Michael Godwin escaped South Carolina’s electric chair—only to accidentally electrocute himself while repairing headphones on a prison toilet.
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Michael Godwin escaped South Carolina’s electric chair—only to accidentally electrocute himself while repairing headphones on a prison toilet.
Meet Swede Momsen, the naval genius who rescued trapped submariners, exposed defective torpedoes, and repeatedly saved the U.S. Navy from itself.
Nintendo is older than airplanes, sliced bread, and video games. Learn how the company began in 1889 and evolved from playing cards to Mario and the Switch.
What is the correct way to hang toilet paper—over or under? Seth Wheeler’s patent drawings offer evidence, but not quite a final legal verdict.
Readers have visited Commonplace Fun Facts from 191 countries. Meet the four nations still holding out—and discover what may have offended them.
Discover how Japan turned the poisonous pufferfish into fugu, a prized delicacy requiring skilled chefs, strict rules, and remarkable nerve.
How did a toilet sink German submarine U-1206? Discover the bizarre WWII story of failed plumbing, chlorine gas, and a disastrous emergency ascent.
In 1851, Alfred Charles Hobbs tackled the Bramah Challenge Lock and picked Britain’s supposedly unpickable Bramah lock.
Discover the strange origin of the Tooth Fairy, from ancient tooth rituals and tooth-collecting mice to the modern fairy who leaves cash under pillows.
Did Albert Einstein fail math? His grades reveal a brilliant student who excelled at mathematics but repeatedly failed at being a model pupil.
Discover FDR’s hilarious White House food feud with Henrietta Nesbitt, the housekeeper who served meals the president hated—and refused to stop.
Discover how USS Barb became one of WWII’s deadliest submarines, sinking ships, firing rockets, rescuing POWs, and even destroying a train.
Before entering the White House, Grover Cleveland served as a New York sheriff and personally hanged two convicted murderers.
Explore the Malleus Maleficarum, the “Hammer of Witches” that helped fuel witch hunts, torture, and tens of thousands of executions.
Explore Cotard syndrome, the rare delusion that makes people believe they are dead, nonexistent, or missing organs—and how doctors treat it.
