12 Trivia Tidbits for Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Facial fitness gum, toilet Olympics and Chipotle lipstick. Oh my.
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The Most Physically Taxing Tourist Attraction in the World
A new study that looked at number of steps, elevation and daytime temperature found that Norway’s Fløri Stairs, an old hydroelectric dam with 4,444 steps, had the highest “exertion score” of any attraction in the world.
The World’s First Refrigerated Dinner Party
In 1911, Chicago’s Hotel Sherman made a big deal about their grand, 400-guest “cold-storage banquet.”
The Oldest Olympian in History
Oscar Gomer Swahn was a Swedish gunslinger who holds records for oldest athlete to compete as well as oldest athlete to win a medal (1920, age 72), and oldest athlete to win gold (1912, age 64).
One Study Suggests People’s Faces Spontaneously Change to Match Their Names
When participants were asked to match names to faces, an amount “significantly above the chance level” were able to match adult faces to the correct names. But when asked to do the same thing with those same adults’ baby pictures, respondents struggled to make the right matches. These researchers’ takeaway is that people’s faces change over time, somehow, to fit their names.
Everybody Out of the Pool
Paris’ insistence on holding the swimming portion of the triathlon in the dook-infested Seine is, predictably, coming back to bite them. For the second day in a row, triathlon swim practice has been canceled because the river is still a toilet.
Tsar Alexander II’s Ruined Dinner Party
A 19th century shipwreck in the Baltic Sea has been discovered, and divers found 100 bottles of champaign, wine and clay jars full of mineral water. Experts believe it was on the way to the court of the Russian Emperor Alexander II.
Cambridge Dictionary’s Newest Words
Cambridge added over 3,200 words this year, including “the ick,” “boop,” “IYKYK” and “chef’s kiss.”
The Newest and Dumbest Fitness Fad
“Facial fitness gum” is being hawked on TikTok to desperate young men who don’t like their jaw line, with claims that chewing this special gum will chisel their skull like a GigaChad.
A New Blood Test Detects DNA Released by Cancerous Tumors
This new blood test can detect colon cancer, which is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. It was just approved, and may be available within a few weeks.
The Barbie Movie May Have Caused a Spike in Gynecologist Appointments
A study found that search terms like “gynecologist meaning,” “what does a gynecologist do,” “why see a gynecologist” and “do I need a gynecologist” spiked 154 percent in the week after the film premiered. Less gendered searches like “doctor’s appointment” didn’t see a similar spike.
America’s New Earthquake HQ: Texas
West Texas has experienced 103 earthquakes over the course of a week, causing officials to declare a state of emergency. It’s thought to be the result of oil and gas extraction run amok.
Chipotle Is Getting Into the Beauty Game
Chipotle just released its first-ever beauty product, an avocado-green, “foil-inspired” lip stain called Lipotle.
