This morning’s headlines are filled with reports of war, pandemic, political turmoil, and — perhaps most distressingly — further chronicles in the lives of a couple of people named Harry and Meghan. […]
With all the responsibilities that fall upon the President of the United States, it’s nice to know he has time to check in on the welfare of Santa Claus.
In the 1983 movie WarGames, NORAD’s computer system is so sophisticated that it becomes sentient and assumes control of the nation’s nuclear arsenal. The film leaves its viewers pondering the wisdom of […]
The elite command and military intelligence officers of the United States gathered every day at a high-security location. The timing of their meetings left no doubt that it was not a coincidence. […]
It was during some of the scariest days of the Cold War that the submarine surfaced off the coast of the United States. On the submarine was the most powerful cruise missile […]
Alarms sounded in military installations all around the world, reporting the unthinkable. A nuclear detonation had just been detected in Bell Island, Newfoundland. Satellites designed to notify military and government leaders of […]
Thanks to The Big Bang Theory’s “Fun With Flags” feature, we have seen a noticeable increase in our articles about flags. In recognition of this interest in vexillology, we present you with […]
If you spend any amount of time looking at the headlines, you might wonder whether humanity’s clock is about to run out. If so, you would not be the first to come […]
In terms of its artistic legacy, The Conqueror leaves much to be desired. Routinely making the listing of “The Worst Movies Ever Made,” the 1956 movie starring John Wayne was an unfortunate […]
“How do you come up with ideas for articles on Commonplace Fun Facts?” Not a week goes by without that question being posed to members of the Commonplace creative team. The tone […]
Since the dawn of the nuclear age, much of the diplomatic and military strategies of nations have centered around preventing the world from going up in flames in a nuclear holocaust. Some […]
In the 1983 movie WarGames, the fictional W.O.P.R. succeeds in hacking NORAD’s launch code, revealed to be “CPE1704TKS.” National security experts at the time reassured the public that the movie was a […]
Are you one of those people who reads every word of the documents you sign? The vast majority of the population cannot be bothered to peruse the HIPAA disclosures at the doctor’s […]
When it comes to recognizing those who dare to dream grand and lofty goals, don’t forget to include the man who proposed moving our entire solar system.
The eyes of the world were turned spaceward in October 1957 because the Soviet Union had just launched Sputnik, the first manmade object sent into space. Or was it? Just a few […]
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