Fun Fact #771

Werner Heisenberg was the theoretical physicist who first postulated the Uncertainty Principle and is credited with being the father of Quantum Physics.  His unofficial epitaph reads

''He lies here, somewhere" 

True Story.

Fun Fact #1169

In ancient Egypt crocodile dung pessaries were used as contraceptives.  True Story.

Fun Fact #270

St Valentine's day is celebrated pretty much universally throughout Christendom on 14 February.  Little if anything is known of the real Valentine and he may in fact be a portmanteau of several Roman Martyrs bearing that name.  The traditional story is that Valentinus was a priest in Rome during the reign of Claudius Gothicus (Claudius II) at which time Christians were being persecuted and aiding Christians was a crime.  Valentinus is reputed to have aided young Christian couples by marrying them in secret against imperial edict.  At any event Valentinus was discovered and imprisoned for his crimes but because the Emperor had grown fond of him was treated well whilst imprisoned.  That is until he tried to convert the Emperor to Christianity at which point he was condemned to death. Initially it was attempted to beat him to death with stones and clubs but when that did not do the job he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate.  The year of his execution is uncertain with dates of 269, 270 and 273 AD being given.  He is reputed to have been buried on 14 February hence that date has become St Valentine's Day.  Not only is St Valentine the patron saint of betrothed lovers he is also the patron saint of beekeepers, of happy marriages and the patron saint against epilepsy, plague and fainting. True Story.

Fun Fact #99

The Australian Wallabies Rugby Union team became the first team to win the Rugby World Cup twice having previously won the Webb Ellis Cup in 1991.  During the course of the 1999 tournament only a single try was scored against the Wallabies.  That try was scored by American Eagles centre Juan Grobler during a pool match.  True Story.

Fun Fact #15

The reigning Olympic Rugby Union champions are the United States of America. Rugby was last contested in the Olympic Games in 1924 at which games the United States of America successfully defended their title as reigning Olympic Rugby Union Champions.  True Story.

Fun Fact #1911

In the 1920s and 1930s the term 'Muggle' was used as a slang term for marijuana.  True Story.

Fun Fact #2

The speed of light through a vacuum is 299,792,458 m/s.  True Story.

Fun Fact #1104

The German language is often criticised for being unromantic.  One example of the want of sensulaity in the German language which is often cited is that German has no unique word for nipple. Instead the German term for the nipple (actually nipples) is a portmanteau of the German word for breast - brust and the German word for warts - warze or brustwarze.  True Story.

Fun Fact #7

The Ostrich has an eye bigger than its brain.  True Story.

Fun Fact #2172

In Japan, because of the lack of a hard 'R' sound in the Japanese language, Ronald McDonald is referred to as Donald McDonald.  True Story.