When America’s first rocket scientist, Robert Goddard, theorized that rockets could reach the moon, the New York Times harshly criticized him and wrote that he “lacked the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.” 49 years later, Apollo 11 succeeded and the NYT published a retraction.
Facts
Ice is a mineral just as much as Quartz….
Ice is a mineral just as much as Quartz is. Ice is a naturally occurring compound with a defined chemical formula and crystal structure, thus making it a legitimate mineral. Its only limitation, in comparison to all other minerals, is that it is not stable at room temperature.
In an unbelievable coincidence, the moon…
In an unbelievable coincidence, the moon is exactly four hundred times smaller than the Sun but four hundred times closer to the Earth, so that both the Sun and the Moon appear to be precisely the same size in the sky – which gives us the phenomenon we call a total eclipse.
A software developer rigged the lottery…
A software developer rigged the lottery software he coded in several states, so he would know what the winning numbers would be 3 days per year.
The final science exam for 8th grad….
The final science exam for 8th grade students in Ketchikan Alaska is a 2 night survival trip on an uninhabited island.
The name “Robin Hood” was a common…
The name “Robin Hood” was a common alias for criminals in Medieval England. It was first used as an alias in 1262. This suggests that either an early version of the Robin Hood legend was well established, or that the Robin Hood legend developed from the alias itself.
The Vatican has a single pharmacy…
The Vatican has a single pharmacy. The Vatican claims it is the busiest pharmacy in the world with 2,000 daily visitors. Due to complicated Italian laws, the pharmacy has medicines available years before Italian pharmacies. People often visit to buy them.
Jules Verne’s wrote a novel in 1863….
Jules Verne’s wrote a novel in 1863 which predicted gas-powered cars, fax machines, wind power, missiles, electric street lighting, maglev trains, the record industry, the internet, and feminism. It was lost for over 100 years after his publisher deemed it too unbelievable to publish.
The Kublai Khan invaded Japan…
The Kublai Khan invaded Japan in 1274 with 33,000 troops but failed due to weather. Kublai Khan again invaded Japan in 1279 with 140,000 troops & made it 15 km away from the city of Fukuoka but again failed due to a typhoon. It was here the term kamikaze (divine wind) was born.
There is a law in Sweden that allows…
There is a law in Sweden that allows you go on any property you please between July and October so long as you are picking wild berries or mushrooms.