WEIRD FACTS ABOUT
POISON
The nanny of a sex-toy entrepreneur appeared in court in London in January 2011 on a charge of "administering poison with intent to annoy".
Alison Cox, 33, was accused of spiking her boss Jacqueline Gold's soup on three occasions with salt, sugar and windscreen wiper fluid.
A toxicologist said the case was unusual because the substances used were unlikely to be harmful. Another expert said that possible side effects could depend on the brand of wiper fluid used.
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ACCIDENTS
Research in the USA has shown that the average American is more likely to die... MORE
AGATHOCLES
Agathocles, the 'Tyrant of Syracuse', was the son of a potter. He is said to... MORE
CAT STEW
A businessman in China died in December 2011, and two business associates were sick after... MORE
CENTIPEDE
The zoological name of the centipede is Chilopoda (from the Greek 'kheilos', meaning 'lip' or... MORE
DIOGENES
The philosopher Diogenes of Sinope was described by Plato as "A Socrates gone mad" and... MORE
GOATS
According to official figures, there were 157,361,699 goats in China in 2001. On... MORE
ICELAND
The first armed robbery in Iceland's history took place in Reykjavik in 1984 when 2... MORE
KOMODO
The island of Komodo, Indonesia, contains more poisonous snakes per square metre than any equivalent... MORE
MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS
Mary, Queen of Scots used to test her food for poison with something that was... MORE
MISTLETOE
Mistletoe (of which there are around 2,000 species) has no roots but lives as a... MORE
MOLE
The post of Mole Controller to Queen Elizabeth II at Sandringham is held by Victor... MORE
MUSHROOM
A person who studies mushrooms and fungi is a mycologist.
If you eat them, you are... MORE
NETTLES
Nettles sting through their poison-loaded hairs, which are hollow and stiffened with silica. They break... MORE
SNAKE
In March 2006, a Malaysian set a world record by kissing a poisonous snake 51... MORE
TOMATO
The first tomatoes imported into Europe were golden in colour, which led to them being... MORE
TURING
Mathematician, computer pioneer, code-breaker and grandson of the chief engineer of Madras Railways, Alan Turing... MORE
UMBRELLA
The original ancient Chinese and Egyptian umbrellas protected against the sun, not the rain, while... MORE
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