The countries of Europe had been invaded. The attack had come swiftly, and the invaders were winning. These desperate times called for extreme measures if there was going to be any hope […]
Why Did Europe Get Bombed With Severed Chicken Heads?
Does Pink Purposefully Prevent Prisoners From Pummeling People?
When you see the color pink, you might think about any number of things: the panther nemesis of Inspector Clouseau, Floyd’s first name, the last name of Clara Oswald’s boyfriend in Doctor […]
The International Organization That Makes The Pieces Fit Together
The most amazing coincidence happened to us the other day. Our mechanical pencil ran out of lead. Fortunately, our interns are always grateful for a chance to emerge from the basement and […]
Can You Identify the Only Three Non-Rectangular National Flags?
The United Nations recognizes 193 national flags of its member states. Each flag is unique, giving the full collection a great variety of symbols and colors. Despite all the diversity, almost all […]
How Arthur’s Secret Obsession Changed the World
If it was little known and uncommon, there was a good chance that Arthur would be drawn to it. His curious mind naturally gravitated toward things that polite society shunned. It was […]
Switzerland’s Air Force — Now Able to Defend the Skies, Even During Lunch Hour
The high drama of the hijacking of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 702 ended without bloodshed. After the plane landed in Geneva, Swiss authorities took the hijacker into custody, and all 202 passengers and […]
How to Tell Whether the Large Hadron Collider Has Destroyed the World
When the Large Hadron Collider went active in 2010, fears abounded that it would trigger the end of the world. Hypothetically, the world’s largest particle collider could generate stable microscopic black holes […]
Switzerland: the Country Without a Capital City
Peruse just about any map of Europe, and you will see Bern identified as the capital city of Switzerland. Don’t believe everything you see. The nation that is famously neutral in all […]
The Volcano That Triggered a Year Without Summer, Defeated an Empire, and Gave Birth to a Monster
In terms of volcano celebrity status, Mount Tambora’s name is rarely mentioned. If someone asks you to name a dramatic volcanic eruption, more than likely, it is Mount Vesuvius, Krakatoa, or Mount […]
Want to Rent An Entire Country?
People are used to using Airbnb for renting a room or a house for a few nights away from home. If you need a little more space — or perhaps you just […]
Golden Blood is the Rarest Blood Type on Earth
For anyone who needs a transfusion, blood is more valuable than gold. As it turns out, there is one blood type that even rarer than the yellow precious metal and even more […]
An Illuminating Strategy for Avoiding Destruction
The city of Konstanz, Germany was one of the few areas of Germany to emerge unharmed from World War II. While other communities endured devastating bombing by Allied air forces, this beautiful […]
The Accidental Invasions of Liechtenstein
Switzerland has a long-standing tradition of neutrality and rarely gets involved in military confrontation. It may, therefore, surprise you to learn that Switzerland has invaded its neighboring country Liechtenstein, not once, but […]
No Lonely Guinea Pigs
In Switzerland, it is illegal to keep just one guinea pig. If you have one, you must have a second to go with it. Read about more strange laws. Read more fun […]
The Great Spaghetti Tree Harvest of 1957
In 1957 the BBC pulled an April Fools prank, duping hundreds of thousands of individuals into thinking spaghetti was annually harvested from “spaghetti trees” in Switzerland. Watch the video here. Read about […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 