Fastfacts
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Things you always never wanted to know
The word "tip" is the acronym for "to insure promptness."
The scientific term for the common tomato is lycopersicon lycopersicum, which means "wolf peach." The fruit acquired its name because of its believed toxic qualities. The green parts of the tomato do contain solanine - a toxic and bitter alkaloid.
Ernest Vincent Wright, in the last year of his life, published the 1939 novel "Champion of Youth," in which John Gadsby sets out to improve and expand his hometown. The story covers the successes, setbacks and charming anecdotes of the inhabitants of Branton Hills, weaving a compelling story together in 50,110 words. That's right, "Champion" has 50,110 words in all - none of which contain the letter "E."
The shortest stage play, "Breath," by Samuel Beckett, contains 35 seconds of screaming and heavy breathing.
When Eric the Red discovered a new land of eternal ice and snow in 982, he wanted to encourage his fellow Norsemen to visit, so he named it Greenland. Shortly thereafter, 25 ships filled with eager settlers sailed for the place.
An atomic clock is accurate to within one second in 1.7 million years.
The names of your favorite three monkeys are Mizaru ("see no evil"), Mikazaru ("hear no evil") and Mazaru ("speak no evil").
Before the year 1000, the word "she" did not exist in the English language. The singular female reference was the word "heo," which also was the plural of all genders. The word "she" appeared only in the 12th century, about 400 years after English began to take form. "She" likely derived from the Old English feminine "seo," a Viking word for femininity.
After the French Revolution of 1789, selling sour wine was considered against national interest, and wine merchants were promptly executed.