THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM

2021-2022: CII

"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool."

-William Shakespeare THE DAILY ASTRONOMER

Friday, April 1, 2022

Quiz # 24: The April Fool's Quiz: Fact or Fool?

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We don't know what show we'll show for the April Fool's show. Show up tonight and you'll know what show we'll show for the April Fool's show. We don't yet know what show we'll show because a 20-sided die named Horwindil will decide just before show time tonight!

The April Fool's Show

Friday, April 1st at 7:00 p.m.

$3 per person

$9 if you wear a costume.

One can't have an April Fool's show without at least one foolish provision.

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What, you might wonder, is the April Fool's Quiz: Fool or Fact? Well, honestly, it is something like a true or false quiz, but with a lot of strange twists, turns, and contortions. This quiz contains a series of outlandish statements, some of which are actually true, others patently false. Next to each statement, write either FOOL, meaning you think that a given statement is 13.4 gallons of horse water or FACT, indicating that you are certain that the corresponding statement must be a metric ton of metaphysical certitude

Example A dashing, debonair super star actor literally slapped a comedian on national television less than hour before accepting the Best Performance by a Leading Actor Oscar.

Balderdash! FOOL

Good luck!

1. WALK ACROSS LEGO BRIDGE

In the quaint German town of Wuppethal, one can walk across a LEGO bridge. Exuding the vibrant colors we associate with these blocks, this bridge adds some real flair to the community, but no real danger.

2. A TITANIC NOVELLA

American author Morgan Robertson wrote a novella about a ship called "Titan" that struck an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage across the Atlantic. In this novel, the accident, which occurred in April, claimed many lives owing to the insufficient number of lifeboats on deck. Now, one could be forgiven for thinking that this work wasn't particularly imaginative, until one realizes that he published this work in 1898....14 years before the actual sinking of the Titanic.

3. RING AROUND A CARROT

In 1995, a Swedish woman was preparing food for a Christmas dinner when she lost her wedding ring. Despite her desperate attempts, she was unable to locate the coveted annulus. Miraculously, the ring finally reappeared....16 years later. It was wrapped around a carrot that she picked out of her garden!

4. NATIONAL MYTHICAL ANIMALS

What's America's national animal? Yes, of course, the bald eagle or the American bison.

What's New Zealand's national animal? Yes, of course, the kiwi.

What's Scotland's national animal? Yes, of cour....wait?! The unicorn?!

What's Wales' national animal? Um....a red dragon?!

5. RAINING EARS?

Margot Cuthbert, an avid gardener living in Shropshire, England, ventured outside to pick some vegetables just as a rainstorm began. To her horror, she watched four human ears fall into her garden. She rushed into her house and rang up the local constable. Subsequent investigation determined that a consignment of severed human body parts was being flown to a Norwegian medical school. Some of the ears were somehow dumped out of the plane.

6. WE ARE ALL WRAITHS

We are all wraiths, my friends!

After all, we consist of atoms which, themselves, are primarily empty space.

If we could remove all the empty atomic space from every person who has ever lived and those alive today, the resultant material would be the size of a sugar cube!

7. BUT, WE HAVE A LOT INSIDE US

Excuse me? Could I unravel all the DNA in your body? If I unraveled all your DNA and tied them all end to the end, the resultant DNA bridge would extend 34 billion miles! Much farther than the separation distance between the Sun and Pluto!

8. LAW OF CONES. Did you know that if you're eating ice cream in a dish instead of a cone in Maine you're breaking the law?! In 1936, the economic wizards in the Maine House and Senate passed a law requiring people to consume ice cream in a cone, not a dish, in order to increase sales of cones. One of those provisions intended to address the economic anemia of the Great Depression. It was rarely enforced and is now largely forgotten.

ANSWERS

1. WALK ACROSS LEGO BRIDGE

In the quaint German town of Wuppethal, one can walk across a LEGO bridge. Exuding the vibrant colors we associate with these blocks, this bridge adds some real flair to the community, but no real danger.

FACT!

Granted, the bridge is made out of concrete, but is painted to look like LEGOS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego-Br%C3%BCcke

2. A TITANIC NOVELLA

American author Morgan Robertson wrote a novella about a ship called "Titan" that struck an iceberg and sank during its maiden voyage across the Atlantic. In this novel, the accident, which occurred in April, claimed many lives owing to the insufficient number of lifeboats on deck. Now, one could be forgiven for thinking that this work wasn't particularly imaginative, until one realizes that he published this work in 1898....14 years before the actual sinking of the Titanic.

FACT!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wreck_of_the_Titan:_Or,_Futility

3. RING AROUND A CARROT

In 1995, a Swedish woman was preparing food for a Christmas dinner when she lost her wedding ring. Despite her desperate attempts, she was unable to locate the coveted annulus. Miraculously, the ring finally reappeared....16 years later. It was wrapped around a carrot that she picked out of her garden!

FACT!

Presumably, the ring became mixed up in vegetable peelings that were put out to compost. The ring became incorporated into the compost and then was laid down on the garden, where it sunk into the soil and ultimately wound up around a carrot.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-16374283

4. NATIONAL MYTHICAL ANIMALS

What's America's national animal? Yes, of course, the bald eagle or the American bison.

What's New Zealand's national animal? Yes, of course, the kiwi.

What's Scotland's national animal? Yes, of cour....wait?! The unicorn?!

What's Wales' national animal? Um....a red dragon?!

FACT!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_animals

5. RAINING EARS?

Margot Cuthbert, an avid gardener living in Shropshire, England, ventured outside to pick some vegetables just as a rainstorm began. To her horror, she watched four human ears fall into her garden. She rushed into her house and rang up the local constable. Subsequent investigation determined that a consignment of severed human body parts was being flown to a Norwegian medical school. Some of the ears were somehow dumped out of the plane.

FOOL!

6. WE ARE ALL WRAITHS

We are all wraiths, my friends!

After all, we consist of atoms which, themselves, are primarily empty space.

If we could remove all the empty atomic space from every person who is alive today, the resultant material would be the size of a sugar cube!

FACT!

https://www.businessinsider.in/science/you-could-fit-the-entire-human-race-into-a-sugar-cube-and-13-other-facts-to-put-the-universe-into-perspective/slidelist/53831581.cms#slideid=53831583

7. BUT, WE HAVE A LOT INSIDE US

Excuse me? Could I unravel all the DNA in your body? If I unraveled all your DNA and tied them all end to the end, the resultant DNA bridge would extend 34 billion miles! Much farther than the separation distance between the Sun and Pluto! FACT!

https://www.businessinsider.in/science/you-could-fit-the-entire-human-race-into-a-sugar-cube-and-13-other-facts-to-put-the-universe-into-perspective/slidelist/53831581.cms#slideid=53831583

8. LAW OF CONES Did you know that if you're eating ice cream in a dish instead of a cone in Maine you're breaking the law?! In 1936, the economic wizards in the Maine House and Senate passed a law requiring people to consume ice cream in a cone, not a dish, in order to increase sales of cones. One of those provisions intended to address the economic anemia of the Great Depression. It was rarely enforced and is now largely forgotten.

FOOL!

Please don't forward this quiz to any state politician....better safe than sorry.

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