Although we spend, on average, one-third of our lives sleeping, the scientific study of the activity is relatively new. Officially known as somnology, the study of sleep began in earnest in 1936 […]
Anyone who has ever watched a movie that features a mummy knows that running away from the mummy is what people invariably do. That’s how it is in science fiction, anyway. It […]
An article from The Hob-bee Hive from 2010 lists ten clever uses for Pringles cans. Among the suggestions are using them to store yarn, turning them into coin banks, making them into […]
The young girl’s body was dragged out of the Seine River. Police investigators found no signs of trauma or a struggle. The utter absence of bruises and cuts led them to the […]
Funerals can be awkward events for most people. Those who show up to provide emotional support to the grieving family frequently find themselves at a loss for words. Repeated expressions of, “I’m […]
Each year 1-3 million people die from malaria. Another 1 million annually succumb to AIDS. You don’t need to be a physician to realize both of these diseases are pretty bad. Anyone […]
When the sentence of death is carried out, it is always noteworthy. Mary’s execution was no exception. This particular use of capital punishment attracted even more attention than usual. People gathered from […]
It wasn’t that long ago that people believed mental illness behaved like the common cold. One of the reasons for the establishment of mental asylums was to quarantine the insane, thus protecting […]
You know what they say about pursuing a career in politics. It is a vocation fraught with hazards. The public is so fickle and can love you one day, only to chew […]
The Caribbean nation of Martinique is a beautiful island of friendly people. Each year, more than half a million tourists flock to Martinique to soak up the sun’s rays on the pristine […]
When you think about gladiators, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think of movies such as Spartacus, Ben-Hur, or Gladiator. Most of us have some awareness of the fact that gladiator games […]
It seems that every week brings reports of new advancements with electric vehicles. It’s easy to think electric cars are a new phenomenon, but they are nearly as old as the automobile, […]
For those of you who did not exercise a great deal of self control during your Thanksgiving meal and whose mouths may already be watering at the thought of the leftovers in […]
Volumes of poetry and countless love songs are dedicated to the proposition that love endures forever. This is an honorable and appropriate sentiment. Even so, it is possible to take things too […]
As a public service, Commonplace Fun Facts has warned its readers about many of life’s hazards. The dangers of vending machines, overflowing submarine toilets, and spontaneously-combusting pants have been well documented in […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 