Commonplace Fun Facts

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.

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April 9, 2026April 9, 2026

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Mummification: The Ancient Egyptian Job That Earned Hatred If Done Right

Ever wonder about the process of Ancient Egyptian mummification? Find out how it was done and why those who did it were hated.
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Wigging Out on British Legal Customs

If you enjoy watching television programs that deal with the law, you have a good idea of what a courtroom looks like. It’s relatively easy to spot the lawyers, due to their professional attire. As a general rule, the judge is the only person who is wearing a black robe. The attorneys address the judge…
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The Seven Convicts Who Launched a Revolution

As symbols of revolutions go, they aren’t the most inspiring examples. For one thing, they were all criminals. Yes, it is true that all would-be revolutionaries are criminals in the eyes of the establishment, but these men were not imprisoned for their political views. Most of them, in fact, are anonymous. In all the commotion…
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A Bright Mind Suggested Using Bright Light For Winning Chess Strategy

Chess presents a near-infinite number of moves. Consequently, there is no shortage of self-proclaimed experts to offer helpful advice on how to master the game. As far back as A.D. 840, when al-Adli ar-Rumi wrote Kitab ash-shatranj (The Book of Chess), novice and experienced players alike have been grateful for any tip that will give…
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It is Illegal to Sell Infants in Pennsylvania

The Commonplace Fun Facts Legal Department tells us that laws are supposed to be reasonable. Apparently, this concept doesn’t apply to legal advice, however. That one sentence generated a bill for $362.11.
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Commonplace Fun Facts Featured on The Write Stuff

If you somehow succeed in getting past the elite paramilitary mercenaries and a fierce-yet-adorable Boxador, you may become one of the privileged few to enter the warehouse. Inside, you will find the records and artifacts that will one day be on display at the Commonplace Fun Facts Museum and Institute for the Advancement of Information…
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North Carolina Prohibits Attending a Meeting in Costume

Let’s face it — meetings can be tedious. Anything that can introduce a measure of entertainment or levity is generally welcome. Consider the most tedious meeting that you have attended in the past month. Wouldn’t it have been a bit more enjoyable if someone showed up dressed as a Power Ranger?
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Spies, Invisible Ink, Toenails, and Other Declassified CIA Secrets

Invisible ink, often seen in spy fiction, was actually utilized by intelligence agencies like the CIA during World War I. Declassified CIA documents reveal methods for writing and revealing secret messages, including chemical recipes and techniques for discreet communication. These intriguing strategies showcase the blend of creativity and science in espionage.
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Government, Luck, and Fools

“A little government and a little luck are necessary in life, but only a fool trusts either of them.” — P.J. O’Rourke
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School Holds Girls For Debt

It’s the little things that show up in our research that are often the most intriguing. For reasons we can’t seem to remember, our Research Department found itself pursuing Washington, D.C.’s Evening Star of October 6, 1932. We found an interesting article concerning the adoption of a baby girl by Hollywood couple Frederic March and…
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Boy Scouts Are Not Considered a Private Military Force in Connecticut

As we pointed out in this article you may be a member of the militia without knowing it. That being the case, it’s only natural to assume the same about a group that organizes its uniformed members by rank and was modeled after a decorated war hero. We refer, of course, to the Boy Scouts.…
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Grace Bedell: The Girl Responsible for History’s Most Famous Beard

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most-recognized figures in history. If you ask anyone to describe him, inevitably you will hear that he was tall, wore a stovepipe hat, and had a beard. Of those, the beard is the one that seems the most memorable. The beard for which he would be remembered did not…
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Acoustic Kitty: the CIA’s Failed Attempt to Train Cats as Spies

Cats are fascinating animals that have attempted unconventional roles, including as spies in a CIA project called Acoustic Kitty in the 1960s. Despite significant investment, the program failed as cats proved difficult to train, culminating in one cat being run over during an initial test. The project was abandoned in 1967, confirming cats’ impracticality for…
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Ablaut Reduplication: The English Language Rule You Didn’t Know You Knew

You may never have heard of Ablaut Reduplication, but it’s a grammar rule you follow without knowing why.
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Why Does It Take 300 Pages to Prove 1+1=2? The Story Behind Principia Mathematica

Discover the fascinating story behind how Principia Mathematica took 300 pages to prove that 1 + 1 = 2, a mind-boggling proof by Bertrand Russell and Alfred Whitehead.
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