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The Utterly, Completely, and Totally Useless Science Fact-O-Pedia: A Startling Collection of Scientific Trivia You'll Never Need to Know
Did you know that cacao beans are actually seeds (not beans) from the cacao tree? Technically speaking, this makes chocolate a fruit!
Did you know that a single ounce of gold can be stretched into a wire more than 5 miles (8 km) long?
Did you know that dolphins sleep with only half their brain at a time?
T he Utterly, Completely, and Totally Useless Science Fact-O-Pedia is the ideal book for the intellectually curious mind. Loaded with nearly 2,000 fun facts and lots of fun comics and illustrations , this encyclopedia will arm you with hundreds of useless (and not so useless!) scientific tidbits--perfect for anyone looking to stimulate the mind or simply to impress at a party. Featuring a range of subjects, from anatomy and anthropology to physics and psychology, it's a virtual treasure trove of information!
Did you know that a single ounce of gold can be stretched into a wire more than 5 miles (8 km) long?
Did you know that dolphins sleep with only half their brain at a time?
T he Utterly, Completely, and Totally Useless Science Fact-O-Pedia is the ideal book for the intellectually curious mind. Loaded with nearly 2,000 fun facts and lots of fun comics and illustrations , this encyclopedia will arm you with hundreds of useless (and not so useless!) scientific tidbits--perfect for anyone looking to stimulate the mind or simply to impress at a party. Featuring a range of subjects, from anatomy and anthropology to physics and psychology, it's a virtual treasure trove of information!
- GenresScienceNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2012
14 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 15, 2014
This book is a decent collection of general science trivia. It would make a good fun book for young adults. Most of the information seems accurate but there are a few glaring errors such as page 53 which says "For an aircraft to keep moving forward, it must have more thrust than drag." Directly contradicting herself in the same paragraph the author mentions a glider which flies for a finite period of time with no thrust at all. Overall in my humble opinion the book is just OK.
May 3, 2019
“An informed brain is a tastier brain,” say the hosts of Zombie Etiquette, a TV series hosted by the Undead about “things you like.” Thanks to The Utterly, Completely, and Totally Useless Science Fact-O-Pedia, your brain can become tastier than ever, with factoids both practical and inspirational, such as:
1. The maximum length and weight of the Weta, an insect that lives in New Zealand, is 6 inches, 2.5 ounces. Can’t you just feel the thud of one of those falling on your head during a tour of the Hobbiton movie set from Lord of the Rings? Bring that home to your pet tarantula!
2. The Buckminsterfullerene is a pure Carbon molecule named after the domed structures of the American architect R. Buckminster Fuller. Nicknamed a Buckyball, it is a sphere with 20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal sides, and has many practical uses in the medical and electrical sciences. It is so strangely lovely to me that I am considering changing my Pokemon avatar name to BuckmonsterFullerene in honor of it. It would also make a great cat name or maybe a type of holiday candy.
3. The Titan Arum, aka, Corpse Flower, smells like dead bodies, grows 7 to 12 feet tall and can weigh up to 170 pounds. Surely these would deter pesky deer and door-to-door salespeople.
4. Sea cucumbers can dispel some of their internal organs when they are under attack, in an attempt to satisfy the predator. If they survive, they can regrow the lost bits. Imagine how effective it would be to hurl, say, a heart and a couple kidneys from the butcher shop into the path of would-be muggers! Delightful!
5. Superman’s Kryptonian name was Kal-El.
But there's more! The Utterly, Completely, and Totally Useless Science Fact-O-Pedia is a trove of delightful and deeply life-changing trivia. Get your copy today!
1. The maximum length and weight of the Weta, an insect that lives in New Zealand, is 6 inches, 2.5 ounces. Can’t you just feel the thud of one of those falling on your head during a tour of the Hobbiton movie set from Lord of the Rings? Bring that home to your pet tarantula!
2. The Buckminsterfullerene is a pure Carbon molecule named after the domed structures of the American architect R. Buckminster Fuller. Nicknamed a Buckyball, it is a sphere with 20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal sides, and has many practical uses in the medical and electrical sciences. It is so strangely lovely to me that I am considering changing my Pokemon avatar name to BuckmonsterFullerene in honor of it. It would also make a great cat name or maybe a type of holiday candy.
3. The Titan Arum, aka, Corpse Flower, smells like dead bodies, grows 7 to 12 feet tall and can weigh up to 170 pounds. Surely these would deter pesky deer and door-to-door salespeople.
4. Sea cucumbers can dispel some of their internal organs when they are under attack, in an attempt to satisfy the predator. If they survive, they can regrow the lost bits. Imagine how effective it would be to hurl, say, a heart and a couple kidneys from the butcher shop into the path of would-be muggers! Delightful!
5. Superman’s Kryptonian name was Kal-El.
But there's more! The Utterly, Completely, and Totally Useless Science Fact-O-Pedia is a trove of delightful and deeply life-changing trivia. Get your copy today!
August 14, 2018
Nothing really earth-shattering. Also, there are several typos, which are distracting when reading fact-based information.
June 22, 2019
Great young adults book about useless science information!
May 31, 2020
Weird arrangement of subjects and lots of typos and repeats. Sometimes interesting, but could have been much better.
February 25, 2019
It was cute and fun.
February 6, 2016
This was a fun little collection of science facts on a vast array of topics. I liked that some of the facts were tangential to the original topic, which made it seem more conversational. I also appreciated how the author imparted her sense of humor into some of the facts and section titles, making it very readable.
September 30, 2014
I really liked it. There was some trivia I did know and some I didn't. I don't think the title portrays it right. I don't think all of it wasn't useless. I thoroughly enjoy learning new things everyday. I'm a Sapio-sexual. I find intelligence and intellect a turn on, as long as the person in question smug about it.
November 10, 2014
So many random and fascinating details. Have to give only 4 stars because there are a few typos and some of the illustrations don't match the text: monotremes and syzygy are the most obvious ones. Otherwise, a truly enjoyable book.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews