Fun Facts & Word of the Day

5 Famous Events in History That Never Really Happened

29 Jun 2025 14:04

Most of us weren’t in the room for history’s most famous happenings. That means it just takes one slip-up or folktale — whether because of an overzealous biographer, a creative retelling, propaganda, or just a story that’s easy to latch on to — to create a whole new version of events.From half-truths and misunderstandings to straight-up fabrications, here are five historical events that didn’t happen like you probably thought they did.

Unusual Foods People Used to Eat All the Time...Would you eat it?

28 Jun 2025 17:58

In American culture, food is a lot like slang and pop music, in that it’s changed drastically over the years. Several American foods from the past come from a time of such different cultural, technological, and generational sensibilities that it can be hard to imagine encountering them today, let alone understanding their appeal. The following foods were once popular staples in the U.S. — but they might be difficult items to convince modern diners to try.

Rock Out to These 6 Facts About Elvis Presley

27 Jun 2025 15:53

Few entertainers have achieved greater acclaim than the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, Elvis Aaron Presley. From his humble beginnings in Tupelo, Mississippi, to his lavish later years spent at Graceland, Elvis lived a fascinating life, and his performances and songs remain almost as beloved today as when they were first recorded. In honor of the King’s birthday on January 8, we’ve compiled six facts about one of the most renowned musicians of the 20th century.

A single panini is a panino.

27 Jun 2025 15:53

The next time you find yourself enjoying a grilled sandwich, impress any nearby Italian speakers by using its proper name: “panino,” not “panini.” The latter term is actually plural, while “panino” — a diminutive of pane, meaning “bread” — is singular.

7 Old-Fashioned Etiquette Tips That No Longer Apply

26 Jun 2025 17:34

We’ve all learned the basics of minding our manners — say “please” and “thank you,” always hold the door — but etiquette is constantly evolving. What was once considered proper or even mandatory behavior may become laughably outdated, or even inappropriate, over time.One look at phone call behavior, for example, reveals a shift in etiquette norms. According to a recent survey, when asked if calling someone late at night is acceptable, 83% of participants aged 55+ said no, but only 45% of the youngest group (18 to 34) agreed with them. The acceptance of after-hours calls isn’t the only thing that’s changed. Here are seven etiquette tips from the past that no longer hold up in our modern world.

Who was Marco Polo?

25 Jun 2025 22:56

Marco Polo’s popular book was a lavish description of his journey through Central Asia and China in the late 13th century. But the Venetian explorer's travelogue was much more than an account of the paths he took across the globe. He also described the people and environments he encountered along the way, introducing his European audience to Asian cultures that were previously unknown to them.

5 Things People Used to Eat for Breakfast

24 Jun 2025 20:16

The first cold breakfast cereal, Granula was developed in 1863 in Dansville, New York, by James Caleb Jackson, a nutritionist who ran a health spa. Jackson believed that illnesses originated in the digestive system and that committing to a healthy diet could help cure sickness. He formulated Granula by baking graham flour into hard cakes and then crumbling the cakes and baking them a second time. The crumbled bits were then so hard that they had to be soaked overnight in milk to make the cereal edible. Dr. Jackson’s crunchy breakfast cereal was soon copied by inventor John Harvey Kellogg, who later invented corn flakes, who used a combination of cornmeal, oatmeal, and wheat flour to make his own version of Granula, which he called Granola — but only after Jackson sued him for using the Granula name.

Where did all the waterbeds go? 7 Types of Furniture You Never See Anymore

23 Jun 2025 22:00

Furniture isn’t just about form and function — it’s a reflection of how we live. As technology evolves and lifestyles shift, pieces that were once considered household essentials can quietly fade into obscurity. From furniture designed around now-outdated technology to those that catered to social customs of another era, many former decor staples have all but disappeared from modern homes.

Which Country Produces the Most of Your Favorite Foods?

31 May 2025 21:16

Not all countries are agriculturally equal, and a handful of places — China, the U.S., India, and Brazil — dominate global food production and exports. Yet smaller players also contribute to stocking the shelves with our favorite foods, thanks to native plant species, environmental factors, and infrastructure investments. Take, for instance, Canada’s abundance of lentils or Peru’s booming quinoa industry. Here are 13 foods and their top-producing countries. Do you know where your favorite snack comes from?

The History of the Love Letter

25 May 2025 15:15

Whether scrawled on ancient papyrus or composed in a quick text message, love letters have remained powerful expressions of affection and devotion across the centuries.

5 Foods That Change the Way Other Foods Taste

24 May 2025 14:35

We already know taste isn’t just about what’s on our plate; it’s also shaped by smell, temperature, and even expectations, making it a multisensory experience our brains piece together in real time. Sometimes, the taste of what we eat can even be manipulated by eating something else: Some foods numb the tongue, others trigger sweetness, and some may even throw your whole palate off balance for days.These surprising culinary quirks are what happens when science meets the senses, turning our everyday meals into an unexpected edible experiment. Here are five foods that change the way other foods taste.

6 Things You Might Not Know About Airplane Cabins

24 May 2025 01:33

7 Fascinating Facts About Sharks

23 May 2025 11:59

6 Timely Facts About Clocks and Timekeeping Devices

22 May 2025 17:54

Random but interesting!

21 May 2025 12:25

In 1881, a South African railroad employee named James Wide purchased a baboon named Jack whom he trained to become his assistant. Four years earlier, Wide had suffered a terrible accident in which he lost both his legs, and he was struggling to perform at work. He discovered Jack at a local market, where the baboon was leading an oxcart. Wide was so impressed with the animal’s abilities that he purchased the creature and deputized Jack as an employee at the Port Elizabeth Railway Station.

Is It Possible To Trademark a Smell?

21 May 2025 12:25

When we think about trademarks, it’s usually with regard to the logos and catchy slogans of our favorite brands, or maybe even iconic sounds such as the NBC chimes or the deep rumble of the THX logo. But trademarks extend beyond what we see and hear — they can even include what we smell. In fact, a specific scent can become so closely tied to a brand that it earns legal protection.This may sound strange, since smells are invisible, hard to describe, and intensely subjective. But in the right circumstances, a scent can trigger memories, emotions, and brand loyalty just as powerfully, or even more so, than a logo or jingle. Companies that understand the emotional punch of scent are increasingly looking to protect their olfactory signatures, known as smell marks.

What Did Ancient Romans Eat?

20 May 2025 12:25

The mere mention of ancient Rome conjures up a multitude of powerful images: the assassination of Julius Caesar, legionaries marching in perfect unison, the alliance of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, gladiators fighting in the Colosseum. It was a time of power and conquest, of low scheming and high culture. It was also a time of feasting — something the Romans were known for, especially during Bacchanalia festivals, in which food and wine would flow with fervor. But what exactly did the Romans eat? Here are some of the most common foodstuffs that fed the hungry denizens of the Roman Empire.

Lake Superior is the largest body of fresh water in the world by surface area.

19 May 2025 12:25

H.O.M.E.S.: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior. That’s the order in which American schoolchildren learn to recall the Great Lakes. But if you were to remember the sea-sized lakes according to their size, Lake Superior would come first. At 31,700 square miles — the approximate size of the state of South Carolina — Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes. It also happens to be the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area, holding more than 10% of the planet’s surface fresh water. (Close to 70% of Earth’s remaining fresh water is inaccessible, stored frozen in glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost.) While each of the Great Lakes is massive, Lake Superior’s size is staggering. Reaching a maximum depth of 406 meters (about 1,332 feet), Superior is the coldest and deepest of its sister lakes. It contains about 3 quadrillion gallons of water — half of the water in all the Great Lakes. And while water from Lake Superior feeds into Lake Huron, scientists believe that Superior retains water so well that it would take 191 years to empty if it never received another drop.

7 Facts To Remember About Memorial Day

18 May 2025 12:25

Although many people look forward to Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer, with pools and beaches opening and shuttered offices offering the chance to get out of town, the promise of a fun-filled weekend can obscure the meaning of a day intended to honor the military servicemen and women who lost their lives in battle. Read on to learn more about Memorial Day’s origins and other facts related to this American-born day of remembrance.

5 Epic Facts About Summer Blockbusters

17 May 2025 12:25

There are a few different ways to tell that summer has nearly arrived: a look at the calendar, a glimpse at the thermometer, and the influx of movie trailers on TV. Between May and September, an overabundance of films call to us, offering a two-hour escape from the heat and an adventure only available on the silver screen. Catching the biggest films of the summer is practically an American tradition — but it wasn’t always that way. Here are five things you may not know about the summer blockbuster.

6 Amazing Facts About Purple

16 May 2025 15:05

The color purple is many things — a quirk of human biology, a spectral anomaly, and a symbol of power and prestige that stretches back into time immemorial. These six facts explore the amazingly rich, scientifically complicated history of that intriguing mix of blue and red we call purple.

People used to eat and drink this toxic substance

16 May 2025 15:05

6 Surprising Facts About Flowers

15 May 2025 15:05

Flowers are among the most diverse and abundant forms of life on Earth, with more than 350,000 known species and more yet to be discovered. The largest family of flowering plants, Asteraceae (better known as the daisy family), includes such garden staples as sunflowers, marigolds, chrysanthemums, and black-eyed Susans — blooms found in backyards around the world.

The Fastest Way To Solve a Jigsaw Puzzle

14 May 2025 18:42

Jigsaw puzzles originated as an educational tool in 18th-century England, but over time they evolved into an enduringly popular hobby that aids relaxation, instills a sense of accomplishment, and — according to some studies — may improve focus and spatial reasoning. Indeed, there’s something meditative about working on a jigsaw puzzle — even when you’re several hours deep and staring at a pile of seemingly identical pieces, wondering if you’ll ever finish.While there’s no one trick that will magically help you instantly identify each piece’s place, there are certain strategies puzzle pros swear by. From sorting systems to scanning techniques, here are a few tips to help everyone from the casual puzzler to the die-hard dissectologist (aka jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts) fit that oh-so-satisfying final piece into place faster.

Why Do We Have Half-Moons on Our Fingernails?

14 May 2025 18:42

7 Fascinating Facts About the Human Heart

13 May 2025 13:03

7 Foods People Either Love or Hate — and Why

12 May 2025 15:44

15 Acronyms and Abbreviations You See Every Day — and What They Mean

12 May 2025 14:14

6 Fascinating Facts About Mother’s Day

11 May 2025 14:14

Some ants are edible.

9 May 2025 21:46

"So if you didn't know, know you'll know, I was and still am a tom boy, I hung out with the "tough" boys around my neighborhood when I was ten years old or so. This picture is now haunting to look at since I was dared to eat ants. Yes it was gross & they tasted like black pepper but I think it was better than the alternative. As I dared them to eat rocks and do "front wheelies" into the curbs. lol Thanks for those memories wherever you are!"