Who knew: Questions answered by the Columbus Metropolitan Library


A sampling:

Q: How did the days of the week get their names?

A: The days were named by the Romans with the Latin words for the sun, the moon and the five known planets. European languages still use the original terms, but, in English, the days reflect an Anglo-Saxon influence:

Sunday is named for the sun, from the words solis (Latin) and sun (Anglo-Saxon); Monday, the moon, from lunae and moon; Tuesday, Mars, from Martis and Tiw (or Tyr, the Norse god of war); Wednesday, Mercury, from Mercurii and Woden (or Odin, the Norse equivalent of Mercury); Thursday, Jupiter, from Jovis and Thor (the Norse god of thunder, the equivalent of Jupiter); Friday, Venus, from Veneris and Frigg (the Norse goddess of love and fertility); and Saturday, Saturn, from Saturni and Saterne (the Roman god of agriculture).

(Source: The Old Farmer’s Almanac)

Q: Of what are billiard balls made? And bowling balls?

A: Billiard balls, once consisting of wood and later ivory, are made of durable plastic materials. The composition changed because of the danger of elephants — killed for their tusks — becoming extinct. Instead of the early plastics Bakelite and crystallite, modern billiard balls are formed of acrylic, polyester or phenolic resin.

Bowling balls are made of plastic and urethane, although some professional bowlers use resin or urethane balls containing particles of glass, ceramic and other materials.

( World Book Encyclopedia, www.snooker

heritage.co.uk/normans-lectures, www.ehow. com/about_7227583)