You don't know everything

Even I don't know everything. That's why the new book Discover's 20 Things You Didn't Know about Everything is so helpful. Compiled by the editors of Discover mag and a guy named Dean Christopher, this book provides 20 fun facts about a bunch of topics, from airport security (warning: read this segment only after your next vacation; the missile stuff will freak you out) to sperm banks, space disasters, rats, milk, mosquitoes, your body and duct tape. And, of course, more.

For example, did you know duct tape is good for repairing everything and anything BUT ducts? I mean, a surgeon running low on surgical tape can conceivably use duct tape to close a gunshot wound, according to this book.

Another popular topic: Aliens. In 1957 a Brazilian farmer named Antonio Vilas Boas claimed that he was abducted by aliens who covered him in gel and mated with him and - here's the surprising part - they barked. Hmmm. Another fact confirms that a 2003 Harvard study reports that 70 percent of "abductees" say they were used for breeding or sexual experiments. But then, we already knew that; we've followed Agent Scully's plight for years.

Comments

[Brett Bayne]

If you like this book, you should check out Cecil Adams' "Straight Dope" series. There are at least five volumes, most of which is archived here:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/index.html

Under "Recent Classic Columns" -- it's about the 32nd from the bottom of that list -- you will find the question about the Olympics that he answered for me (it was published in the book "Triumph of the Straight Dope." :)

It's entirely TOO much knowledge, but I'm glad it's there.