Cool Facts That Will Either Leave You Smiling Or Make Your Brain Hurt
I'm always amazed by how many things there are to learn in the world and the general complexity of our Earth and the societies on it. There never seems to be a shortage of new things to know.
These are some cool facts that made us want to laugh and some others left us absolutely astounded.
Bon Appétit!
A man created a fake restaurant on TripAdvisor and asked his friends to write good reviews. Eventually, the fake restaurant was the #1 restaurant in London, England, and was being called up hundreds of times daily for bookings.
For a day, the man set up a "café" in his backyard and served frozen food.
Good Job, Millennial Dads!
A study showed that millennial dads are spending three times as much time with their kids than their fathers spent with them.
One staggering fact from the study is that back in 1982, 43% of fathers admitted they'd never changed a diaper. Today, that number is down to about 3%.
You Hate Pigeons Being Everywhere? Blame Your Ancestors
Pigeons are so common in cities because humans domesticated them as early as 10,000 years ago for food. Humans continued to use them for other tasks, like carrying messages, into the 20th century.
When they were abandoned, they were already perfectly adapted for an urban environment.
Imagine How Different The Film Would Have Been Without Leo
Matthew McConaughey originally auditioned with Kate Winslet for Titanic and was confident he got the role of Jack.
However, Leonardo DiCaprio auditioned next, and James Cameron said every woman in the building showed up for the meeting, so he thought Leo might be the heartthrob lead he needed.
Don't Take Medical Advice From TV Doctors
A team of Canadian medical researchers and doctors watched 40 episodes of The Dr. Oz Show in a study and concluded that nearly 40% of the medical advice is not evidence-based and 15% goes directly against evidence.
Don't believe everything you see on TV.
Dogs Have Always Been Man's Best Friend
Roman citizens were known to create tombs for their dogs and gave them epitaphs to remember them by.
One such inscription read, "I am in tears while carrying you to your last resting place as much as I rejoiced when bringing you home with my own hands 15 years ago."
This Is Exactly Why I Don't Trust Birds
In 2016, scientists made an incredible discovery when they found part of a dinosaur tail preserved in amber.
The tail has feathers covering it, proving that later dinosaurs, like birds, were covered in feathers.
A Starfish Moves Through The Ocean By Following "Good Vibes"
A starfish does not have any capacity to plan its actions.
If one arm detects an attractive odor, it becomes dominant and temporarily overrides the other arms to initiate movement towards the prey.
The Piano Man Is A Good Guy
Billy Joel never sells front-row seats at his concerts.
Instead, he gives them away to random people in the cheap seats so that the front row isn't always full of just wealthy people, but some of his biggest fans.
Nothing Like Using A Disease To Save Lives
During World War II, some Italian doctors made up a fake disease called Syndrome K to save Jews who had fled to their hospital seeking protection from the Nazis.
Syndrome K "patients" were quarantined, and the Nazi soldiers were told that it was a deadly, disfiguring, and highly contagious illness. They saved at least 20 lives.
Thomas Jefferson Was Truly Petty
A French scientist named Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, wrote in a book that American wildlife was physically inferior to European wildlife.
Thomas Jefferson was so offended that he got a group of soldiers to find and send the scientist a moose from New Hampshire to prove the "stature and majesty of American quadrupeds."
Parrots Who Save Lives >>>
A parrot named Willie alerted his owner, Megan Howard, when the toddler she was babysitting began to choke.
Megan was in the bathroom, so the parrot began screaming, "mama, baby!" while flapping his wings as the child turned blue. Megan rushed over and performed the Heimlich maneuver, saving the girl's life.
If Only Fido Didn't Love Smelling Butts
The reason dogs get sprayed by skunks so often is that skunks lift their tails as a warning, but dogs see this as an invitation to go smell their butts, which is the exact opposite message from what the skunk is trying to convey.
We still love dogs, though.
"I Would Like To Thank The Academy..."
Kate Winslet keeps her Oscar award in the bathroom at her house so her guests can hold it and make acceptance speeches to themselves in the mirror without feeling self-conscious.
We would.
The Goodest Girl In The World
A guide dog named Roselle led a group of people, including her blind owner, down 78 flights of stairs before the North Tower collapsed on 9/11.
She only stopped to give kisses to a woman who was having a panic attack.
That's One Way To Keep A Secret...
According to legend, the 2,000 people who attended Genghis Khan's funeral were killed by his army to hide the location of the tomb.
The army was then killed by his escort, and the escort killed anyone and anything that crossed their path, committing suicide in the end.
McDonald's Originally Had Only One Arch
The famous double "Golden Arches" of McDonald's were actually designed to be only a single arch before the double arches were introduced.
Two examples of the original model remain, including one in Arkansas.
Should We Just Call Him "Mr. Phil"?
Dr. Phil lost his license to practice psychology in 2006.
Therefore, all guests on his TV show must sign a contract stating they are only there to receive "advice" from an individual, not a psychologist.
Chickens Are Overrated Anyway
Some farmers in Bangladesh have switched to raising ducks instead of chickens because, during catastrophic floods, ducks float.
Any flooding in the area that could disrupt their farm is literally water off a duck's back.
Mister Rogers Really Was Just Wholesome And Good
When Mr. Rogers heard his limo driver was going to be waiting outside while Rogers was in a meeting, he asked the driver to come in.
While driving back from the meeting, they passed the driver's home and Rogers asked if they could stop and meet his family. Rogers kept in touch with the driver for the rest of his life.
It Really Is A Small World
After Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, his funeral was held at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia.
A small group of current students was chosen to be ushers for his funeral. One of those ushers was Samuel L. Jackson.
Well, That's Disappointing...
Garden Veggie Straws, which are promoted as a healthy alternative to chips, are actually made of salt, starch, and tomato paste.
They have less nutritional value than actual potato chips, and the manufacturer, which has a history of false claims, is now being sued.
An Ugly Face With An Important Message
The crew of Return of the Jedi mocked the character design for Admiral Ackbar, deeming it too ugly.
Director Richard Marquand refused to alter it and said, "I think it's good to tell kids that good people aren't necessarily good looking people and that bad people aren't necessarily ugly people."
Not What The Western Films Made It Look Like
The term "outlaw" actually didn't refer to any mere criminal, but rather a criminal who has been sentenced to be "outside of the protection of the law."
He had no right to a trial and could be killed or persecuted by anybody.
Oh So That's Why We Say They Love Donuts
In the 1950s, donut shops were one of the first food businesses that were commonly open late at night.
They became hot spots for police working the night shift since it gave them a place to grab a snack, fill out paperwork, or even just take a break, which is why donuts became associated with cops.
The Master Becomes His Own Student
Mario Puzo, the author of The Godfather books, also adapted them for the films but had no idea what he was doing since he’d never written a screenplay before.
After winning two Oscars, he decided to buy a book on screenwriting. In the first chapter, it said: "Study The Godfather."
I Bet That Professor Looks Dumb
Max Planck was told by one of his professors to not go into physics because "almost everything is already discovered."
Planck explained he didn't want to discover anything, just learn the fundamentals. He went on to originate quantum theory and win a Nobel Prize.
In The Words Of Britney, "You're Toxic"
A Harvard study from 2018 found that hiring one highly productive "toxic worker"—someone who only cares about their own success—does more damage to a company’s bottom line than employing several less productive, but more cooperative, workers.
Now you know.
How Did The Guy Know To Look On A Stork, Though?
A Polish environmental charity put a SIM card in a GPS tracker to follow the migratory pattern of a white stork.
They lost track of the stork and later received a phone bill for $2,700; someone in Sudan had taken the SIM from the tracker and made over 20 hours of calls.
That's One Way To Deal With A Problem...
Robert Pattinson, who shot to stardom while playing Edward in Twilight, dealt with an obsessed fan who had been camping outside his apartment by taking her out on a dinner date.
In an interview, he explained he "just complained about everything in my life and she never came back."
No More Belly Button Tequila Shots
Some studies have found about 1,500 bacteria species that are new to science in our belly buttons. That means it's so dirty that it's creating unknown bacteria.
One person even had bacterium previously found only on Japanese soil, where he had never been in person!
It Pays To Never Crack A Smile
In the early 1900s, there was an act named "Sober Sue" where the draw was that she never smiled.
A theater offered $1000 to anyone who could make her laugh. Comedians came from everywhere and the crowd watched them try and fail. Only later did they find out that Sue suffered from facial paralysis.
Always Read The Fine Print
A teacher once bought a $400 travel insurance policy, only to be rewarded with $10,000 because she read the fine print of the contract.
Apparently, on page 7 they had written a "Pays to Read" contest section that stated that the first to email and mention the fine print would win 10K.
Shop Smart, Go For What's On Sale
A man in New Jersey bought a $5 orange juice from Shoprite. He then went back to return it because his wife said it was too expensive and there was another one on sale for $2.50 somewhere else.
He then decided to buy 2 lottery tickets with the refunded change. He won $315.3 million. His wife definitely won't worry about orange juice prices now.
Never Too Old For Cartoons
Japan has chosen Dragon Ball Z's Goku as an ambassador of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The main character is known for his physical prowess. He also respects, and even befriends, his opponents. He makes a good role model.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Wasn't Allowed To Dub His Own Role
For the movie Terminator's German dubbing, Arnold Schwarzenegger's accent was considered too rural by German and Austrian standards.
They didn't think it would fit the tone to have a death machine from the future come back in time and sound like a "hillbilly".
This Is Why They Say Money Doesn't Buy Happiness
A waitress was tipped a lottery ticket which won her $10,000,000. Her colleagues then sued her for their share. Then, the man who tipped her sued.
Then her ex-husband kidnapped her and she shot him in the chest. Then she went to court against the IRS. Not worth the money.
Stephen Hawking Was Quite The Jokester
During an interview, the camera operator yanked a cable which sounded off an alarm and caused Hawking to fall forward.
Everyone rushed over quickly only to find him giggling. It was his own joke and the alarm was from an office computer losing power.
