DO YOU KNOW?

Evening Star, Issue 21006, 21 January 1932, Page 1

DO YOU KNOW?

the ‘Sunday Express.’] „ Why Are Women Afraid of Mice?-* Their fear is a survival of the time when skirts were longer and formed a convenient retreat for a hunted mouse. _ Did a Scotsman Invent the Bagpipes?—Bagpipes were? known in ancient Chaldea, Persia, and Egypt. They were introduced to Britain by the Romans. An unconfirmed account saya that bagpipes were sold to the Scots by the Irish, and that Scotsmen have not yet seen the joke. p Why Do Brides Wean Orange Blossom?—The orange blossom was a symbol of motherhood among the Moors and Saracens. The custom was brought to Europe by tthe Crusaders. Why_ Are Girls' Called Flappers?—. Early in the eighteenth century girls were first called flappers from a fancied resemblance to young ducks, which at the half-grown stage make a great deal of noise with their wings. The ‘ Encyclopaedia Britannica ’ is authority for this origin of the word. Does Hair Stand On End?—When stimulated by fear, cold, or anger the ,of the skin contract. This mechanically raises the hair. How i Are Freckles 'Caused?—* Freckles, a German word meaning lentils, are produced in unusually delicate skins as a screen to prevent injury by strong sunlight’. ' Are Toes of Any Use?—With the ad- x vance of the human race toes are “going out tf fashion.” Primitive man used his toes as a second set of fingers, just as monkeys do.. Toes help to balance the body in walking. If we were toeless every step would be a jar. Why Do Our Limbs “Go to Sleep”,? —When the free circulation to any part of the body is checked the nerves cease to work, and the affected part ceases to feel, , : '

Why Are Women Allowed to Propose in Leap Year?—An act of the Scottish Parliament gave this right to women, in 1228. A man was bound to accept under severe penalties unless he could / prove that he was already engaged. ■ ' Why Is Gorgonzola Cheese Green?— The greenness indicates the presence of colonies of bacteria or microbes, which are not' harmful, and give the cheese its distinctive flavour. In cheap cheese i the greenness 'is produced by. passing a copper wire through it.' In this case the colour is due to chemical action • which produces, an oxide of copperv Why Does Lightning Strike Trees?Trees act as conductors and offer the. shortest .path for the electricity from the clouds to the earth. Lombardy ‘ poplar's, because of their height, are oftenest struck. How Much Salt is 1 There in the Sea? —lt is estimated that the total weight of the salb in the sea is 209,000,000 , million million, tons, or enough to cover, the whole of. South America to the depth of seven miles. Can Ostriches- Digest Nails?— Ostriches have powerful digestions, but they essentially vegetarians. They p _ digestion, just as a common fowl fills its gizzard , with grit. Where Is the Sea Deepest?—The deepest sounding taken was off the south-west .‘of Japan. There the depth was found tp be 32,636 ft, or about six and a-sixih miles. . Can a Worm Hear?—Worms have no ears and cannot hear in the ordinary way, but any sounl which produces vibrations strong enough .to set their psurroundings in motion is communicated their nervous systems. Who Owns the Air?—lt is an old legal maxim that a landowner ■ owns whatever is below his land to the .centre of the earth and the air above it as far as he may care to claim it. How Far is it from the North to the South Pole?—A straight line through, the earth from pole to pole measures 7,899 miles. The shortest route on the earth’s surface isr 12,420 miles. < How Fast Does the Earth Move ? —Places on the equator move faster because they shave the farthest to go. Any point on the equator travels 25,000 miles in a day or at the rate of 1.03 7 miles an hour. In its orbit round the sun the earth travels 66,666 miles an hour. Why Do ' o Shake Hands?—ln older . times, when men carried weapons, they shook each other by the right or weapon hand when, the met.to show that they were not concealing a dagger / or short sword. The practice grew into a form of courtesy. W’ at Keeps a Train on tthe<Lines? —The wheels have a rim on the inside whiph projects below the surface of " the rails. Each pair of wheels is thus locked betw.on the ra:’ -. '