Did you know that...

[ivor]

The largest organism on earth is a giant fungus of the species Armillaria ostoyae (honey mushrooms) in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon, spanning 8.9 km2 (2,200 acres).

Who knew that a mushroom would be bigger than everything else? 

I'll bet you could make a one kilometer bowl of soup with that.

[Swatopluk]

The largest organism on earth is a giant fungus of the species Armillaria ostoyae (honey mushrooms) in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon, spanning 8.9 km2 (2,200 acres).

Who knew that a mushroom would be bigger than everything else? 

I learned that the largest organism was a fungus stretching over (or to be precise: under) major parts of Southen France.
I thought there were only viral networks

[Swatopluk]

Did you know that the first ship powered by a Diesel engine was the Fram which is also the wooden ship to hold both the Northern and Southern record of reached latidude? She was also so well insulated that she fulfilled the criteria for modern zero-energy buildings.

[Sibling DavidH]

Did you know that the so-called Good King Wenceslas was only a duke during his lifetime?  After he was murdered, the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I promoted him to king and he was soon also made a saint.

[Swatopluk]

Did you know that Hitler's chief bodyguard had the name of Rattenhuber (Rats-hider*)?

*hide not as in skin but as in acre

[Pachyderm]

  The Guinness Book of Records holds the record for being the book
most often stolen from public libraries.

[Swatopluk]

Did you know that the Statue of Liberty was at first an unwanted gift and that at the time of Dubya's Iraq war anti-French sentiment led some conservatives to demand that the statue should be sent back?
Some want her replaced by Ronald Reagan.
Alleged French answer: Of course we would take it back anytime (but don't expect to get it back should you change your mind about it).

[Sibling DavidH]

Did you know that Cliff Richard was born Harry Rodger Webb, and that as a young lad his local doctor (GP) was Mrs H's mum?

[Swatopluk]

Did you know that the S in Harry S Truman does not stand for a middle name?

[Sibling DavidH]

Did you know that the same is true of U.S. Grant?  He was born Hiram Ulysses; when Congressman Thomas L Hamer nominated him for West Point, Hamer got the name wrong on the form and put him down as 'Ulysses S. Grant of Ohio'.  Grant decided to stick with it but never allocated a name to the spurious 'S'.

[Swatopluk]

Did you know that the automatic telephone exchange was invented by an undertaker who had noticed that one lady in the exchange offcice channeled all calls to him to a rival instead (who she was married to) thus harming his business?

[Sibling DavidH]

Did you know that the first French nuclear test was named "Gerboise Bleue" ?

[Swatopluk]

Did you know that in France there was for a long time a list of allowed given names parents had to chose from?

[Pachyderm]

In Vermont, it is against the law for a man to knit during the fishing season.

[Swatopluk]

Did you know that in Iceland there is a public official that has to check whether infrastructure projects interfere with resident mythological entities (like elves)?