Commonplace Fun Facts

Colorblindness: What It Is, What It Isn’t, and Why Your Charts Are the Problem

Explore colorblindness: what it is, common myths, causes, everyday challenges, and surprising advantages in this humorous, informative guide.

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April 4, 2026April 4, 2026

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The President’s Finger on the Button: Disaster, Dessert, or POTUS Pranks?

Hollywood has immortalized the image of the fate of the world resting on a shiny red button on the desk of the President of the United States. With a single press of that button, life as we know it would come to a brutal, inglorious end. It makes for good fiction, but that just isn’t…
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How Benjamin Franklin’s Dare Became a $4.4 Million Bequest

Discover how Benjamin Franklin’s daring idea of compound interest turned into a $4.4 million legacy for Boston and Philadelphia, shaping financial history.
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This Tree Leaves Tunes

Fans of BBC’s Doctor Who might think they have encountered earth’s answer to the Singing Towers of Darillium when they visit Lancashire in the United Kingdom. Unlike that fictional place, where the Doctor and his wife spent their last night together, and where reservations have to be made four years in advance, this place is open to…
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This Weatherman Has Always Been Clowning Around

Willard Scott is known and loved by millions as the fun-loving weatherman of The Today Show from 1980 until his retirement in 2015. Before becoming known as America’s meteorologist, Scott was instrumental in the development of another iconic character. From 1963 to 1966, Scott was the original Ronald McDonald, the mascot for McDonald’s restaurants.
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Fierce, Mythical Mascot

Scotland and mythological creatures seem to have a fondness for each other. Not only does Scotland boast ownership of the Loch Ness Monster, it has adopted the unicorn as its official animal. As far back as 1466, the unicorn appeared on the official coin of the realm, and the Royal Coat of Arms sports two…
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Vikings Beware! There Be Scots Here!

Vikings were feared throughout Northern Europe for more than 300 years. The mere mention of these fierce Norse warriors was enough to turn the most battle-hardened soldier weak at the knees. There was one place, though, where even the Vikings trembled and avoided when possible: Scotland.
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And the Game Goes On… and On… and On….

Fans of sporting events are known to be so committed to their team that they will endure years of poor performance, shell out big money for season tickets, sit through horrible weather to watch an event, and wear their team’s colors on every possible occasion. Sometimes fans also have to be prepared to wait. And…
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Are Reptiles Running the Government?

UPDATED: October 26, 2021 Many of us wondered, as children, whether our teachers were from another planet, but how many adults believe the government is run by aliens? As it turns out, it is a pretty sizeable number. A recent report revealed that 12 million Americans believe the country is controlled by shape-shifting lizard people from…
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Tsutomu Yamaguchi: The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs

Tsutomu Yamaguchi: The Only Double Atomic Bomb Survivor Tsutomu Yamaguchi could tell you stories about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was working for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and on August 6, 1945 his work took him to the city of Hiroshima, Japan. At 8:15 a.m. the sky ignited with the explosion…
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Weird Wikipedia Articles

For a journey through the weird, wonderful, and entertaining, check out this excellent article from Bookshelf.
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A Smile So Sharp It Will Split Atoms

During 1940-1945, radioactive Doramad toothpaste was easily available in German pharmacies, containing thorium as a marketing strategy. This raised concerns among U.S. intelligence about Germany’s atomic bomb research progress. However, it was later discovered that German entrepreneurs were stockpiling thorium for profit, being ahead of their time.
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Forget the Chicken and the Egg — What About the Universe and the Stars?

One problem with working out the age of the universe is trying to find out which came first — the stars or the universe that contains them.
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Funniest Newspaper Correction is …. Drugroll, Please!

In 2012 the editors of Centralia, Illinois’ Morning Sentinel learned the value of one little letter. Red-faced, the editors ran the following correction: “Due to a typing error, Saturday’s story on local artist Jon Henninger mistakenly reported that Henninger’s band mate, Eric Lyday, was on drugs. The story should have read that Lyday was on…
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Houston, We Have a Turd

Fans of television’s The Big Bang Theory are familiar with the memorable episode where Howard’s space toilet, the Wolowitz Space Disposal System, went horribly wrong and threatened to turn into a waste distribution system. As it turns out, such a scenario was more closely grounded in fact, rather than comedic fiction.
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Presidential Pilot: In Addition to 5 Stars, Eisenhower Had Wings

Dwight D. Eisenhower, a Kansas farm boy, became an overachiever, rising to five-star General of the Army and later President of the United States. He was also the first U.S. President who was a pilot.
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