# Unbelievable facts that turn out to be true. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 27, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648 "2010-02-27T14:47:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/181 "2010-03-23T03:15:49Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > I had a relative-in-law living for a while near Houston. He had one brother in Minneapolis and another out in the western tip of Texas. It was about the same distance to both. I have to say not quite. According to Google maps, it’s 746 miles from Houston to El Paso, and 1178 from Houston to Minneapolis. Those aren’t as the crow flies, but they appear to be fairly straight-forward paths on the highways. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/182 "2010-03-23T12:55:04Z")
The agricultural output of Iraq is today only 2/3rd of what it was before the Mongols and this is after Saddam Hussain’s green revolution. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/183 "2010-03-23T16:27:56Z")
One use for angular diameter is to measure “size” in the sky. Tiny dwarf planet Pluto, when closest to us, is nearly _ **twice as “wide”** _ as [supergiant star Betelgeuse](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betelgeuse) is at maximum variable real diameter. (Discounting [one huge-but-dim surfaced infrared star](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_Doradus), Betelgeuse is the largest star in the night sky.) 🆒 (This is a huge testimony to how great the difference between the distances of the other planets to us and stars to us.) More specifics coming, including comparison of Pluto to nearby Alpha Centauri A, and brightest night sky star, Sirius A.) _ **- “Jack”** _ ---
**Author:** ![Sarabellum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarabellum/32/3492_2.png) [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/184 "2010-03-23T19:23:15Z")
The singer Julio Iglesias has two younger siblings that are something like 60 years younger than he is. His dad, a doctor, remarried a younger woman late in life and they started having children when he was about 90. The youngest child was born 7 months after he died. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/185 "2010-03-25T03:31:23Z")
> [@Trans Fat Og](#): > > One use for angular diameter is to measure “size” in the sky.] I like this one.. if the M31 galaxy were bright enough to wholly see it would be quite impressive in the night sky. > **[APOD: 2006 December 28 - Moon Over Andromeda](https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061228.html)** > > A different astronomy and space science > related image is featured each day, along with a brief explanation. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/186 "2010-03-25T16:56:09Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > I had a relative-in-law living for a while near Houston. He had one brother in Minneapolis and another out in the western tip of Texas. It was about the same distance to both. A glance at my map doesn’t back this one up. Am I missing something? ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/187 "2010-03-25T17:00:31Z")
> [@Cugel](#): > > I like this one.. if the M31 galaxy were bright enough to wholly see it would be quite impressive in the night sky. > [APOD: 2006 December 28 - Moon Over Andromeda](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061228.html) Yeah, this one’s great. When that photo first ran, I Photoshopped and printed a copy to scale (moon in photo held at arm’s length = actual moon in actual sky) to amaze myself and friends. Andromeda’s BIG. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/188 "2010-03-25T23:53:51Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > **tdn** – not cool. This is really against the spirit of this thread specifically, and the whole “fighting ignorance” thing in general. > > I’m not going to call it trolling, which some of the people reporting it have done, so I’m not giving you a warning – but, seriously, not cool. Don’t do it again. > > **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator I’m sorry. I honestly thought it would be fun for everyone if I threw that in there. So I apologize to everyone who disliked it. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/189 "2010-03-26T02:48:09Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Similarly, “the 49th parallel” is often used as an offhanded reference to the Canada-US border, but this is only the case between Lake of the Woods and the Straits of Juan de Fuca. The large majority of the Canadian population live below the 49th parallel, and the capitals of all the provinces except Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba (the only provinces entirely above the 49th parallel) are south of it. The three Maritime provinces are entirely below the 49th parallel, which runs through or near such northern towns as Cochrane, Ontario or Dolbeau-Mistassini, Quebec. > > Canada’s southernmost point, Middle Island in Lake Erie, is below the 42nd parallel, which also forms the northern border of California. Sorry Matt… PEI,Nova Scotia,Newfoundland/Labrador,Nunavut,Yukon,Northwest(ter) and New Brunswick are all well ABOVE the 49th…as is Quebec City! edit…Yes I understand NW, Yukon and Nunavut are territories…that still leaves a few you failed to mention! Go Canada! Where do you live? hope this helps… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/190 "2010-03-26T03:02:18Z")
> [@](#): > > PEI,Nova Scotia,Newfoundland/Labrador,Nunavut,Yukon,Northwest(ter) and New Brunswick are all well ABOVE the 49th…as is Quebec City! I think you need to go look at a globe or atlas. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/191 "2010-03-26T03:21:19Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I think you need to go look at a globe or atlas. I concede…sorry Matt…(damn flat map)… Thanks LN… ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/192 "2010-03-26T05:04:06Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > Correct. Assuming 4 generations per century, I have approximately 2^48 ancestors going back to the 8th century. How do you pronounce " 2^48 " and what does it mean? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/193 "2010-03-26T05:21:53Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > How do you pronounce " 2^48 " and what does it mean? > Thanks! “Two to the forty-eighth.” It means “a whole shit load.” ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/194 "2010-03-26T07:21:02Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > “Two to the forty-eighth.” It means “a whole shit load.” Also written 2[sup]48[/sup], meaning 2_2_2… until you have 48 twos multiplied together. It’s about 256,000,000,000,000. This, of course, is thousands of times more than the whole population of the world during this time, and means you’re much more inbred than you might feel comfortable with. 😃 ---
**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:** [March 26, 2010, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/195 "2010-03-26T11:49:18Z")
To be exact, it’s 281,474,976,710,656. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/196 "2010-03-26T12:56:28Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Atlanta is closer to Chicago than it is to Miami. Yeah . . . no. I learned that little “fact” here on the SDMB too, a few years ago. I was real proud of myself when I told someone, who then promptly Mapquested it and called me an asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/197 "2010-03-26T13:10:30Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Atlanta is closer to Chicago than it is to Miami. > [@Cisco](#): > > Yeah . . . no. I learned that little “fact” here on the SDMB too, a few years ago. I was real proud of myself when I told someone, who then promptly Mapquested it and called me an asshole. Measured using Google Earth: Atlanta to Chicago: ca 583 miles Atlanta to Miami: ca 601 miles ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/198 "2010-03-26T13:24:42Z")
I used a “Great Circle” calculater and came up with 585 and 605, respectively, within the margin of error of Floater’s calculations. So, yeah, it is. Now, the road trip is a different story. It looks to be about 60 miles longer to Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/199 "2010-03-26T13:25:38Z")
Ah, so I guess it is closer as the crow flies, it’s just a farther drive . . . now I need to remember who called me an asshole . . . :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/200 "2010-03-26T13:50:51Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > Ah, so I guess it is closer as the crow flies, it’s just a farther drive . . . now I need to remember who called me an asshole . . . :dubious: Jess gets ya one of dem dere new fangled flying ottymobiles! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648.md?page=11)