AMAZING FACTS
By A. MORRIS
Odd bits of truth exist in our daily life which are perhaps even more amazing than fiction itself
MUTUAL PROTECTION PACT
Many hundreds of years ago (no one really knows exactly when) a species of ants and the acacias tree of tropical America decide to form an alliance for their mutual protection.
These ants are called the fire ants by the natives because their vicious and poisonous bite is like the prick of a red-hot needle. Now this bite was a protection against many of the ants' enemies, but it was no protection at all against the ant-eater, who is public enemy number one to the ant.
The acacias tree also was given a means of protection in the form of huge, curved thorns which kept most animals at a distance, but even with thorns the tree was helpless against leaf-cutting ants and other insects.
To help one another the pact was concluded and the fire-ant moved into its new home in the base of the acacias tree. Now, when natives try to cut a path through the acacias trees, or if the leaf-cutting ant attacks the tree, thousands of fire-ants rush out to drive the intruders away. And neither man nor insect can withstand the needle-like bite of the fire-ant. On the other hand, the thorns of the acacias tree is about the only sure protection the fire-ants have against the ant-eater, for even the ant-eater will not put his long snout into the thorn-covered acacias tree.
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THE LAKE WITHOUT WATER
There is only one small lake of about one hundred acres on the island of Trinidad, but it contains no water. Instead of water, the lake is filled with asphalt and is a source of seemingly endless income for its owners and the island treasury for just as soon as any asphalt is removed, the spot is filled up. Thus, while as much as 300,000 tons are removed each year, the amount of asphalt in the lake never shows any sign of diminishing.
The lake is firm enough to support a person's weight, but feels like a tar-covered street on a hot summer day. The asphalt is usually dug up with picks and each stroke produces a black lump about a foot and a half in diameter. These pieces of asphalt are loaded into cars which are pulled up a small incline by cable.
The asphalt is heated and processed in a plant to drive off any excess moisture and then run into barrels that are shipped all over the world. The entire distance covered from lake to ship is only about one mile making the entire process a very cheap one. In fact, outside of taxes, the only other expenses incurred are labor and packing supplies.
To make conditions even better, oil has been discovered beneath the lake and in its rear vicinity so that Trinidad is now producing an increasing volume of oil in addition to its asphalt.
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THOSE GULLIBLE MALES
The females of certain South American tribes have long ago discovered a sure-fire way to avoid being an old maid.
These tribes believe that the pale purple flower that grows on a climbing vine, when dried and made into a powder, has a strange power over men. If this powder is scattered in a man's hammock or if it is thrown on his body, he will instantly fall in love with the woman using the charm and marry her. If he does not marry her, the Indians believe he will go crazy. Of course, no one actually knows whether or not the man will go crazy for every male in the tribe believes in the magic of the powder and so he marries the wily female to avoid going crazy.
No one knows who "discovered" the magical powers of the flower, but we're willing to bet our last dollar it was a woman that was taking no chances on becoming an old maid.
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TOOTH DECAY
According to a report of the United States Public Health Service following a survey of a typical town near Washington, D. C., the most common ailment next to the common cold is decayed teeth.
The survey was limited to the school children of the town and it was found that 19 out of every 20 children that had reached the age of 15 has or at one time had one or more tooth decays.
The Health Service was not able to say just what caused such a high rate of tooth decays, but they advised expectant mothers and children to eat foods containing tooth-building qualities. Children especially should keep their teeth clean and free from food particles that often start decay. Regular visits to the dentist were also prescribed to catch minor decays before they had time to develop.
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