The Utterly, Completely, and Totally Useless Science Fact-o-pedia: A Startling Collection of Scientific Trivia You’ll Never Need to Know. Steve Kanaras

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      And whenever I share this story, no one ever seems surprised.

      I truly hope, with all my heart, that you enjoy reading this book (and the incredible cartoons provided by Steve Kanaras and Matt Ryan) as much as I did writing it!

      Kindly, and with ubuntu,

      Wendy

Amino Acids

      • Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are the machinery of life on our planet.

      • Amino acids are so named because they contain an amine group and a carboxylic acid group connected by a central “alpha” carbon.

      • A peptide bond—which is the primary linkage of all protein structures—is formed when the amine group of one amino acid is connected to the carboxylic acid of another amino acid.

      • Every amino acid has a mirror-image molecule called an isomer, which has an L-form and a D-form.

      • The term “L-form” comes from the Latin word levo, meaning left; “D-form” comes from the Latin word dextro, meaning right.

      • Nearly all naturally occurring amino acids are L-form (left-handed) amino acids.

      • Chemically synthesized amino acids (made in a lab) are usually a 50/50 mixture of L-form (left-handed) and D-form (right-handed) isomers.

      • Contrary to popular belief, taurine is not an amino acid. It contains a sulfonic acid group, not a carboxylic acid group. Of note, the human body can manufacture taurine from other amino acids. However, cats cannot—which is why taurine is an essential ingredient in cat food.

      Antioxidants

      • Antioxidants such as Vitamin A, C, and E, Lycopene, Lutien, and Glutathione are substances that protect cells from unstable molecules called “free radicals.” These antioxidants are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in other foods including nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry, and fish.

      • Free radicals can damage your DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). This is a problem because your genes—which are pieces of DNA—are responsible for providing your cells with the necessary instructions to function, including when to grow and divide, and when to die.

      • Damaged DNA has been linked to some forms of cancer because cancer cells don’t know when to stop reproducing and die.

      • In humans, the most common form of free radicals is oxygen.

      • When an oxygen molecule (O2) becomes electrically charged, or “radicalized,” it tries to steal electrons from other molecules, causing damage to DNA and other molecules. Over time, this damage may become irreversible and lead to disease.

      • According to the National Cancer Institute, antioxidants essentially “mop up” free radicals, meaning they neutralize the electrical charge and prevent the free radical from stealing electrons from other molecules.

      “A” Phobias

      • Alektorophobia: Fear of chickens

      • Alliumphobia: Fear of garlic

      • Allodoxaphobia: Fear of opinions

      • AibohphobiA: Fear of palindromes (my personal favorite)

      • Amathophobia: Fear of dust

      • Amaxophobia: Fear of riding in a car

      • Ablutophobia: Fear of washing or bathing

      • Acousticophobia: Fear of noise

      • Acrophobia, Altophobia: Fear of heights

      • Aerophobia: Fear of drafts, air swallowing, or airborne noxious substances

      • Aeronausiphobia: Fear of vomiting secondary to airsickness

      • Agateophobia: Fear of insanity

      • Agliophobia: Fear of pain

      • Agoraphobia: Fear of the outdoors, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions

      • Agrizoophobia: Fear of wild animals

      • Agyrophobia: Fear of streets or crossing the street

      • Aichmophobia: Fear of needles or pointed objects

      • Ailurophobia: Fear of cats

      Apollo 11

      (Moon Landing)

      • On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong—the crew Commander—and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr.—the Lunar Module Pilot—were the first people to land on the Moon. Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the Moon.

      • Michael Collins—the Command Module Pilot—was part of the crew, but stayed in orbit around the Moon in the command module, while Neil and Buzz descended to the Moon’s surface in the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM).

      • Neil Armstrong actually flubbed his famous scripted line. He was supposed to say: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind,” but he left out the “a,” and instead he said: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” So, instead of stating that a simple, everyday action of one man had monumental implications for all humanity, he instead made the nearly contradictory statement that suggested that a small step by the human race resulted in a monumental achievement by humankind! But, no do-overs in space!

      • NASA “covered this up” by stating that static from the broadcast of the statement made the “a” inaudible. Based upon the actual recorded transmission from that day, this doesn’t appear to be the case.

      • Years later, Neil Armstrong purportedly said: “Damn, I really did it. I blew the first words on the Moon, didn’t I?”

      • That said, I think it’s safe to say that syntax error or no syntax error, Neil Armstrong’s famous Moon landing statement resonates as an amazing, beautiful, life-changing, brilliant moment in the history of not just the United States, but for all humanity.

      Apples

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