The Great Fire of London (1666): Strange Facts Behind the Famous Disaster
The Great Fire of London wasn’t just a disaster—it was full of odd decisions and strange moments. Here are the quirkiest facts from 1666.
Keep readingCheck Out the Latest
-
A Slice of Birthday Gruesomeness
Read more: A Slice of Birthday GruesomenessDanish children celebrate their birthdays by receiving a “cakeman.” The festive dessert is a cake baked and decorated to resemble the birthday child.
-
President Who?
Read more: President Who?Harry Von Zell is remembered as the long-time announcer of the Burns & Allen radio and television programs, but he also has the dubious distinction of being responsible for one of the first bloopers to be broadcast on the air. The occasion was a birthday tribute to President Herbert Hoover, and Von Zell handled the narration…
-
The First Thanksgiving Menu: What the Pilgrims Really Ate (No Popcorn Included)
Read more: The First Thanksgiving Menu: What the Pilgrims Really Ate (No Popcorn Included)What was on the first Thanksgiving menu in 1621? Not what you might have expected!
-
Can’t Get Elected as President? Why Not King of the World?
Read more: Can’t Get Elected as President? Why Not King of the World?Homer Aubrey Tomlinson (1892-1968) wanted to be a great leader. He tried running for President of the United States in five consecutive elections, beginning in 1952. When that didn’t pan out (nationwide, he got about 20 votes in 1964), he didn’t get discouraged; in fact, he set his sights even higher by declaring himself King…
-
God Save the King — and Please Hurry Him Along!
Read more: God Save the King — and Please Hurry Him Along!Spectators at the Rathenau railway station in Brandenberg, Germany on February 9, 1909 hoped to get a chance to see United Kingdom’s King Edward VII. They got a bit more than they hoped for — specifically, a chance to hear the British national anthem, “God Save the King” played 16 or 17 times, while His…
-
Roadbumps on the Highway to Dreamland
Read more: Roadbumps on the Highway to DreamlandIn Eureka, California, it is against the law to sleep on a public street. In addition to the possibility of getting tire treads on your face, you could be fined up to $1,000 and imprisoned for up to six months. At least in jail you could sleep without fear of being run over by a…
-
Alfred Hitchcock Afraid? Eggs-actly!
Read more: Alfred Hitchcock Afraid? Eggs-actly!Alfred Hitchcock, renowned for his horror films like Psycho and The Birds, had an unusual fear known as ovophobia, or fear of eggs. He despised them so much that he claimed to have never tasted an egg and would not allow them nearby, highlighting the contrast between his cinematic terror and personal fears.
-
Absence of Light? Dude… Totally Uncool!
Read more: Absence of Light? Dude… Totally Uncool!Keanu Reeves has confided that he is afraid of the dark. It probably doesn’t make him feel any better about it, but you might want to know that such a condition is known as nyctophobia. Keanu, whose name means “cool breeze over the mountains” in Hawaiian, fortunately does not appear to suffer from nomatophobia, which is…
-
So Much for the Era of Good Feelings
Read more: So Much for the Era of Good FeelingsThe eight years of the administration of President James Monroe (1817-1825) are known as “The Era of Good Feelings.” Not everyone got the memo, however. Hard feelings existed between President Monroe and his Treasury Secretary, William H. Crawford. Crawford had been appointed as Secretary of the Treasury in 1816 by President James Madison, and he…
-
Think This Caviar Smells Fishy? Wait Until You See the Price!
Read more: Think This Caviar Smells Fishy? Wait Until You See the Price!Beluga caviar is considered by many to be the finest caviar available. Consisting of the eggs of the beluga sturgeon, found primarily in the Caspian Sea, it is a prized commodity. The beluga sturgeon has been classified as critically endangered, and as a result the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) suspended all…
-
Patrick Henry’s Untold Story: Chains, Madness, and Heartbreak
Read more: Patrick Henry’s Untold Story: Chains, Madness, and HeartbreakOn March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry stood before the Virginia Convention in Richmond’s St. John’s Church and dropped what may be the most dramatic mic in American history. With the kind of oratorical firepower that would make even a Shakespearean actor nod approvingly, he boomed: “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to…
-
When Collecting Stamps Just Doesn’t Do it For You
Read more: When Collecting Stamps Just Doesn’t Do it For YouGraham Barker shows off 26 years’ worth of belly button lint. People who collect coins are called numismatists, and stamp collectors are known as philatelists, but what do you call a person who collects belly button lint? At present, the best term for such a person is “Graham Barker,” who holds the record for the world’s…
-
Now Free to Pursue E.T.
Read more: Now Free to Pursue E.T.As of 1991, U.S. citizens are free to pursue contact with extraterrestrial beings or their vehicles without legal repercussions.
-
Discover the Darwin Bark Spider — The Spinner of the Strongest Webs In the World
Read more: Discover the Darwin Bark Spider — The Spinner of the Strongest Webs In the WorldWho is Spider-Man’s real-world contender for the spinner of the strongest spider web? Meet the Darwin Bark Spider.
-
Evita: Just as Popular in Death
Read more: Evita: Just as Popular in DeathWhat happened to Eva Peron, the inspiration for the musical Evita, after she died?
Trending
A Buttload is an Actual Unit of MeasurementFebruary 5, 2020
