Saturday, January 31, 2009
Do the Dew
Invented in the 1940s in Tennessee, Mountain Dew was meant to be mixed with whisky. In fact, its bottles were designed to look like moonshine, and the original Mountain Dew labels featured outhouses, stills, and hay-chewing yokels.
Vermont is a weird state...(FRIDAY)
The only U.S. state that doesn’t participate in the “Adopt-a-Highway” program is Vermont. Their “billboard-free state” policy prevents citizens from posting the signs necessary for the campaign.
Parcheesi for real! (THURSDAY)
Parcheesi originated as a life-size game—the ruler of India played it in his garden, using pretty young women as the pawns. As for the “home” they moved toward? That was the center of the garden, where the emperor sat.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
What's Up Doc?
What color are carrots?
Carrots didn't reveal their inner orangeness for almost five thousand years.
The earliest evidence of carrots being used by humans dates from 3000 BC in Afghanistan. These original carrots were purple on the outside and yellow on the inside. The ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated the vegetable, but mostly for medicinal purposes; the carrot was considered a powerful aphrodisiac.
Galen, the famous second-century Roman physician, on the other hand, recommended carrots for expelling wind. He was the first to identify them as separate from their close relative, the parsnip.
As Arab traders spread carrot seed throughout Asia, Africa, and Arabia, carrots blossomed into different shades of purple, white, yellow, red, green, and even black.
The very first orange carrot was grown in sixteenth century Holland, patriotically bred to match the color of the Dutch Royal House of Orange.
By the seventeenth century, the Dutch were the main European producers of carrots and all modern varieties are descended from their four orange ones: Early Half Long, Late Half Long, Scarlet, and Long Orange.
Carrots can be used to make a sort of natural antifreeze.
Iceland once developed a chocolate-flavored carrot. It was withdrawn after eight months.
Carrots didn't reveal their inner orangeness for almost five thousand years.
The earliest evidence of carrots being used by humans dates from 3000 BC in Afghanistan. These original carrots were purple on the outside and yellow on the inside. The ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated the vegetable, but mostly for medicinal purposes; the carrot was considered a powerful aphrodisiac.
Galen, the famous second-century Roman physician, on the other hand, recommended carrots for expelling wind. He was the first to identify them as separate from their close relative, the parsnip.
As Arab traders spread carrot seed throughout Asia, Africa, and Arabia, carrots blossomed into different shades of purple, white, yellow, red, green, and even black.
The very first orange carrot was grown in sixteenth century Holland, patriotically bred to match the color of the Dutch Royal House of Orange.
By the seventeenth century, the Dutch were the main European producers of carrots and all modern varieties are descended from their four orange ones: Early Half Long, Late Half Long, Scarlet, and Long Orange.
Carrots can be used to make a sort of natural antifreeze.
Iceland once developed a chocolate-flavored carrot. It was withdrawn after eight months.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
A Canary Dog?
What animal are the Canary Islands named after?
Dogs! Canary birds are named after the islands (where they are indigenous), not the other way around.
The archipelago gets its name from the Latin name for the largest of the islands, which the Romans named Insula Canaria (Isle of Dogs) after the large number of dogs there, both wild and domesticated.
The volcano on La Palma in the Canaries is said to have the potential to cause a catastrophic collapse of the western half of the island, creating a tsunami the could cross the Atlantic and hit the Eastern Seaboard of the USA eight hours later with a wave as high as ninety feet.
Canaries are a kind of finch. For centuries, British mining regulations required the keeping of a small bird for gas detection. They were used in this way until 1986, and the wording wasn't removed from the regulation until 1995. The idea was that toxic gases like carbon monoxide and methane killed the birds before they injured the miners. Canaries were favored because they sing a lot, so it's noticeable when they go quiet and fall over.
A diet of red peppers can turn canaries orange!
Dogs! Canary birds are named after the islands (where they are indigenous), not the other way around.
The archipelago gets its name from the Latin name for the largest of the islands, which the Romans named Insula Canaria (Isle of Dogs) after the large number of dogs there, both wild and domesticated.
The volcano on La Palma in the Canaries is said to have the potential to cause a catastrophic collapse of the western half of the island, creating a tsunami the could cross the Atlantic and hit the Eastern Seaboard of the USA eight hours later with a wave as high as ninety feet.
Canaries are a kind of finch. For centuries, British mining regulations required the keeping of a small bird for gas detection. They were used in this way until 1986, and the wording wasn't removed from the regulation until 1995. The idea was that toxic gases like carbon monoxide and methane killed the birds before they injured the miners. Canaries were favored because they sing a lot, so it's noticeable when they go quiet and fall over.
A diet of red peppers can turn canaries orange!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Baby, it's cold outside!
When did the most recent ice age end?
We're still in it.
Geographers define and ice age as a period in the earth's history when there are polar ice caps. Our current climate is an interglacial period. This doesn't mean "between ice ages." It is used to describe the period within the ice age when the ice retreats because of warmer temperatures.
Our interglacial period started ten thousand years ago, in what we think is the fourth ice age.
When it will end is anyone's guess; ideas about the duration of the interglacial period range from twelve thousand to fifty thousand years (without allowing for man-made influence).
The Little Ice Age, which began in 1500 and lasted 300 years, saw the average temperature in europe drop by one degree Celsius. It also coincided with a period of extremely low sunspot activity, though whether the two are linked is still being argued over.
During this period, the Arctic ice sheet extended so far south that Eskimos are recorded as reaching Scotland on kayaks on six different occasions, and the inhabitants of Orkney had to fight off a disoriented polar bear.
We're still in it.
Geographers define and ice age as a period in the earth's history when there are polar ice caps. Our current climate is an interglacial period. This doesn't mean "between ice ages." It is used to describe the period within the ice age when the ice retreats because of warmer temperatures.
Our interglacial period started ten thousand years ago, in what we think is the fourth ice age.
When it will end is anyone's guess; ideas about the duration of the interglacial period range from twelve thousand to fifty thousand years (without allowing for man-made influence).
The Little Ice Age, which began in 1500 and lasted 300 years, saw the average temperature in europe drop by one degree Celsius. It also coincided with a period of extremely low sunspot activity, though whether the two are linked is still being argued over.
During this period, the Arctic ice sheet extended so far south that Eskimos are recorded as reaching Scotland on kayaks on six different occasions, and the inhabitants of Orkney had to fight off a disoriented polar bear.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Where do camels come from?
North America!!
The icons of the African and Arabian deserts are American in origin.
Like horses and dogs, camels evolved in the grasslands of America twenty million years ago. In those days, they were more like giraffes or gazelles than the humped beasts of burden we know and love. It wasn't until about four million years ago that they crossed the Bering Land bridge into Asia. (Maybe they passed the Native Americans on their way...)
They became extinct in North America during the last Ice Age and, unlike dogs and horses, haven't made it back.
It is not clear why the north American camel species died out. Climate change is the obvious culprit. More specifically it was have been due to the silica content of grass. As the North American climate got cooler and drier, silica levels in grass tripled. This new super tough grass wore out the teeth of even the toughest rooted grazers and the horses and camels gradually died of starvation, as a result of being unable to chew.
There is also some evidence that these already weakened species, their escape route to Asia blocked by the disappearance of the Bering Land bridge ten thousand years ago, were finished off by human hunters.
The icons of the African and Arabian deserts are American in origin.
Like horses and dogs, camels evolved in the grasslands of America twenty million years ago. In those days, they were more like giraffes or gazelles than the humped beasts of burden we know and love. It wasn't until about four million years ago that they crossed the Bering Land bridge into Asia. (Maybe they passed the Native Americans on their way...)
They became extinct in North America during the last Ice Age and, unlike dogs and horses, haven't made it back.
It is not clear why the north American camel species died out. Climate change is the obvious culprit. More specifically it was have been due to the silica content of grass. As the North American climate got cooler and drier, silica levels in grass tripled. This new super tough grass wore out the teeth of even the toughest rooted grazers and the horses and camels gradually died of starvation, as a result of being unable to chew.
There is also some evidence that these already weakened species, their escape route to Asia blocked by the disappearance of the Bering Land bridge ten thousand years ago, were finished off by human hunters.
Who doesn't love PEZ? (SATURDAY, Jan 24)
Introduced in the late 1960’s, flower-flavored PEZ was designed to appeal to the hippie generation—complete with a groovy, psychedelic dispenser. But even in the decade of free love, no love could be found for the flavor power of flowers.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Who Needs Sleep?
It is, apparently, dangerous to have eight hours of sleep a night.
Adults who sleep eight hours a night or more die younger than those who only sleep six to seven hours a night.
A six-year study involving 1.1 million people published by Professor Daniel Kripke at the University of California in 2004 showed that a significantly larger number of people who slept eight or more hours (or less than four) a night died during the six-year study.
The average Briton gets between six and seven hours of sleep a night, which is one and a half hours less every night than our grandparents did. In 1900 a normal night's sleep was nine hours.
There is evidence to suggest that sleep deprivation leads to short-term loss of IQ, memory, and the ability to reason.
Leonardo da Vinci spent almost half his life sleeping. Like Einstein, he took short naps during the day, in his case, fifteen minutes every four hours. The great lexicographer Dr. Johnson rarely got up before noon. The French philosopher Pascal also spent much of his day dozing in bed.
On the other hand, the famously long-lived elephant sleeps for only two hours a day. Koalas sleep for twenty two hours a day, but only live ten years. Ants sleep for only a few minutes a day.
The average person takes seven minutes to fall asleep. Normal healthy sleepers wake up between fifteen and thirty-five times every night.
Twenty percent of UK motorway accidents are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel.
Adults who sleep eight hours a night or more die younger than those who only sleep six to seven hours a night.
A six-year study involving 1.1 million people published by Professor Daniel Kripke at the University of California in 2004 showed that a significantly larger number of people who slept eight or more hours (or less than four) a night died during the six-year study.
The average Briton gets between six and seven hours of sleep a night, which is one and a half hours less every night than our grandparents did. In 1900 a normal night's sleep was nine hours.
There is evidence to suggest that sleep deprivation leads to short-term loss of IQ, memory, and the ability to reason.
Leonardo da Vinci spent almost half his life sleeping. Like Einstein, he took short naps during the day, in his case, fifteen minutes every four hours. The great lexicographer Dr. Johnson rarely got up before noon. The French philosopher Pascal also spent much of his day dozing in bed.
On the other hand, the famously long-lived elephant sleeps for only two hours a day. Koalas sleep for twenty two hours a day, but only live ten years. Ants sleep for only a few minutes a day.
The average person takes seven minutes to fall asleep. Normal healthy sleepers wake up between fifteen and thirty-five times every night.
Twenty percent of UK motorway accidents are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel.
Hydration Nation! (Thursday, January 22)
What shouldn't you drink if you're dehydrated?
Alcohol is fine. So are tea and coffee.
Virtually any fluid will help hydrate you, although you should steer clear of saltwater.
There's no scientific basis for the curious idea that fluids other than water cause dehydration. As a diuretic (something that makes you pass water), caffeine does cause a loss of water, but only a fraction of what you're adding by drinking the coffee. Tea, coffee, squash, and milk are all equally good at replacing fluids.
Ron Maughan, professor of Human Physiology at the University of Aberdeen Medical School, has looked into the effects of alcohol, considered to be another diuretic, and found that, in moderation, it too has little impact on the average person's state of fluid balance.
His results, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, showed that alcoholic drinks with an alcohol content of less than four percent, such as light beer and lager, can be used to stave off dehydration.
Alcohol is fine. So are tea and coffee.
Virtually any fluid will help hydrate you, although you should steer clear of saltwater.
There's no scientific basis for the curious idea that fluids other than water cause dehydration. As a diuretic (something that makes you pass water), caffeine does cause a loss of water, but only a fraction of what you're adding by drinking the coffee. Tea, coffee, squash, and milk are all equally good at replacing fluids.
Ron Maughan, professor of Human Physiology at the University of Aberdeen Medical School, has looked into the effects of alcohol, considered to be another diuretic, and found that, in moderation, it too has little impact on the average person's state of fluid balance.
His results, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, showed that alcoholic drinks with an alcohol content of less than four percent, such as light beer and lager, can be used to stave off dehydration.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
......Over me!
Did you know that the Beatles's hit song, "Come Together," is based on Timothy Leary's campaign against Ronald Regan.
In 1969 Timothy Leary intended to run for governor of CA against a B-movie actor named Ronald Regan. One of Leary's battlecries was "Come together," and he asked his friend John Lennon to write a song for it based on the campaign. By the time Lennon got around to it, Leary's campaign was dead (he had to drop out when he was convicted of marijuana possession).
Lennon liked the phrase, though, and decided to build a song around it anyway. He loosely based it on the old Chuck Berry tune, "You Can't Catch Me." He even left in the line, "Here come old flat-top."
"Come together" was one of Lennon's favorite songs: "It's funky, it's bluesy. You can dance to it. I'll buy it!"
In 1969 Timothy Leary intended to run for governor of CA against a B-movie actor named Ronald Regan. One of Leary's battlecries was "Come together," and he asked his friend John Lennon to write a song for it based on the campaign. By the time Lennon got around to it, Leary's campaign was dead (he had to drop out when he was convicted of marijuana possession).
Lennon liked the phrase, though, and decided to build a song around it anyway. He loosely based it on the old Chuck Berry tune, "You Can't Catch Me." He even left in the line, "Here come old flat-top."
"Come together" was one of Lennon's favorite songs: "It's funky, it's bluesy. You can dance to it. I'll buy it!"
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Some True Party Animals
It takes one can of hard cider to get a beaver drunk and 480 pints of beer to get an African Elephant drunk.
The facts aren't going to be as long and detailed as they have been thus far anymore. They will be occasionally, but it's just way too much work to come up with such lengthy facts.
The facts aren't going to be as long and detailed as they have been thus far anymore. They will be occasionally, but it's just way too much work to come up with such lengthy facts.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Lighthouse Miscellany!
The oldest working lighthouse in the world is Spain's Tower of Hercules, built by the Romans in 20 BC.
The Statue of Liberty was the first American lighthouse to use electricity. It served as a lighthouse until 1902.
The Great Lighthouse at Alexandria, Egypt, was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Completed around 280 BC, it stood about 450 feet high on the island of Pharos in the Alexandria harbor. Still in operation as late as 1115, it was destroyed by earthquakes in the 1300's.
The oldest American lighthouse is the Boston Light, in Boston's outer harbor. Built in 1716 on Little Brewster Island, it was destroyed by the British in the American Revolution. It was rebuilt in 1783 and still stands today.
Michigan borders no ocean but has more lighthouses than any other state!
The Statue of Liberty was the first American lighthouse to use electricity. It served as a lighthouse until 1902.
The Great Lighthouse at Alexandria, Egypt, was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Completed around 280 BC, it stood about 450 feet high on the island of Pharos in the Alexandria harbor. Still in operation as late as 1115, it was destroyed by earthquakes in the 1300's.
The oldest American lighthouse is the Boston Light, in Boston's outer harbor. Built in 1716 on Little Brewster Island, it was destroyed by the British in the American Revolution. It was rebuilt in 1783 and still stands today.
Michigan borders no ocean but has more lighthouses than any other state!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Some patron saints!
Barbers......St. Louis
Artists......St. Luke
Cobblers......St. Crispin
Florists......St. Dorothea
Editors......St. John Bosco
Sculptors......St. Claude
Tailors......St. Homobonus
Wine Growers......St. Joseph
Pin Makers......St. Sebastian
Lighthouse Keepers......St. Venerius
Bee Keepers......St. Ambrose
Speleologists......St. Benedict
Gravediggers......St. Anthony
Bakers......St. Honoratus
Domestic Servants......St. Zita
Tax Collectors......St. Matthew
Broadcasters......St. Gabriel
Horses......St. Giles
Dairymaids......St. Brigid
Taxi-drivers......St. Fiacre
Librarians......St. Jerome
Pilgrims......St. James
Singers......St. Cecilia
Invalids......St. Roche
Bricklayers......St. Stephen
Children......St. Nicholas
Miners......St. Barbara
Syphilitics......St. George
Diplomats......St. Gabriel
Artists......St. Luke
Cobblers......St. Crispin
Florists......St. Dorothea
Editors......St. John Bosco
Sculptors......St. Claude
Tailors......St. Homobonus
Wine Growers......St. Joseph
Pin Makers......St. Sebastian
Lighthouse Keepers......St. Venerius
Bee Keepers......St. Ambrose
Speleologists......St. Benedict
Gravediggers......St. Anthony
Bakers......St. Honoratus
Domestic Servants......St. Zita
Tax Collectors......St. Matthew
Broadcasters......St. Gabriel
Horses......St. Giles
Dairymaids......St. Brigid
Taxi-drivers......St. Fiacre
Librarians......St. Jerome
Pilgrims......St. James
Singers......St. Cecilia
Invalids......St. Roche
Bricklayers......St. Stephen
Children......St. Nicholas
Miners......St. Barbara
Syphilitics......St. George
Diplomats......St. Gabriel
Letter Facts! (Sat, Jan 17th)
No curved lines: A,E,F,H,I,K,L,M,N,T,V,W,X,Y,Z
No straight lines: C,O,S
No enclosed ares: C,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z
Horizontal Symmetry: B,C,D,E,H,I,K,O,X
Vertical Symmetry: A,H,I,M,O,T,U,V,W,X,Y
Roman Numerals: C,D,I,L,M,V,X
Just Dots in Morse Code: E,H,I,S
Just Dashes in Morse Code: M,O,T
Horizontal and Vertical Symmetry: H,I,O,X
Look the Same Upside Down: H,I,N,O,S,X,Z
Can Be Drawn in One Stroke: B,C,D,E,I,J,L,M,N,O,P,R,S,U,V,W,X
Capitals Which Look Like Lowercase: C,O,P,S,U,V,W,X,Z
No straight lines: C,O,S
No enclosed ares: C,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z
Horizontal Symmetry: B,C,D,E,H,I,K,O,X
Vertical Symmetry: A,H,I,M,O,T,U,V,W,X,Y
Roman Numerals: C,D,I,L,M,V,X
Just Dots in Morse Code: E,H,I,S
Just Dashes in Morse Code: M,O,T
Horizontal and Vertical Symmetry: H,I,O,X
Look the Same Upside Down: H,I,N,O,S,X,Z
Can Be Drawn in One Stroke: B,C,D,E,I,J,L,M,N,O,P,R,S,U,V,W,X
Capitals Which Look Like Lowercase: C,O,P,S,U,V,W,X,Z
Friday, January 16, 2009
Cockney what???
Cockney refers to the working class of London’s East End, traditionally those born within earshot of the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside. Cockney rhyming slang replaces the intended word with a rhyming couplet, only the first word of which is usually spoken. For example, the word “phone” would be replaced by the phrase “dog and bone,” but in conversation only the word “dog” would be said. This has the advantage of confusing the unitiated, making cockney slang ideal for those, like street traders, who wish to communicate in private.
Some other examples:
Adam and Eve…………Believe
Alan Whiskers…………Knickers
Apples and Pears…………Stairs
Aristotle (Harris) …………Bottle
Artful Dodger…………Lodger
Ascot Races…………Braces
Ball and Chalk…………Walk
Barnaby Rudge…………Judge
Barnet Fair…………Hair
Battlecruiser…………Boozer
Boat Race…………Face
Bob Hope…………Soap
Boracic Lint…………Skint
Brahms and Liszt…………Pissed
Brass Tacks…………Facts
Bread and Honey…………Money
Bricks and Mortar…………Daughter
Bristol City…………Titty
Brown Bread…………Dead
Butcher’s Hook…………Look
Chalfront St Giles…………Piles
Chalk Farm…………Arm
China Plate…………Mate
Cobbler’s Awls…………Balls
Cock and Hen…………Ten
Currant Bun…………Sun
Daisy Roots…………Boots
Darby and Joan…………Moan
Dicky Bird…………Word
Dicky Dirt…………Shirt
Dog and Bone…………Phone
Duke of Kent…………Rent
Dustbin Lid…………Kid
Frog and Toad…………Road
Gregory Peck…………Check
Hampton Wick…………Prick
Hank Marvin…………Starving
Jam Jar…………Car
Jimmy Riddle…………Piddle
Aunt Joanna…………Piano
Khyber Pass…………Ass
Kick and Prance…………Dance
Lady Godiva…………Fiver
Lionel Blairs…………Flares
Loaf of Bread…………Head
Mickey Bliss…………Piss
Mince Pies…………Eyes
Mork and Mindy…………Windy
Mutt and Jeff…………Deaf
North and South…………Mouth
Oily Rag…………Fag
Peckham Rye…………Tie
Pen and Ink…………Stink
Plates of Meat…………Feet
Pony and Trap…………Crap
Porky Pies…………Lies
Richard the 3rd…………Turd
Rosie Lee…………Tea
Rub-a-dub…………Pub
Skin and Blister…………Sister
Sky Rocket…………Pocket
Sweeney Todd…………Flying Squad
Syrup of Figs…………Wigs
Tea Leaf…………Thief
Tit for Tat…………Hat
Tom-foolery…………Jewelry
Trouble and Strife…………Wife
Whistle and Flute…………Suit
Some other examples:
Adam and Eve…………Believe
Alan Whiskers…………Knickers
Apples and Pears…………Stairs
Aristotle (Harris) …………Bottle
Artful Dodger…………Lodger
Ascot Races…………Braces
Ball and Chalk…………Walk
Barnaby Rudge…………Judge
Barnet Fair…………Hair
Battlecruiser…………Boozer
Boat Race…………Face
Bob Hope…………Soap
Boracic Lint…………Skint
Brahms and Liszt…………Pissed
Brass Tacks…………Facts
Bread and Honey…………Money
Bricks and Mortar…………Daughter
Bristol City…………Titty
Brown Bread…………Dead
Butcher’s Hook…………Look
Chalfront St Giles…………Piles
Chalk Farm…………Arm
China Plate…………Mate
Cobbler’s Awls…………Balls
Cock and Hen…………Ten
Currant Bun…………Sun
Daisy Roots…………Boots
Darby and Joan…………Moan
Dicky Bird…………Word
Dicky Dirt…………Shirt
Dog and Bone…………Phone
Duke of Kent…………Rent
Dustbin Lid…………Kid
Frog and Toad…………Road
Gregory Peck…………Check
Hampton Wick…………Prick
Hank Marvin…………Starving
Jam Jar…………Car
Jimmy Riddle…………Piddle
Aunt Joanna…………Piano
Khyber Pass…………Ass
Kick and Prance…………Dance
Lady Godiva…………Fiver
Lionel Blairs…………Flares
Loaf of Bread…………Head
Mickey Bliss…………Piss
Mince Pies…………Eyes
Mork and Mindy…………Windy
Mutt and Jeff…………Deaf
North and South…………Mouth
Oily Rag…………Fag
Peckham Rye…………Tie
Pen and Ink…………Stink
Plates of Meat…………Feet
Pony and Trap…………Crap
Porky Pies…………Lies
Richard the 3rd…………Turd
Rosie Lee…………Tea
Rub-a-dub…………Pub
Skin and Blister…………Sister
Sky Rocket…………Pocket
Sweeney Todd…………Flying Squad
Syrup of Figs…………Wigs
Tea Leaf…………Thief
Tit for Tat…………Hat
Tom-foolery…………Jewelry
Trouble and Strife…………Wife
Whistle and Flute…………Suit
Thursday, January 15, 2009
We have a creed?
The American creed was written by William Tyler Page in 1917 as an entry for a national competition which would embody the principles of America. The competition, conceived by Henry Sterling Chaplin, the Commissioner of Education in NY, prompted over 3,000 entries. Page’s powerful text was formally adopted as the American Creed by the US House of Representatives in April 1918.
The American Creed:
“I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes. I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.”
The American Creed:
“I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes. I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies.”
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
How very sesquipedalian!
Commonly cited as the longest word in English, the 1,185-character-long name for Tobacco Mosaic Virus, Dahlemense Strain in all its absurdity is:
Acetylseryltrosylserylisoleucylthreonyserylprolyserylglutaminyl
phenylalanylvalylphenylalanylleucylserylserylvalyltryptophylala
nylaspartylprolylisoleucylglutamylleucylleucylasparaginylvalyly
steinylthreonylserylserylleucylglycylasparaginylglutaminylpheny
lalanylglutaminylthreonylglutaminylglutaminyllalanylarginylthre
onylthreonylglutaminylvalylglutaminylglutaminylphenylalanylsery
lglutaminylvalyltryptophyllysylprolylphenyllalanylpolylglutamin
ylserylthreonylvalylarginylphenylanalylprolylglycylaspartylvaly
ltyrosyllysylvalyltyrosylarginyltyrosylasparaginylalanylvalylle
ucylaspartylprolylleucylisoleucylthreonylalanylleucylleucylglyc
ylthreonylphenylalanylaspartylthreonylarginylasparaginylarginyl
isoleucylisoleucylglutamylvalylglutamylasparaginylglutaminylgl
utaminylserylprolylthreonylthreonylalanylglutamylthreonylleucyl
laspartylalanylthreonylarginylarginylvalylaspartylaspartylalany
lthreonylvalylalanylisoleucylarginylserylalanylasparaginylisole
ucylasparaginylleucylvalylasparaginylglutamylleucylvalylarginyl
asparaginylthreonylphenylalanylglutamylserylmethionylserylglycy
lleucylvalyltryptophylthreonylserylalanylprolylalanylserine
(Can you believe Word’s spell-check confirmed this word!!)
Other lovely long words include:
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis- a disease caused by the inhalation of fine particles
Antitransubstantiationalist- one who doubts the validity of transubstantiation
Antidisestablishmentarianism- opposition of those who oppose the link between church and state
Sesquipedalian is an interesting word itself. Said to be coined by Horace, it is a term for words so polysyllabic that they seem a “foot and a half long.”
Acetylseryltrosylserylisoleucylthreonyserylprolyserylglutaminyl
phenylalanylvalylphenylalanylleucylserylserylvalyltryptophylala
nylaspartylprolylisoleucylglutamylleucylleucylasparaginylvalyly
steinylthreonylserylserylleucylglycylasparaginylglutaminylpheny
lalanylglutaminylthreonylglutaminylglutaminyllalanylarginylthre
onylthreonylglutaminylvalylglutaminylglutaminylphenylalanylsery
lglutaminylvalyltryptophyllysylprolylphenyllalanylpolylglutamin
ylserylthreonylvalylarginylphenylanalylprolylglycylaspartylvaly
ltyrosyllysylvalyltyrosylarginyltyrosylasparaginylalanylvalylle
ucylaspartylprolylleucylisoleucylthreonylalanylleucylleucylglyc
ylthreonylphenylalanylaspartylthreonylarginylasparaginylarginyl
isoleucylisoleucylglutamylvalylglutamylasparaginylglutaminylgl
utaminylserylprolylthreonylthreonylalanylglutamylthreonylleucyl
laspartylalanylthreonylarginylarginylvalylaspartylaspartylalany
lthreonylvalylalanylisoleucylarginylserylalanylasparaginylisole
ucylasparaginylleucylvalylasparaginylglutamylleucylvalylarginyl
asparaginylthreonylphenylalanylglutamylserylmethionylserylglycy
lleucylvalyltryptophylthreonylserylalanylprolylalanylserine
(Can you believe Word’s spell-check confirmed this word!!)
Other lovely long words include:
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanokoniosis- a disease caused by the inhalation of fine particles
Antitransubstantiationalist- one who doubts the validity of transubstantiation
Antidisestablishmentarianism- opposition of those who oppose the link between church and state
Sesquipedalian is an interesting word itself. Said to be coined by Horace, it is a term for words so polysyllabic that they seem a “foot and a half long.”
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
What is a Sovereign Grand Inspector General?
The highest degree of Freemason.
Freemasonry (a secret fraternal and semi-religious society) claims ancient lineage and is said to employ the following 33-degree hierarchy:
1. Entered Apprentice
2. Fellow Craft
3. Master Mason
4. Secret Master
5. Perfect Master
6. Intimate Secretary
7. Provost and Judge
8. Superintendent of the Building
9. Master Elect of Nine
10. Illustrious Master Elect of Fifteen
11. Sublime Knight, Chevalier Elect
12. Grand Master Architect
13. Royal Arch of Enoch
14. Scottish Knight of Perfection
15. Knight of the Sword and of the East
16. Prince of Jerusalem
17. Knight of the East and West
18. Knight of the Eagle and Pelican/Sovereign Prince Rose Croix of Heredom
19. Grand Pontiff
20. Venerable Grand Master
21. Patriarch Noachite/Prussian Chevalier
22. Prince of Libanus/Royal Hatchet
23. Chief of the Tabernacle
24. Prince of the Tabernacle
25. Chevalier of the Brazen Serpent
26. Prince of Mercy
27. Grand Commander of the Temple
28. Knight of the sun/Prince Adept
29. Knight of St. Andrew
30. Grand Elected Knight Kadosh/Knight of the Black and White Eagle
31. Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander
32. Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
33. Sovereign Grand Inspector General
Wouldn’t mind having one of those on my business card…
Freemasonry (a secret fraternal and semi-religious society) claims ancient lineage and is said to employ the following 33-degree hierarchy:
1. Entered Apprentice
2. Fellow Craft
3. Master Mason
4. Secret Master
5. Perfect Master
6. Intimate Secretary
7. Provost and Judge
8. Superintendent of the Building
9. Master Elect of Nine
10. Illustrious Master Elect of Fifteen
11. Sublime Knight, Chevalier Elect
12. Grand Master Architect
13. Royal Arch of Enoch
14. Scottish Knight of Perfection
15. Knight of the Sword and of the East
16. Prince of Jerusalem
17. Knight of the East and West
18. Knight of the Eagle and Pelican/Sovereign Prince Rose Croix of Heredom
19. Grand Pontiff
20. Venerable Grand Master
21. Patriarch Noachite/Prussian Chevalier
22. Prince of Libanus/Royal Hatchet
23. Chief of the Tabernacle
24. Prince of the Tabernacle
25. Chevalier of the Brazen Serpent
26. Prince of Mercy
27. Grand Commander of the Temple
28. Knight of the sun/Prince Adept
29. Knight of St. Andrew
30. Grand Elected Knight Kadosh/Knight of the Black and White Eagle
31. Grand Inspector Inquisitor Commander
32. Sublime Prince of the Royal Secret
33. Sovereign Grand Inspector General
Wouldn’t mind having one of those on my business card…
Monday, January 12, 2009
What color were the original Oompa-Loompas?
In the first edition of Roald Dahl’s classic 1964 children’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the tireless, loyal Oompa-Loompas were black, not orange.
Dahl described them as a tribe of three thousand black pygmies imported by Mr. Wonka from “the very deepest and darkest part of the African jungle where no white man had ever been before.,” to replace the sacked white workers in his factory. They lived on chocolate, whereas before they had only eaten “beetles, eucalyptus leaves, caterpillars, and the bark of the bong-bong tree.”
Although it was well-received at the time, Dahl’s description of the Oopma-Loompas, with its overtones of slavery, veered dangerously close to racism, and by the early 1970’s hus US publishers, Knopf, insisted on changes. In 1972 a revised edition of the book appeared. Out went the black pygmies, and in came Oompa-Loompas looking like small hippies with “golden-brown hair” and “rosy white skin.”
Dahl described them as a tribe of three thousand black pygmies imported by Mr. Wonka from “the very deepest and darkest part of the African jungle where no white man had ever been before.,” to replace the sacked white workers in his factory. They lived on chocolate, whereas before they had only eaten “beetles, eucalyptus leaves, caterpillars, and the bark of the bong-bong tree.”
Although it was well-received at the time, Dahl’s description of the Oopma-Loompas, with its overtones of slavery, veered dangerously close to racism, and by the early 1970’s hus US publishers, Knopf, insisted on changes. In 1972 a revised edition of the book appeared. Out went the black pygmies, and in came Oompa-Loompas looking like small hippies with “golden-brown hair” and “rosy white skin.”
Sunday, January 11, 2009
What was James Bond’s favorite drink?
Not the vodka martini.
A painstaking study of Fleming’s complete oeuvre has shown that James Bond consumed a drink, on average, every seven pages.
Of the 317 drinks consumed in total, his preferred tipple was whisky by a long margin—he drinks 101 in all, among them 58 bourbons and 38 scotches. He’s pretty fond of champagne (thirty glasses), and in one book, You Only Live Twice (1964), which is mostly set in Japan, Bond tries sake. He likes it: he has 35 of them.
Bond only opts for his supposed favorite, vodka martini, 19 times, and he drinks almost as many gin martinis (16).
The famous “shaken, not stirred” line appears for the first time in Diamonds Are Forever (1956) but isn’t used by Bond himself until Dr. No (1959). Sean Connery was the first screen Bond to utter “shaken, not stirred,” in Goldfinger (1964), and it occurs in most of the films thereafter.
A painstaking study of Fleming’s complete oeuvre has shown that James Bond consumed a drink, on average, every seven pages.
Of the 317 drinks consumed in total, his preferred tipple was whisky by a long margin—he drinks 101 in all, among them 58 bourbons and 38 scotches. He’s pretty fond of champagne (thirty glasses), and in one book, You Only Live Twice (1964), which is mostly set in Japan, Bond tries sake. He likes it: he has 35 of them.
Bond only opts for his supposed favorite, vodka martini, 19 times, and he drinks almost as many gin martinis (16).
The famous “shaken, not stirred” line appears for the first time in Diamonds Are Forever (1956) but isn’t used by Bond himself until Dr. No (1959). Sean Connery was the first screen Bond to utter “shaken, not stirred,” in Goldfinger (1964), and it occurs in most of the films thereafter.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
What is the best floor of a building to throw a cat from?
Any floor above the seventh!
Higher than the seventh floor, it doesnt really matter how far the cat falls, as long as its oxygen holds out.
Like many small animals, cats have a nonfatal terminal velocity--in cats this is about 60 mph. Once they relax, they orient themselves, spread out, and parachute to the ground like a squirrel.
There are cats on record that have fallen thirty stories or more without ill effects. One cat is known to have survived a forty-six story fall, and there is even evidence of a cat that was deliberately thrown out of a Cessna aircraft at 800 feet that survived.
Higher than the seventh floor, it doesnt really matter how far the cat falls, as long as its oxygen holds out.
Like many small animals, cats have a nonfatal terminal velocity--in cats this is about 60 mph. Once they relax, they orient themselves, spread out, and parachute to the ground like a squirrel.
There are cats on record that have fallen thirty stories or more without ill effects. One cat is known to have survived a forty-six story fall, and there is even evidence of a cat that was deliberately thrown out of a Cessna aircraft at 800 feet that survived.
Friday, January 9, 2009
How many senses does a human being have?
At least nine.
The five senses we all know about—sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch—were first listed by Aristotle, who, while brilliant, often got things wrong. (For example, he taught that we thought with our hearts, that bees were created by the rotting carcasses of bulls, and that flies only had four legs.)
There are four more commonly agreed senses:
1. Thermoception, the sense of heat (or its absence)
2. Equilibrioception—our sense of balance—which is determined by the fluid-containing cavities in the inner ear.
3. Nocieption, the perception of pain from the skin, joints, and body organs. Oddly, this does not include the brain, which has no pain receptors at all. Headaches, regardless of the way it seems, don’t come from inside the brain.
4. Proprioception, or “body awareness.” This is the unconscious knowledge of where our body parts are without being able to see or fell them. For example, close your eyes and waggle your foot in the air. You still know where it is in relation to you.
Every self-respecting neurologist has their own opinion about whether there are more than these nine. Some argue that there are up to twenty-one. What about hunger? Or thirst? The sense of depth, or the sense of meaning, or language? Or the endlessly intriguing subject of synaesthesia, where senses collide and combine so that music can be perceived in color?
The five senses we all know about—sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch—were first listed by Aristotle, who, while brilliant, often got things wrong. (For example, he taught that we thought with our hearts, that bees were created by the rotting carcasses of bulls, and that flies only had four legs.)
There are four more commonly agreed senses:
1. Thermoception, the sense of heat (or its absence)
2. Equilibrioception—our sense of balance—which is determined by the fluid-containing cavities in the inner ear.
3. Nocieption, the perception of pain from the skin, joints, and body organs. Oddly, this does not include the brain, which has no pain receptors at all. Headaches, regardless of the way it seems, don’t come from inside the brain.
4. Proprioception, or “body awareness.” This is the unconscious knowledge of where our body parts are without being able to see or fell them. For example, close your eyes and waggle your foot in the air. You still know where it is in relation to you.
Every self-respecting neurologist has their own opinion about whether there are more than these nine. Some argue that there are up to twenty-one. What about hunger? Or thirst? The sense of depth, or the sense of meaning, or language? Or the endlessly intriguing subject of synaesthesia, where senses collide and combine so that music can be perceived in color?
Thursday, January 8, 2009
What do chameleons do?
They don’t change color to match the background.
Never have; never will. Complete myth. Utter fabrication. Total lie.
They change color as a result of different emotional states. If they happen to match the background, it’s completely coincidental.
Chameleons change color when frightened or picked up or when they beat another chameleon in a fight. They change color when a member of the opposite sex steps into view and they sometimes change color due to fluctuations in either light or temperature.
A chameleon’s skin contains several layers of specialized cells called chromataphores—from Greek chroma (color) and pherin (to carry)—each with different colored pigments. Altering the balance between these layers causes the skin to reflect different kinds of light, making chameleons a kind of walking color wheel.
Oh, and by the way: The Bible forbids the eating of chameleons.
Never have; never will. Complete myth. Utter fabrication. Total lie.
They change color as a result of different emotional states. If they happen to match the background, it’s completely coincidental.
Chameleons change color when frightened or picked up or when they beat another chameleon in a fight. They change color when a member of the opposite sex steps into view and they sometimes change color due to fluctuations in either light or temperature.
A chameleon’s skin contains several layers of specialized cells called chromataphores—from Greek chroma (color) and pherin (to carry)—each with different colored pigments. Altering the balance between these layers causes the skin to reflect different kinds of light, making chameleons a kind of walking color wheel.
Oh, and by the way: The Bible forbids the eating of chameleons.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
What color is a panther?
There is actually no such thing as a panther.
The word probably comes from the Sanskrit for whitish-yellow, panthera, which was originally applied to the tiger.
The Greeks borrowed the word and adapted it to panthera, meaning “all beasts.” They used it to describe mythological as well as real animals.
In medieval heraldry, the panther was portrayed as a gentle, multicolored beast that had a sweet smell.
Scientifically speaking, all four of the largest species of cat are panthers.
The lion is Panthera leo; the tiger, Panthera tigris; the leopard, Panthera pardus; and the jaguar Panthera onca. They are the only cats that can roar.
The animals that most people think of as panthers are, in fact, either black leopards (in Africa or Asia) or black jaguars (in South America).
Neither animal is completely black. Close examination shows that their spots are still faintly visible on their skin. They carry a genetic mutation that means the black pigment in their fur dominates the orange.
Rare white panthers are in fact albino leopards or jaguars.
In the US, when people say “panther,” they mean a black puma. Despite many unproven reports and supposed sightings, no one has ever found one.
The word probably comes from the Sanskrit for whitish-yellow, panthera, which was originally applied to the tiger.
The Greeks borrowed the word and adapted it to panthera, meaning “all beasts.” They used it to describe mythological as well as real animals.
In medieval heraldry, the panther was portrayed as a gentle, multicolored beast that had a sweet smell.
Scientifically speaking, all four of the largest species of cat are panthers.
The lion is Panthera leo; the tiger, Panthera tigris; the leopard, Panthera pardus; and the jaguar Panthera onca. They are the only cats that can roar.
The animals that most people think of as panthers are, in fact, either black leopards (in Africa or Asia) or black jaguars (in South America).
Neither animal is completely black. Close examination shows that their spots are still faintly visible on their skin. They carry a genetic mutation that means the black pigment in their fur dominates the orange.
Rare white panthers are in fact albino leopards or jaguars.
In the US, when people say “panther,” they mean a black puma. Despite many unproven reports and supposed sightings, no one has ever found one.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Is a strawberry actually a berry?
No.
A berry is defined as “a fleshy fruit containing several seeds.”
Strictly speaking, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are not berries, but aggregated drupes—a drupe being a fleshy fruit containing a single stone or pit.
Peaches, plums, nectarines, and olives are drupes. The world’s largest drupe is the coconut, which, because of its hard flesh, is called a dry drupe.
Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are called aggregated drupes because each individual fruit is actually a cluster or miniature drupes—the characteristic bumpy bits which make up blackberries and raspberries.
Each one of these drupelets contains a single tiny seed—these are the bits that get stuck in your teeth when you eat a blackberry.
Tomatoes, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, watermelons, kiwi, cucumbers, grapes, passion fruit, papaya, peppers, and bananas are all berries.
A berry is defined as “a fleshy fruit containing several seeds.”
Strictly speaking, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are not berries, but aggregated drupes—a drupe being a fleshy fruit containing a single stone or pit.
Peaches, plums, nectarines, and olives are drupes. The world’s largest drupe is the coconut, which, because of its hard flesh, is called a dry drupe.
Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are called aggregated drupes because each individual fruit is actually a cluster or miniature drupes—the characteristic bumpy bits which make up blackberries and raspberries.
Each one of these drupelets contains a single tiny seed—these are the bits that get stuck in your teeth when you eat a blackberry.
Tomatoes, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, watermelons, kiwi, cucumbers, grapes, passion fruit, papaya, peppers, and bananas are all berries.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Who is America named after?
Not the Italian merchant and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci, but Richard Ameryk, a Welshman and wealthy Bristol merchant.
Ameryk was the chief investor in the second transatlantic voyage of John Cabot—the English name of the Italian navigator Giovanni Caboto, whose voyages in 1497 and 1498 laid the groundwork for the later British claim to Canada.
On his little ship Matthew, Cabot reached Labrador in May 1497 and became the first recorded European to set foot on American soil, predating Vespucci by two years. (Vespucci never even set foot in North America.) Cabot mapped the North American coastline from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. As the chief patron of the voyage, Richard Ameryk would have expected discoveries to be named after him. There is a record in the Bristol Calendar for that year: “…on Saint John the Baptist Day (June 24), the land of America was found by the merchants of Bristowe, in a ship of Bristowe called the Mathew,” which clearly suggests this is what happened.
Ameryk was the chief investor in the second transatlantic voyage of John Cabot—the English name of the Italian navigator Giovanni Caboto, whose voyages in 1497 and 1498 laid the groundwork for the later British claim to Canada.
On his little ship Matthew, Cabot reached Labrador in May 1497 and became the first recorded European to set foot on American soil, predating Vespucci by two years. (Vespucci never even set foot in North America.) Cabot mapped the North American coastline from Nova Scotia to Newfoundland. As the chief patron of the voyage, Richard Ameryk would have expected discoveries to be named after him. There is a record in the Bristol Calendar for that year: “…on Saint John the Baptist Day (June 24), the land of America was found by the merchants of Bristowe, in a ship of Bristowe called the Mathew,” which clearly suggests this is what happened.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Where do most tigers live?
The United States.
A century ago, there were about 40,000 tigers in India. Now there are between 3,000 and 4,700. Some scientists estimate that there are only between 5,100 and 7,500 wild tigers left on the planet.
On the other hand, there are thought to be 4,000 tigers living in captivity in Texas alone. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association estimates that up to 12,000 tigers are being kept as private pets in the US. Mike Tyson personally owns four of them.
Part of the reason for America’s enormous tiger population relates to legislation. Only nineteen states have banned private ownership of tigers, fifteen require only a license, and sixteen states have no regulation at all.
They’re not particularly expensive, either. A tiger cub will set you back a mere $1,000 while $3,500 will buy you a pair of Bengal Tigers. $15,000 is enough for a fashionable blue-eyed white tiger.
A century ago, there were about 40,000 tigers in India. Now there are between 3,000 and 4,700. Some scientists estimate that there are only between 5,100 and 7,500 wild tigers left on the planet.
On the other hand, there are thought to be 4,000 tigers living in captivity in Texas alone. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association estimates that up to 12,000 tigers are being kept as private pets in the US. Mike Tyson personally owns four of them.
Part of the reason for America’s enormous tiger population relates to legislation. Only nineteen states have banned private ownership of tigers, fifteen require only a license, and sixteen states have no regulation at all.
They’re not particularly expensive, either. A tiger cub will set you back a mere $1,000 while $3,500 will buy you a pair of Bengal Tigers. $15,000 is enough for a fashionable blue-eyed white tiger.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
What is the number of the beast?
616.
For 2,000 years, 666 has been the symbol of the dreaded Anti-Christ, who will come to rule the world before the Last Judgment. For many, it’s an unlucky number: even the European Parliament leaves seat number 666 vacant.
The number is from revelation, the last and strangest book in the Bible: “Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six.”
But it’s a wrong number. In 2005, a new translation of the earliest known copy of the Book of Revelation clearly shows it to be 616 not 666.
The fear of the number 666 is known as Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. Fear of the number 616 is Hexakosioidekahexaphobia.
The numbers on a roulette wheel added together come to 666.
For 2,000 years, 666 has been the symbol of the dreaded Anti-Christ, who will come to rule the world before the Last Judgment. For many, it’s an unlucky number: even the European Parliament leaves seat number 666 vacant.
The number is from revelation, the last and strangest book in the Bible: “Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six.”
But it’s a wrong number. In 2005, a new translation of the earliest known copy of the Book of Revelation clearly shows it to be 616 not 666.
The fear of the number 666 is known as Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia. Fear of the number 616 is Hexakosioidekahexaphobia.
The numbers on a roulette wheel added together come to 666.
Friday, January 2, 2009
How much of the earth is water?
If you said seven tenths or two thirds, you’re wrong.
Seven tenths of the earth’s surface area may be covered with water, but water accounts for less than a fiftieth of one percent of the planet’s mass.
The earth is big—it weighs about 6 million, billion, billion kilograms. Half of this is contained in the lower mantle, the massive semi molten layer that begins 410 miles below the crust. Even on the apparently watery crust, the mass of the land is forty times greater than that of the oceans.
A Japanese experiment reported in 2002 suggests that there may be five times as much water dissolved in the lower mantle than sloshing around the earth’s surface. Even if this is true, water still only accounts for 0.1% of the earth’s mass.
Seven tenths of the earth’s surface area may be covered with water, but water accounts for less than a fiftieth of one percent of the planet’s mass.
The earth is big—it weighs about 6 million, billion, billion kilograms. Half of this is contained in the lower mantle, the massive semi molten layer that begins 410 miles below the crust. Even on the apparently watery crust, the mass of the land is forty times greater than that of the oceans.
A Japanese experiment reported in 2002 suggests that there may be five times as much water dissolved in the lower mantle than sloshing around the earth’s surface. Even if this is true, water still only accounts for 0.1% of the earth’s mass.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
How many nostrils have you got?
Four. Two you can see and two you can’t.
This discovery came from observing how fish breathe. Fish get their oxygen from water. Most of them have two pairs of nostrils, a forward-facing set for letting water in and a pair of “exhaust pipes” for letting it out again.
The question is, if humans evolved from fishes, where did the other pair of nostrils go?
The answer is that they migrated back inside the head to become internal nostrils called choannae—Greek for “funnels.” These connect to the throat and are what allow us to breathe through our noses.
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