Oldest Rider – Professional Bull Riding
The oldest professional bull rider still featuring in competition is Adriano Moraes (b. 10 April 1970, Brazil) who was 35 years old when he took part in the 2005 World Finals.
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Oldest Resistance heroine
On 3 February 2009, Andrée Peel (France) celebrated her 104th birthday making her the oldest, known, surviving female member of the French Resistance. Born Andrée Virot and known as Agent Rose, she was, after the German invasion of France in May 1940, involved in the distribution of clandestine newspapers but was quickly made Head of an Under-Section in the French Resistance reporting troop movements and other information on military targets. She then became active in the secret return of allied airmen, assisting allied aircraft to Continue reading →
Oldest remains of modern humans
The oldest remains of anatomically modern human discovered so far date back 160,000 years. They consist of two complete crania, one adult and one child, and fragments from another adult skull. They were discovered in Ethiopia by a team of scientists led by Tim White, Berkeley University of California, Berkeley, California, USA. Note from Dr White: “Anatomically modern human” is the best descriptor, and this refers to the anatomy of the skull, particularly the face, in which modern people differ from all earlier, fossil forms. Continue reading →
Oldest spider web with trapped prey
The oldest known example of a spider’s web with insects entrapped has been dated to the Early Cretaceous period of 110 million years ago; it was discovered in San Just, Spain and reported in June 2006. The sample contains a parasitic wasp (now extinct), a beetle, a mite, and a fly trapped within 26 strands of sticky silk, and is preserved in ancient tree sap (amber).
Oldest spider silk
The oldest spider silk in the world dates from the Early Cretaceous Period, more than 120 million years ago and was described in the journal ‘Nature’ by Swiss researcher Dr Samuel Zschokke from the University of Basel. The strand is 4 mm (0.1 in) long and has tiny glue droplets which in modern-day spiders are used to catch insects. The specimen was recovered in 1969 from amber beds located near Jezzine, Lebanon but it was only in 2003 that their importance was recognised.
Oldest spider in amber
The oldest fossil spider trapped in amber has been dated at 125-135 million years old. It is from the family linyphiidae, and was discovered in Lebanon and analysed by David Penney and Paul Selden (both University of Manchester, UK) and announced on 26 December 2002.
Oldest sperm used in successful IVF treatment
The oldest sperm used in successful IVF treatment was 22 years 5 months, achieved by Trevor and Teresa Yoxall (both UK) at St. Mary’s Hospital, Manchester, UK, on 27 July 2007. Mr. Trevor Anthony Yoxall (born 02/10/1964) had his sperm frozen on 18 February 1985. These sperm were used in their assisted conception treatment and eggs from his partner Teresa Yoxall (born 08/02/1969) were successfully fertilised on 29 September 2006. Embryos were created from this successful cycle, which were cryopreserved. Two frozen embryos were transferred Continue reading →
Oldest to become Chief of State
Following the German invasion of France in 1940, Henri Philipe Pétain (1856 – 1951) was recalled to active military service as adviser to the minister of war. On 16 June 1940, at the age of 84, he succeeded Paul Reynaud as premier of France making Pentain the oldest in the world at first appointment to become cheif of state. Soon after taking the post, Pentain asked the Germans for an armistice, which was concluded on 22 June 1940. Pétain, was a French soldier and statesman, Continue reading →
Oldest tick
In April 1999, a team of American scientists unearthed a 90-million-year-old tick which had been preserved in amber. This blood-sucking parasite from the Cretaceous period was found in a vacant lot in New Jersey. Named Carlos jerseyi, the tiny insect has unusual hairs on its back, which may have been used to detect vibrations. It is a logical conclusion that many dinosaurs carried parasitic ticks, just like today’s animals. Around 35 kg (80 lb) of amber have been extracted from the site in New Jersey, Continue reading →
Oldest Test match player (male)
The oldest man to play in a Test match was Wilfred Rhodes, aged 52 yr 165 days, for England v. West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica on 12 April 1930. Rhodes made his Test d‚but in the last Test of William Gilbert Grace (1848-1915), who at 50 yr 320 days at Nottingham on 3 June 1899 was the oldest ever Test captain.