What can you do with 45 minutes? You might watch an hour-long television program by skipping the commercials. You could walk three miles at an average pace. Your time could be spent […]
Shortest War Raged For 44 Minutes
Space Cadets: TV’s Most Expensive Hoax
The age of space tourism is upon us. At this writing, the world (and Trekkies, in particular) is reveling in William Shatner’s recent journey into space, becoming the oldest person to do […]
Hippocrates’ Horrifying Method For Dealing With Hemorrhoids
There are days when researching subjects for Commonplace Fun Facts has us reading inspiring stories of heroism. Sometimes we are privy to the thought-provoking journals of some of history’s greatest minds. There […]
Turning the Modern Art World Upside-Down
Admittedly, the Commonplace Fun Facts editorial department is not exactly a paragon of cultural sophistication. This is especially true when it comes to the phenomenon known as Modern Art. For this reason, […]
Police Arrest Coconut On Suspicion of Election Tampering
The integrity of democracy requires decisive action to prevent voter fraud. When Maldivian police received reports of possible election tampering, they rushed to the scene and took the suspect into custody. The […]
Ye Olde Way of Speaking Old English Wasn’t That Way
Nothing speaks to authentic medieval culture than the words “ye olde.” If you see those words as part of the name of an establishment, you know it is a place steeped in […]
How a U.S. President Enabled a Soviet General’s Coke Addiction
Georgy Zhukov was a hero of the Soviet Union, but he had an embarrassing secret. He was an addict. What made it worse was that his addiction, if known, would be especially […]
The Remarkable Accidental Creation of the Chocolate Chip Cookie
Necessity is the mother of invention. That adage certainly proved true for Ruth Graves Wakefield, the creator of one of the most popular treats ever.
Do You Have a Case of Mulligrubs?
Do you know someone who has a case of mulligrubs? No, it’s not a bushel of strange worms. It isn’t a gross rash resulting from poor hygiene, either.
How E.T. Made Reese’s Pieces One of the World’s Favorite Candies
When E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial hit the silver screens in 1982, the movie was a sensation. It quickly shot past Star Wars to take the lead as the highest-grossing film to date. Nearly […]
Is a Cat a Liquid or a Solid?
Cats are paradoxes. They are adorable and cuddly, yet they can abruptly become fierce and unapproachable. Perhaps their dual nature is what compelled Erwin Schrödinger in his famous thought experiment, in which […]
The Nose Knows an Astonishing 1 Trillion Smells
Just how sensitive is your nose? We know that animal noses tend to be much more nuanced to different aromas than their human counterparts. Even so, how many different scents do you […]
Niagara Falls Was Once Shut Off, With Surprising and Grisly Results
Depending on how long it has been since you have cleaned your sofa, lifting the cushions can be both horrifying and rewarding. You may find a ghastly collection of pet hair, potato […]
Rebrand of Suicide Bridge To Promote Life Surprisingly Backfires
The beautiful Han River is one of the primary geographic features of Seoul, South Korea. Spanning the river to connect the Mapo and Yeongdeungpo districts is a majestic bridge that has been […]
Luxury Potato Chips Priced at $11 Each
When it comes to luxury items, things related to potatoes are no small potatoes. When we reported the $1 million sale of a potato photograph, we thought it was a fluke. Now […]
