Off to France tomorrow, so there'll be a fact-shaped hole on this site for the next week - although I'll update on my all my facts francais when I return. To roll with the Gallic theme, here's today's offering:
Chemistry was invented in France.
Having spent three hours packing, I really don't have time to go into the finer details, except that it again came from the glorious Observer Book of Invention. More specifically, it's part of a feature on the most inventive nation - based on how many of the 'top hundred' inventions each nation can lay claim to. France doesn't exactly excel, clocking up 3, the other two being pasteurisation and, uh, Petits Filous, or something.
China is top of the tree with 19, with the UK just one invention behind on 18. Once my idea for a remote control that dispenses Milk Duds hits the ground, it'll be level-pegging. Russia's only entry is the periodic table, which does kind of rain on France's parade - inventing chemistry but not coming up with the periodic table seems a bit like inventing the car, but letting another country get the patent in on the engine.
The endless, merciless learning will recommence next Sunday. Until then...
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