10 things we didn't know before the 50th week of 2008

1. Emily, of Bagpuss fame, was paid with a bag of sweets.
2. Reindeers are genetically programmed to stop growing in cold weather when food is scare, cutting their calorific needs by 70%.
3. Kissing can damage hearing.
4. Butch Cassidy was a Geordie.
5. Councils are banning number 13 houses on new developments.
6. Potatoes can weigh 24lbs (11kgs).
7. The more brothers a man has, the more likely he is to have sons himself.
8. Dogs get jealous.
9. Secondary school pupils in England are the best in Europe at science.
10. The Moon's distance from the Earth can vary by about 30,000km.

(Borrowed from the BBC)