No-one indulged in premarital sex in the 1950's.

Per head of population shepherds are known to have a higher incidence of crooks within their trade than does any other union or guild.

In 1997 Japan overtook USA as the country with the most goldfish.

The bubbles of bubblewrap are filled with intoxicant gas, and popping them is technically a criminal offence.

The volume of text messages sent in Britain each day, would fill a complete set of Encyclopaedia Britannica.

If all the paper produced in one year were made into papier maîche trees, the area covered would be equal to all the world's major deserts.

Origami derives from a method of making lightweight arrow heads by folding the leaves of a species of gingko tree to produce razor-sharp cutting edges.

It is against agreed professional ethical standards for dentists to look you in the eye while giving treatment.

Homosexuality was invented in the 1970's.

A frisbee thrown by an astronaut during a space walk on board space shuttle Discovery, took six months to get to the moon.

The natural smell of leather has a tendency to scare domestic animals. To avoid this, an essential part of the manufacturing process is to stack the animal skins in layers alternating with layers of horse dung, roll them up, and store them in barrels for six months. What we think of as the smell of leather is actually the result of this process.