Have you considered what might be the most dangerous place in the world? We had always assumed the riskiest thing to do would be to try to stand between a politician and […]
Most Dangerous Places in The World
The Haunting Lake That Turns Creatures Into Statues
Greek mythology describes Medusa as a horrifying creature who can turn anyone who looks at her into stone. Perhaps Tanzania’s Lake Natron would better be named Lake Medusa because of its horrifying […]
Why Do Thousands of Mysterious Arrows Cover the USA?
You can be driving through what appears to be the middle of nowhere when you see it. With no explanation as to its presence in that place, you will find a massive […]
How Did Scotland’s Imperial Plans Destroy Its Independence?
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 […]
Stand Up and Salute Some Supremely Strange Flags
Thanks to The Big Bang Theory’s “Fun With Flags” feature, we have seen a noticeable increase in our articles about flags. In recognition of this interest in vexillology, we present you with […]
How a Boy With a Kite Helped Bridge Two Nations
On March 8, 1855, history was made when a 23-ton railroad engine crossed over the Niagara River on the world’s first working railway suspension bridge. The bridge was an engineering marvel, spanning […]
Visit the Place Where Your Nearest Neighbors Are In Space
Readers of Commonplace Fun Facts already know that the most remote piece of real estate in the world is Bouvet Island. When you are there, you are on the most isolated island […]
Australia’s Name-Changing Tallest Mountain
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 […]
How Thousands of Rubber Bath Toys Helped Unlock the Ocean’s Secrets
The container ship Ever Laurel was en route from Hong Kong to Tacoma, Washington. On January 10, 1992, it was only halfway to its destination when it encountered a violent storm. The […]
Some of the Articles We Never Got Around To
“How do you come up with ideas for articles on Commonplace Fun Facts?” Not a week goes by without that question being posed to members of the Commonplace creative team. The tone […]
Can It Really Rain Fish?
Welcome to the new era in which all of mankind lives under the benevolent rule of our undersea overlords. We are entering a new age in which our ocean-dwelling, scale-covered leaders will […]
Why Was 2011 the Shortest Year for Samoa?
The year 2011 will be remembered by most of the world for its political and geological upheaval. Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi were killed, the Arab Spring saw protests in Libya, […]
The Noah’s Ark for the Planet’s Plant Life
Imagine a modern version of Noah’s Ark. In the event of a disaster — natural or man-made — this ark would be the last line of defense against extinction. It would preserve […]
Squeeze In a Visit to the Most Densely Populated Island on Earth
If you visit Santa Cruz del Islote, you will see a lot of things: people, friendly smiles, and beautiful Caribbean waters. What you won’t see is empty space, nor will it take […]
Visit the Zone of Death Where You Can Legally Get Away With Murder
Imagine a place where it is possible to get away with murder — legally. We’re not talking about walking away from a crime that is so fiendishly executed by a criminal mastermind […]
