Everybody knows that February is the shortest month, but what's the longest? The answer is October, which is 31 days long plus the hour we gain when daylight savings time ends. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell Fourty-six U.S. federal agencies have officers with the authority to carry firearms and arrest people. Source: Harper's Index Honey is used as a center for golf balls and in antifreeze mixtures. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts The rare metal gallium melts at 86 degrees F. It is safe to touch; if you hold a piece in your hand and wait, it will melt. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts There's no mention in the Constitution of a "two-party system" or political parties at all, for that matter. Our founding fathers considered them sinister. It was assumed that representatives would rally around particular causes then back to a neutral position until the next issue came along. In September 1796 in his last "Farewell Address," George Washington warned against political parties and "passionate attachments" to foreign nations. He was ignored on both counts. Source: Don't Know Much About History Air-conditioning was invented in the early 1900s not to cool homes or offices, but to control humidity in a printing plant so paper wouldn't expand or contract. Air conditioning didn't come to homes until after World War II. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell A distiller named E.C. Booz bottled whiskey in log-cabin-shaped containers in the mid 1800s and it is from his name we get the word "booze." Source: Don't Know Much About History A quarter of the horses in the U.S. died of a vast virus epidemic in 1872. American life and industry were crippled literally because of the diminished horsepower. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts A contrivance as simple as the envelope did not come about until 1839. Until then, people usually folded their letters both ways, sealed them with wax, and wrote the address on back. Tired of pounding the pavement looking for a job, Humphry O'Sullivan sat down one day and invented the rubber heel. Abraham Lincoln received U.S. patent number 6,469 for "Buoying Vessels over Shoals," a device that would raise ships so they could pass over bars or through shallow water. A working model was never built. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts About 24% of the total ground area of Los Angles is said to be committed to automobiles. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts Slavery was a universal institution throughout ancient times. It was not even questioned in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts Thomas Edison, though still in possession of his sight, found Braille preferable to visual reading. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts Grapefruit is not related in any way to grapes but got its name because it grows in bunches like grapes. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell In 1800 only fifty cities on earth had a population of more than 100,000. Source: 2201 Fascinating Facts One 75-watt bulb will give more light than three 25-watt bulbs. Source: 2201 Fascinating Facts A completely blind chameleon will still take on the colors of its environment. Source: 2201 Fascinating Facts Sharks apparently are the only animals that never get sick. As far as is known, they are immune to every known disease including cancer. Researchers are trying to determine what gives sharks their fabulous immunity. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell The Hundred Year War actually lasted 116 years (1337 to 1453). Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell The reason Washington's army starved at Valley Forge is that Pennsylvania farmers preferred to sell food to the British for ready cash. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts In ancient China, people committed suicide by eating a pound of salt. Source: 2201 Fascinating Facts The top 20 biggest states in the U.S. in area are all west of the Mississippi River. Georgia, the biggest state east of the Mississippi, ranks 21st in size in the U.S. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell For the first 2 billion years of its existance, the earth had no life on it whatsoever. Source: 2201 Fascinating Facts These were the most popular breeds registered in the U.S. in the mid-1990s: 1. Labrador retriever 2. Rottweiler 3. German shepherd 4. Cocker spaniel 5. Poodle 6. Golden retriever 7. Beagle 8. Dachshund 9. Dalmatian 10. Shetland sheepdog Source: Reader's Digest Book of Facts Snails produce a colorless, sticky discharge that forms a protective carpet under them as they travel along. The discharge is so effective that they can crawl along the edge of a razor without cutting themselves. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts U.S. coins known as nickles have far more copper in them than nickel. In fact, nickels are made of 75% copper and 25% nickel. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell There are more insects in one square mile of rural land than there are human beings on the entire earth. Source: 2201 Fascinating Facts In November 1960 an American rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, went off course and crashed in Cuba, killing a cow. The Cuban government gave the cow an official funeral as the victim of "imperial aggression." Source: Reader's Digest Book of Facts Even though they broke up 25 years ago, the Beatles continue to sell more records each year than the Rolling Stones. Source: NPR John Harrison was unique in American History. He was both father and the son of a U.S. President. His father was William Henry Harrison, who was elected President in 1840. His son was Benjamin Harrison, who became President in 1888. John Harrison did become a U.S. congressman from Ohio from 1852 to 1857. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2 of 5 women in America dye their hair. Source: 2201 Fascinating Facts In 1971 - the Vietnam War was on and it was the third year of Nixon's Presidency - nearly 100,000 men deserted the U.S. armed forces. Source: Isaac Asimov's Book of Facts Ironically, while George Washington is known as the "Father of the Country," he never had any children of his own. Five other U.S. Presidents also had no children: James Madison, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, James Buchanan, and Warren Harding. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell The number four is unique. No other number has the same number of letters in its name as its meaning. Source: Knowledge in a Nutshell Aphids are born pregnant, without the benefit of sex. Aphids can give birth 10 days after being born themselves. Beastiality is only illegal if you do it in public. Source: The Houston Chronicle