26 Ridiculous Facts They Don't Teach In School

February 8, 2018 | Eva Blanchefleur

26 Ridiculous Facts They Don't Teach In School


Randomize your life!


26. Lucky Save

Writer/illustrator pair Hans Augusto Rey and Margret Rey fled Paris at the beginning of World War II on bicycles they’d built themselves. They carried very little with them, but did bring one priceless treasure: the manuscript for the first Curious George book, which they’d written and illustrated together!

Random Facts #2

25. Honorary City

When the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers play football at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, the stadium becomes the state's “honorary” third largest city, with a population of 92,000. Bellevue, Nebraska follows that with a population of 50,000.

Random Facts #2The Travefy Blog

24. Wrestling for Change

Wrestler Sputnik Monroe was one of the biggest wrestlers of his day, and he refused to perform unless blacks were allowed to sit in any seat at the Ellis Auditorium, including in “whites-only” sections. As a result, his matches completely sold out as black fans flocked to the desegregated arena. Other sporting events began to desegregate once they saw the financial potential.

Random Facts #2Online World of Wrestling

23. Publicity Stunt

On May 18th, 1990, Jim Swire took a fake bomb on board a British Airways flight from London to New York, then a flight from New York to Boston, to protest the lack of airline security. His own daughter had died in an airplane bombing in 1988. His bomb consisted of a cassette tape and marzipan.

Random Facts #2Getty Images

22. Like a Camel Through the Eye of a Needle

Sea sponges are asexual creatures, and one of the ways they reproduce is by fragmentation. Small bits of sponge break off and float off into the ocean, where they land and grow somewhere else. This regenerative capability makes it possible for a sea sponge to be squeezed through a fine cloth, then regenerate itself after.

Random Facts #2Aquarium creations online

21. Must Be Penguins Fans

Iceland has only 20 paramedics in the whole country, and they were all trained in Pittsburgh! Iceland does not have a paramedic training facility, so it sends its paramedics to the Center for Emergency Medicine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to learn their trade.

Random Facts #2Commons Wikimedia

20. Know Thine Enemy

Elephants are so intelligent that they can distinguish human languages, genders and ages, and associate these traits with danger. Researchers found that elephants were more likely to show signs of danger when they heard the Maasai language (from a tribe that kills elephants) than when they heard the same phrase in Kamba (the language of a tribe that rarely kills elephants). They also distinguish between the tribes by their clothing and their smells.

Random Facts #2The Odyssey online

19. Hard Drink / Soft Drink

In July 2011, Russia passed a bill that classified beer as alcohol. Previously, it was considered a soft drink, which meant there were no restrictions on when or where it was sold, or to whom.

Random Facts #2National journal

18. Welcome Prank

In 2001, disgruntled LA commuter and visual artist Richard Ankrom pulled a prank on Caltrans, the California Department of Transportation. Tired of driving past an unmarked exit, he made up a giant sign to the exact specs of Caltrans traffic signs, then installed the sign while disguised as a Caltrans worker. The joke may have been on him—the sign was so identical, and served a real purpose, so it was only removed eight years later when it came down in a routine sign replacement.

Random Facts #2Getty Images

17. The Man in Black

The first American to hear of Joseph Stalin’s death could have been none other than Country music legend Johnny Cash. During the Korean War, the 18-year-old Cash enlisted, and served at the 12th Radio Squadron Mobile of the US Air Force Security Service at Landsberg, West Germany. On March 5th, 1953, Cash claims he copied a communique in Soviet Morse Code that reported the death of the Russian leader.

Random Facts #2Cat Country 96

16. Good Business

Former Costco CEO James Sinegal didn’t care when Wall Street analysts criticized him for putting good treatment of employees and customers ahead of increasing profits and pleasing shareholders. His favourite quote, which summed up his philosophy of success: "You have to take the sh** with the sugar.” His philosophy of treating employees well and fairly, and providing good service to consumers, paid off in the long run—stock value increased five thousand percent during the time he ran the company, and the two years of Costco’s highest-ever sales were his final two years as CEO.

Random Facts #2YouTube

15. Rain Is a Girl’s Best Friend

In 2013, the BBC reported on a study that claimed diamonds fall as rain on Jupiter and Saturn! Lightning storms turn methane into carbon soot, which harden as they fall and are compressed into graphite and then diamond. 1,000 tons of diamond rain falls annually on Saturn!

Random Facts #2New York Post

14. Licence to Golf

Peachtree City, Georgia is covered by a network of golf cart paths that allow access to almost every building. A large majority of the town owns golf carts, and teenagers grow up driving them instead of cars. The golf cart paths stretch 90 miles, and many businesses have special golf cart parking.

Random Facts #2Only In Your State

13. Don’t Litter, Either

“Don’t Mess With Texas” has become a phrase synonymous with Texan pride and identity. This is perhaps because few people remember the origins of the phrase. “Don’t Mess With Texas” originated as a slogan intended to reduce littering on Texas highways—the phrase was printed on billboards and is credited with a 72% decrease in roadside trash between 1986-1990. That’s a message worth repeating!

Random Facts #2Austin Blog Statesman

12. No Flies On Them

The Venus flytrap is only found natively within a 60 mile radius of Wilmington, North Carolina. The plants grow wild in North Carolina’s Green Swamp, but are able to be cultivated and transplanted, and are exported worldwide.

Random Facts #2New Scientist

11. Betrayal!

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, the Brazilian soccer player better known as Ronaldinho, scored big with many endorsement deals. He officially endorsed Pepsi for many years, but in 2011 switched sides and signed an endorsement deal with Coca-Cola. Unfortunately, old habits die hard, and the deal was terminated in 2012 after Ronaldinho was spotted in public drinking Pepsi.

Random Facts #2Youtube

10. Undercover Identity

Michael Jackson, though he did not receive credit because of legal label issues, wrote “Do The Bartman” after calling the producers of The Simpsons and offering to write Bart a number-one single. He also sings backup vocals on the track.

Random Facts #2MJ Beats

9. Fan Theories

Jackson was also outed as the composter of some other notable music: the score of Sega’s 1994 video game Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Fans noticed similarities between Jackson’s music at the time and the score of the Sonic 3 game. After years of online speculation, a former Sega executive admitted that Jackson had reached out and offered to compose some of the music without credit.

Random Facts #2Daily Mirror

8. Misnomer

In Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea, Jules Verne’s classic sci fi novel, a submarine roams the ocean deep and battles with a giant squid. But take note: 20,000 leagues below sea level would put you through the Earth and almost to the moon. The title “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea” actually refers to the distance traveled while underwater, not the depth reached.

Random Facts #21 Zoom

7. First Lady

Just hours after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22nd, 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President aboard Air Force One. Johnson became the first and so far only United States President to be sworn in by a woman (he was sworn in by Sarah T. Hughes)—and the only one to be sworn in on an airplane.

Random Facts #2Wikipedia

6. Naming Conventions

If you live in Hungary and want to name your child “Saint” or “Ivy Blue” or “Khaleesi,” you can probably forget it. Strict rules about naming dictate that parents must choose from a list of several thousand names when naming their babies. To choose a name not on the list, parents must submit a written request, and, if approved, may have to adapt the name to traditional Hungarian spelling (“Jennifer” would become “Dzsenifer”). Only those who belong to recognized minorities can freely choose a name from their own culture.

Random Facts #2The Irish Sun

5. Like a Lollipop

Scientists and researchers have no idea why, but hippopotami reportedly enjoy licking and gently gnawing on crocodiles.The crocodiles are under no threat from the hippos—they’re vegetarians—and the hippos are far too large and powerful for a crocodile to attack anyway. The toothy crocs will sit and allow hippos, both babies and adults, to give them a tongue bath.

Random Facts #2Daily Mirror

4. Too Secluded

In 2008, a beach was discovered missing in Jamaica! Over 500 truckloads of sand were stolen (likely to be used as construction material); a resort complex that was to be built alongside the beach had to be paused.

Random Facts #2The fairfield mirror

3. Vigilante Justice

When Isaac Newton wasn’t busy coming up with the theory of gravity, he was prowling around seedy London taverns while undercover. Newton accepted the position of warden for the Royal Mint, and regularly chased counterfeiters through the city’s criminal underbelly. His investigations yielded 28 convictions.

Random Facts #2EW

2. Mmm, Donuts

Canadians eat more donuts per capita than any other country on Earth.

donutsPixabay

1. Psychic Investigation

Declassified documents revealed that, in 1973, the CIA investigated Uri Geller's paranormal powers and concluded that he was a real psychic because he was actually able to pass their tests. Geller was placed in an empty room while in another room a scientist picked a word at random out of the dictionary and drew it on a piece of paper. On multiple occasions, Geller was able to describe what the scientist had drawn. If he was using some kind of trick, it must have been a good one, because he was convincing enough for the CIA to conclude that, while he likely wasn't going to be of much military use, Geller did in fact possess psychic abilities.

Random FactsPranksters

Sources12345678910111213141516171819202122232425


More from Factinate

Featured Article

My mom never told me how her best friend died. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery.

Dark Family Secrets

Dark Family Secrets Exposed

Nothing stays hidden forever—and these dark family secrets are proof that when the truth comes out, it can range from devastating to utterly chilling.
April 8, 2020 Samantha Henman

Featured Article

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.

Madame de Pompadour Facts

Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.
December 7, 2018 Kyle Climans

More from Factinate

Featured Article

I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life.

These People Got Genius Revenges

When someone really pushes our buttons, we'd like to think that we'd hold our head high and turn the other cheek, but revenge is so, so sweet.
April 22, 2020 Scott Mazza

Featured Article

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history.

Catherine of Aragon Facts

Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but very few people know her even darker history.
June 7, 2018 Christine Tran



Dear reader,


Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? We’re always looking for your input! Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from “Life” to “Compact Cars and Trucks” to “A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius.” We’ll get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics you’re interested in. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your time!


Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. We want our readers to trust us. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Please let us know if a fact we’ve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect it’s inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your help!


Warmest regards,



The Factinate team




Want to learn something new every day?

Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter.

Thank you!

Error, please try again.