When the Large Hadron Collider went active in 2010, fears abounded that it would trigger the end of the world. Hypothetically, the world’s largest particle collider could generate stable microscopic black holes […]
“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 […]
Since the dawn of the nuclear age, much of the diplomatic and military strategies of nations have centered around preventing the world from going up in flames in a nuclear holocaust. Some […]
If your lifestyle finds you seated in front of your computer for most of the day, that’s no reason to give up the quest for physical fitness. You can turn everyday activities […]
Assuming you are a person of reasonable intelligence, (actually, since you are a reader of Commonplace Fun Facts, we assume you are a person of extraordinary intelligence), what would you make of […]
One of the most recognized people in the world is that jolly, old elf, Santa Claus. Everything about him — his beard, hat, coat, belly, and even his distinctive laugh — immediately […]
Scientists, philosophers, and theologians have long pondered and theorized about dreams. What are they? What causes them? What purpose do they serve? The debates about dreams continue, but one thing is certain: […]
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 it comes to recognizing those who dare to dream grand and lofty goals, don’t forget to include the man who proposed moving our entire solar system.
Sir Nevill Francis Mott (1905-1996) won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1977. He was a professor at the University of Manchester, Cambridge, and the University of Bristol. His students remember him […]
Albert Einstein accomplished so much and influenced so much more that it is sometimes hard to separate the man from the myth. It is also difficult to reconcile that the brain that […]
They say some people are like Slinky’s — they’re not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs. If […]
F.D.C. Willard was 7 years old when he became a published researcher. As you might expect with someone so gifted at such a young age, there were some difficulties in coping with […]
If we at Commonplace ever find ourselves at a loss for something to write about, the Ig Nobel prizes are sure to be a goldmine of inspiration. One of the 2005 laureates […]
Drop a piece of buttered toast on the kitchen floor, and we all know what is going to happen. It will land buttered-side down, of course. At least, that’s what we expect, […]
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