I thought it would be fun for everyone to post any random facts they know (or something you Googled or whatever). It can be about anything as long as it's HP-appropriate. One player posts one fact. I'll start:

The Icelandic word for computer is tölva. It was coined in the '60s and is a combination of the words tala (to count) and völva (prophetess).

Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State to signify Texas as a former independent republic and as a reminder of the state's struggle for independence from Mexico. The "Lone Star" can be found on the Texas state flag and on the Texas state seal today.

Peridot is one of the few gems that only occur in one color (olive green).

1 in 5,000 North Atlantic lobsters are born bright blue.

In 1992, Bayer and Diaconis showed that after seven random riffle shuffles of a deck of 52 cards, every configuration is nearly equally likely. Shuffling more than this does not significantly increase the "randomness"; shuffle less than this and the deck is "far" from random.

A skunk's smell can be detected by a human one mile away.

San Marino is said to be the world's oldest surviving republic. Tradition has it that the country was founded in the fourth century AD by a devout Christian stonemason called Marinus, who took refuge there and set up a small community.

The elephant is the only animal with 4 knees

The Sargasso Sea, The Sea Without A Shore. The Sargasso Sea is located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, just a little north of the equator. The water in the Sargasso Sea is one of the clearest in the ocean, with underwater visibility of up to and incredible 200 feet.

10% of the world population is left-handed.

This thread went almost 4 months without a new post. That is a fact.

An ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain

When Newfoundland joined Canada, they had margerine negotiated into the constitution because it was previously banned to protect the dairy industry.

When Finns go in the sauna, they bring a bunch of birch branches with them and use it to lightly hit themselves with it. It's good for the skin and the leaves bring a lovely scent in.

Minnesota contains the largest population of Norwegian Americans of any state within in the US.

Scotland has approximately 790 islands.

Only around 2% of the islands in the Caribbean are actually inhabited by people.

An adult horse’s brain weights 22 oz, about half that of a human.

Abraham Lincoln was only defeated once out of approximately 300 wrestling matches. He made it to the Wrestling Hall of Fame with the honor of "Outstanding American."

A horse's teeth take up more space in its skull than its brain does.

The Caribbean island of Saba is the home of the shortest runway in the world, measuring in at just 1,300 feet.