======  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 [[wp>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 =====

  * The most comprehensive study to date indicates that smoking [[marijuana does not cause cancer]].

  * 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]].