The modern high jump technique was created by Dick Fosbury and was dubbed the Fosbury Flop. Prior to the 1968 Olympics, the landing area was sand or low mats so jumpers needed to land on their feet or otherwise very carefully. – WTF Fun Facts
random facts
WTF Fun Fact – World’s Largest Pencil
The St. Louis City Museum has the largest graphite pencil in the world. It is 76 feet long and weighs 18,000 pounds. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://vimeo.com/64984221
WTF Fun Fact – Bland Tomatoes
A study found store-bought tomatoes taste bland because they are missing the gene (TomLoxC) which gives them their flavor. 93% of the current, domesticated varieties sold in stores are missing the gene. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – French Meowing Nuns
In 1844, there was a case of hysteria in a French convent of nuns. One started meowing and after a week all the nuns were meowing harmoniously in the afternoons. It didn’t stop until neighbors called soldiers. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://archive.org/details/epidemicsofmiddl1844heck/
WTF Fun Fact – CO2 To Fuel
Researchers have developed an efficient and eco-friendly catalytic reactor that can convert the common air pollutant CO2 into high concentrations of pure formic acid, which can be used as a liquid fuel.– WTF Fun Facts
Source: http://thetartan.org/2019/9/9/scitech/greenhouse-fuel
WTF Fun Fact – Thelma Howard
In 1951, Walt Disney hired a maid named Thelma Howard. He gifted her shares of Disney stock each Christmas. When she died in 1994, she had 192,000 shares worth $9 million. She left the majority to her foundation supporting disadvantaged kids. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://people.com/archive/saving-grace-vol-42-no-21/
WTF Fun Fact – British Relations
The British have a one in 300 chance of being related to a complete stranger they meet in their homeland. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/theres-a-1-in-300-chance-that-a-complete-stranger-is-your-cousin/
WTF Fun Fact – 9/11 Hero
Rick Rescorla saved all but 6 of his 2700 employees during the 9/11 attacks by directing people down the stairs using a bullhorn and encouraging them by singing Cornish songs. – WTF Fun Facts
WTF Fun Fact – Apple Jacks Inventor
William G. Thilly, the inventor of Apple Jacks cereal, is now a professor of biological engineering at MIT and invented the cereal while he was a summer intern. – WTF Fun Facts