Random Facts...

[XFanTim]

The peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on Earth . . . it can dive at speeds of well over 100 miles per hour. (see here)

The fastest land animal, the cheetah, can reach speeds of 70 mph (see here)

 

[echostation]

It's been documented that there is only one person on this planet named Sethu who is also 1/2 Malayali and 1/2 Pashtu...

 

[Bubonic]

Really? Different genders don't have different chromosomes, like in people? Or they have some cells of each gender, and temperature determines which survives?

Nile crocodiles have Temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), which means the sex of their hatchlings is determined not by genetics, but by the average temperature during the middle third of their incubation period. If the temperature inside the nest is below 31.7 °C (89.1 °F), or above 34.5 °C (94.1 °F), the offspring will be female. Males can only be born if the temperature is within that narrow 5-degree range.

That was quickly pulled from wiki, but the fact was brought to my attention by a college evolution teacher.

Here's another fun fact, the wood-boring mollusk starts off as a male, and later on turns into a female.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

"Yes, Socrates himself is particularly missed,A lovely little thinker but a bugger when he's pissed."

 

[XFanTim]

Very cool info, Bubonic. (Well, cool to a science nerd like me.) I had no idea sex determination worked so differently in some animals.

 

[redmarvel]

In 1976 an issue of "The Amazing Spider-Man" purchased in the USA, would only have cost you 25 cents.

In 1980 in Germany an issue of "Die Spinne" (yes that's Spider-Man) cost 1.60 Deutch Marks

 

[XFanTim]

On the topic of fun biology facts:

Turkeys can reproduce asexually.

 

[redmarvel]

In Giant-Size X-Men #1, the first appearance of Wolverine, his first statements are:

"Let them wait. It's good for the soul.

All right gents -- I'm here! Now who's this bigwig you want me to meet"

 

[XFanTim]

In Giant-Size X-Men #1, the first appearance of Wolverine, his first statements are:

"Let them wait. It's good for the soul.

All right gents -- I'm here! Now who's this bigwig you want me to meet"

Giant-Size X-Men wasn't the first appearance of Wolverine. He'd appeared previously in an issue of The Incredible Hulk.

 

[XFanTim]

Just looked it up because I couldn't remember the issue number:
Wolverine first appeared on the last page of Incredible Hulk #180, with his first full appearance coming in Hulk #181.

 

[redmarvel]

Whoops, should have said his first X-Men appearance, thanks XFanTim

 

[XFanTim]

Whoops, should have said his first X-Men appearance, thanks XFanTim

No problem.

Speaking of prominent X-Men who first appeared in non X-books:

Rogue's first appearance was in Avengers Annual #10.

 

[redmarvel]

The Marvel Chronology Project contains the most comprehensive list of appearances of Marvel Characters in Marvel Comics, but it is missing a big chunk from 1993 to 1994.

 

[Blue Box Angel]

More food is thrown out each day in the United States than is needed to feed its hungry . . . by McDonalds.

 

[Dangerous]

Eww, Mcdonalds..

 

[Brick]

In acient Greece,courtesans wore sandals with nails studded into the sole so that their footprints would leave the message "follow me".

 

[Dangerous]

If you slit you belly open and lay your innards out end to end you would die.

 

[Scut Farkus]

When men get a vasectomy, the vas deferens is clipped off with metal clips that will set off metal detectors.

 

[Dangerous]

Horrible.

 

[Bubonic]

Very cool info, Bubonic. (Well, cool to a science nerd like me.) I had no idea sex determination worked so differently in some animals.

That's a problem with science... Its just so vast that you can never hope to really know everything!

Capsaicin (the chemical in chiles that make your tongue feel like it burns) does not damage your taste buds.
In fact, the sensation has nothing to do with your tastebuds, it reacts to the irritant thinking your tongue is on fire.

On the other hand, boiling hot coffee will do a number on your taste buds.

Chileheads rejoice!

 

[Brick]

In World War 2 it cost the Allies about $225,00 to kill one enemy soldier

 

[XFanTim]

By some estimates, the visible universe contains 10^80 atoms. (1 followed by 80 zeros).

 

[Poetic Chaos]

Soulja Boy's Crank That has become the biggest selling digital single of all time, having been legally downloaded over 3 million times.

 

[Charlie No-One]

You have over 6 ft of DNA per a cell. It is supercoiled hence why it fits.

 

[Bubonic]

Chicken taste like alligator... Not the other way around.