20 strange and unusual facts that will make you question their authenticity
16 Welsh comedian Tommy Cooper died of a heart attack on live television midway through an act. The audience continued applauding assuming it to be part of the performance
Cooper collapsed after being helped into his cloak for the sketch by his assistant, who along with the host assumed it was part of the act. As a prop comedian and magician, Cooper improvised more often than not and nothing was made of the impromptu collapse until the star did not wake even after considerable amount of time had passed. Upon receiving the red flag, he was rushed backstage and revival attempts were made in vain. The show cut to commercial break and the other comedians proceeded with their acts.
News of his death did not reach the general public (which included the audience present at the show) until the next morning who were shocked to say the least.(source)
17 A 300-year-old wild ginseng was sold for 3 million yuan (USD ~400,000) in Jilin, China.
Known for its spectacular medicinal properties, this wild herb is used widely in oriental medicine – especially in China and Korea. Due to its rarity, naturally occurring ginseng is notoriously expensive. This 366-gram lot of wild ginseng was found in Changbai Mountain in 2007.(source)
18 A man named Robert Lane named his two sons âWinnerâ and âLoserâ. Winner grew up to be a criminal and Loser became a detective.
Whatâs in a name you ask? Not much.
Harlem resident Robert Lane probably just had a risky sense of humour. Papa Lane was not kidding around when he asked his daughter to name her second brother. Winner Lane had already been christened. So when his daughter opined that they needed a Loser Lane to level the field, he took it seriously. The Lane brothers had a surprisingly smooth time at school considering how children are subjected to ruthless bullying on the basis of their names.
In what can only be called as an unexpected twist of fate, Loser went on to join the force (where he was nicknamed Lou) while his brother was serving time for several petty crimes and violations.
Lou claims that he was always on a straight path since a kid and has gained a reputation for being brutally fair. The brothers cut ties and do not speak to each other anymore.(source)
19 Under extreme pressure, peanut butter can be converted into diamonds.
If it contains carbon, it can be turned into a diamond.
Scientists at the Edinburgh University successfully converted peanut butter into diamonds by applying pressures of more than five million atmospheres which is higher than what is found at the earthâs core. Placing the peanut butter between two diamond tips creates a âstiletto effectâ – compressing and shaping it into a diamond. This study was undertaken to gain a deeper understanding of the stability of materials and could lead to more effective medicine production.
Similarly, oxygen and hydrogen can be similarly turned into crystals – they revealed.(source)
20 Vegetables in Alaska grow gigantic because they receive 20 hours of sunlight a day.
Pumpkins as big as a reindeer and zucchinis taller than your arms! When we say gigantic, we mean Guinness-world-record-worthy-gigantic.
These crops grow unrecognisably huge as they gain up to 20 hours of sunlight a day. Many cities in Alaska hold competitions at annual fairs for these giant crops and the winners take away a sizeable sum and bragging rights.(source)