Fast Facts

March 26, 2007

In Turkey in the 16th and 17th centuries, anyone caught drinking coffee was put to death.

The word “”diastima”” refers to having a gap between your teeth.

The word “”checkmate”” in chess comes from the Persian phrase “”shah mat””, which means “”the king is dead.””

Thomas Edison had a collection of more than 5,000 birds.

Shredded Wheat was the first cereal to come in a box.

Peanut butter soup was one of the most popular soups in 1929.

Elephants breathe 12 times a minute.

More than 2.2 million Americans play the accordion.

There are 158 verses in the Greek national anthem.

The United States is first in the world in gun ownership per capita. Finland is second.

The day Judy Garland died, a tornado touched down in Kansas.

Norway consumes more Mexican food than any other European nation.

The battle of Waterloo wasn’t fought in Waterloo. It was fought about two kilometers from Waterloo.

By the time you finish reading this, the Earth will have traveled almost 100 miles through space.

The Daily Wildcat