# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/21 "2010-02-28T03:24:35Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > - The U.S. state closest to Africa is Maine. Los Angeles is approximately the same latitude as Casablanca. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/22 "2010-02-28T04:27:29Z")
Here’s another thing, the book can also be… a hat On another note, the recent economic collapse destroyed 40% of the globe’s wealth ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/23 "2010-02-28T04:59:06Z")
Yesterday I learned that one way to stop a V-1 rocket is to sidle up to it in your plane, get your wing under its wing, and flip that sumbitch. People _did that._ ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/24 "2010-02-28T05:07:28Z")
> [@figure9](#): > > A Japanese sub shelled a US west coast city. Not sure which one. Read it in a book called “I-boat captain”. > [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > On 23 February 1942, the Japanese submarine I-17 shelled the Ellwood Oil Field near Santa Barbara, CA. They only did minor damage to a couple of structures (they missed the oil tanks, and one shell literally missed by a mile), but the hysteria resulted in ‘The Battle of Los Angeles’, in which anti-aircraft artillery was shot into the air for about half an hour. This is the incident underlying Steven Spielberg’s _1941_. A Japanese sub also fired on Fort Stevens, at the mouth of the Columbia. > **[Japanese submarine shells Fort Stevens at the mouth of the Columbia R](https://www.historylink.org/File/7217)** > > On June 21, 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-25 shells the U.S. Army's Fort Stevens coastal defenses on the Oregon side of the mouth of the Columbia River. The Japanese are retaliating fo ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/25 "2010-02-28T05:13:01Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Los Angeles is approximately the same latitude as Casablanca. I’ve always thought it was amazing that Los Angeles is further east than Reno, Nevada. ---
**Author:** ![hellpaso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@hellpaso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hellpaso)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/26 "2010-02-28T05:19:06Z")
> [@aerodave](#): > > I’ve always thought it was amazing that Los Angeles is further east than Reno, Nevada. I may be mistaken, but I believe I heard that Carson City, Nevada is further west than San Diego. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/27 "2010-02-28T05:26:32Z")
The closest US point to Spain is the eastern end of Nantucket Island! They even have a billboard advertsing the fact. Quite a tourist attraction! ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/28 "2010-02-28T06:08:01Z")
Take a piece of string. Wrap it around a basketball. Increase the length of the string enough to wrap around the basketball at a height of 1 in. above its surface. This will require an additional 6.28 in. of string. Take a piece of string. Wrap it around Earth. Increase the length of the string enough to wrap around the planet at a height of 1 in. above its surface. This will require the same additional 6.28 in. of string. Simple geometry. Still kinda mind boggling. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/29 "2010-02-28T06:21:10Z")
Those who enjoy this type of thing will enjoy [Futility Closet](http://www.futilitycloset.com), one of my favorite sites. One that I saw there recently and loved: _John lives in an East Coast state and Mary in a West Coast state. During a phone conversation one night, they realize that it is the same time in both locations. How can this be?_ [Answer](http://www.futilitycloset.com/2010/01/18/fugue-state-solution/) ---
**Author:** ![Deereman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Deereman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deereman)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/30 "2010-02-28T06:29:11Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Yesterday I learned that one way to stop a V-1 rocket is to sidle up to it in your plane, get your wing under its wing, and flip that sumbitch. People _did that._ This is pretty much how it worked, though I believe that the aircraft and V-1 didn’t actually touch. Once close enough (VERY close) the airflow off of the wing was enough to flip the V-1 out of control. This was found out by accident, when a pursing pilot accidentally overran his target (they had to dive at high speed from above to catch up) and the V-1 flipped out of control from the turbulence. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/31 "2010-02-28T06:34:52Z")
We had an “unbelievable facts” thread which you could basically copy and paste into this thread. My favorite was: The vast majority of South America is east of Miami. ---
**Author:** ![figure9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@figure9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/figure9)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/32 "2010-02-28T13:50:22Z")
Sorry I did not provide more information on the I-boat attack. Dad donated his collection of over 100 books on WWII to the library in Russel KS. Unbelievable fact - The library in Russel KS has over 100 books about WWII. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/33 "2010-02-28T14:17:03Z")
China. which is roughly the same size as the US, has only 1 time zone. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/34 "2010-02-28T15:13:01Z")
For every person living in the Netherlands, _each year_, over thirty pigs, chickens and cows are factory farmed and slaughtered. Over thirty animals die every year so I can eat meat. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/35 "2010-02-28T15:19:22Z")
> [@ghardester](#): > > A Japanese sub also fired on Fort Stevens, at the mouth of the Columbia. > > [Japanese submarine shells Fort Stevens at the mouth of the Columbia River on June 21, 1942. - HistoryLink.org](http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&File_Id=7217) There is a German sub off the northern tip of Long Island. It actually sank a collier before we sank it with depth charges. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/36 "2010-02-28T15:27:47Z")
London, England, is farther north than Amatignak Island, Alaska. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/37 "2010-02-28T15:59:30Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > London, England, is farther north than Amatignak Island, Alaska. This is the basis of my ‘wow’ at L.A. being the same latitude as Casablanca. Most Americans come from European stock, and we closely identify with England and Northern European countries. Without looking at a map, I think it’s natural to assume our country is at the same ‘level’ as our ancestors’. In actuality, England is above the Northern border of the continental U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/38 "2010-02-28T16:44:51Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > Take a piece of string. Wrap it around Earth. Increase the length of the string enough to wrap around the planet at a height of 1 in. above its surface. This will require the same additional 6.28 in. of string. > > Simple geometry. Still kinda mind boggling. Are you explaining this one wrong? That makes no sense. A string wrapped around the Earth and then given 6.28 inches extra length will only wrap 6.28 inches of the Earth’s surface to a height of one string width, which is clearly not 1 in. above the surface and is nowhere near around the planet. ---
**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:** [February 28, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/39 "2010-02-28T16:45:18Z")
[South Dakota](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_South_Dakota_(ACR-9)) was returned to Canada on February 18, 1961 (see the last sentence of the linked article) ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648/40 "2010-02-28T16:47:18Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Most Americans come from European stock, and we closely identify with England and Northern European countries. Without looking at a map, I think it’s natural to assume our country is at the same ‘level’ as our ancestors’. I think we also try to compare temperatures and seasons and put them at similar latitudes. Europe is warmed by winds off the Atlantic ocean from lower latitudes, which makes a difference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unbelievable-facts-that-turn-out-to-be-true/530648.md?page=3)