# 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:** 500
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9993 "2024-07-24T20:00:32Z")
Hopefully a leak too tiny to make bubbles or produce an odor would at worst make a mild pop when ignited. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9994 "2024-07-24T20:18:55Z")
Yep, that’s what he told me. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9995 "2024-07-24T20:32:48Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > They could always do what physicists do when looking for leaks in pressurized pipe systems – squirt soapy water and look for any bubbles forming. And risk loosing fingers or a hand if they get too close. Live steam leaks are very dangerous, and can easily badly injure or kill an incautious worker. [Hazards of Steam](https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hazards-steam-peter-marsh) ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9996 "2024-07-24T22:21:23Z")
Sharks, as a species, are older than: the Rocky Mountains, the rings of Saturn, The North Star, trees, flowers, and the Atlantic Ocean. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9997 "2024-07-24T22:28:43Z")
> [@Bookkeeper](#): > > I have read that ship’s engine room crews also use similar methods of detecting steam leaks when you can hear that it’s escaping but can’t see exactly where. This wasn’t a problem back when everybody had a cig hanging from their lips. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9998 "2024-07-24T22:36:41Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Sharks, as a species, are older than: the Rocky Mountains, the rings of Saturn, The North Star, trees, flowers, and the Atlantic Ocean. I might have to do a bit of self-pedantry here. The North Star is actually three stars which are estimated to be 70m years old - WAY younger than sharks. But since Polaris is 430m light years away they may actually be a little bit older than sharks. But only a little bit. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9999 "2024-07-24T22:36:50Z")
Yes, with some qualifiers: the North Star did exist before sharks, it just was not in the north as seen from Earth, and the rings of Saturn are a bit speculative. But sharks are not a species: they are a subclass of fishes called “elasmobranch”. The name “elasmobranch” comes from the Greek words elasm—meaning plate—and branchia, meaning gills. This subgroup is very ancient indeed. Today there are more than 500 species of extant sharks. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10000 "2024-07-24T22:38:56Z")
Thanks, I added “as a species” for clarity, without thinking it through. Of course “shark” is not a species at all. Anyway, delighted to have ninja’d you with the Polaris point 😛 ---
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10001 "2024-07-24T22:40:16Z")
You may well be delighted, I would too. Well ninja’d indeed. By seconds, that should make it even more satisfying. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10002 "2024-07-24T22:40:58Z")
The John Mayhall memoriam thread reminded me of Long John Baldry. (Hey, my mind goes places, okay?) His Wikipedia mentions his association with Elton John. First, the last name “John” comes from Baldry’s first name (and the “Elton” from a bandmate of theirs). And _Someone Saved My Life Tonight_ is in reference to Baldry and another person actually savings Elton’s life. Just remember: don’t try to lay no boogie woogie on the king of rock and roll. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10003 "2024-07-24T22:59:11Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Yes, with some qualifiers: the North Star did exist before sharks, it just was not in the north as seen from Earth, No, it is in fact a very young star-- @Fiendish_Astronaut got that right. It’s also not always lined up with Earth’s north pole, but that’s a much shorter timespan: The whole cycle takes around 23,000 years. While we’re at it, “as constant as the North Star” isn’t very. In addition to the quirk of its position in the sky, it’s also a Cepheid variable star, and in fact the closest one to us, which means that it cyclically pulses in size and temperature, leading to changes in its brightness. And it’s not even constantly inconstant: Both the period and amplitude of its oscillations have changed noticeably in the time since we’ve been making precise measurements, possibly due to orbital interactions with the other stars in its system. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10004 "2024-07-24T23:05:15Z")
Thinking about it we cannot know that Polaris is 500m years old. It has existed in our sky for 70m years but for all we know got blown up by an advanced alien species before they got to 71m. From our perspective they are 70m years old and that’s it. ---
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10005 "2024-07-24T23:38:44Z")
And knowing the precise location of the North Star is important for our ICBMs ([link 1](https://minutemanmissile.com/upperlauncherequipmentroom.html), [link 2](https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.1983-2297)). ---
**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:** [July 24, 2024, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10006 "2024-07-24T23:47:50Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > Sharks, as a species, are older than: the Rocky Mountains, the rings of Saturn, The North Star, trees, flowers, and the Atlantic Ocean. Yeah? Where did they swim if the Atlantic Ocean didn’t exist yet? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2024, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10007 "2024-07-24T23:55:50Z")
Panthalassa (The World Ocean) ---
**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:** [July 25, 2024, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10008 "2024-07-25T01:04:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > No, it is in fact a very young star– Would it also be accurate to say that the star existed at the same time as the first sharks? Sure, the sharks couldn’t see it, but it was still there, right? ---
**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:** [July 25, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10009 "2024-07-25T02:13:26Z")
Well, around that time, anyway. There are significant error bars on both numbers. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10010 "2024-07-25T14:58:42Z")
Herbert Hoover lived from 1874 to 1964. That means that every President from Andrew Johnson to the present was alive for at least part of his life and that streak will continue in this election barring something crazy. Hoover died the same day that Harris was born. That’s 29 Presidents. Carter is already at 17 Presidents starting with Coolidge and his streak must continue for at least 32 more years which is a minimum of six more possible without a Constitutional Amendment. He will almost certainly break the record even if Hoover gets a couple more. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2024, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10011 "2024-07-25T15:04:32Z")
Edit: never mind ---
**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:** [July 25, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/10012 "2024-07-25T15:05:38Z")
You have to be 32 to be President. Someone born after he dies can’t be President for 32 years [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=499) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=501)