Fact 1

Tall people are more likely to develop cancer.

A study conducted by Oxford University has found a probable link between growth hormones and the development of cancerous tumors. Comparing 1.3 middle-aged British women between 1996 and 2001, the researchers discovered that every 4 inches beyond five feet a person grew increased their odds of developing cancer by 16%! This height correlation was also confirmed in men by comparing their study to 10 similar research projects involving males. All in all, ten different cancer varieties were linked to height, including: colon, rectal, malignant melanoma, breast, endometrial, ovarian, kidney, lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and leukemia.

Obviously, height alone is not what is increasing people’s cancer risk factor, but scientists have not discovered exactly what mechanism causes this correlation. They believe it may have something to do with growth hormones, perhaps either due to a higher number of cells or the increased frequency of cell division.

Fact 2

The "unlucky" number 13 appears several times on the American one-dollar bill.

Say what you will about luck, but the number 13 is significant in U.S. history because of the 13 original American colonies that declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776. If you are superstitious, however, this might freak you out a bit:

13 steps on the pyramid of the Great Seal
13 letters in "Annuit Coeptis"
13 stripes in the shield on the eagle
13 stars above the eagle
13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum"
                                             13 arrows in the eagle's left talon
                                             13 leaves, and likewise, 13 fruits on the olive branch in its right                                                               talon

Fact 3

A type of cheese in Sardinia is served with maggots in it!

To quote Pumbaa from The Lion King, “Slimy...yet satisfying!” Casu Marzu, or maggot cheese, is a traditional Sardinian cheese variety that is just teeming with grubs! The live insect larvae are added to the food to break down the fats it contains and make the cheese softer and gooey. While many people do pick out all the worms from their cheese prior to consumption, it is common for others to eat the cheese as it is, maggots and all!  source

Fact 4

A 92-year-old woman was pregnant for sixty years.

In 2009, a 92-year-old Chinese woman named Huang Yijun delivered a child that she had been carrying for over half a century! The woman went to the hospital complaining of a stomachache, but doctors soon realized that she was carrying what is called a lithopedion, or stone pregnancy.

This phenomenon begins as an ectopic pregnancy, or one in which the fertilized egg gets stuck and begins developing somewhere before its intended place in the uterus! The unborn foetus eventually calcifies and remains in its mother's womb. Lithopedions typically remain in their mother's womb for an average of 22 years - Huang Yijun carried her child for almost triple that length of time!

The full story.

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