More interesting facts from QI: The Book of General Ignorance

‘Something’s “poisonous” when you bite it, but it’s “venomous” when it bites you.’ – Hence a “poisonous” snake would be a grass snake, although vipers and cobras are “venomous”.

Nero couldn’t have been playing the fiddle while Rome burned, as the fiddle wasn’t invented till the 15th century. In fact, Nero was more than 56km away at his seaside holiday home, and raced back to Rome upon nearing the news to take charge of the fire-fighting efforts.

Underwired bras act as portable lightning conductors in a storm.

There is no such thing as Tutankhamun’s curse.

random pieces of information

Soybeans represent the US’ single-biggest export to China: $9.19 billion in 2009, topping the combined value of semiconductors and plastic materials, U.S. data show. (Source: I’ve forgotten)

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In America, one might call one’s professor “Professor So-and-so” in the beginning, but as the relationship grows closer, one might start using the Professor’s first name. (Source: My Japanese textbook)

(I didn’t know that!)

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All blue-eyed people are mutants. The first blue-eyed human only appeared about 5,000 years ago. (Source: QIkipedia)

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China has 446 million pigs – more than the next 43 pork-producing countries combined – and consumes half of the world’s pork each year.

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Interesting facts–from QI

More accurately, these are from The Book of General Ignorance which is full of interesting little nuggets of knowledge. Here are some:

• Humans have 4 nostrils.
• The biggest thing a blue whale can swallow is a grapefruit.
• Polar bears like toothpaste.
• Kilts, bagpipes, haggis, porridge, whiskey and tartan all do NOT originate from Scotland. (And Scotland, by the way, is named after the Scoti, a Celtic tribe from Ireland, while whiskey was invented by the ancient Chinese!)
• Iceland is Europe’s largest producer of bananas.
• Coffee isn’t made from beans, but from seeds.
• Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries aren’t actually berries, although bananas, watermelons, papayas, tomatoes, oranges and blueberries are berries.