Readers of Commonplace Fun Facts already know that the most remote piece of real estate in the world is Bouvet Island. When you are there, you are on the most isolated island […]
Visit the Place Where Your Nearest Neighbors Are In Space
NASA Measures Space Sickness With the Garn Scale
One of the biggest honors a person can receive is to become the namesake of a unit of measurement. Daniel Fahrenheit, Andres Celsius, and Charles Richter are just a few individuals whose […]
Big Bird Narrowly Avoided Dying in Space
For over 50 years, Sesame Street’s Big Bird has been one of the most iconic and beloved children’s characters. The 8-foot 2-inch (249 cm) bright yellow bird has been teaching children how […]
One Small Step for Man — One Tiny Adjustment to the Budget
The budget for mankind’s first manned mission to the moon was about $25.4 billion. Buried within the countless lines of expense details is the cost for one of the most memorable aspects […]
The Wedding Ring That Was Lost — And Found — in Outer Space
Many human-made objects have been placed in space, including this comprehensive list of items that remain on the moon. None of these items retain quite the drama or personal impact as the […]
Fleas Accelerate Faster than the Space Shuttle — 10 Fun Facts About the Flea
Fleas may have been directly responsible for wiping out a significant percentage of Europe’s population during the Middle Ages, but you can’t help but admire the tiny insect’s design. The body of […]
One Giant Leak for Mankind
Neil Armstrong may have been the first man to go to the moon, but it was Buzz Aldrin who has the honor of being the first man to go on the moon. Yes, history […]
Some Timely Facts About Time Zones
Time zones are relatively new phenomena in world history. Prior to the late 19th century, the authoritative source for the official time of day was the town clock. At noon each day, […]
The Moon Landing and the Prophetic Home Run
Gaylord Perry developed a reputation as a world-class professional baseball player. His skills earned him a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Those skills did not include a penchant for hitting […]
How Did a 10-Year-Old Boy Help Save Apollo 11?
Neil Armstrong. Buzz Aldrin. Michael Collins. The names of the Apollo 11 astronauts who were the first to journey to the moon are rightfully remembered and honored. How many remember Greg Force, […]
Learn About the Crash That Proved Chuck Yeager Had the Right Stuff
Any article that attempts to list the accomplishments of Chuck Yeager is destined to be very long or incomplete. The man who became the first person to break the sound barrier would […]
The Curious Case of the Disastrous Date With the First Daughter
First dates are always awkward. “Will I make a good impression?” “Will I like him/her?” “How do I escape gracefully if the magic isn’t there?” These are questions everyone asks, no matter […]
A Correction 49 Years in the Making
On July 17, 1969, as Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were en route to the Moon, a curious item appeared in the pages of the New York Times: […]
When the French Have a Problem, it’s REALLY a Problem
When Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell said the famous line, “Houston, we have a problem,” the words triggered alarm throughout NASA and around the world. If Apollo 13 had been manned by […]
The Wright Brothers Fly to the Moon
The first airplane flight covered a mere 852 feet, but a part of that plane ultimately flew nearly half a million miles.
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