Interesting Facts

This is a collection of facts I have run across that I have found interesting and often surprising. I usually am motivated to find out a bit more about them and hopefully can collect the findings here. I have divided these up into several categories.

Historic Events

  • A CIA operation in 1982 fed technical misinformation to the KGB leading to a monumental explosion and fire on an oil pipeline (Line X).
  • World War 3 was narrowly averted in September, 1983 when Stanislav Petrov, a Russian colonel, disregarded standing orders by labeling an attack warning as a false alarm, avoiding an accidental retaliatory nuclear attack on the United States.

Medical

  • At least one medical study shows that acupuncture beats conventional therapy in reducing back pain, but the exact location of the needles does not seem to matter.
  • Female hysteria used to be treated as a commonly occurring disease (up to 25% of all females) caused by sexual deprivation or dissatisfaction.
  • For several hundred years (~ 800AD - 1500AD) the Islamic world was at the forefront of medical knowledge and technology (Islamic technology).

Other

  • 45% of Americans believe that creationism and not evolution is responsible for the development of life on earth.
  • 45% of Americans believe that Jesus will probably return during their lifetime and 40% of Americans believe the world will end with a Biblical Armageddon.
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