Incentives. We love them. Without our parents’ offer of a cash bonus for good grades, we probably would have totally blown off Mrs. Smethels’ Home Economics class in 8th grade. The incentive […]
Beware the Unintended Consequences of the Cobra Effect
Why Are There No Rats in Alberta, Canada?
The official editorial position of Commonplace Fun Facts takes a skeptical view toward government programs. We adhere to Ronald Reagan’s warning, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m […]
The Pink Poop Pandemic and the Breakfast Cereal That Caused It
What do monsters eat for breakfast? When Mary Shelley described Frankenstein’s monster, her words were remarkably descriptive. She did not, however, disclose what kind of breakfast cereal the freak of nature might […]
Chairman Mao’s Disastrous War Against Sparrows
Mao Zedong (1893-1976) disliked pests. Rats, bed bugs, and flies (not to mention as many as 30 million people who got in his way) were, at various times, the focus of Chairman […]
Homicidal Horses, Predatory Pigs, Robber Rats: Trials and Executions of Animals in Medieval Courts
These pages have documented many unusual stories and facts relating to capital punishment. Regardless of your personal views on the subject, it probably goes without saying that you assume we are talking […]
A Rat-Infested Night for the Sage of Monticello
Among Thomas Jefferson’s many accomplishments was the brilliant design of his home, Monticello. Visitors to the colonial mansion cannot help but be impressed by the beauty, attention to detail, and intentional designs […]
Super Rat
The average rat can: wriggle through a hole no larger than the diameter of a quarter scale a brick wall as if it had rungs gnaw through lead pipes and cinder blocks with […]
Rat Torture — There’s Just No Way to Sugarcoat It
A cheap and effective way to torture someone was with the use of rats. There were many variants, but the most common was to force a rat through a victim’s body (usually […]
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