According to Isaac Asimov, Stanley Kubrick wanted to get an insurance policy from Lloyd’s of London to protect against losses in case extraterrestrial intelligence was discovered before 2001: A Space Odyssey was released. Lloyd’s wouldn’t insure him.
To determine the age of a goby fish, one must count the rings around its tiny ear bones or “otoliths.”
Geologist Nick Hoffman thinks the gullies near Mars’ south pole that form as the seasonal ice cap retreats in spring are most likely from gaseous carbon dioxide. If true, this deals a blow to the prospects for life on Mars.
Worldwide, more than 450 people die annually from clam-related food poisoning — more lethal than alligators, tigers, and hippos combined!
If you heat a Teflon pan to 500 degrees F, the non-stick layer turns into an inert gas. Although harmless to humans, it’s toxic to birds.
This article appears in March 7 • 2003.