# 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:** 81
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1603 "2021-03-13T02:53:34Z")
Everest isn’t where the farthest point from the centre of the earth is. That honour belongs to the peak of Mount Chimborazo in Peru, which is some 2,000 meters “higher” than Everest. This is because the earth is an oblate spheroid which bulges at the equator. The average sea level at the equator is over 21km farther from the centre of the Earth than it is at the poles. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1604 "2021-03-13T10:34:14Z")
I read somewhere that when Radhanath Sikdar measured Everest, he found it was exactly 20,000 feet. He knew that people would assume that such a neat number was an estimate, so he added 2 feet to make it look more like an exact measurement. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1605 "2021-03-13T12:46:03Z")
Kazakhstan (only Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus have more first-language Russians) is converting from Cyrillic script to Latin/Western script. Kazakh (a Turkic language - not Slavic) is the mother tongue of about 65% of the population. We are now in the middle of their five-year plan. A sample highway sign shows Russian Cyrillic, Kazakh Cyrillic, and Kazakh Latin. [Kazakhstan is changing its alphabet – here's why](https://theconversation.com/kazakhstan-is-changing-its-alphabet-heres-why-87466) ---
**Author:** ![Dahu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahu/32/3416_2.png) [@Dahu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahu)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1606 "2021-03-13T12:53:51Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I read somewhere that when Radhanath Sikdar measured Everest, he found it was exactly 20,000 feet. 2 **9** ,000 feet 😉 ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1607 "2021-03-13T12:56:00Z")
Sounds like an estimate, that’s why he added 9002 feet. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1608 "2021-03-13T16:12:29Z")
Okay - 0 and 9 are next to each other on my keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1609 "2021-03-13T18:54:00Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > 0 and 9 are next to each other on my keyboard. Where did you find such a non-standard layout? ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1610 "2021-03-13T18:57:22Z")
Speaking of layouts, whoever invented the QWERTY keyboard really didn’t think things through when they decided to put three vowels, u, i and o, right next to each other. I can’t count the number of time I have typed “in” when I mean “on” or “of” when I mean “if.” ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1611 "2021-03-13T19:00:58Z")
Similarly, the Missississippippi River flows uphill: Its mouth is further from the center of the Earth than its head is. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1612 "2021-03-13T20:19:29Z")
This is so good I have to ask for a cite, just so I can be confident when I tell all my friends. j ETA: _Missississippippi_ - am I being whooshed here? ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1613 "2021-03-13T20:48:21Z")
Look hard enough and everything is on line: [Earth radius by latitude](https://rechneronline.de/earth-radius/#:~:text=Mathematically%2C%20Earth%20is%20a%20spheroid,(3958.756%20mi)%20on%20average.). Loosely speaking, St Louis Min Altitude 117 m; latitude 37.5; Earth’s radius 6770 km New Orleans Altitude 0 m; latitude 30; Earth’s radius 6773 km Wonderful! j ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1614 "2021-03-13T21:36:06Z")
No whoosh; I was just feeling whimsical about spelllling. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1615 "2021-03-13T21:43:00Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > ETA: _Missississippippi_ - am I being whooshed here? Don’t know if you realize Americans learn to spell Mississippi in a sing-songy way at a very young age. Very easy and whimsical as stated to keep repeating portions of the spelling. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1616 "2021-03-13T22:04:53Z")
No, I didn’t know that - thanks. j ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1617 "2021-03-13T22:21:40Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > No, I didn’t know that - thanks. And I can still, 60+ years later, sing that sing-song when typing the state name. That or get cracked across the knuckles for misspelling. ---
**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:** [March 13, 2021, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1618 "2021-03-13T22:57:47Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Americans learn to spell Mississippi in a sing-songy way Ya mean like this?.. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MU6ZMFFVPS8/maxresdefault.jpg "Case - Crooked Letter") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU6ZMFFVPS8) ---
**Author:** ![Drsunflower1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drsunflower1/32/12711_2.png) [@Drsunflower1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drsunflower1)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2021, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1619 "2021-03-14T19:26:39Z")
Nitpick: Chimborazo is in Ecuador. ---
**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:** [March 15, 2021, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1620 "2021-03-15T01:42:24Z")
I haven’t found one good site that has them all, and I guess various markets have their own personnel. When you listen to NPR, have you ever wondered what they look like? [Jack Speer](https://www.npr.org/people/2101235/jack-speer) [Ailsa (I always assumed “Elsa”) Chang](https://www.npr.org/people/186026737/ailsa-chang) [Audie Cornish](https://www.npr.org/people/4986687/audie-cornish) [Mary Louise Kelly](https://www.npr.org/people/2780701/mary-louise-kelly) [Peter Sagal](https://www.npr.org/people/2101115/peter-sagal) [Ari Shapiro](https://www.npr.org/people/2101154/ari-shapiro) [Terry Gross](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Gross) [Ophira Eisenberg](https://www.npr.org/people/151311184/ophira-eisenberg) ---
**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:** [March 15, 2021, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1621 "2021-03-15T01:44:05Z")
According to Wikipedia: “Statuesque women in the South are called _stallions_”. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2021, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/1622 "2021-03-15T02:22:25Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > “Statuesque women in the South are called _stallions_ ”. “Honey, you so fine, you like a huge, muscular horse with a penis!” _“Ah do declare, how you do flirt so eloquently, Cap’n Butler…”_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=80) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=82)