Ten fun facts about Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel

Fact 1
Though his family was forced to leave Germany, he was sent with his aunt and uncle to live in Augsburg when he was 12 years old.

Fact 2
He received a scholarship from the Royal Bavaraian Polytechnic of Munich after he finished at the top of his class in 1873.

Fact 3
He fell ill with typhoid in 1879 but was able to graduate the following year with high academic honors.

Fact 4
His small Diesel engine was designed to run on diesel engine fuel but he stated that it had the ability to run on vegetable oil as well.

Fact 5
His interest in using vegetable oil, since his engine ran on peanut oil, helped spark the use of bio-diesel and vegetable oil in 2008.

Fact 6
The invention of the diesel engine was changed after his death and since it was so heavy, was used in ships, trucks and modern automobiles.

Fact 7
He assisted Carl von Linde in creating an ice plant and he became the director of the plant after it was built.

Fact 8
He developed health problems after an engine he designed exploded and nearly killed him.

Fact 9
In September 1913, while on a post office ship, he mysteriously disappeared and his body was later identified by his son, floating in the North Sea.

Fact 10
It is suggested he committed suicide, as he gave a wife a bag of cash and informed her to open the bag after his death.

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