A U-Boat was sunk by a broken toilet.

U-Boats are the names given to German submarines. In World War II, U-1206 was a late war U-Boat fitted with then-new deep water high pressure heads, which enabled them to be used while deep underwater. Flushing these facilities, including toilets, was so complex that special technicians had to be trained to operate them.

On April 14, 1945, U-1206 was cruising at a depth of 200 feet, when a misuse of the new high pressure heads caused water to flood the boat. The water flooded the submarine's batteries under the toilet, causing a leak of chlorine gas, and forcing the crew to surface the boat. Everything would have been okay had they not surfaced near a British patrol. Upon surfacing, the British patrol bombed them, resulting in the death of four men, and capture of forty six more. (source) Image: Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-1206

After World War II, Denmark turned down an offer of $100,000,000 from the United States to buy Greenland.

Post World War II, the United States became interested in Greenland, due its closer proximity to Europe. The looming threat of a war with the USSR was just beginning and the Cold War with it. 

Japan has a pedal powered roller coaster.

In Okayama, Japan, there is an amusement park with a roller coaster powered by the riders' feet. The ride is called The Skycycle, located at Washuzan Highland Park. The roller coaster is built on a hilly area, at four stories above the ground, taking advantage of the terrain. The carts that ride the roller coaster look a bit like side by side tandem bikes. 

The fear of being without a phone has a name!

With the 21st century and new technology comes new fears. The fear of being without a cellphone or without phone service is nomophobia! Nomophobia is a fairly new word, with its earliest recognized use being in 2008. A study done in the UK surveyed 1000 people about use of their phone and the degree to which they had nomophobia.

According to the study, two-thirds of people fear losing their phone, and so could be said to be nomophobic. More women than men reported having significant fear of losing their phone. Unsurprisingly, people aged 18-24 have the highest percentage of nomophobia. Those who are older tend to experience lower percentages of nomophobia.

Many young people who have grown up with such technology can’t imagine living even a few days without it. It is an imperative vital way of connecting to their world and other people. 

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The oldest known living mammal on earth may have been a giant bowhead whale that had a 130-year old harpoon stuck in its neck.

The whale was caught off the coast of Alaska in 2007. People were surprised to find a 13 cm arrow-shaped fragment dating from around 1880. This means that the whale had at the very least been able to survive being alive since that era!

Traditional whale hunters never took calves, which means it must have at least been several years old when it was first shot. The whale died soon after it was caught in 2007. Scientists speculate that it was about 130 years old. Scientists speculate that these whales may live to be as old as 200. 

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