in fact...(Prospect magazine, September 2008)

- Charlie Chaplin once entered a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest, and failed to make the finals.

- Catholics believe that the soul comes into existence at the exact moment of conception. In Greek Orthodoxy, "ensoulment" happens at 21 days, in Islam at 40 days, and in Judaism at 80 days.

- British Telecom spends £3m a year on removing clamps on its vehicles in London.

- 1p pieces are 97% copper. Today's high copper price means they are worth around 3p.

- Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu both have houses on Vilakazi Street, Soweto. It is the only address to house two Nobel Peace prize winners.

- The total computing power at NASA in 1957, when Sputnik was luanched, was less than that available in a mobile phone today.

- Percentage of children under 12 in England who have visited: -
Spain 57%, France 54%, Wales 44%, Scotland 39%