“[It is a] room that a person can only enter when they have real need of it. Sometimes it is there and sometimes it is not, but when it appears, it is […]
How Did a Guy Live in a Mall for Four Years?
How To See Impossible Colors
This is an article about colors, written by a person who is colorblind. Impossible, you say? So did this writer. In the course of protesting this assignment, however, it was pointed out […]
When The World’s Great Authors Formed a Cricket Team
What do literary giants do when they aren’t writing history’s greatest books? There’s no better way to stave off a case of writer’s block than to play a rousing game of cricket. […]
The High-Flying Conspiracy Theories of Denver International Airport
Frequent travels will tell you that it doesn’t matter whether you are going to Heaven or Hell, you have to go through Atlanta to get there. If, however, your destination is the […]
Elvis, Marx, and Others Direct Traffic in Germany
Traffic lights are one of the last places you would expect to find artistic expression. The stick figure of a walking man and an upheld hand tell pedestrians all they need to […]
TV’s Historic and Forgotten ‘The Television Ghost’
It is August 17, 1931, and you are one of the very few who are sufficiently fortunate and wealthy to own the latest technological gizmo. It is a radio that allows you […]
Photographers Used to Tell Subjects to Say ‘Prunes’ Instead of ‘Cheese’
Compare photographs from the late 19th century with those of today. Aside from the obvious differences, such as color and changes in fashion, there is one big difference that stands out: no […]
Vinegar Valentines — When You Care Enough to Send Something Truly Insulting
The Victorian era is remembered for its civility and good manners. Valentine’s Day cards are synonymous with love and affection. Theoretically, that period should have produced nothing but elegant, heart-warming cards that […]
The Epic Prank that Became History’s Greatest Practical Joke
Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) was an accomplished architect, designer, sculptor, and mathematician. He is considered to be one of the founding fathers of Renaissance architecture and holds the distinction of being the first […]
That Time the President Gave the Pope a Strange Christmas Present
It is hard enough coming up with just the right Christmas gift when you have a year to plan for it. What do you do when you need to choose an appropriate […]
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, […]
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 […]
Who Was the First Clown?
It seems as a if clowns have been around forever, but there had to be a first. If you love clowns, you’ll want to know who to thank. If they terrify you, […]
Whatever Became of the Fear-Filled Boy Who Was Sent to Jail By His Father?
Al was six years old when his father summoned him for a very important assignment. The older man asked the boy if he would be willing to take on an important responsibility. […]
Why Is This Painting of Bob Hope So Popular?
It isn’t difficult to find an image of Bob Hope. With a career in the entertainment industry that spanned nearly eighty years and with 54 feature films to his credit, it is […]
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