[REAL VERSION] London 2012

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"Fantastic" Art Installation in Olympic Park Dispenses Facts

The "Fantastic Factology" project has posted 50 mini-messages on park benches

By Justin Finch
|  Tuesday, Aug 7, 2012  |  Updated 12:07 AM EDT
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One of the messages posted on an Olympic Park bench.

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Those lucky enough to get a seat to a London 2012 Olympic Games event will, no doubt, be left with memories to last a lifetime.

Now, those who can only score a seat on an Olympic Park bench will leave with something too – knowledge.

That’s thanks to an Olympic-commissioned art installation called “Fantastic Factology.”

One of the 50 mini-messages posted on park benches across the 500-acre Olympic Park describes "oxygen toxicity.”

“Oxygen can be a poisonous gas, if you have too much you could go blind,” parkgoer Peter Williams read aloud.

Factology shares London's Olympic motto, inspire a generation. But the project, designed by London artists and architects, also aims to inform. A wide net was cast to make all the plaques. Factual submissions came in via snail mail, email, and even in-person workshops called "fact fests."

A bit closer to Olympic Stadium, Gladys Irving was left star-struck.

“There are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on the Earth,” said Irving, of Kent.

That stunning conclusion came from astronomers in Australia almost 10 years ago.

“I've believed stranger things, but it's amazing, isn't it?” she remarked.

Williams said the installation would be a bit better if they were all sports-related facts.

But Irving said she has found something else to do between Olympic events.

“I didn't know these were here, but I shall now look out for them,” she said.

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Posted Aug 7, 2012
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