Surprising and Random Facts
There is absolutely no way that any of us knows everything about the world we live in! We’re always learning something new. We love sharing new bits of knowledge with you through our fact files. This time around, we’ve put a big stack of random facts together which we think will fascinate and surprise you in equal measure.
Sit back and read on – and feel free to share this trivia with any other fact-lovers in your life!
1. Social media has a lot to answer for.
According to statistics dating back through the last decade, around a third of modern divorces make use of the word ‘Facebook’ in the filings. With over two billion regular users, that’s maybe not so surprising!
2. Don’t tell anyone!
You’ve heard the phrase ‘As American as apple pie’ – consider that apple pie actually originates in England and it rather takes away from the statement!
3. Which orange came first?
The word orange actually relates to the fruit, not the colour. There wasn’t a name for the colour until people started referring to it in line with the citrus fruit back in the 1600s.
4. Brass beats bacteria hands-down.
Brass is anti-microbial by nature. Therefore, you never have to worry about cleaning brass doorknobs for fear of germs, as they will normally self-clean within around eight hours.
5. Bananas go ripe when bundled.
Bananas tend to ripen quicker when they group together. Separate them, and it will take them longer to ripen up.
6. Fancy an iCardigan?
Apple once tried running a clothing and apparel line in the 1980s. However, this was long before they started dominating the world of wearable tech! Will Apple clothing make a comeback?
7. It’s easy to hear a blue whale’s heartbeat.
You’ll probably know that the blue whale is the biggest living creature on the planet – but did you know that you can likely hear its heart beating up to two miles away? That’s partly thanks to its heart being roughly around 400lbs in weight.
8. Now that’s congestion.
In Los Angeles, California, there are more cars on the road than there are people in the city.
9. There’s a mind-boggling big star out there.
The biggest star in the universe – at least known to us – is UY Scuti. How big is it? It’s almost 5,000,000,000 times the size of our Sun!
10. Some mammals co-operate well.
Many animals work together, but did you know that badgers and coyotes are known to help each other out? It’s thought that a badger is great at digging up smaller prey, while the nimble coyote can run after it.
11. North Koreans love the accordion.
In North Korea, the accordion is known as the ‘people’s instrument’. It was actually required of teachers in the reclusive state to be able to play the accordion during the 1990s.
12. Don’t tell the bank manager!
Believe it or not, it only costs around five US cents to make one US dollar.
13. Here’s a mind-bending time fact.
Queen Cleopatra’s reign in Ancient Egypt is closer in time to the 1969 moon landings than to the actual building of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
14. Principles indeed!
Adidas, the sporting and clothing line, refuses to sponsor any athletes who declare themselves to be members of the Church of Scientology.
15. Most jellyfish have to stay in the water.
Jellyfish can evaporate if left out in the Sun, as its only 2% of them that isn’t made of water.
16. Brunch evolved from a stomach-settler.
Brunch, the meal that some people indulge in between breakfast and lunch, was reportedly created in an attempt to combat the infamous hangover.
17. What does ‘M&Ms’ stand for?
The M&Ms brand named after its two main creators, Forrest Mars and Bruce Murrie. The latter was actually the son of one of Hershey’s presidents.
18. Willow is a headache buster.
Willow has been used to help treat headaches for millennia. In fact, people were thought to have started using salicylic acid from willow trees to help combat inflammation up to 4,000 years ago!
19. It’s highly unlikely you’ll get poisoned trick or treating.
The urban legend regarding children getting poisoned by Halloween treats is, thankfully, just that – a myth. However, it has become a custom in recent years for people to leave pumpkins outside their homes to show that they are child-friendly and are participating in trick-or-treating!
20. Avoid bottled water altogether, if you can.
Ever seen a use-by date on a bottle of water? That’s not telling you when the water is going out of date, but when the plastic is going to start degrading into the water itself. Therefore, you’d probably better pay attention.
As single-use plastic is one of the biggest causes of environmental and habitat destruction out in the open ocean, it is arguably best to avoid bottled water period, where you can.
21. Elvis was never much of an award-winner.
Elvis Presley may be regarded as one of the most legendary hitmakers of all time, but he was never a favourite at the Grammy Awards. In fact, he was nominated for 14 Grammys in his lifetime, and only won three of them. Compare this to his impressive string of UK and US #1 hits, and it’s clear there was a divide between Grammy panellists and the general public.
22. Buttons weren’t always practical.
Buttons are thought to have served an ornamental, decorative purpose, not a practical one. This is apparent from information going back at least five millennia, where it seems buttons made out of shells adorned clothing but didn’t hold them together.
23. Don’t try this outside of Grand Theft Auto…
In Los Angeles, the odds of speeding away from the police during a chase are surprisingly high. There’s an 18% chance you’ll get away from the feds if you’re quick enough, though you should obviously never try it! Maybe it’s thanks to all the cars! Either way – don’t risk it!
24. A legacy tragically destroyed.
Cracked Magazine, which still runs online to this day, dates back decades – however, its original paper archives were destroyed following the 2001 anthrax outbreaks.
25. Could maggots make us feel better?
Some doctors claim that ‘maggot therapy’ can help to cure multiple illnesses and treat wounds. Back in 2004, the first maggot therapies were approved in the US, after decades of campaigning from physicians.
26. Chef’s hats are intricately designed.
There are around 100 different folds in a chef’s traditional hat, which is called a toque. But why 100? It’s thought that each fold represents each unique way you can prepare and cook an egg.
27. Dolphins have names – it’s true!
Dolphins are thought to be able to call each other unique names, so that they know how and when to respond to specific signals.
28. We’re not the only superpredators.
The second largest superpredators after humans are cats. Superpredators are those which are able to wipe out mass numbers of species. Cats are adept hunters and are known to stalk and kill a huge array of different small prey.
29. “I never forget a face – but in your case, I’ll make an exception!”
The actor Brad Pitt is thought to suffer from a condition where he struggles to remember faces, apparently including his own.
30. Castro was a chatterbox.
Fidel Castro, the late Cuban leader, once spoke for a solid seven hours and ten minutes at a Communist Party meeting in 1986. He was known for his incredible endurance!
31. There’s a puzzle in a statue at CIA HQ.
There is a sculpture outside the CIA HQ in Langley, VA, which contains code – and it’s yet to be completely cracked. Three of the four inscriptions have been worked out by experts, but the fourth remains a mystery – and the sculptor is keeping tight-lipped.
32. Some cats can endure for decades.
Cats are known to live for many years, much longer than dogs in many cases. The oldest cat on record, Crème Puff, lived to be 34 years old.
33. Animals look out for each other!
Ants look after each other. Evidence shows that they will nurse wounded members of a party if they need support. However, some ants – those who know that they cannot be saved – will actively refuse treatment!
34. Just… avoid lava, period!
If you’ve heard of the ‘floor is lava’ game, where the aim is to avoid stepping on certain patches of the floor, you shouldn’t try it with actual lava. Experts believe that the air from the lava itself could kill you before you even took a step or two.
35. Sponges can rebuild.
Sponges are able to re-assemble themselves if they ever disintegrate or are squeezed out.
36. Some Walk of Fame spaces are seriously odd.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame has seen a few jokers come and go over the years. Comedy movie director Mel Brooks took it upon himself to wear an 11th finger when he added his handprints.
37. This one’s gross, so skip if you’re eating.
Modern dentures are a life-saver for millions of people. However, did you know that they were once less hygienic? While we’ve discovered that George Washington never actually used wooden teeth, many people in the 19th century wore dentures made from the teeth of the deceased!
38. Kidney transplants aren’t actually kidney replacements.
Getting a kidney transplant doesn’t mean you lose the first organ. It effectively means that surgeons simply install a third organ for you!
39. The English language is very complex.
There are words in the English language which have hundreds of different meanings. According to expert lexicographers, the word ‘run’ is thought to have around 645 different connotations. No wonder it’s such a hard language to learn from overseas!
40. Oscar categories have evolved over the years.
There are a number of Academy Awards which are no longer given out at modern Oscar ceremonies. Some discontinued awards include those given for best dance direction, best child performers and best titles.
41. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
ZZ Top had the same three members since the band’s inception. Two of the trio had beards, while the third generally doesn’t – however, his surname is Beard!
42. They’re lying to us!
Footballs used in the NFL are not made from pigskin, but from the leather of a cow, according to data.
43. A telling legacy.
According to Osama Bin Laden’s will, he requested that his children avoid joining the Jihad and al-Qaeda.
44. Not a bad way to make a living!
Many TV watchers in the US will recognise Vanna White as the co-presenter of Wheel of Fortune, who turns the letters. She is thought to be making around $8 million per year.
45. Bruce Lee feared only one other.
Bruce Lee, for all he was the master of martial arts and considered one of the deadliest performers on the planet, actually feared another man he thought would best him – legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. “He’d kill me,” Lee was said to have commented, should the two have ever come to blows.
46. Ford colours were originally more hassle than they were worth.
Henry Ford famously said ‘you can have any colour you like, as long as it’s black’ about his first Model T cards. However, this only happened after the first few years of Model T production, as it seemed colour paint took a long time to dry.
47. Some conspiracies go back hundreds of years.
‘Flat Earth’ theories are thought to date back centuries; however, it is thought that the belief was actually pretty uncommon from the 1500s onwards. It is only in recent years, and also thanks to the power of the internet, that the theories of a flat Earth have resurfaced.
48. Pandas are tricky to breed.
Panda fertility is extremely rare, which is why pregnant bears are treated especially carefully. However, it is reported that some pandas are able to fake signs of pregnancy, in order – it is assumed – to receive preferential treatment!
49. Advertising during the Super Bowl is seriously lucrative.
It is thought to cost more to air commercials during the US Super Bowl than during any other slot of airtime. It is known to cost millions for a simple 30-second advertising campaign or moment.
50. An odd defense to say the least…
Coca-Cola, who owns the brand VitaminWater, was once taken to court over misleading health claims. However, Coca-Cola defended themselves by claiming that ‘no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking VitaminWater was a healthy beverage’.
51. Training to be a cabbie? Clear your schedule.
London taxi drivers have to take what is known as the Knowledge test, which means that they need to memorise up to 25,000 different streets. It could take three to four years for a cabbie to fully revise and complete the test. That’s dedication!
52. The Hubble is surprisingly self-sufficient!
Ever wondered how much power it takes to run the Hubble Space Telescope? Not much – in fact, making two cups of tea a day likely consumes more energy from inside your own home.
53. Out of firewood? Grab the corn snacks.
While many people find Doritos delicious, the corn snack is also extremely flammable. It can be used as kindling in desperate measures, and they will also burn for a very long time. The more powder is it coated in, the longer it will burn for.
54. The Easter Bunny wasn’t always hops and smiles.
The Easter Bunny may be a little kinder to children nowadays than his stern counterpart from 17th century Germany. He was originally a judge of sorts, deciding which children were good, and which were bad, before rewarding eggs to those who deserved them. Rather like a more judicial Santa Claus!
55. You can ‘like and subscribe’ to Her Majesty.
Queen Elizabeth, believe it or not, has her own YouTube channel. Whether she’ll be launching any of her own ‘reaction’ videos any time soon remains to be seen.
56. Any Apollo 11 tapes you see now aren’t official.
NASA no longer has any of the original tapes from the Apollo 11 TV broadcast. Any clips you see regurgitated now are from recordings or copies.
57. And finally…
The only number between one and ten with two syllables is seven. I bet you’re checking that now!