Earle and Josephine Dickson seemed to be made for each other. As is the case in every successful marriage, it was as if they were brought together specifically so that each one’s […]
In this age of email, mobile telephones equipped with cameras, and high-speed internet, the fax machine seems comically antiquated. A popular meme shows two people on the phone. One of them asks […]
What do you know about the fantastic accomplishments of H.A. Largelamb? Don’t be so quick to say you never heard of him. Although you might not immediately recognize his name, you almost […]
Adolphe must have been the most unfortunate boy ever. He was certainly the most accident-prone. His mother concluded that he was “condemned to misfortune” and concluded that “he won’t live.” It seemed […]
Cartoonist Rube Goldberg (1883-1970) achieved fame for his popular cartoons in which he depicted ridiculously complicated machines invented by Professor Lucifer Gorgonzola Butts. Devices of this sort are now known as Rube […]
The philosophy of Commonplace Fun Facts centers around the principle that there is no such this as “useless knowledge.” Perhaps that is why we found ourselves drawn to a practice of developing […]
“Only the Polytron reduces an entire mouse to a soup-like homogenate in 30 seconds.” That’s how the newspaper advertisement begins. If your reaction is typical, you went back and read the first […]
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 […]
We already reported the alarming practice of attempting to make cigarettes safe by using filters made from asbestos. If you are looking for a safer and all-organic way to introduce carcinogens into […]
Do you feel weighed down by the burdens of the day? Does the prospect of a sleepless night weigh heavy on you? Do you wish you could float away from the cares […]
The next time you grab a handful of cotton candy and subject your teeth to an onslaught of almost 100% sugar, you can thank a couple of dentists for inventing it.
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: […]
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 […]
Percy reached in his pocket and retrieved a melted candy bar, and it changed the world. It may seem strange that such a seemingly-trivial event would have such profound ramifications. After all, […]
Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) is known as the father of modern taxonomy. This accomplished botanist, zoologist, and physician developed the system used around the world to identify all living things by genus and […]
