:40Z")
I wonder if they ever contacted each other again or met up. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9376 "2024-04-25T13:50:51Z")
They did. [![](https://64.media.tumblr.com/3b2ee6860e8ffba37351ac66d79424ac/tumblr_npeteiaE0N1rldhmro1_r1_1280.pnj) ](https://64.media.tumblr.com/3b2ee6860e8ffba37351ac66d79424ac/tumblr_npeteiaE0N1rldhmro1_r1_1280.pnj) ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9377 "2024-04-25T16:34:48Z")
Cool, thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9378 "2024-04-25T23:40:49Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > They are absolutely foul beasts. I’ve had to clean out a couple nests–unlike the old saying, they do indeed shit where they live, and piss all over everything, as well as accumulating all the requisite gew gaws and food. Do not recommend. This is absolutely true. My dad had them invade his basement library, you’ve never seen such a stinky disgusting mess. And we had them get into our basement too (we didn’t have our library down there however). They like shiny stuff like aluminum foil, and the ones in California build very large hive-like nests in the forest, like three feet tall. They are individually adorable, being slow-moving and dreamy compared to rats, which are a similar size but ten times the brains and cynicism. They have big eyes and furry tails and feet. If you could only overlook their deplorable personal habits. ---
**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 26, 2024, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9379 "2024-04-26T00:41:35Z")
There’s one that lives under my deck. It’s a cutie and they are native to the area. The regular rats with the worm tails are foul and an invasive species. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2024, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9380 "2024-04-26T00:41:49Z")
Those little bastards completely destroyed the engine in my BIL’s pickup. Every bit of wiring was gone, and the sticks and other crap was packed in so tight that we were using crowbars and other tools to try to pry it out. He ended up junking the truck. ---
**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 27, 2024, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9381 "2024-04-27T02:28:46Z")
I learned today that there is a plant called the “[naked broomrape](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orobanche_uniflora)”. That has to be one of the most unfortunate names in botany. It is also called the “one-flowered cancer root”. ---
**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 27, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9382 "2024-04-27T14:40:08Z")
Hm, not a Brassica, so it’s not related to the rape plant (which you probably know better by its rebranded name, “canola”). And yes, canola is yet another brassica. It’s not quite a cabbage, but it’s about as close as you can get without being one. Those things are taking over the world. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9383 "2024-04-27T16:01:57Z")
_Orobanche uniflora_, not a rape (Brassica nappus) nor a broom (Cytisus spp.) but an endangered small parasitic plant which is ‘naked’ because it doesn’t have leaves, like other parasitic plants, which do not photosynthesize. Very interesting species. ---
**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:** [April 27, 2024, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9384 "2024-04-27T19:35:52Z")
A couple of things which turnout to be way older than you thought, courtesy of a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. Dating from around 700 BCE: magnifying glasses and cheese graters. I was actually stopped from photographing them (oops); but here are a couple of interesting cites. > An interesting finding from Ialisos, dated between the 7th and 6th centuries BC, consists of a series of three magnifying glasses made of rock crystal and set in decorated bronze frames. The lenses, of different dioptric power, are flat-convex and have a diameter of about 1.5 cm. It is perhaps the oldest known magnifying glasses. They were probably used for jewelery work and for engraving seals. ([Source](https://www.vacanzegreche.com/blog/rodi/da-non-perdere/museo-archeologico.aspx?lang=en-US#:~:text=An%20interesting%20finding%20from%20Ialisos,diameter%20of%20about%201.5%20cm.)) And regarding the grating of cheese, [this image of a man grating cheese twenty five centuries ago is from reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/ArtefactPorn/comments/tzqsv2/a_painted_figurine_of_a_man_grating_cheese_c_500/). The source appears to be page 212 of this **PDF** [virtual museum](https://www.latsis-foundation.org/content/elib/book_17/thiba_en.pdf) I have not yet been able to resolve this conundrum: do the magnifying glasses predate the (local) invention of glass? j ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9385 "2024-04-27T19:48:41Z")
According to [wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass#History) glass has been made for at least 6000 years in Egypt and Mesopotamia, so, as Greece had contact to those cultures, I would guess no, magnifying glasses don’t predate the local invention of glass. Specially considerint that naturally ocurring glass is often not transparent, except quartz, which is hard to form and polish. But the ancient Romans did try, so perhaps they made some lenses. They made [spheres and prisms,](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass#History) that much is known, but how well polished I have no idea. On the other hand ancient Romans already knew how to manufacture glass: some cups have survived, here a Roman [cage cup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cage_cup) from the 4th century BC: [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Roman_diatretglas.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Roman_diatretglas.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9386 "2024-04-27T20:59:08Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > do the magnifying glasses predate the (local) invention of glass? Interesting side note: the first eyeglasses used lenses ground from [white emerald](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryl#), known as “goshenite”, because they could not get glass that was clear enough. ---
**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:** [April 28, 2024, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9387 "2024-04-28T16:01:52Z")
Circumstantial evidence, M’lud. j 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9388 "2024-04-28T16:42:31Z")
Objection granted, I’ll drop it. Imagine being the one that breaks one such cup! How embarrasing would that be? 😳 ---
**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:** [April 28, 2024, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9389 "2024-04-28T21:37:44Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > A couple of things which turnout to be way older than you thought, courtesy of a visit to the Archaeological Museum of Rhodes. Dating from around 700 BCE: magnifying glasses and cheese graters. I was actually stopped from photographing them (oops); but here are a couple of interesting cites. The Layard Lens found in Mesopotamia also dates from the 8th century BCE > **[Nimrud lens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimrud_lens)** > > The Nimrud lens, also called Layard lens, is an 8th-century BC piece of rock crystal which was unearthed in 1850 by Austen Henry Layard at the Assyrian palace of Nimrud in modern-day Iraq. It may have been used as a magnifying glass or as a burning-glass to start fires by concentrating sunlight, or it may have been a piece of decorative inlay. > The lens is slightly oval and was roughly ground, perhaps on a lapidary wheel. It has a focal point about 11 centimetres (4.5 in) from the flat side and a... Rock crystal would have been the best thing to make lenses from back them – it was colorless and could be free of bubbles and inclusions. Earlt glass tended to be colored and have bubbles and inclusions in it. A way around this for making magnifying devices was found during the Roman empire – they used blown glass to make spheres or almost spheres. The bubbles and coloring wasn’t important, since the glass itself was very thin. It was the clear water that filled the vessel that did the magnification. And if algae started growing in it, you could empty it out and clean it. There was a factory for making solid lenses i Alexandria. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9390 "2024-04-28T22:36:44Z")
Galileo Galilei was the first person to sight Neptune. At the time, though, the planet had just transitioned into retrograde movement and was essentially stationary relative to the background stars. Galileo believed it to be just another star, and so is not credited with its discovery. We know this by comparing Galileo’s notes and sketches with where we know Neptune to have been at that time. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2024, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9391 "2024-04-28T23:51:55Z")
TIL that rabbits excrete two ‘types’ of poop. The initial poop, called a caecotroph, contains essential nutrients that have not been absorbed by the rabbit’s body, so the rabbit eats this poo, often eating it immediately after being passed from the body. The next poop is more of a ‘normal’ excrement, and is the pellet-type poop commonly seen in rabbit hutches. ---
**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:** [April 29, 2024, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9392 "2024-04-29T03:08:48Z")
You had to tell me this while I was eating Raisinets? (Literally.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=468) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=470)