Useless Information Thread

Jacey · Post by **Jacey** » Sun Jul 06, 2014 8:52 pm

I know scientists are close to reaching absolute zero. But thought it wasn't possible.
So how do negative temperatures become hotter than normal?

Post by **Sleet** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 12:28 pm

I didn't say we could reach absolute zero. I said we can go below absolute zero.

In order to understand how it works, it helps to know the formal definition of temperature. Temperature is defined as dq/dS, or the derivative of heat with respect to entropy. Or, in layman's terms, higher temperature means increasing or decreasing the disorder of the system causes a greater change in heat. So in order for temperature to be negative, this derivative needs to be negative. What would cause that derivative to be negative? If increasing heat caused entropy (aka disorder) to go down, or vice-versa.

Particles can exist in different energy states. Adding thermal energy to the system causes particles to move to higher energy states. Under normal circumstances, higher energy states won't be occupied unless the lower ones are as well. But in the event that particles are mostly in higher energy states, this is a fairly low-entropy state (since the near-uniformity of high energy is "orderly"). Removing thermal energy causes some of these particles to drop to lower energy states, removing some of the conformity and increasing entropy. So in this scenario, decreasing heat increases entropy. So for this system, dq/dS is negative, and since temperature is dq/dS, temperature is also negative.

herobrineharry · Post by **herobrineharry** » Sat Jul 12, 2014 5:44 pm

Oooooooooo.......kkkkkkkkkkkkkk.
St. Bernards never carried barrels of whiskey, rum, or any alcoholic beverage around their necks.
And drinking alcohol makes you get cold FASTER, as it diverts blood to the skin.

Jacey · Post by **Jacey** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:19 am

Thank you sleet for the explanation.

Also another useless fact no one will care about; Batman has a super villain named Egghead. Imagine Mr. Freeze from the movies and his bad puns and turn the ice puns to egg puns. And you have the villain. Also he apparently was played by Vincent Price in the old batman show.

Post by **ArcWolf** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 1:15 pm

This isn't a useless information bit, but

Germany's about to win the World Cup.

I'd just like to have a loud "told you so."

ArcWolf wrote: Also Germany's probably going to win.
Just sayin'.

Punchy · Post by **Punchy** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 6:19 am

Drake wrote:Also another useless fact no one will care about; Batman has a super villain named Egghead. Imagine Mr. Freeze from the movies and his bad puns and turn the ice puns to egg puns. And you have the villain. Also he apparently was played by Vincent Price in the old batman show.

That episode was awful, I hated the egg puns...
Vincent Price also appeared in an episode of Get Smart
Eli Wallach played Mr. Freeze in an episode of the old Batman t.v. series. He apparently received a lot of fan mail for that performance.

Jacey · Post by **Jacey** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:59 am

If you mean the Animated series, Punchy, yes he deserved that praise.
Speaking of that series, Batman: The Animated Series, was drawn in a style where they used black backgrounds and colored with bright colors. Over the normal black colors on white. This style gave Batman the unique style that made it so well liked.

Kyuunado · Post by **Kyuunado** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 12:46 pm

Spider-Man and Batman appear as Boss enemies in Revenge of Shinobi on the Sega Megadrive, Godzilla also appears.

Cesco · Post by **Cesco** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 4:22 pm

Since in past you talked about Bir Tawil, the so called nobody's land, now there are developments about it...

ArcWolf wrote:This isn't a useless information bit, but

Germany's about to win the World Cup.

I'd just like to have a loud "told you so."

ArcWolf wrote: Also Germany's probably going to win.
Just sayin'.

And it won! Congrats, it was really deserved.

GameCobra · Post by **GameCobra** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:14 pm

Found this interesting tidbit just yesterday, but TV series director and writer Seth Kearsley explained last week that back in 2002, Disney had Sean write a script for a pilot episode for a Kingdom Hearts TV series. The reason it was apparently stopped was because Disney decided to stick with making games instead of a cartoon. He said they didn't think the idea was bad, it was just that they felt the best move was to focus on the games instead.

That's cute. X3

Saturn381 · Post by **Saturn381** » Mon Jul 14, 2014 11:23 pm

The Ed Wood film "Glen or Glenda" was originally going to be a biopic about Christine Jorgensen.

Punchy · Post by **Punchy** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:17 am

Today is the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

aBritishfox · Post by **aBritishfox** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 12:49 pm

My favourite fact: Armadillos' inflate their bellies so they're able to float on water.

The Blue Fox · Post by **The Blue Fox** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:30 pm

So today I learned that the saying "go commando" in reference to getting nekkid actually has its origins in World War 2...underwear was in short supply, so they just chose not to. Plus it was more comfortable for them when they walked through water or boggy swamp...underwear had a chafing tendency in those conditions.

Radio Blue Heart · Post by **Radio Blue Heart** » Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:50 pm

Punchy wrote:Today is the 100th anniversary of the First World War.

Dedicated to all victims of war, those whose names are known and also for those who remain unknown for ever. Both the executioners and their victims.

Post by **Hlaoroo** » Tue Aug 05, 2014 2:47 am

They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going-down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.
Lest We Forget.

In other news:
Reptiles can have blue, green or even yellow-looking blood due to their bodies producing different enzymes to those found in mammalian bodies.

England does not have an official National Anthem. "God Save The Queen" is the National Anthem of Britain (or in other words, the United Kingdom), not of England. Although it is used to represent England at sporting events and suchlike, it has never been officially adopted as the National Anthem for England. "Jerusalem" is used as the National Anthem for England in cricket and the Commonwealth Games and "Land Of Hope And Glory" is used when playing darts but again, neither of those songs have officially been recognised as an official National Anthem.

Post by **Sleet** » Tue Aug 05, 2014 3:59 pm

Britain isn't the same thing as the United Kingdom. North Ireland is the United Kingdom but not Britain.

Post by **Hlaoroo** » Wed Aug 06, 2014 1:05 am

In the strict sense you're right but loosely speaking the words are occasionally used interchangeably.

Anthroguy101 · Post by **Anthroguy101** » Fri Aug 08, 2014 9:55 pm

Urine can have a pH between 4.6 and 8.

Vegas · Post by **Vegas** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 10:37 am

When asked for an autographed picture of Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney told Ub Iwerks to draw it and Walt would sign it. Ub quit on the spot, if I recall correctly.

Post by **ArcWolf** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 7:33 pm

Anthroguy101 wrote:Urine can have a pH between 4.6 and 8.

Building on that:

The kangaroo rat's uric acid is so concetrated there is little to no water loss.

This also means the kangaroo rat can get most, if not all, of its water from its food.

Isn't that craaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaazy?

Post by **Hlaoroo** » Sat Aug 09, 2014 7:50 pm

There's actually a few animals that can do that.
Quolls being one, funnily enough.
Koalas another. Koalas only eat certain types of gum leaves and can get up to 90% of the moisture they need from their diet. It's a common myth that their name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "no drink". In actual fact, the original meaning of the word, and in fact the word "koala" is derived from is not known.
Also, Koalas are NOT bears, nor are they related to them, nor do they even look like them. Get that right, America!

herobrineharry · Post by **herobrineharry** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 9:05 pm

Welsh has no word for blue. Glas defines part of the color green, technically, although it is used to mean blue.

Post by **Obbl** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:39 am

Color words are always fun. They seem to take a while to develop in languages. For example: Black and Bleach share a common root.

Blue originally meant pale or pallid and was used to refer to yellow things as well as blue, and the sea would not have been referred to as blue because there was a word that encompassed all the colors of the sea (blues, greens, and greys). Blue and Green tend to take a while to separate into individual colors.　In Japanese the word for blue - ao, 青 - originally referred to all shades of blue/green, and was commonly used as such up through the 1940s. Thus green apples (and many green vegetables) are still called "blue", and the green traffic signal is also "blue" though it is no different from the traffic lights Americans call "green".

Vegas · Post by **Vegas** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:47 pm

Obbl wrote:Color words are always fun. They seem to take a while to develop in languages. For example: Black and Bleach share a common root.
Blue originally meant pale or pallid and was used to refer to yellow things as well as blue, and the sea would not have been referred to as blue because there was a word that encompassed all the colors of the sea (blues, greens, and greys). Blue and Green tend to take a while to separate into individual colors.　In Japanese the word for blue - ao, 青 - originally referred to all shades of blue/green, and was commonly used as such up through the 1940s. Thus green apples (and many green vegetables) are still called "blue", and the green traffic signal is also "blue" though it is no different from the traffic lights Americans call "green".

Huh, that's actually pretty interesting because in the Sailor Moon song "Ai no Senshi," there's a line that basically translates "wake up blue Soldiers of Love," but a translator note I read said it was basically the Japanese equivalent to "green," in the sense that they're rookies. I didn't know there was more to it.
Although, it's also kind of weird as the song first showed up in the second series, Sailor Moon R, and they aren't exactly rookies by that point...

Post by **Sleet** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:59 pm

See also: Part of why Pokémon Blue was Pokémon Green in Japan.

herobrineharry · Post by **herobrineharry** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 8:58 pm

all languages develop color words in the same order.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Wed Aug 13, 2014 4:27 pm

he oldest business in the United States of America is the cymbal company Zildjian which was founded in Constantinople in 1623.

Cm4F · Post by **Cm4F** » Wed Aug 13, 2014 10:50 pm

The PLU code for lemons is 4053.

Vegas · Post by **Vegas** » Thu Aug 14, 2014 5:18 pm

The character Sabrina Spellman predates both I Dream of Jeanie and Bewitched. Sabrina made her first appearance in Archie's Madhouse #22 in 1962, and was very different from how we see her today. Originally, Sabrina was often told that she needed to use her spells to harass mortals and called ugly, despite being one of the prettiest characters in the Archie universe. It wasn't until the 1990's with the introduction of the live action sitcom that witches were to be good.
Also, originally Salem was a regular orange cat.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Thu Aug 14, 2014 5:28 pm

Coca-Cola was originally green

The Blue Fox · Post by **The Blue Fox** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 9:34 am

Santa Claus wasn't originally red...he's only red because he's sponsored by Coca-Cola or something like that. Originally, his jolly santa suit was brown...and then he wore green for a bit...some believe he also wore blue at one point...before being given the Coca-Cola Red and White he's known for today.

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 5:46 pm

Way back on August 13, 1903, police entered the Liverpool, England home of William and Emily Shortis. Worried friends had contacted the authorities because the couple had not been seen for several days prior. There they found William near death. Oddly, he was pinned under the dead body of his 224 pound wife. Did she die during a moment of passion? Not at all. The coroner concluded that William was following Emily up the stairs of their home when she lost her balance and tumbled down the steps, pulling him down with her. Emily immediately died from a blow to the head, trapping William under her body for over three days. Sadly, William did not survive his injuries, either.

Admittedly, that one is a little morbid.

Vegas · Post by **Vegas** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 6:01 pm

Rumor has it Karrin Murphy and Susan Rodriguez from The Dresden Files were both inspired by Elisa Maza from Gargoyles. Karrin got Elisa's hard as nails personality while Susan got Elisa's looks. Gentleman John Marcone was also inspired by a Gargoyles character, David Xanatos.

Post by **ArcWolf** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 8:10 pm

Pi was nearly changed to 3.2 as an amateur mathematician from Indiana
proposed his therom to the state legislature.

It didn't pass.

This fact brought to you by dividing your circumference by your diameter
(Assuming you're a circle)

Amazee Dayzee · Post by **Amazee Dayzee** » Fri Aug 15, 2014 10:47 pm

"Weird" Al Yankovic received a Bachelor's degree in Architecture in 1981. He also served as valedictorian of his high school at age 16.

Jacey · Post by **Jacey** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 3:32 am

Amazee Dayzee wrote:"Weird" Al Yankovic received a Bachelor's degree in Architecture in 1981. He also served as valedictorian of his high school at age 16.

Awesome fact. I wonder what he thinks of not going through with that degree

Post by **Render** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 9:51 am

ArcWolf wrote:Pi was nearly changed to 3.2 as an amateur mathematician from Indiana
proposed his therom to the state legislature.

It didn't pass.

This fact brought to you by dividing your circumference by your diameter
(Assuming you're a circle)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V98soOyQWKY

Post by **Sleet** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 10:46 am

Hey, that works on nerds.

JeffCvt · Post by **JeffCvt** » Sat Aug 16, 2014 2:36 pm

Amazee Dayzee wrote:"Weird" Al Yankovic received a Bachelor's degree in Architecture in 1981. He also served as valedictorian of his high school at age 16.

Drake wrote:Awesome fact. I wonder what he thinks of not going through with that degree

Actually, he tried for a while to apply for some high level positions that required a Bachelor's degree. The only problem was that he was TOO young at the time and no one wanted to hire him with the kind of pay they'd have to give him as his age.