The label on a box of Tic Tacs
says they contain 0 grams of
sugar, but they’re actually
almost pure sugar: 94.5%. They’re
able to call themselves sugar-free
because the serving size (just
one mint) is less than 0.5 grams. Source
Yacouba Sawadogo is an exceptional man – he single-handedly managed to solve a crisis that many scientists and development organizations
could not. The simple old farmer’s re-forestation and soil conservation
techniques are so effective they’ve helped turn the tide in the fight
against the desertification of the harsh lands in northern Burkina Faso.
Over-farming, over-grazing and over population have, over the years,
resulted in heavy soil erosion and drying in this landlocked West
African nation. Although national and international researchers tried to
fix the grave situation, it really didn’t really make much of a
difference. Until Yacouba decided to take matters into his own hands in
1980.
Yacouba’s methods were so odd that his fellow farmers ridiculed him.
But when his techniques successfully regenerated the forest, they were
forced to sit up and take notice. Yacouba revived an ancient African
farming practice called ‘zai’, which led to forest growth and increased
soil quality.
Heading a soccer ball is definitely
bad for your brain. According to new
research, soccer players who took
memory tests before and after
heading a ball scored about half as
well in the after tests. Their scores
returned to normal within 24 hours,
but it’s not yet clear if the symptoms
become more permanent over time. Source
On October 14, 1912, Teddy Roosevelt
was shot just before his speech. Because the
would-be assassin’s arm was jostled,
he missed Roosevelt’s head and hit him
square in the chest. The bullet, slowed
by a 50-page copy of the President’s
speech and his steel glasses case, didn’t
hit any major organs, so he just asked the
audience to quiet down while he went
ahead and spoke for another hour. Source
“Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.”
First page of speech:
John Schrank, would-be assassin, and his revolver:
Chest X-ray:
“In the very unlikely event of the wound being mortal I wished to die with my boots on.”