Strange BUT TRUE

• Using high-pressure, hightemperature techniques that mimic Earth’s diamond-forming conditions, scientists can transform the carbon in peanut butter into sparkling gemstones. Chew on that!

• And speaking of chewing, snails have thousands of tiny teeth on their radula, the tongue-like organ they use for grinding up food, making them one of the earth’s toothiest creatures.

• Mary, Queen of Scots, was history’s youngest monarch, ascending to the throne at a mere 6 days old. Coming in at second place was Emperor Shang of China’s Han Dynasty, who in 105 A.D. assumed his royal position at 100 days old.

• If stored correctly and not contaminated, honey can last for thousands of years without spoiling.

• A piano’s frame is made of iron.

• Though T-shirts have existed since the late 1800s, the plain white version gained popularity as a wear-alone garment thanks to Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in the movie “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

• One out of every seven American jobs is related to transportation.

• Some architectural structures, known as whispering galleries, have unique acoustics allowing a whisper at one end of the gallery to be heard clearly at the other end, due to sound waves following the curved surfaces.

• The “United States Postal Service Anthem,” a unique song composed by (appropriately) Jack Stamp, is an official musical salute to the USPS, its employees, and its role in American life.

• In some WWII POW camps, the Nazis would allow Allied soldiers to play board games like Monopoly, even providing the games. The British exploited this opportunity by using compasses, banknotes, and real-world maps in place of standard boards and pieces, as a means of helping prisoners to escape.

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Thought for the Day: “If no one ever took risks, Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor.” — Neil Simon

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.