The entertaining (and downright weird) book Unlikely Stories, Mostly by Alasdair Gray becomes entertaining — and downright weird — before the reader gets to the first story. When it was released in […]
Alarms sounded in military installations all around the world, reporting the unthinkable. A nuclear detonation had just been detected in Bell Island, Newfoundland. Satellites designed to notify military and government leaders of […]
In 1314, King Robert the Bruce led Scotland to a heroic victory over the English at the Battle of Bannockburn. The unlikely trouncing of one of the world’s mightiest armies boldly proclaimed […]
Whether you are giving a speech, writing a paper, or making a point on social media, it’s always helpful to have a good quote from a reliable source to emphasize your point. […]
If you stand on the summit of Mount Kosciusko, you have made it to the peak of Australia’s highest mountain. You share that achievement Pawel Edmund Strzelecki, the first Westerner to reach […]
Despite being one of the most successful inventors in history, Thomas Edison was certainly no stranger to failure. As detailed in this article, he bungled one opportunity by failing to determine whether […]
It was 7:45 a.m. on June 30, 2009. Stephen Perkins had a hangover. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep. Actually, he wished desperately that he was sleeping — […]
When you think of countries with vast wealth and power, there’s a good chance Mali is not on that list. The United Nations ranks Mali 121st out of 213 on its list […]
Standing at 1,080 feet (330 meters), the Ryugyong Hotel towers over the Pyongyang skyline. The spectacular marvel of architecture has earned many distinctions. It was conceived to be the world’s tallest hotel, […]
There have been some real head-scratching products hoisted upon an unsuspecting public. Many of these have been documented here at Commonplace Fun Facts, such as radioactive toothpaste, the cure-all medicine that caused […]
Few things are more distressing than an overflowing toilet. Aside from the utter revulsion at having one’s home invaded by the toilet’s contents and the need to get it cleaned up as […]
Have you heard of the Republic of Chiie? No, it’s not a new tea and coffee shop, nor is it a greenhouse specializing in the sale of Chia Pets. It isn’t even […]
There are certain professions where it is acceptable or even commendable for its members to take risks. Rarer are those careers where it is wise to gamble while on the job. When […]
They say everyone has the capacity of bringing happiness in every location. Some do so by showing up. Others cause happiness by leaving. As far as his colleagues were concerned, Wolfgang Pauli […]
When Alexander the Great died at the tender age of 32, he had conquered the known world. Many wondered at the time and since what he could have accomplished if he had […]
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