Know It All

“Gorillas in the Mist” (1983), a book by scientist Dian Fossey (1932-1985), chronicled the years she spent protecting and studying the mountain gorillas of Africa. The book was made into a movie of the same name in 1988. Sigourney Weaver (born 1949) played the role of Fossey.

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The game show “Beat the Clock” (1950-1961), hosted by Bud Collyer (1908-1969), featured married couples who attempted to complete various wacky stunts within a time limit. Couples competed in a $100 round, a $200 round and a “bonus stunt.”

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The smallest fish in the world is the paedocypris progenetica, a member of the carp family. The fish, discovered in a forest swamp in Sumatra, measure 7.9 mm long.

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When Charles Lubin (1903-1988) created a cream cheesecake to sell in his Chicago bakery he named it after his 8-year-old daughter Sara Lee.

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The planet Neptune has the fastest wind in the solar system. The winds on the planet travel up to 1,250 mph.

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Actress Angelina Jolie (born 1975) put aside her public feud with her father Jon Voight (born 1938) for the sake of a movie. The two starred together as father and daughter in “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” (2001).

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A bee beats its wings 230 times per second.

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On “The Andy Griffith Show” (1960-1968) Sheriff Andy Taylor, played by Andy Griffith (1926-2012), and Deputy Barney Fife, played by Don Knotts (1924-2006) liked to hang out at the Junction Café.

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Presidents James Polk (1795-1849) and Warren Harding (1865-1923) were both born on Nov. 2, 70 years apart. Polk was the 11th president. Harding was the 29th president.

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Do you know what is the most frequently broken bone in the human body? See answer at end.

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The front of a canoe is called the bow. The back is the stern. The widest part of the canoe is called the beam.

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The flag of Jamaica was adopted on Aug. 6, 1962; Jamaica’s day of independence. The three colors used in the flag have significance. Green represents the land and agriculture, yellow represents the sun and black signifies hardships borne by the people.

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The first immigrant to come to the United States through the Ellis Island station was Annie Moore (1877-1923). The 15-year-old from Cork County, Ireland arrived in the United States on Jan. 1, 1892. Today, there is a bronze statue of the girl at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

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The diesel engine was invented by German engineer Rudolf Diesel (1858-1913). The engine, patented in 1892, was an internal combustion engine that did not require a spark, making it possible to use oil instead of coal.

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In the children’s book “My Friend Flicka” (1941) by Mary O’Hara (1885-1980), 10-year-old Ken McLaughlin makes friends with a wild filly that tries to escape captivity. The book was the first in a trilogy, followed by “Thunderhead, Son of Flicka” (1943) and “Green Grass of Wyoming” (1946).

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Answer: The collarbone, called the clavicle. A person who has a broken clavicle needs to wear an arm sling for about six weeks while the bone heals.

Know It All is by Kerry McArdle. It runs in the weekend and Wednesday editions of the Daily Journal. Questions? Comments? Email knowitall(at)smdailyjournal.com or call 344-5200 ext. 114.