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| Adolf Hitler as a soldier during World War I |
"Briton” comes from the Celtic word “Pretani”, a tribal name meaning “the painted ones” or “the tattooed" people used by the Celtic tribe, the Brythons.
The most-visited presidential grave is John F. Kennedy's in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
On September 27, 2013 the actor George Clooney gave 14 of his close friends $1 million each as a surprise gift. The actor also paid their taxes for the year.
Despite 'centipede' meaning '100 feet,' a centipede has never been discovered with 100 legs. The closest, a species found in 1999, has 96 legs.
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| Lithobius forficatus Wikipedia |
In Guayaquil Ecuador, there is a statue in honor of the poet, Jose Olemedo. It is really a statue of Lord Byron.
The heaviest dog on record is an Old English Mastiff from London named Zorba, who was bred by Mrs I Prosser on September 26, 1981. He weighed 343 pounds and measured 8 feet and 3 in. from nose to tail. When the record was set in 1989, Zorba was aged eight.
In 1979, Japan offered new British prime minister Margaret Thatcher 20 "karate ladies" for protection at an economic summit. She declined.
The highest concentration of redheads worldwide is in Scotland with 13%, followed by Ireland with 10%.
A biscuit taken from the Titanic before her ill-fated maiden voyage fetched £3,525 at an auction in London on September 25, 2001. It was taken from a party held on the Titanic in Southampton by Captain Morris Harvey-Clarke, before it sailed in April 1912. The Spillers and Bakers pilot biscuit – a type of cracker made from flour and water – was described in the catalog as “in almost perfect condition with signs of moulding”.
In 1977 Mrs. James Duck of Memphis became history's fastest mother. Her triplets were born naturally in under two minutes.
Leonardo Da Vinci created a forced air central heating system for a castle in Milan in the late 15th century.
On September 24, 1989, the French Health Education committee launched a campaign for healthier breakfast, suggesting bacon and eggs.
The Scottish terrier was developed in Scotland in the mid-1800s as a vermin catcher and watchdog. It was originally called Aberdeen terrier.
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| Scottish terrier By Walescot |
The largest cemetery in the world is Wadi as-Salam in Najaf, Iraq. It covers an area of 1,486 acres.
Centipedes try to defend and protect themselves against attackers by producing a sticky and smelly substance.
Centipedes try to defend and protect themselves against attackers by producing a sticky and smelly substance.
The first portable calculator, the Canon Pocketronic, was placed on sale in Japan in 1970, and were soon marketed around the world. It was designed around three MOS circuits and could add, subtract, multiply, and divide. Selling for less than $400, the Pocketronic had no traditional display; numerical output was on thermal paper tape.
More electrical impulses are generated in one day by a single human brain cell than by all the phones in the world.
The first mention of a "basset" dog appeared in La Venerie, a 1585 illustrated hunting text by Jacques du Fouilloux.
Texas accounts for 7.4 per cent of the land area of the USA. It was 8.8 per cent until Alaska became a state in 1959.
The first mention of a "basset" dog appeared in La Venerie, a 1585 illustrated hunting text by Jacques du Fouilloux.
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| Early Basset (from La Venerie) http://www.basset.no |
The Nazis banned and burned the book Bambi because it was by a Jewish author.
Astrologer Girolamo Cardono predicted his death on September 21, 1576. When he felt fine for most of the day, he decided to make his prediction come true by killing himself.
John Wayne was born Marion Morrison. His first acting jobs were bit parts in which he was credited as Duke Morrison. "Duke" was a nickname derived from the name of a beloved childhood pet, a huge Airedale Terrier.
A "devil's advocate" is a person sanctioned by the Vatican to argue against the canonization of a potential new saint by pointing out their flaws and critically evaluating their miracles. The antitheist writer Christopher Hitchens served as a devil's advocate for Mother Teresa.
When Alfred Tennyson was appointed Poet Laureate, he borrowed the same suit to wear to the palace that William Wordsworth wore on his appointment to the same post seven years before.
Astrologer Girolamo Cardono predicted his death on September 21, 1576. When he felt fine for most of the day, he decided to make his prediction come true by killing himself.
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| Gerolamo Cardano |
A "devil's advocate" is a person sanctioned by the Vatican to argue against the canonization of a potential new saint by pointing out their flaws and critically evaluating their miracles. The antitheist writer Christopher Hitchens served as a devil's advocate for Mother Teresa.
When Alfred Tennyson was appointed Poet Laureate, he borrowed the same suit to wear to the palace that William Wordsworth wore on his appointment to the same post seven years before.
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| Alfred Tennyson, portrait by P Kramer |
The ostrich egg yolk is the biggest single cell in the world.
Queen Elizabeth II used her handbag to communicate. If she placed it on the table, it meant she wanted to leave the event in five or so minutes. Holding her bag to the side was a sign that she wanted to move on and a lady-in-waiting would rush to her side.
The first traffic wardens in the UK hit the London streets on September 19, 1960 and had the power to issue £2 fines. The first ticket issued was slapped on a Ford Popular belonging to Dr Thomas Creighton, who was answering an emergency call at a West End hotel to help a heart attack victim and had illegally parked. The ticket was subsequently cancelled after a public outcry.
The popular tequila-based cocktail called the Margarita was named after the Hollywood film star Rita Hayworth. (Her real name was Margarita Carmen Cansino).
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| Margarita cocktail |
In 1979 Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She refused the conventional ceremonial banquet given to laureates, and announced that she planned to give the $192,000 prize away to build more relief centers for lepers and the destitute.
More than five hundred people live and work in Windsor Castle, making it the largest inhabited castle in the world.
More than five hundred people live and work in Windsor Castle, making it the largest inhabited castle in the world.
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| Windsor Castle |
There are more than 10 trillion living cells in the human body.
Airlines are said to buy 50 per cent of the world's stock of caviar for their first-class passengers.
The American Constitution has 4,543 words and takes a half hour to read, making it far longer than the Declaration of Independence, which takes ten minutes to read.
The American Constitution has 4,543 words and takes a half hour to read, making it far longer than the Declaration of Independence, which takes ten minutes to read.
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| Page 1 of the constitution |
Olean, New York was the first city in the US to install video cameras along its main business street in September 1968.
The 26th Cavalry Regiment (Philippine Scouts) was part of U.S. Army Forces Far East's Philippine Department, during World War II. The last US Cavalry regiment to engage in horse mounted warfare they once repulsed a Japanese Tank Assault at Binalonan, Pangasinan.
A beaver can cut down a 6in diameter tree in three minutes - faster than a human with an axe.
A beaver can cut down a 6in diameter tree in three minutes - faster than a human with an axe.
Famous jazz musician Miles Davis started out as a teenager playing bebop with the saxophonist giant Charlie Parker.
The name of Moby Dick was inspired by a real albino whale called Mocha Dick which reputedly killed 30 sailors before being killed in 1838.
With 2,221 individual recording credits as of September 15, 2015, Ron Carter is the most recorded jazz bassist in history.
With 2,221 individual recording credits as of September 15, 2015, Ron Carter is the most recorded jazz bassist in history.
The queen termite has the longest life span of any insect in the world, living up to 50 years old, producing at times an egg every two seconds.
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| Mature queen termite surrounded by workers soldiers. http://www.scienceimage.csiro.au |
Bats always turn left when exiting a cave.
There are 1 billion cattle in the world — 200,000,000 of those cattle are in India, where the slaughter of cows is largely illegal.
American Jeremy Harper counted aloud every number up to a million, live on the Internet. He spoke for 16 hours a day, completing the marathon after 89 days on September 14, 2007. Harper did not leave his apartment or shave until he finished.
There are 1 billion cattle in the world — 200,000,000 of those cattle are in India, where the slaughter of cows is largely illegal.
American Jeremy Harper counted aloud every number up to a million, live on the Internet. He spoke for 16 hours a day, completing the marathon after 89 days on September 14, 2007. Harper did not leave his apartment or shave until he finished.
The cauliflower is a member of the same vegetable family as broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts and cabbage. The name cauliflower means “cabbage flower."
The first known use of the word selfie in print appeared in an Australian internet forum on September 13, 2002. Australian student Nathan Hope posted a picture of his split lip after a drunken party stating. “Sorry about the focus, it was a selfie."
The first known use of the word selfie in print appeared in an Australian internet forum on September 13, 2002. Australian student Nathan Hope posted a picture of his split lip after a drunken party stating. “Sorry about the focus, it was a selfie."
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| By Stewart Nimmo - part of the West Coast Wikipedian at Large project |
Former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke was the one-time world record holder for the fastest drinking of a yard (2.5 pints) of beer. In 1955 he drunk a yard of beer in under 11 seconds.
A mature oak tree can have as many as 400,000 caterpillars living it.
Domestic cats purr at about 26 cycles per second, which is around the same frequency as an idling diesel engine.
Domestic cats purr at about 26 cycles per second, which is around the same frequency as an idling diesel engine.
Castanets were developed from the ancient Roman crotalum, which consisted of two rounded hollows of ebony.
The term “catholic” (a Greek word meaning “universal”) was used in the early 2nd century for the first time in a letter of Ignatius, the Bishop of Antioch. to the Smyrnaeans. He was also the first Christian writer to stress the Virgin Birth.
During the September 11 attacks, Fox News began running a news ticker on the bottom of the screen to keep up with the flow of information that day. The ticker has remained in continuous use ever since.
In the 1999 movie The Matrix, Neo's passport expires on September 11, 2001.
Eighty per cent per cent of all avocados in shops are descended from one tree grown by a postman and amateur horticulturist Rudolph Hass in 1926. The tree eventually died of root rot and was cut down on September 11, 2002 at the ripe old age of 76.
A businessman Moti Shniberg tried to trademark the term "September 11, 2001," on that very day, as the Twin Towers and Pentagon were still smoldering.
In 1886 Theodore Roosevelt's horse, Hempstead, beat the world equine record for high jumping, clearing 6ft 8 in.
A businessman Moti Shniberg tried to trademark the term "September 11, 2001," on that very day, as the Twin Towers and Pentagon were still smoldering.
In 1886 Theodore Roosevelt's horse, Hempstead, beat the world equine record for high jumping, clearing 6ft 8 in.
Just like human fingerprints, a zebra's stripe pattern is unique to the individual.
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| Zebra Pixiebay |
'Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott' is an anagram of 'Novel by a Scottish writer.'
On September 9, 1947, a failure in an early computer at Harvard University was traced to a moth trapped in a relay. This is said to be the origin of programming errors being called "bugs". Actually the term "bug" had long been used for inexplicable engineering defects but the Harvard moth was the first bug caused by a real bug.
King George VI of the United Kingdom was an outstanding tennis player. Before he became the British monarch, he played at Wimbledon in the Men's Doubles with Louis Greig in 1926 (see below), losing in the first round.
According to research by Matt Stiles at The Daily Viz compiled from births between 1994 to 2014, September 9 is the most common birthday in the USA.
Jimmy Carter had the longest retirement of any former US President. He eclipsed Herbert Hoover's record of 31 years 7 months 16 days on September 8, 2012.
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| Jimmy Carter |
The name of Zimbabwe comes from the ancient ruined city of Great Zimbabwe. It means “great house of stones” in the local Chishona language.
The concept of zero as a digit in the decimal place value notation was developed in India, The earliest text to use a decimal place-value system, including a zero, was the Lokavibhāga, a Jain text from the mid fifth century.
The longest tightrope crossing by bicycle is 485m (1,591 ft) and was achieved by Swiss stuntman Freddy Nock in Erlenbach, Switzerland, on September 7, 2015.
The longest tightrope crossing by bicycle is 485m (1,591 ft) and was achieved by Swiss stuntman Freddy Nock in Erlenbach, Switzerland, on September 7, 2015.
Even when taking dinosaurs into account, the modern day blue whale is the largest animal to have ever lived.
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| Adult blue whale |
Queen Elizabeth I of England sanctioned a law in 1571 obliging everybody over the age of seven to wear a a "cap of wool knit" on Sundays and holidays. This was to help out England's ailing wool trade. Non cap wearers were fined 3s 4d for each day of neglect. It was repealed in 1597 as unworkable.
The first modern lock gates were installed on a canal in Milan in 1500. They were likely designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
The first modern lock gates were installed on a canal in Milan in 1500. They were likely designed by Leonardo da Vinci.
The world's first ever permanent color photograph, taken by Thomas Sutton for James Clerk Maxwell's pioneering 1861 demonstration of color photography, was of a tartan ribbon (see below).
In May 2016, Pizza Hut delivered a pepperoni pizza to the top of Kilimanjaro. This was the world’s highest ever pizza delivery and celebrated Tanzania becoming the 100th country with a Pizza Hut restaurant.
Facial hair doesn't "stop growing", but rather each follicle has a limited lifespan. People who can grow longer beards have follicles that survive for longer before falling out.
Facial hair doesn't "stop growing", but rather each follicle has a limited lifespan. People who can grow longer beards have follicles that survive for longer before falling out.
The first frame-by-frame animated cartoon film was Fantasmagorie in 1908.
The world’s first office computer was built in 1951 in the UK for the catering company behind Lyons' chain of tea shops. It's first task was to calculate the cost of the company's deliveries.
In the 1962 football World Cup, the Chilean team ate Swiss cheese before beating Switzerland, spaghetti before beating Italy, and drank vodka before beating the USSR. Then they drank coffee before their match against Brazil but lost.
In the 1962 football World Cup, the Chilean team ate Swiss cheese before beating Switzerland, spaghetti before beating Italy, and drank vodka before beating the USSR. Then they drank coffee before their match against Brazil but lost.
View from the Window at Le Gras is the oldest known photograph of a real world scene. French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produced it using a camera obscura in 1826.
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| Enhanced version of Niépce's View from the Window at Le Gras (1826 or 1827) |
The diamond is the only gemstone composed of just one chemical element, carbon.
A gongoozler, is someone who stares for a long time at things happening on a canal.
A gongoozler, is someone who stares for a long time at things happening on a canal.
There are more wild camels in Australia than in any other country.
The earliest surviving illustration of artillery is a drawing of a crude form of cannon in an English manuscript dated 1327.
King Charles II personally fought the 1666 Great Fire of London. He lifted buckets of water and threw money to reward people who stayed to fight the flames.
King Charles II personally fought the 1666 Great Fire of London. He lifted buckets of water and threw money to reward people who stayed to fight the flames.
Ernest Hemingway was a Red Cross ambulance driver in Italy during World War I.
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| Hemingway in uniform in Milan, 1918. |
George W. Bush gave up drinking alcohol on his 40th birthday after his wife Laura threatened to leave him.
The first coffee shop, called Kiva Han, opened in Constantinople in the early sixteenth century.
The first coffee shop, called Kiva Han, opened in Constantinople in the early sixteenth century.
The intercontinental airline service made its debut in 1927. The flight by Imperial Airways was from London to Cairo.
Calcium has been known since the first century, when the ancient Romans were known to make lime from calcium oxide.
After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, radio station XFM banned certain songs that might upset people. Banned tunes included "Drive" by The Cars, "Airbag" by Radiohead and anything by the Crash Test Dummies.
After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, radio station XFM banned certain songs that might upset people. Banned tunes included "Drive" by The Cars, "Airbag" by Radiohead and anything by the Crash Test Dummies.
Leonardo da Vinci designed a man-shaped robot that looked like a knight in around 1495.
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| Model of Leonardo's robot with inner workings. |
In 2000 Al Capone's toenail clippers were sold for £5,000 at an auction in San Francisco.
Bulgaria was founded in 681AD. It is the oldest European country that hasn't changed its name since it was first established.
Toronto-born Sean Shannon achieved The Guinness World Record for fastest talker when he read the famous Hamlet 'to be, or not to be' soliloquy at a rate of 655 words per minute on August 30, 1995.
Bulgaria was founded in 681AD. It is the oldest European country that hasn't changed its name since it was first established.
Although 227 minutes long, the 1962 Lawrence of Arabia film has no women in speaking roles. It is reportedly the longest movie not to have any dialog spoken by a female.
In 1955, the admission for an adult ticket to Disneyland cost $1, just double the price of a movie ticket.
In 1955, the admission for an adult ticket to Disneyland cost $1, just double the price of a movie ticket.
The Palace of Parliament in Bucharest, Romania ranks as the biggest office building in Europe.
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| The Palace of the Parliament |
James Buchanan (1791-1868) was the only unwed president of the United States. His niece served as White House hostess.
The first international cricket match took place as early as August 28, 1841 when 18 members of the New York club travelled to Toronto to play a Canadian "eleven." They played for a stake of $250 a side, and in front of a decent crowd, the American's won by ten wickets.
The world’s longest domestic cat, a grey tabby Maine Coon called Stewie, from the American state of Nevada. Stewie was measured at 123 cm (48.5 in) on August 28, 2010 and died in 2013. He also held for a time the record for the longest cat tail, at 41cm (16.5in).
The first international cricket match took place as early as August 28, 1841 when 18 members of the New York club travelled to Toronto to play a Canadian "eleven." They played for a stake of $250 a side, and in front of a decent crowd, the American's won by ten wickets.
The legendary Victorian preacher Charles Spurgeon was so popular that Queen Victoria once donned a disguise so she could sneak into one of his services and hear what he had to say.
The shortest run for a West End play in London was a 1888 production of Lord Lytton's 1838 melodrama The Lady of Lyons. The audience was asked to leave after waiting for an hour because nobody could raise the safety curtain. The play was cancelled after that fiasco.
The 10,000 year old Pesse canoe, the world's oldest known boat, was found in a Dutch peat bog. Measuring 298 centimeters (117 in) long and 44 centimeters (17 in) wide, it was carved from a pine log, possibly using antlers as tools.
The shortest run for a West End play in London was a 1888 production of Lord Lytton's 1838 melodrama The Lady of Lyons. The audience was asked to leave after waiting for an hour because nobody could raise the safety curtain. The play was cancelled after that fiasco.
The 10,000 year old Pesse canoe, the world's oldest known boat, was found in a Dutch peat bog. Measuring 298 centimeters (117 in) long and 44 centimeters (17 in) wide, it was carved from a pine log, possibly using antlers as tools.
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| The Pesse canoe By http://museaindrenthe.nl/collectie/object/ |
Ancient⸒Greeks⸒and, Romans, hadn’t⸒figured⸒out⸒the⸒concept⸒of⸒spaces⸒so⸒they⸒wrote⸒like⸒this⸒instead. It was Irish monks who invented spacing between written words.
Mother Teresa was banned by the Albanian communist regime from returning from India to her home country. It was only in her late 70s she able to return to the land of her parents.
Mother Teresa was banned by the Albanian communist regime from returning from India to her home country. It was only in her late 70s she able to return to the land of her parents.
Miami Beach pharmacist Benjamin Green invented the first suntan cream by cooking cocoa butter in a granite coffee pot on his wife's stove, and then testing the batch on his own head. His invention was introduced as Coppertone Suntan Cream in 1944.
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| Wikipedia |
During the first Super Bowl in 1967, NBC was still showing commercials when the second half kicked off. The officials asked the Packers to kick off again.
Beethoven used to pour cold water over his head to stimulate his brain before sitting down to compose.
The Hyperion, a 380 ft redwood tree was discovered in Redwood National Park on August 25, 2006 by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor, and is thought to be the world's tallest living organism.
Ten books on a shelf can be arranged in 3,628,800 different ways.
Serial killer Rodney Alcala, who is believed to have murdered up to 130 people, was born on August 23, 1943. In the midst of his three-year killing spree in California between 1977 and 1979, Alcala was featured a contestant on The Dating Game, and was picked by the bachelorette. She never followed up on the date because she found him "creepy".
Beethoven used to pour cold water over his head to stimulate his brain before sitting down to compose.
Brazil is the longest country in the world, and spans approximately 2800 miles (4,400 kms) from north to south via land.
The extra air in potato chip bags that we whine about, really serves a purpose. It's Nitrogen and it preserves the freshness of the chips, prevents combustion, and creates sufficient cushioning during the shipping process.
Despite its impressive size, the buzzard is not a major predator, preferring a diet of carrion and earthworms.
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| Buzzard |
Ten books on a shelf can be arranged in 3,628,800 different ways.
Serial killer Rodney Alcala, who is believed to have murdered up to 130 people, was born on August 23, 1943. In the midst of his three-year killing spree in California between 1977 and 1979, Alcala was featured a contestant on The Dating Game, and was picked by the bachelorette. She never followed up on the date because she found him "creepy".
When Tabasco Sauce first hit the shelves in 1868, the price, when adjusted for inflation, of a single bottle was a massive $17.
William Henry "Boss" Hoover, the founder of the Hoover company, was a Sunday school teacher for 50 years.
In 1976 President Gerald Ford signed a bill posthumously making George Washington a 6-star general, the highest ever U.S. military rank. By law, no United States officer is allowed to outrank George Washington.
Johnny Cash fought for the rights of Native Americans. In 1964, coming off the chart success of his previous album I Walk The Line, he recorded the LP Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian. Radio stations refused to play any of the record. In retaliation, Cash bought a full-page advert that appeared in the August 22, 1964 issue of Billboard magazine asking: "Where are your guts?"
In 1976 President Gerald Ford signed a bill posthumously making George Washington a 6-star general, the highest ever U.S. military rank. By law, no United States officer is allowed to outrank George Washington.
Johnny Cash fought for the rights of Native Americans. In 1964, coming off the chart success of his previous album I Walk The Line, he recorded the LP Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian. Radio stations refused to play any of the record. In retaliation, Cash bought a full-page advert that appeared in the August 22, 1964 issue of Billboard magazine asking: "Where are your guts?"
Sweden is a nation of islands - 221,800 of them. More than 100,000 of them are located in lakes or rivers.
In 1925 there were 24,564,574 cars in the world of which 21,094, 980 could be found in the US.
The earliest reference to a ‘bacon sandwich’ listed in the Oxford English Dictionary was by George Orwell in 1931 and the first mention of a ‘bacon' sarnie’ was in the Daily Express on August 21, 1986.
In 1925 there were 24,564,574 cars in the world of which 21,094, 980 could be found in the US.
The earliest reference to a ‘bacon sandwich’ listed in the Oxford English Dictionary was by George Orwell in 1931 and the first mention of a ‘bacon' sarnie’ was in the Daily Express on August 21, 1986.
There are about 60,000 miles (100,000 kilometers) of blood vessels in each body. Laid end to end, they'd stretch around the world over two times.
There are about 37 million sandwich combinations available on the Subway menu.
The first recorded use of the word bongo for a pair of Cuban drums played with the fingers was in 1920.
Although white wine can be produced from both red and white grapes, red wine can only be made from red grapes.
The world longest flight by distance between two major airports is Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to New York. It can fly either of two completely opposite directions (over the Atlantic or over the Pacific) depending on winds and weather.
The tallest building in the world in 1885 was The Home Insurance Company in Chicago. It was nine stories tall.
There are about 37 million sandwich combinations available on the Subway menu.
The first recorded use of the word bongo for a pair of Cuban drums played with the fingers was in 1920.
Although white wine can be produced from both red and white grapes, red wine can only be made from red grapes.
The world longest flight by distance between two major airports is Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to New York. It can fly either of two completely opposite directions (over the Atlantic or over the Pacific) depending on winds and weather.
The tallest building in the world in 1885 was The Home Insurance Company in Chicago. It was nine stories tall.
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| Exterior of Home Insurance Building |
The crew of Apollo 11 who put the first man on the moon had the same initials as the first men on earth. Armstrong : Adam, Aldrin : Abel, Collins : Cain.
Adidas acquired in 1952 its signature 3-stripe logo from a Finnish athletic footwear brand named Karhu Sports for two bottles of whiskey and the equivalent of 1600 euros.
Adidas acquired in 1952 its signature 3-stripe logo from a Finnish athletic footwear brand named Karhu Sports for two bottles of whiskey and the equivalent of 1600 euros.
The peacock flounder fish is so skilled at camouflage that it can imitate a chessboard if rested on top of it.
Dublin passed a local by-law on August 18, 1946 forbidding taxi drivers from sleeping on the roof of their cabs.
The first commercial compact disc was produced at the Polydor Pressing Operations plant in Langenhagen near Hannover, Germany on August 17, 1982. It was a recording from 1979 of Claudio Arrau performing Chopin waltzes. Arrau was invited to the Langenhagen plant to press the start button.
The first commercial compact disc was produced at the Polydor Pressing Operations plant in Langenhagen near Hannover, Germany on August 17, 1982. It was a recording from 1979 of Claudio Arrau performing Chopin waltzes. Arrau was invited to the Langenhagen plant to press the start button.
The average weight of a human brain is about three pounds, which is about 2% of your body weight.
The first ever packaged branded product to be sold in England was Dr Robert James Fever-Powder, which was introduced in 1746.
The Beatles fired their original drummer Pete Best in favor of Ringo Starr on August 16, 1962. Afterwards, Best formed a new band and released the album: Best of the Beatles, a play on his own name. This led to disappointment from fans who bought the album without reading the track listing.
The rhododendron is named from the Ancient Greek for ‘rose’ and ‘tree.’
On August 16, 2013, Google went down for five minutes and in that time, the global internet traffic dropped by 40%.
The Bakossi people of Cameroon believe their ancestor Ngoe built an ark to save his family and animals from a flood.
John Evans of Britain managed to balance an incredible 275 glasses of beer on his head at the Haifa Beer Festival in Israel on August 15, 2013.
As a symbol of unity during the Third Crusade, Phillip II of France and Richard I of England slept in the same bed.
The most overdue book in the world was borrowed from the Sidney Sussex College library in Cambridge, Massachusetts and returned 288 years later.
The Beatles fired their original drummer Pete Best in favor of Ringo Starr on August 16, 1962. Afterwards, Best formed a new band and released the album: Best of the Beatles, a play on his own name. This led to disappointment from fans who bought the album without reading the track listing.
The rhododendron is named from the Ancient Greek for ‘rose’ and ‘tree.’
On August 16, 2013, Google went down for five minutes and in that time, the global internet traffic dropped by 40%.
The Bakossi people of Cameroon believe their ancestor Ngoe built an ark to save his family and animals from a flood.
John Evans of Britain managed to balance an incredible 275 glasses of beer on his head at the Haifa Beer Festival in Israel on August 15, 2013.
As a symbol of unity during the Third Crusade, Phillip II of France and Richard I of England slept in the same bed.
The most overdue book in the world was borrowed from the Sidney Sussex College library in Cambridge, Massachusetts and returned 288 years later.
Cologne Cathedral is the largest cathedral in northern Europe. Built in the Gothic style, construction was began in 1248 on the site of an older church and completed, 632 years later on August 14, 1880. It was the tallest structure in the world until 1884, after which it was overtaken by the Washington Monument.
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| The cathedral from the south by Velvet. Wikipedia |
The wives of two Beatles attended the same college. Paul McCartney's first wife, Linda, and John Lennon's second, Yoko, both went to Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York.
Recycling dates back to Plato who in the 4th cent BC wrote about the importance of making the most of waste products.
Recycling dates back to Plato who in the 4th cent BC wrote about the importance of making the most of waste products.
Indra Sabha (1932) is the Bollywood movie with the most number of songs - a whopping 72.
As a youth, Otto Von Bismarck was an indefatigable duelist. He was known as the mad Junker.
Woodrow Wilson obtained a Ph.D. in history and political science at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Wilson was the only US President to hold a doctorate degree, making him the highest educated head of state in American history.
Woodrow Wilson obtained a Ph.D. in history and political science at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Wilson was the only US President to hold a doctorate degree, making him the highest educated head of state in American history.
In 1895 Ernest Hogan composed several popular songs in a new musical genre, which he named ragtime. The term is actually derived from his hometown Shake Rag, a district in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Humphrey Bogart played chess by mail with GIs during World War II.
One cumulonimbus cloud (storm cloud) can hold enough water for 500,000 baths.
One cumulonimbus cloud (storm cloud) can hold enough water for 500,000 baths.
Chefs used 145,000 eggs to make the world’s largest omelette, cooked in the town of Ferreira do Zezere in Portugal on August 11, 2012. Using 880 lb of oil, 220 lb of butter and a pan 10 metres in diameter, the dish took six hours to cook — with 55 chefs using gigantic flat scrapers to keep the mix moving.
A baboon called "Jackie" became a private in the South African army in World War I.
During the Middle Ages, Oxford University had rules that forbade students from bringing bows and arrows to class.
During the Middle Ages, Oxford University had rules that forbade students from bringing bows and arrows to class.
The first modern rationing system was introduced in Germany in 1914 during the First World War.
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| First World War German government propaganda poster describing rationing |
Silent movie actress Clara Bow failed in the talkies mostly because of her thick Brooklyn accent.
On August 9, 2010, JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater quit his job in dramatic style. Irked by the behavior of a rude passenger, Slater announced his resignation over the PA system upon landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. He then grabbed two beers from a beverage cart and exited by deploying the plane’s emergency slide.
On August 9, 2010, JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater quit his job in dramatic style. Irked by the behavior of a rude passenger, Slater announced his resignation over the PA system upon landing at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. He then grabbed two beers from a beverage cart and exited by deploying the plane’s emergency slide.
Crew cuts originated from the hairstyle enjoyed by US college rower teams in the 1930s.
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| Author Jack Kerouac sporting a G.I. crew cut in 1943 |
A diesel engine can also be made to run on vegetable oil made from old cooking oil. This type of fuel is called biodiesel. This is not a new idea. Rudolf Diesel demonstrated his diesel engine in the 1900 Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) using peanut oil fuel.
In 1973, Mao Zedong told Henry Kissinger that China had an excess of females and offered the U.S. 10 million Chinese women.
Cacti are native to the Americas, the only exception being the Rhipsalis baccifera, found in Africa and Sri Lanka.
The San Francisco cable cars are the only mobile national monuments in the United States.
The world’s first revolving door was the Van Kannel Revolving Storm Door, patented on August 7, 1888 by Theophilus van Kannel of Philadelphia. Van Kannel came up with idea for revolving doors because he hated opening doors for women.
In 1973, Mao Zedong told Henry Kissinger that China had an excess of females and offered the U.S. 10 million Chinese women.
Cacti are native to the Americas, the only exception being the Rhipsalis baccifera, found in Africa and Sri Lanka.
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| Rhipsalis baccifera By Frank Vincentz Wikipedia |
The world’s first revolving door was the Van Kannel Revolving Storm Door, patented on August 7, 1888 by Theophilus van Kannel of Philadelphia. Van Kannel came up with idea for revolving doors because he hated opening doors for women.
The South American Goliath bird-eater tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) is the largest spider in the world with a 10-inch or more leg span, a body length of up to 11.9 cm (4.7 in) and can weigh up to 175 g (6.2 oz).
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| The Goliath birdeater by Sheri (Bellatrix on Flickr) |
The name of HAL, the shipboard computer in 2001: a Space Odyssey, is simply an acronym made of IBM's preceding letters.
On August 6, 1964 American researcher Donald Currey had a bristlecone pine tree known as Prometheus cut down in the Wheeler Bristlecone Pine Grove at Great Basin National Park near Baker, Nevada, only to find that it was the oldest known non-clonal organism ever discovered at the time, with the age of 4,862 years.
The world's first swimming pool was The Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan. Built in 2500BC, it was lined with bricks covered in a tar-like sealant.
On August 6, 1964 American researcher Donald Currey had a bristlecone pine tree known as Prometheus cut down in the Wheeler Bristlecone Pine Grove at Great Basin National Park near Baker, Nevada, only to find that it was the oldest known non-clonal organism ever discovered at the time, with the age of 4,862 years.
The world's first swimming pool was The Great Bath at Mohenjo-Daro in Pakistan. Built in 2500BC, it was lined with bricks covered in a tar-like sealant.
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| The Great Bath By Saqib Qayyum - Own work |
Emily Bronte had a cat called Tiger who played at her feet while she wrote Wuthering Heights.
Heavyweight boxer Tony 'Two Ton' Galento accepted a bet and fought an octopus with boxing gloves on its tentacles on August 5, 1946. The fight was declared a draw.
King George V of the UK was an avid stamp collector. At the time of his death in 1936, King George's stamp collection was so large that it had its own room in Buckingham Palace.
Hans Christian Andersen was a psychiatrist's nightmare and he was particularly neurotic about dying. The Dane suffered from the conviction that he would be buried alive and he used to carry a piece of paper with him that he would prop by his bedside each night, in case he should pass away during the hours of darkness. It read "I only appear to be dead."
Heavyweight boxer Tony 'Two Ton' Galento accepted a bet and fought an octopus with boxing gloves on its tentacles on August 5, 1946. The fight was declared a draw.
Russia's Big Diomede island and the U.S.'s Little Diomede island in the Bering Strait are only 2 miles apart.
King George V of the UK was an avid stamp collector. At the time of his death in 1936, King George's stamp collection was so large that it had its own room in Buckingham Palace.
Hans Christian Andersen was a psychiatrist's nightmare and he was particularly neurotic about dying. The Dane suffered from the conviction that he would be buried alive and he used to carry a piece of paper with him that he would prop by his bedside each night, in case he should pass away during the hours of darkness. It read "I only appear to be dead."
All Golden Retrievers come from Nous, a Wavy-coated Retriever and Belle, a Tweed Water Spaniel, bred together in Scotland in 1868.
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| A Golden Retriever |
Half of a cup of figs will give you just as much calcium as half a cup of milk.
A motorist in San Francisco was nearly killed on August 3, 2015 when a corroded lamp post suddenly toppled and crashed onto his car within inches of his head. The corrosion was caused by dogs and people urinating on it.
A motorist in San Francisco was nearly killed on August 3, 2015 when a corroded lamp post suddenly toppled and crashed onto his car within inches of his head. The corrosion was caused by dogs and people urinating on it.
Newborn babies can instinctively swim for the first four months or so of their lives. But this reflex is lost and has to be re-taught.
The indentation in a brick is called a frog, no one is really sure why.
DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleicacid.
49-year-old Stuart Kettell rolled a Brussels sprout to the top of the 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) tall Mount Snowdon in Wales using only his nose, to raise money for Macmillan Cancer support. It took him four days, completing the feat on August 2, 2014.
The Roman Emperor Augustus was very superstitious about putting his left shoe on before the right.
Hanover, Germany-born King George I struggled with English upon his accession to the British throne in 1714 and spoke to his Prime Minister Robert Walpole in Latin.
DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleicacid.
Hanover, Germany-born King George I struggled with English upon his accession to the British throne in 1714 and spoke to his Prime Minister Robert Walpole in Latin.
The advent of the music video was marked by the debut on August 1, 1981 of Music Television (MTV), a 24-hour music video channel. MTV (Music Television) made its debut at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981 The first music-video shown on the rock-video cable channel was, appropriately, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles.
The U.S. Congress passed a tax on long distance phone calls to pay for the Spanish-American War in 1898. The war ended four months later, but the tax remained in place for over 100 years.
John Wayne smoked six packs of cigarettes a day.
A power grid failure in northern and eastern India on July 31, 2012 left twenty states in the country without electricity. The blackout was the largest power outage in history, affecting over 620 million people, about 9% of the world population or half of India's population.
The U.S. Congress passed a tax on long distance phone calls to pay for the Spanish-American War in 1898. The war ended four months later, but the tax remained in place for over 100 years.
John Wayne smoked six packs of cigarettes a day.
The first mention of a "basset" dog appeared in La Venerie, a 1585 illustrated hunting text by Jacques du Fouilloux.
Table Tennis was banned in the Soviet Union between 1930 and 1950, because it was thought to carry a serious risk of eye damage.
Table Tennis was banned in the Soviet Union between 1930 and 1950, because it was thought to carry a serious risk of eye damage.
Peruvian alpaca wool comes in 22 natural colors, the most of any wool-producing animal.
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| By Foto:Damast User Damast on sv.wikipedia |
The taco predates the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in Mexico. Archaeologists believe that early Mexicans may have feasted on ground corn meal folded around fish caught in the country's lake region.
The Swedes executed Scottish-born adventurer Alexander Blackwell on July 29, 1747 for meddling with their line of succession. Blackwell's last words, “I’m sorry for the mistake but this is the first time I’ve been beheaded,” were spoken after he laid his head on the wrong side of the chopping block and was corrected by the executioner.
Today, July 29th, is National Lipstick Day. Did you know fish scales are used in lipstick to make it shimmer and reflect light?
The Swedes executed Scottish-born adventurer Alexander Blackwell on July 29, 1747 for meddling with their line of succession. Blackwell's last words, “I’m sorry for the mistake but this is the first time I’ve been beheaded,” were spoken after he laid his head on the wrong side of the chopping block and was corrected by the executioner.
Today, July 29th, is National Lipstick Day. Did you know fish scales are used in lipstick to make it shimmer and reflect light?
A claquer was a professional applauder who was hired by French theaters and opera houses in the 1800s.
On July 28, 1996, a man’s body washed up on a trawler in the UK seas. There was no identification on the body except a 25-year-old Rolex Oyster on his wrist. As Rolex maintains such meticulous service records, they were able to ID the victim and ultimately the murderer.
On July 28, 1996, a man’s body washed up on a trawler in the UK seas. There was no identification on the body except a 25-year-old Rolex Oyster on his wrist. As Rolex maintains such meticulous service records, they were able to ID the victim and ultimately the murderer.
The bumps on raspberries are called "drupelets."
The first commercial product manufactured in the US and exported to Europe was a glass bottle made in Jamestown in 1608.
The longest continuous dramatic performance was 23 hr 33 min 54 sec achieved by the 27 O'Clock Players in New Jersey, USA, on July 27, 2010. They performed The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco, a play written in a continuous loop and said to be totally pointless and plotless.
The longest continuous dramatic performance was 23 hr 33 min 54 sec achieved by the 27 O'Clock Players in New Jersey, USA, on July 27, 2010. They performed The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco, a play written in a continuous loop and said to be totally pointless and plotless.
The Wright brothers based the design of their first self propelled plane on the way buzzards spread their wings.
The Smithsonian says more patents have been issued for mousetraps than any other device.
In ancient Greece women didn't start counting their age until their wedding day, rather than the actual day they were born. They believed the wedding date was the real start of a woman's life.
In ancient Greece women didn't start counting their age until their wedding day, rather than the actual day they were born. They believed the wedding date was the real start of a woman's life.
Calling ground beef a 'burger’ dates from the invention of mechanical meat grinders in the 1860s.
Betel, a sort of chewing gum, is chewed by about 60% of men in Myanmar and almost 25% of the women.
Chuck Berry had a degree in cosmetology from the Gibbs Beauty College.
Fifty years before women were allowed to enrol into medical school, Margaret Ann Bulkley dressed as a man to study medicine and become her alter-ego, Dr James Barry. She obtained a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh Medical School, then served first in Cape Town, South Africa and subsequently in many parts of the British Empire. It was only when she died from dysentery on July 25, 1865 that her secret was exposed after 46 years working as an army doctor.
Harriet Beecher Stowe rewrote Uncle Tom's Cabin when she had dementia in her later years. She imagined that she was engaged in the original composition, and for several hours every day she penned long passages of the book almost exactly word for word.
Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded for the first time at the 1904 Olympics
Chuck Berry had a degree in cosmetology from the Gibbs Beauty College.
Fifty years before women were allowed to enrol into medical school, Margaret Ann Bulkley dressed as a man to study medicine and become her alter-ego, Dr James Barry. She obtained a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh Medical School, then served first in Cape Town, South Africa and subsequently in many parts of the British Empire. It was only when she died from dysentery on July 25, 1865 that her secret was exposed after 46 years working as an army doctor.
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| Photograph of Dr James Barry; approx late 1840s |
Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded for the first time at the 1904 Olympics
Jesse Owens won the 200-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics, while his teammate, Mack Robinson, finished second. Mack's little brother, Jackie, later would break the color barrier in major-league baseball.
The Emperor Nero won seven Olympic titles in total, including for acting, probably by bribing the judges.
The modern recurve bow used in the Olympic archery competition is based on a design from 1500 BC.
William Austin Burt was awarded a patent for the typographer, the first practical typewriting machine on July 23, 1829. It used a dial instead of keys to select each character. As innovative as it was, even in Burt's hands, the machine was slower than handwriting.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle sponsored a boxer at the Ancient Greek Olympics.
One of the founders of sleep research, Eugene Aserinsky, died on July 22, 1998 in a car crash after falling asleep at the wheel.
In 1979 starlings were in such large numbers in London that they stopped Big Ben by landing on the hands.
The first chocolate bar was created by JS Fry Sons of Bristol, England in 1847.
The modern recurve bow used in the Olympic archery competition is based on a design from 1500 BC.
William Austin Burt was awarded a patent for the typographer, the first practical typewriting machine on July 23, 1829. It used a dial instead of keys to select each character. As innovative as it was, even in Burt's hands, the machine was slower than handwriting.
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| Burt demonstrating his typographer |
The Greek philosopher Aristotle sponsored a boxer at the Ancient Greek Olympics.
One of the founders of sleep research, Eugene Aserinsky, died on July 22, 1998 in a car crash after falling asleep at the wheel.
All of Mr. Rogers' cardigan sweaters worn on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood were knitted by his mother.
The first chocolate bar was created by JS Fry Sons of Bristol, England in 1847.
Silent reading is actually a recent phenomenon. Only the most skilled readers of the Middle Ages could read silently.
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| Miss Auras, by John Lavery, depicts a woman reading a book |
The singer of the song "Wuthering Heights," Kate Bush, shares the same birthday as Emily Bronte, the author of the original Wuthering Heights novel.
The number of possible ways of playing the first four moves per side in a game of chess is 318,979,564,000.
The number of possible ways of playing the first four moves per side in a game of chess is 318,979,564,000.
"Budgerigar” is a version of the Aboriginal for ‘good bird’.
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| Budgerigar |
Until 1986, if you worked for the American brewing company Anheuser-Busch, you could drink
as much beer as you liked during the work day.
The first regularly scheduled in-flight movie, By Love Possessed, was shown for the first time on a TWA flight to first class passengers on July 19, 1961.
An average men's match at Wimbledon takes two-and-a-half hours during which the ball is in play for only 20 minutes.
You blink about 84,000,000 times a year.
The Ancient Greeks revered radishes and made gold replicas of them to be offered to the god Apollo.
In the United States, 1,712 surnames cover 50% of the population, and about 1% of the population has the surname Smith.
A 10-year-old Hungarian girl called Jadwiga was crowned King of Poland on October 16, 1384. Her title either reflected the Polish lords' attempt to hinder her future husband from adopting the same title without further act or only emphasized that she was a queen regnant. She reigned for 15 years until her death on July 17, 1399.
The first regularly scheduled in-flight movie, By Love Possessed, was shown for the first time on a TWA flight to first class passengers on July 19, 1961.
The 10,000 year old Pesse canoe, the world's oldest known boat, was found in a Dutch peat bog.
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| The Pesse canoe. By http://museaindrenthe.nl/ |
An average men's match at Wimbledon takes two-and-a-half hours during which the ball is in play for only 20 minutes.
You blink about 84,000,000 times a year.
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| Radishes |
In the United States, 1,712 surnames cover 50% of the population, and about 1% of the population has the surname Smith.
A 10-year-old Hungarian girl called Jadwiga was crowned King of Poland on October 16, 1384. Her title either reflected the Polish lords' attempt to hinder her future husband from adopting the same title without further act or only emphasized that she was a queen regnant. She reigned for 15 years until her death on July 17, 1399.
Lucy Slowe was the first the first African-American woman to win a major sports title. She won the national title of the American Tennis Association's first tournament in 1917.
Red is the last color to go when people lose their eyesight. Red is also the first color to return when they regain it.
Before joining the rock band Queen, their guitarist Brian May studied Astrophysics at Imperial College. He completed his dissertation in 2007.
Mao Zedong enjoyed swimming. On July 16, 1966 the 72-year-old Chinese leader chose to join 5,000 other swimmers in Wuhan’s 11th annual Cross-Yangtze Competition. He allegedly swam 10 miles (16 km) in just over an hour from the Wuhan Bridge over the Yangtze to prove his fitness and to prove himself invincible.
Boomerangs were found in King Tutankhamen's tomb in excellent condition. Some of them were capped with gold.
In a May 2015 interview, Pope Francis said he has not watched television since July 15, 1990.
The reason the portrait of Winston Churchill looks grumpy on the £5 banknote, is because the photographer had just snatched the cigar out of Churchill's mouth.
Before joining the rock band Queen, their guitarist Brian May studied Astrophysics at Imperial College. He completed his dissertation in 2007.
Boomerangs were found in King Tutankhamen's tomb in excellent condition. Some of them were capped with gold.
In a May 2015 interview, Pope Francis said he has not watched television since July 15, 1990.
The reason the portrait of Winston Churchill looks grumpy on the £5 banknote, is because the photographer had just snatched the cigar out of Churchill's mouth.
Before whistles were introduced, ice hockey referees used a cowbell. They had to switch to whistles when fans started bringing their own cowbells to disrupt game play.
On July 14, 2000, the French celebrated the first Bastille day of the new millennium with the world's largest ever picnic. It ran intermittently along the 600 miles of the Méridien Vert, a line that passes through 337 villages and towns.
France's Just Fontaine, holds the record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup; all his 13 goals were scored in the 1958 tournament.
On July 14, 2000, the French celebrated the first Bastille day of the new millennium with the world's largest ever picnic. It ran intermittently along the 600 miles of the Méridien Vert, a line that passes through 337 villages and towns.
England’s first coffee shop was opened by a Turkish Jew named Jacob at Oxford University in 1650.
The Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg suffered from Triskaidekaphobia, which is the fear of the number 13. As 7+6=13 he feared he would die aged 76. And he did: Schoenberg passed away in Los Angeles on Friday, July 13, 1951, at 13 minutes to midnight.
The Austrian composer Arnold Schoenberg suffered from Triskaidekaphobia, which is the fear of the number 13. As 7+6=13 he feared he would die aged 76. And he did: Schoenberg passed away in Los Angeles on Friday, July 13, 1951, at 13 minutes to midnight.
The first public radio broadcast took place in early 1910 when opera was transmitted to several receivers in New York City.
A black hole the size of a hydrogen atom would exert a pull from 2,000 feet away.
"Shampoo" comes from a Hindi word: The word "shampoo" entered the English language in the 18th century from the Hindi word chāmpo, which meant "to press, knead, or soothe" (like in a massage). It originally referred to a head massage, not specifically hair washing.
Scottish soldier Captain Robert Barclay-Allardice, (1779-1854) once walked 1000 miles in 1000 consecutive hours. His remarkable walking feat was performed at Newmarket between June 1 and July 12, 1809, during which he walked 1 mile (1.6 km) in each of 1000 successive hours, to win an initial wager of 1000 guineas.
Before the 1920s, surfboards were at least 100 pounds (45 kgs) and up to 16 feet 4.88 meters) long.
"Shampoo" comes from a Hindi word: The word "shampoo" entered the English language in the 18th century from the Hindi word chāmpo, which meant "to press, knead, or soothe" (like in a massage). It originally referred to a head massage, not specifically hair washing.
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| By thejbird - https://www.flickr.com/ |
Duke Ellington had synesthesia, a neurological condition where he experienced notes as colors and textures.
Scottish soldier Captain Robert Barclay-Allardice, (1779-1854) once walked 1000 miles in 1000 consecutive hours. His remarkable walking feat was performed at Newmarket between June 1 and July 12, 1809, during which he walked 1 mile (1.6 km) in each of 1000 successive hours, to win an initial wager of 1000 guineas.
Before the 1920s, surfboards were at least 100 pounds (45 kgs) and up to 16 feet 4.88 meters) long.
The British Army's first radar system, the Gun Laying radar, used up the nation's entire stockpile of chicken wire.
The world record for fasting is held by a 456 pound (207 kg) man who was able to survive due to his excess fat. Starting in June 1965, Scotsman Angus Barbieri fasted for 382 days consuming only tea, coffee, sparkling water and vitamins. He ended his fast on July 11, 1966, when he reached his goal weight of 180 pounds (82 kg).
Eric Clapton was expelled from Kingston College of Art because he was playing the guitar in class.
The size of a polo field is 300 by 160 yards (270 by 150 m), the largest playing field in sports.
The most times to unholster and holster a gun in one minute is 44 and was achieved by Will Roberts in Calico, California, on July 10, 2014.
The oldest known pet cat was found in a 9500-year-old grave in Cyprus.
Swedish pentathlete Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall was the first athlete to be disqualified at the Olympics for drug use after he drank two beers before his shooting event at the 1968 Summer Olympics to calm his nerves. His disqualification followed the introduction of anti-doping regulations by the International Olympic Committee the previous year.
The average height of an NBA basketball player is 6 foot 7 inches (2.007 metres).
On July 8, 1941 the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney along with the rest of her squadron attempted to shoot down the planet Venus thinking it was a high altitude bomber. Venus managed to survive the engagement.
Kim Jong-il became supreme leader of North Korea on July 8, 1994 after the death of his father, Kim il-sung. A big film fan, he had a collection of 20,000 movies in a private movie theater beneath a Pyongyang bunker. He wrote a 300-page book called On the Art of the Cinema that every filmmaker in North Korea was forced to read.
Chocolate was a novelty during the 1700s in England. To be eaten it was “stewed for hours,” deprived of “cocoa butter,” “reboiled with milk and flavouring,”and, just before serving, thickened with eggs.
USA's first ever television show was broadcast by NBC/RCA on July 7, 1936. It was seen by only a few hundred people who had access to the new television. The first ever program featured newsreel items, as well as a variety show of sorts, which included female dancers performing a water lily dance, a fashion show and some comic bits.
The chocolate bar Snickers, which is manufactured at the M&M's/Mars plant alongside Metra’s Elgin-to-Chicago Milwaukee West Line tracks, was named after the Mars family’s favorite horse.
The world record for fasting is held by a 456 pound (207 kg) man who was able to survive due to his excess fat. Starting in June 1965, Scotsman Angus Barbieri fasted for 382 days consuming only tea, coffee, sparkling water and vitamins. He ended his fast on July 11, 1966, when he reached his goal weight of 180 pounds (82 kg).
Eric Clapton was expelled from Kingston College of Art because he was playing the guitar in class.
The size of a polo field is 300 by 160 yards (270 by 150 m), the largest playing field in sports.
The most times to unholster and holster a gun in one minute is 44 and was achieved by Will Roberts in Calico, California, on July 10, 2014.
The oldest known pet cat was found in a 9500-year-old grave in Cyprus.
Swedish pentathlete Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall was the first athlete to be disqualified at the Olympics for drug use after he drank two beers before his shooting event at the 1968 Summer Olympics to calm his nerves. His disqualification followed the introduction of anti-doping regulations by the International Olympic Committee the previous year.
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| Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall |
The average height of an NBA basketball player is 6 foot 7 inches (2.007 metres).
On July 8, 1941 the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney along with the rest of her squadron attempted to shoot down the planet Venus thinking it was a high altitude bomber. Venus managed to survive the engagement.
The Ancient Egyptians made at least 24 varieties of wine. Its importance was indicated by the fact that while most gods were only worshipped locally, Sesmu - the god of wine - was worshipped throughout the country.
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| Grape cultivation, winemaking, and commerce in ancient Egypt c. 1500 BC |
Kim Jong-il became supreme leader of North Korea on July 8, 1994 after the death of his father, Kim il-sung. A big film fan, he had a collection of 20,000 movies in a private movie theater beneath a Pyongyang bunker. He wrote a 300-page book called On the Art of the Cinema that every filmmaker in North Korea was forced to read.
Chocolate was a novelty during the 1700s in England. To be eaten it was “stewed for hours,” deprived of “cocoa butter,” “reboiled with milk and flavouring,”and, just before serving, thickened with eggs.
The chocolate bar Snickers, which is manufactured at the M&M's/Mars plant alongside Metra’s Elgin-to-Chicago Milwaukee West Line tracks, was named after the Mars family’s favorite horse.
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair sung and played guitar in a band called Ugly Rumours while at university.
The dollar was unanimously chosen as the official currency for the United States on July 6, 1785. In the 1700’s, you could sell a fresh deerskin of a buck for one dollar – hence, the term “buck.”
In Switzerland, rabies was virtually eliminated after scientists placed chicken heads laced with live attenuated vaccine in the Swiss Alps, which the foxes (the main carriers of the virus) ate and therefore immunized themselves.
The game of backgammon was first played over 5000 years ago.
The dollar was unanimously chosen as the official currency for the United States on July 6, 1785. In the 1700’s, you could sell a fresh deerskin of a buck for one dollar – hence, the term “buck.”
An adult male polar bear typically weighs around 351kg (775lb) or the weight of about five men.
The game of backgammon was first played over 5000 years ago.
Due to its acute sense of smell, the bloodhound is the only animal whose evidence is admissible in an American court
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| Bloodhound |
The phrase "jet lag" was once called "boat lag", back before airplanes existed.
The usual date of The Earth’s aphelion, when its orbit takes it furthest from the Sun, is July 4.
The usual date of The Earth’s aphelion, when its orbit takes it furthest from the Sun, is July 4.
The Alaskan town of Glacier View doesn’t get dark enough for fireworks on Independence Day. Instead, they drive cars off a cliff.
The artichoke belongs to the sunflower family.
Today, 60 per cent of the world's buttons are made in one Chinese town, Qiaotou, which churns out 16 billion buttons a year. In addition, Qiaotou makes 80 percent of the world's zippers.
Today, 60 per cent of the world's buttons are made in one Chinese town, Qiaotou, which churns out 16 billion buttons a year. In addition, Qiaotou makes 80 percent of the world's zippers.
President Woodrow Wilson kept a flock of sheep on the White House lawn. He sold the wool and gave the money to the Red Cross.
Up to the age of about 6 months babies can breathe and swallow at the same time.
The surrounding trees at Bleinheim Palace are planted in groups to represent the Battle of Bleinheim.
Early developments in radio were called 'wireless telegraphy', which is why the radio used to be called the wireless.
The surrounding trees at Bleinheim Palace are planted in groups to represent the Battle of Bleinheim.
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| Family listening to the first broadcasts around 1920 with a crystal receiver. |
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair sung and played guitar in a band called Ugly Rumours while at university.
Nike's first "Just Do It" advertisement debuted on July 1, 1988. Nike ad agency executive Dan Wieden credits the inspiration for the slogan as being the last words spoken by convicted murderer Gary Gilmore before being shot to death by a firing squad in Utah in 1977.
The 1789 discovery of uranium in the mineral pitchblende is credited to German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth. Uranium was named by Klaporth after the newly discovered planet Uranus.
The actress Pamela Anderson was the first baby born on July 1, 1967, Canada’s 100th birthday. She was referred to in the press as Canada’s “Centennial Baby.”
The record for most trees planted in 24 hrs by an individual is held by Canadian Antoine Moses who planted 23,060 trees in one July day in Alberta in 2021.That's an average of planting a new tree every 3.5 seconds!
Nike's first "Just Do It" advertisement debuted on July 1, 1988. Nike ad agency executive Dan Wieden credits the inspiration for the slogan as being the last words spoken by convicted murderer Gary Gilmore before being shot to death by a firing squad in Utah in 1977.
The 1789 discovery of uranium in the mineral pitchblende is credited to German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth. Uranium was named by Klaporth after the newly discovered planet Uranus.
The actress Pamela Anderson was the first baby born on July 1, 1967, Canada’s 100th birthday. She was referred to in the press as Canada’s “Centennial Baby.”
The record for most trees planted in 24 hrs by an individual is held by Canadian Antoine Moses who planted 23,060 trees in one July day in Alberta in 2021.That's an average of planting a new tree every 3.5 seconds!
The supernova SN 1006 first appeared in the constellation Lupus and was widely seen on Earth beginning in 1006. It was, in terms of apparent magnitude, the brightest stellar event in recorded history, exceeding roughly 16 times the brightness of Venus.
George Washington had only one tooth in his mouth by the time he was inaugurated in 1789. He contacted a leading dentist in Philadelphia who produced state of art dentures made from exotic and lasting material: hippopotamus ivory.
The word “biscuit” comes from "bis coctus," twice baked. They were originally ships’ rations for Roman sailors.
The first tennis rackets, strung with sheep gut, appeared in the 15th century. Before players used their hands.
The word “biscuit” comes from "bis coctus," twice baked. They were originally ships’ rations for Roman sailors.
The first tennis rackets, strung with sheep gut, appeared in the 15th century. Before players used their hands.
Abraham Lincoln was the only US president who was also a licensed bartender.
Both Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel went blind after eye operations by charlatan surgeon John Taylor. Taylor was one of the most flamboyant quacks of his age, travelling from town to town in a coach decorated with pictures of eyeballs.
The stick that returns to the thrower was first described in detail and recorded as a "boumarang" in 1822. It'd now known as a boomerang
Both Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel went blind after eye operations by charlatan surgeon John Taylor. Taylor was one of the most flamboyant quacks of his age, travelling from town to town in a coach decorated with pictures of eyeballs.
The stick that returns to the thrower was first described in detail and recorded as a "boumarang" in 1822. It'd now known as a boomerang
Stephen Hawking tried to lure time travelers to his house by throwing a party on June 28, 2009, then sending out invitations later. Nobody showed up.
France is the country most reliant on nuclear power generating 71% of the country's total electricity, a larger percent than any other nation. It turned to nuclear in response to the 1973 oil crisis. The situation was summarized in a slogan, "In France, we do not have oil, but we have ideas."
The yen was officially adopted as Japan's national currency by the Meiji government in an Act signed on June 27, 1871. The Yen's name comes from the Japanese word "えん (en)," which literally means "round."
On June 26, 1862, Joseph Wells, cricketer father of the noted author H.G. Wells became the first bowler to take four wickets in four balls in county cricket.
France is the country most reliant on nuclear power generating 71% of the country's total electricity, a larger percent than any other nation. It turned to nuclear in response to the 1973 oil crisis. The situation was summarized in a slogan, "In France, we do not have oil, but we have ideas."
When George II of Great Britain and his forces defeated the French in Dettingen, Bavaria on June 27, 1743 during the War of the Austrian Succession it was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle.
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| George II at the Battle of Dettingen by John Wootton |
The yen was officially adopted as Japan's national currency by the Meiji government in an Act signed on June 27, 1871. The Yen's name comes from the Japanese word "えん (en)," which literally means "round."
On June 26, 1862, Joseph Wells, cricketer father of the noted author H.G. Wells became the first bowler to take four wickets in four balls in county cricket.
Miami Beach pharmacist Benjamin Green invented the first suntan cream by cooking cocoa butter in a granite coffee pot on his wife's stove, and then testing the batch on his own head. His invention was introduced as Coppertone Suntan Cream in 1944.
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| Original Coppertone ad |
The first ballpoint pens went on sale in 1945 at Gimbels department stores for $12.95.
The oldest extant soccer ball, circa 1540, was made of two oblong pieces of crudely-sewn leather. It was found stuffed behind paneling in the Stirling Castle bedroom of Bloody Queen Mary.
Because the eyes of a rabbit are positioned on the side of its head, they can see behind them without turning around.
The oldest extant soccer ball, circa 1540, was made of two oblong pieces of crudely-sewn leather. It was found stuffed behind paneling in the Stirling Castle bedroom of Bloody Queen Mary.
Because the eyes of a rabbit are positioned on the side of its head, they can see behind them without turning around.
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| By JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) |
David I, who was the king of Scotland 1124-1153, gave tax rebates to subjects with good table manners.
The name Chicago is derived from a Fox Indian term for 'place of the skunk'.
The name Chicago is derived from a Fox Indian term for 'place of the skunk'.
The longest journey by skateboard was 12,159 km (7,555 miles). New Zealander Rob Thomson started his journey in Leysin, Switzerland on June 24, 2007 and finished it in Shanghai, China, on September 28, 2008.
Sliding bookcases were used in the United States during Prohibition to hide secret rooms or spaces containing liquor.
Gamal Abdel Nasser became President of Egypt on June 23, 1956. He was elected by 99.9 per cent of the electorate, helped by the fact that he was the only candidate. Nasser held the post until his death in 1970.
Gamal Abdel Nasser became President of Egypt on June 23, 1956. He was elected by 99.9 per cent of the electorate, helped by the fact that he was the only candidate. Nasser held the post until his death in 1970.
The combination of strawberries and cream was first created by Thomas Wolsey in the court of King Henry VIII.
A similar game to basketball was played by the Olmecs in Mexico in 1000BC.
Superman's origin was inspired by the biblical story of Moses, whose parents abandoned him as a baby to save his life.
Osama Bin Laden was a keen footballer in his youth, playing center forward and he supported the English club Arsenal.
The giraffe's blood pressure is two or three times that of a healthy man and may be the highest in the world
The Romans called Australia ‘Terra Australis Incognita’ – ‘unknown land of the South’.
Superman's origin was inspired by the biblical story of Moses, whose parents abandoned him as a baby to save his life.
Tama was a female calico cat who gained fame for being a station master and operating officer at Kishi Railway Station on the Kishigawa Line in Kinokawa, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. She died aged 16 on June 22, 2015.
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| Station Master Tama |
Osama Bin Laden was a keen footballer in his youth, playing center forward and he supported the English club Arsenal.
The giraffe's blood pressure is two or three times that of a healthy man and may be the highest in the world
Everywhere above the Arctic Circle has 24 hours of sunlight on the day of the summer solstice
Over 87 million cards are sent each year on Fathers Day making it the fourth most popular day for sending cards.
Over 87 million cards are sent each year on Fathers Day making it the fourth most popular day for sending cards.
Congo (1954-1964) the chimpanzee was known for his "lyrical abstract impressionist" paintings. In 2005 Congo's paintings were included in an auction at Bonhams alongside works by Renoir and Warhol. American collector Howard Hong purchased three of Congo's works for over $26,000. One of Congo's paintings is below.
The term "decibel" used to denote noise volume is named after Alexander Graham Bell
A pint of milk in a supermarket can contain milk from over a thousand different cows
A pint of milk in a supermarket can contain milk from over a thousand different cows
A stag beetle lives underground for five years before emerging to mate for a few weeks, then die.
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| Golden stag beetle By fir0002flagstaffotos [at] gmail.comCanon 20D |
In 1879 Werner von Siemens, the founder of Siemens, demonstrated the first ever electric locomotive in Berlin.
Ancient Egyptian doctors had their patients eat seeds from a beetle to relieve pain.
Ancient Egyptian doctors had their patients eat seeds from a beetle to relieve pain.
The "swoosh" logo was created in 1971 by a graphic design student Carolyn Davidson and was purchased by Blue Ribbon for $35. The intention was to convey motion in its design. it was first used by Nike on June 18, 1971.
Astronomer is an anagram of moon starer.
The word “dude” was coined by Oscar Wilde and his friends as a hybrid of duds” (slang for clothes) and “attitude”.
The American War of Independence's Battle of Bunker Hill between the Colonists and British was fought on June 17, 1775 outside of Boston. Thousands of Bostonians sat on rooftops, in trees, on church steeples, and in the rigging of ships in the harbor to watch the American revolutionaries battle the British.
The word “dude” was coined by Oscar Wilde and his friends as a hybrid of duds” (slang for clothes) and “attitude”.
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| The Battle of Bunker Hill, by Howard Pyle, 1897 |
Iceland has the highest number of writers, books published, and books read per capita than any other country, with one in ten Icelanders expected to publish a book.
When a flaming object fell on a picnic table in Mississauga, Ontario on June 16, 1979, it drew worldwide attention and speculation as to its true nature. It was eventually revealed that the object, described as a flat, dark green rock with a diameter of 8 inches was a Frisbee thrown by the neighbor as a prank.
When a flaming object fell on a picnic table in Mississauga, Ontario on June 16, 1979, it drew worldwide attention and speculation as to its true nature. It was eventually revealed that the object, described as a flat, dark green rock with a diameter of 8 inches was a Frisbee thrown by the neighbor as a prank.
Vladimir Putin walks with his right arm held immobile and left arm swinging due to his KGB training - keeping his gun arm close.
A strawberry isn't a berry but a banana is.
Wind is essential for trees to reach maturity. The stress from wind allows trees to grow stronger, and without wind, a tree will eventually collapse under its own weight.
Wind is essential for trees to reach maturity. The stress from wind allows trees to grow stronger, and without wind, a tree will eventually collapse under its own weight.
The bidet got its name from a French word meaning ‘pony’ as it looks like an undersized horse.
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| Bidet |
The French actress Sarah Bernhardt collected chairs. She filled all the homes she lived in with them.
In the 1500s baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, Then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!"
In the 1500s baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, Then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!"
One acre (4047 square meters) of wheat can produce enough bread to feed a family of four people for about ten years.
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| Wheat field |
The comic actress Lucille Ball was stricken by rheumatoid arthritis early in her career and spent 2 years re-learning how to walk.
Up to June 13, 1920, parents had used the US postal service to post their children in order to save rail fares. On that date, sending children by Parcel Post was officially forbidden with the ruling that children are not "bees and bugs", the only postable livestock.
George Washington was naturally a redhead and did not wear a wig. Instead, he powdered his hair, which was naturally long and lustrous, to make it white.
In 1784, Yorkshire locksmith Joseph Bramah devised a ‘pick-proof lock’ offering a prize for the first to open it. American locksmith Alfred Charles Hobbs finally opened it 67 years later and received a prize of 200 Guineas — just over £20,000 or $28,5000 today.
The first perfect game in baseball history was achieved by John Lee Richmond on June 12, 1880. Before the game against Cleveland, Worcester Worcesters pitcher Richmond was up all night taking part in college graduation events, and went to bed at 6:30 AM. He caught the 11:30 AM train for Worcester and then pitched a perfect game in the afternoon contest to beat Cleveland, 1–0.
No cat can both purr and roar. Some big cats such as lions and tigers cannot purr, but instead roar.
The first popular superhero was Mandrake the Magician. The syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk, began publication on June 11, 1934. Superman arrived four years later.
The red beetroot was considered by the Ancient Greeks to be medicinal, whilst its juice was used as a hair dye.
Up to June 13, 1920, parents had used the US postal service to post their children in order to save rail fares. On that date, sending children by Parcel Post was officially forbidden with the ruling that children are not "bees and bugs", the only postable livestock.
George Washington was naturally a redhead and did not wear a wig. Instead, he powdered his hair, which was naturally long and lustrous, to make it white.
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| George Washington |
In 1784, Yorkshire locksmith Joseph Bramah devised a ‘pick-proof lock’ offering a prize for the first to open it. American locksmith Alfred Charles Hobbs finally opened it 67 years later and received a prize of 200 Guineas — just over £20,000 or $28,5000 today.
The first perfect game in baseball history was achieved by John Lee Richmond on June 12, 1880. Before the game against Cleveland, Worcester Worcesters pitcher Richmond was up all night taking part in college graduation events, and went to bed at 6:30 AM. He caught the 11:30 AM train for Worcester and then pitched a perfect game in the afternoon contest to beat Cleveland, 1–0.
The Japanese ‘Peace Bell’ at the United Nations headquarters, New York, was cast in 1952 from coins presented by 64 countries.
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| The Japanese Peace Bell by Rodsan18 at English Wikipedia. |
No cat can both purr and roar. Some big cats such as lions and tigers cannot purr, but instead roar.
The first popular superhero was Mandrake the Magician. The syndicated newspaper comic strip, created by Lee Falk, began publication on June 11, 1934. Superman arrived four years later.
The red beetroot was considered by the Ancient Greeks to be medicinal, whilst its juice was used as a hair dye.
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| Red beetroot |
The word 'beggar' is derived from Flemish priest Lambert le Bègue (d c1187) who helped homeless widows and orphans.
Chaucer referred to a cat flap in the Millers Tale section of Canterbury Tales.
Chaucer referred to a cat flap in the Millers Tale section of Canterbury Tales.
The teddy bear was named after Theodore Roosevelt. The American president's childhood nickname was "Teedie," but his adult nickname was "Teddy" (which he despised and considered improper, preferring "T.R.")
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| Pixiebay |
In the 11th century King Canute was the first ruler to issue passports when he issued documents to pilgrims on their pilgrimage to Rome.
Alexander the Great ordered his armorers to make helmets much larger than those worn by his troops. These were left for the enemy to find in the hope that they would be afraid to fight the "giant" soldiers.
The world's largest pizza was created at the Los Angeles Convention Center in January 2023. YouTuber Airrack teamed up with Pizza Hut to bake a colossal pizza measuring 13,990 square feet (1,296.72 m²), officially certified by Guinness World Records in January 2023. The enormous pizza comprised 13,653 lbs (6,193 kg) of dough, 4,948 lbs (2244 kg) of tomato sauce, over 8,800 lbs (3991 kg) of cheese, and around 630,496 pepperoni slices.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry were both in Afghanistan at the same time, before they met. Meghan was doing a USO tour with other celebrities for the U.S. troops while Harry was stationed in the Middle East.
The author George Sand opened a puppet theater in Nohant in 1847, showing plays written by her son.
When playing with female puppies, male puppies will often let them win, even if they have a physical advantage.
Alexander the Great ordered his armorers to make helmets much larger than those worn by his troops. These were left for the enemy to find in the hope that they would be afraid to fight the "giant" soldiers.
The author George Sand opened a puppet theater in Nohant in 1847, showing plays written by her son.
The plural of “computer mouse” has long been disputed. Some say “mice”, some say “mouses”.
Dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with the ears.
Dogs have about 100 different facial expressions, most of them made with the ears.
The Great Pyramid of Giza was built by 100,000 people working 10 hours a day for 23 years.
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| The Great Pyramid of Giza By Nina; |
Leo Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim took longer than planned to complete West Side Story because every Thursday they downed pens to solve fiendishly difficult crosswords from the BBC magazine The Listener.
The first household detergent, Persil, went on sale in Dusseldorf, Germany on June 6, 1907. In addition to soap, it contained both sodium PERborate and sodium SILcate, hence PERSIL.
The fighting on D Day was so intense that 4% of the sand on Normandy beaches today is made up of shrapnel from D-Day that has broken down.
An acre of corn is as beneficial to the environment as an acre of forest trees. Both have large leaf areas that absorb lots of carbon dioxide and release oxygen during the entire summer period.
The first household detergent, Persil, went on sale in Dusseldorf, Germany on June 6, 1907. In addition to soap, it contained both sodium PERborate and sodium SILcate, hence PERSIL.
The longest ever beard was that of the Norwegian Hans Langseth. It measured 17ft 6in when he died in Iowa, in 1927.
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| Hans Langseth |
The fighting on D Day was so intense that 4% of the sand on Normandy beaches today is made up of shrapnel from D-Day that has broken down.
An acre of corn is as beneficial to the environment as an acre of forest trees. Both have large leaf areas that absorb lots of carbon dioxide and release oxygen during the entire summer period.
Meryl Streep originally applied to Law School but slept in on the morning of her interview and took it as a sign she was destined for other things.
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| 1979 photograph by Jack Mitchell |
The asterisk derives from the 2,000 year-old character used by Aristarchus of Samothrace called the asteriskos.
On June 4, 1986, professional wrestler Kerry Von Erich was in a motorcycle accident that nearly ended his life. Doctors were unable to save his right foot, eventually amputating it. He continued wrestling while secretly wearing a prosthetic - even showering in his boots so no one would know. Erich's injury wasn't public knowledge until his death from suicide seven years later.
Each dolphin has his own unique vocal whistle. Because each whistle is unique, dolphins are able to call to each other by mimicking the whistle of a dolphin they want to communicate with. It's the equivalent of calling each other by name.
On June 4, 1986, professional wrestler Kerry Von Erich was in a motorcycle accident that nearly ended his life. Doctors were unable to save his right foot, eventually amputating it. He continued wrestling while secretly wearing a prosthetic - even showering in his boots so no one would know. Erich's injury wasn't public knowledge until his death from suicide seven years later.
Each dolphin has his own unique vocal whistle. Because each whistle is unique, dolphins are able to call to each other by mimicking the whistle of a dolphin they want to communicate with. It's the equivalent of calling each other by name.
In the later part of his life, George III of the UK suffered from recurrent, and eventually permanent, mental illness. Once when driving through Windsor Great Park, George commanded his carriage driver to stop. The king walked over to an oak tree, shook hands with one of its branches and talked to it for several minutes believing he was conversing with the king of Prussia.
As a result of BBC's anti product placement policy, Ray Davies of The Kinks was forced to make a round-trip flight from New York to London and back on June 3, 1970. He interrupted the band's American tour to change "Coca-Cola" to "cherry cola" in his recording of "Lola" in order to prevent a ban on the song.
Beijing is considered to the bicycle capital of the world as it has many parking lots dedicated to bikes alone. About 400 million of the world’s one billion bicycles are in China.
Nestlé, under the brand name Libby's, produces 85% of the world's canned pumpkin at their plant in Morton, Illinois.
The so-called Battle of Santiago took place during the World Cup on June 2, 1962. The football match between hosts Chile and Italy became so violent that police were called onto the field by English referee Ken Aston to escort players who had been sent off.
The King of France obtained a ceasefire during the Hundred Years War so he could visit Saint Thomas Becket's tomb at Canterbury.
The first recorded theft of a motor car occurred in Paris on June 1, 1896, when a Peugeot belonging to Baron de Zuylen was stolen by his mechanic.
The giant panda is the only species of bear that does not move its ears to pick up sound.
As a result of BBC's anti product placement policy, Ray Davies of The Kinks was forced to make a round-trip flight from New York to London and back on June 3, 1970. He interrupted the band's American tour to change "Coca-Cola" to "cherry cola" in his recording of "Lola" in order to prevent a ban on the song.
Strawberries are the only fruit with seeds on the outside of their skin. There are about 200 dry, yellow seeds on each berry.
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| Pixiebay |
Beijing is considered to the bicycle capital of the world as it has many parking lots dedicated to bikes alone. About 400 million of the world’s one billion bicycles are in China.
Nestlé, under the brand name Libby's, produces 85% of the world's canned pumpkin at their plant in Morton, Illinois.
The so-called Battle of Santiago took place during the World Cup on June 2, 1962. The football match between hosts Chile and Italy became so violent that police were called onto the field by English referee Ken Aston to escort players who had been sent off.
The King of France obtained a ceasefire during the Hundred Years War so he could visit Saint Thomas Becket's tomb at Canterbury.
The first recorded theft of a motor car occurred in Paris on June 1, 1896, when a Peugeot belonging to Baron de Zuylen was stolen by his mechanic.
The giant panda is the only species of bear that does not move its ears to pick up sound.
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| By J. Patrick Fischer - Wikipedia Commons |
Marilyn Monroe had a higher IQ (163) than that of Albert Einstein (160).
In Thailand, it was considered a capital offense punishable by death if someone touched the queen. On May 31, 1880, Sunanda Kumariratana, first wife of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam (now Thailand) drowned when her royal boat capsized on the way to the Palace. The many witnesses to the accident did not dare to touch the queen while she was drowning.
The record for widest tornado recorded was broken on May 31, 2013 by the 2.6 mile-wide (4.2 km) wedge tornado (rated EF3) that hit El Reno, Oklahoma.
The members of Led Zeppelin gave their drummer John Bonham a Harley Davidson for his 25th birthday on May 31, 1973. He promptly rode the motorcycle up and down the hallways of his hotel, causing thousands of dollars in damage. The next day, he wrote a check for the damages and said "Oh, and keep the bike."
Manchester United football club have never lost a Premier League game at Old Trafford when leading at half-time. This is an impressive streak dating back to May 1984.
Spanish military engineer and physicist Emilio Herrera Linares designed and built a full-pressure space suit "escafandra estratonáutica" in 1935, which was to have been used in a stratospheric balloon flight planned for early 1936.
In Thailand, it was considered a capital offense punishable by death if someone touched the queen. On May 31, 1880, Sunanda Kumariratana, first wife of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam (now Thailand) drowned when her royal boat capsized on the way to the Palace. The many witnesses to the accident did not dare to touch the queen while she was drowning.
The record for widest tornado recorded was broken on May 31, 2013 by the 2.6 mile-wide (4.2 km) wedge tornado (rated EF3) that hit El Reno, Oklahoma.
The members of Led Zeppelin gave their drummer John Bonham a Harley Davidson for his 25th birthday on May 31, 1973. He promptly rode the motorcycle up and down the hallways of his hotel, causing thousands of dollars in damage. The next day, he wrote a check for the damages and said "Oh, and keep the bike."
Manchester United football club have never lost a Premier League game at Old Trafford when leading at half-time. This is an impressive streak dating back to May 1984.
Spanish military engineer and physicist Emilio Herrera Linares designed and built a full-pressure space suit "escafandra estratonáutica" in 1935, which was to have been used in a stratospheric balloon flight planned for early 1936.
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| Space suit designed by military engineer Emilio Herrera Linares for stratospheric balloon |
The medium of exchange for many of the ancients was barley. It was replaced by metal coins around 625BC in Greece.
Spanish ultrarunner Ricardo Abad holds the world record for running a marathon every day for 607 consecutive days. He started on October 1, 2010 and finished on May 29, 2012. Abad ran all these marathons alongside working 8 hour shifts in a factory.
The Cincinnati Red Stockings, baseball's first all-professional team, won 130 games in a row between 1869 and 1870.
In the 1950s, the Egyptian Secret Service had their spy in London buy all of the James Bond books so they could analyze British espionage methods believing it was based on reality.
The world record for pancake eating was broken by competitive eater Matt Stonie at the World Pancake Eating Championship, held in Chico, California on May 28, 2016, when he shoved down 113 silver-dollar pancakes in eight minutes.
Spanish ultrarunner Ricardo Abad holds the world record for running a marathon every day for 607 consecutive days. He started on October 1, 2010 and finished on May 29, 2012. Abad ran all these marathons alongside working 8 hour shifts in a factory.
London-born engineer Alan Blumlein (1903-1942) invented stereo sound
recording in 1931, after getting frustrated that the sound from a single
speaker at the cinema did not match the action on screen.
The Cincinnati Red Stockings, baseball's first all-professional team, won 130 games in a row between 1869 and 1870.
In the 1950s, the Egyptian Secret Service had their spy in London buy all of the James Bond books so they could analyze British espionage methods believing it was based on reality.
The world record for pancake eating was broken by competitive eater Matt Stonie at the World Pancake Eating Championship, held in Chico, California on May 28, 2016, when he shoved down 113 silver-dollar pancakes in eight minutes.
Salvador Dali once arrived to an art exhibition in a limousine filled with turnips.
French Jesuit priest and grammarian Dominique Bouhours died on May 27, 1702. His last words were "I am about to - or I am going to - die: either expression is correct."
The Golden Gate Bridge's two main cables are long enough to circle the world at the equator more than three times.
In 1783 the best chess player of his age, Frenchman François-André Danican played and won three chess games simultaneously while blindfolded. Witnesses signed affidavits since they doubted future generations would believe such a feat was possible.
French Jesuit priest and grammarian Dominique Bouhours died on May 27, 1702. His last words were "I am about to - or I am going to - die: either expression is correct."
The sperm whale makes a series of clicking noises that can reach as high as 230 decibels making it the loudest animal in the world.
The Golden Gate Bridge's two main cables are long enough to circle the world at the equator more than three times.
In 1783 the best chess player of his age, Frenchman François-André Danican played and won three chess games simultaneously while blindfolded. Witnesses signed affidavits since they doubted future generations would believe such a feat was possible.
Soviet weightlifter Vasily Alekseyev set 80 world records between 1970 and 1977 more than any other athlete in any sport.
The Sami people of northern Finland use a measure called Poronkusema: the distance a reindeer can walk before needing to urinate.
Mahatma Gandhi temporarily lost one of his most prized possessions on May 25, 1947 when a thief took the five shilling watch which for 25 years had dangled from his loincloth. The thief is believed to have mingled with crowds which mobbed the leader of the Indian independence movement at Kanpur railway station on his way to Delhi. The thief felt remorse and returned it six months later.
Holstein cow Blosom was the tallest cow ever standing at 190 centimeters, or just a little over 6.2 feet. Blosom passed away on May 25, 2015 from an irreparable leg injury.
Mahatma Gandhi temporarily lost one of his most prized possessions on May 25, 1947 when a thief took the five shilling watch which for 25 years had dangled from his loincloth. The thief is believed to have mingled with crowds which mobbed the leader of the Indian independence movement at Kanpur railway station on his way to Delhi. The thief felt remorse and returned it six months later.
Holstein cow Blosom was the tallest cow ever standing at 190 centimeters, or just a little over 6.2 feet. Blosom passed away on May 25, 2015 from an irreparable leg injury.
Oscar-winning actress Geena Davis came 24th in the US women's archery championship in 1999.
Drilling began on May 24, 1970 on the Kola Peninsula in Russia, of the Kola Superdeep Borehole. It eventually reached 12,262 metres (40,230 ft), making it the deepest hole ever drilled and the deepest artificial point on Earth. The Kola Borehole has been abandoned since 2006 and only a small metal wield covers the hole.
Drilling began on May 24, 1970 on the Kola Peninsula in Russia, of the Kola Superdeep Borehole. It eventually reached 12,262 metres (40,230 ft), making it the deepest hole ever drilled and the deepest artificial point on Earth. The Kola Borehole has been abandoned since 2006 and only a small metal wield covers the hole.
Wendy's is named after founder Dave Thomas' daughter, Melinda—she couldn't pronounce Rs and Ls as a kid, calling herself “Wenda.”
The oldest examples of glass are Egyptian beads dating from 12,000 BC.
Fleming Koch and Nina Tolgard, both of Denmark, were married on May 23, 1988 in the world's first underwater wedding ceremony, which took place in Mauritius.
A Carmelite monk, Père Sebastian Jean Truchet, invented the ear trumpet.
James J. Ritty, owner of a tavern in Dayton, Ohio, invented the cash register in 1879 to stop employee theft.
Arthur Conan Doyle was obsessed with skiing long before it became an established pursuit. He was among the pioneers in making skiing, originally a Norwegian form of travel, into an international sport, and is credited with making it popular in Switzerland.
The Tokyo Skytree, which opened to the public on May 22, 2012, is the tallest tower in the world standing 634 meters (2,080 ft) tall. A broadcasting, restaurant and observation tower in Sumida, it is the third tallest (man-made) structure on Earth, after after the Merdeka 118 (678.9 m or 2,227 ft) and the Burj Khalifa (829.8 m or 2,722 ft).
Fleming Koch and Nina Tolgard, both of Denmark, were married on May 23, 1988 in the world's first underwater wedding ceremony, which took place in Mauritius.
A Carmelite monk, Père Sebastian Jean Truchet, invented the ear trumpet.
James J. Ritty, owner of a tavern in Dayton, Ohio, invented the cash register in 1879 to stop employee theft.
Arthur Conan Doyle was obsessed with skiing long before it became an established pursuit. He was among the pioneers in making skiing, originally a Norwegian form of travel, into an international sport, and is credited with making it popular in Switzerland.
Pilots aren't allowed beards due to the shape of an oxygen mask.
On May 21, 1898, the first car bumper was fitted. The bumper was fitted to a prototype vehicle at the Imperial Wesseldorf wagon factory in Moravia (now Czech Republic). The car set off on a test drive to Vienna and the bumper fell off after less than ten miles.
On May 21, 1898, the first car bumper was fitted. The bumper was fitted to a prototype vehicle at the Imperial Wesseldorf wagon factory in Moravia (now Czech Republic). The car set off on a test drive to Vienna and the bumper fell off after less than ten miles.
Duffel bags are named after a town of Duffel, Belgium, where they were first made.
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| US military-issued duffel bags.By Bahamut0013 |
Jonathan Davis, lead singer for the nu metal group Korn, played in his high school bagpipe band.
The first Band-Aid adhesive bandages were 3 ins (7.6 cms) wide and 18 ins (45.7 cms) long. People cut off as much as they needed.
The father of English hymnody Isaac Watts was only 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall with a large head, but was known for his generosity, humanity and godliness. One lady turned down his matrimonial proposal by saying, "I like the jewel but not the setting."
The English new wave band Duran Duran got their name from an astronaut in the 1968 Jane Fonda movie Barbarella.
When a farmer was injured by a fallen tree branch in 2003, an eastern grey kangaroo which had been hand-reared, named Lulu saved his life by alerting his family members to his location. She received the RSPCA Australia National Animal Valour Award on May 19, 2004.
On May 19, 1999 when Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was released into theaters, an estimated 2.2 million full time employees missed work in America to watch the Star Wars movie. it cost the US an estimated $293 million dollars from loss of productivity.
The earliest known bank was the Egibi Bank of Neuchanezar in Babylon, which was established in 575BC.
There are around 35,000 museums in the United States has more museums, a greater number than the combined total of Starbucks and McDonald's locations.
The first Band-Aid adhesive bandages were 3 ins (7.6 cms) wide and 18 ins (45.7 cms) long. People cut off as much as they needed.
The father of English hymnody Isaac Watts was only 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall with a large head, but was known for his generosity, humanity and godliness. One lady turned down his matrimonial proposal by saying, "I like the jewel but not the setting."
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| Isaac Watts |
The English new wave band Duran Duran got their name from an astronaut in the 1968 Jane Fonda movie Barbarella.
When a farmer was injured by a fallen tree branch in 2003, an eastern grey kangaroo which had been hand-reared, named Lulu saved his life by alerting his family members to his location. She received the RSPCA Australia National Animal Valour Award on May 19, 2004.
On May 19, 1999 when Star Wars: The Phantom Menace was released into theaters, an estimated 2.2 million full time employees missed work in America to watch the Star Wars movie. it cost the US an estimated $293 million dollars from loss of productivity.
The earliest known bank was the Egibi Bank of Neuchanezar in Babylon, which was established in 575BC.
There are around 35,000 museums in the United States has more museums, a greater number than the combined total of Starbucks and McDonald's locations.
The Prague astronomical clock was first installed in 1410, making it the oldest one in the world still working.
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| The Prague astronomical clock By Krzysiu "Jarzyna" Szymański |
Bacteria can live for centuries, as evidenced by the discovery of bacteria from the ancient Egyptian tombs.
The largest egg on record weighed 5 lb 11.36 oz (2.589 kg) and was laid by an ostrich at a farm owned by Kerstin and Gunnar Sahlin in Borlänge, Sweden, on May 17, 2008.
The inventor of the ATM, John Shepherd-Barron, was lying in the bath when he came up with the idea of a cash dispenser.
The Academy Award was rumored to have gotten its nickname of Oscar for its resemblance to a film librarian’s Uncle Oscar.
Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 16. 1975. Tabel was also the first woman to ascend all Seven Summits by climbing the highest peak on every continent.
The largest egg on record weighed 5 lb 11.36 oz (2.589 kg) and was laid by an ostrich at a farm owned by Kerstin and Gunnar Sahlin in Borlänge, Sweden, on May 17, 2008.
The inventor of the ATM, John Shepherd-Barron, was lying in the bath when he came up with the idea of a cash dispenser.
The Academy Award was rumored to have gotten its nickname of Oscar for its resemblance to a film librarian’s Uncle Oscar.
Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 16. 1975. Tabel was also the first woman to ascend all Seven Summits by climbing the highest peak on every continent.
The English philosopher Jeremy Bentham owned a cat called Langbourne whom he fed on macaroni.
Before Johann Gutenberg started upon his printing press in the 1450s, there were about 30,000 books in Europe.
Snow beer is the best-selling beer brand in the world despite mainly being sold only in China.
The human eye can detect more shades of green than any other color.
On May 14, 2008 there were 5,586 companies with over 200 years of history across 41 countries. More than 3,000 of those were in Japan and 837 in Germany.
Before Johann Gutenberg started upon his printing press in the 1450s, there were about 30,000 books in Europe.
Snow beer is the best-selling beer brand in the world despite mainly being sold only in China.
Max Verstappen became the youngest driver to win a Formula One race by winning the Spanish Grand Prix on May 15, 2016 aged 18 years and 228 days.
The human eye can detect more shades of green than any other color.
On May 14, 2008 there were 5,586 companies with over 200 years of history across 41 countries. More than 3,000 of those were in Japan and 837 in Germany.
The word 'bagel' comes from the Yiddish word 'beygal,' which itself is from the German 'beugel,' meaning 'ring.'
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| Three Montreal-style bagels: one poppy and two sesame bagels |
Scottish engineer James Watt, best known for his steam engine invented a mechanized method of copying manuscripts, the copying press, in the late 18th century. It became a commercial success and was widely used in offices even into the twentieth century.
The first place where a barcode was scanned was a packet of Wrigley’s chewing gum sold in June 1974 in Troy, Ohio.
The capture of the Tripolitan city of Derna on May 13, 1805 was the first time the United States flag was raised in victory on foreign soil. The capturing of the city ended the First Barbary War.
The word mile comes from the largest unit of land measure used by the Romans, the "milia passuum" meaning 1,000 paces. The Roman army, marching through uncharted territory, used to place a stick in the ground every 1,000 paces (where each pace was 2 steps).
The word “barbecue” comes from a word Arawak Indians in Haiti used. It first appeared in print in 1653.
The first place where a barcode was scanned was a packet of Wrigley’s chewing gum sold in June 1974 in Troy, Ohio.
The capture of the Tripolitan city of Derna on May 13, 1805 was the first time the United States flag was raised in victory on foreign soil. The capturing of the city ended the First Barbary War.
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| William Eaton leading the attack on Derna |
The word mile comes from the largest unit of land measure used by the Romans, the "milia passuum" meaning 1,000 paces. The Roman army, marching through uncharted territory, used to place a stick in the ground every 1,000 paces (where each pace was 2 steps).
The word “barbecue” comes from a word Arawak Indians in Haiti used. It first appeared in print in 1653.
Wrestling was so popular in Ancient Greece that, just as nowadays we may invite a friend for a round of golf or a game of bowls, Greeks asked each other to go wrestling together.
The 2015 and 2018 world champion of French Scrabble can't speak a word of French. New Zealander Nigel Richards managed to memorize the whole French Scrabble dictionary.
The waltz developed from the Bavarian country dance called the ländler. It was first introduced to English ballrooms on May 11, 1812. Most observers considered the waltz disgusting and immoral due to the physical contact involved. The Victorian Ladies' Pocket Book of Etiquette devoted ten pages into denouncing the dance.
Barcelona FC’s Camp Nou is currently the largest stadium in Europe with a seating capacity of 99,354.
The 2015 and 2018 world champion of French Scrabble can't speak a word of French. New Zealander Nigel Richards managed to memorize the whole French Scrabble dictionary.
The waltz developed from the Bavarian country dance called the ländler. It was first introduced to English ballrooms on May 11, 1812. Most observers considered the waltz disgusting and immoral due to the physical contact involved. The Victorian Ladies' Pocket Book of Etiquette devoted ten pages into denouncing the dance.
Barcelona FC’s Camp Nou is currently the largest stadium in Europe with a seating capacity of 99,354.
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| Oh-Barcelona.com from Barcelona, Spain - The Camp Nou Stadium |
General Ulysses Grant believed that onions would prevent dysentery and other physical ailments amongst his Union Civil War soldiers. He wired the following message to the War Department on May 11, 1864: "I will not move my army without onions." In response the U.S. government immediately sent three trainloads of onions to the front.
The Italian cartographer and explorer Amerigo Vespucci was one of the first Europeans to suggest that the lands discovered by Europeans across the Atlantic were not part of Asia, as Christopher Columbus believed, but instead a "New World." In 1507, a German cartographer named Martin Waldseemüller created a world map in which he labeled the new continent “America” in honor of Americus Vespucius, the Latinized version of Amerigo Vespucci's name.
The Italian cartographer and explorer Amerigo Vespucci was one of the first Europeans to suggest that the lands discovered by Europeans across the Atlantic were not part of Asia, as Christopher Columbus believed, but instead a "New World." In 1507, a German cartographer named Martin Waldseemüller created a world map in which he labeled the new continent “America” in honor of Americus Vespucius, the Latinized version of Amerigo Vespucci's name.
In 1912 Lovey's String Band travelled from Trinidad to New York City to make the first calypso recordings.
The word "Christian" only appears three times in the Bible.
When Carter Wilkerson tweeted Wendy's asking how many retweets he needed for a year of free chicken nuggets, Wendy's replied with "18 Million". He accepted the challenge and tweeted "HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS ." The tweet prompted the hashtag #NuggsForCarter. He collected nearly 3.5 million retweets in a little over a month, becoming on May 9, 2017, the most-retweeted of all time, at which point Wendy's gave him a year of free nuggets. It still is the second most retweeted tweet in the English language
On May 9, 2012, tennis player Samuel Groth of Australia served an ace recorded at 263 km/h (163.4 mph) during an ATP Challenger event in Busan, South Korea. The serve came during Groth's second-round match against Uladzimir Ignatik (Belarus). It's the fastest ever recorded serve.
When Carter Wilkerson tweeted Wendy's asking how many retweets he needed for a year of free chicken nuggets, Wendy's replied with "18 Million". He accepted the challenge and tweeted "HELP ME PLEASE. A MAN NEEDS HIS NUGGS ." The tweet prompted the hashtag #NuggsForCarter. He collected nearly 3.5 million retweets in a little over a month, becoming on May 9, 2017, the most-retweeted of all time, at which point Wendy's gave him a year of free nuggets. It still is the second most retweeted tweet in the English language
On May 9, 2012, tennis player Samuel Groth of Australia served an ace recorded at 263 km/h (163.4 mph) during an ATP Challenger event in Busan, South Korea. The serve came during Groth's second-round match against Uladzimir Ignatik (Belarus). It's the fastest ever recorded serve.
You cannot snore and dream at the same time. People normally snore when in deep sleep and at the same time we dream when sleeping soundly but still snoring and dreams do not go hand in hand.
The collective noun for starlings is a murmuration. The name may come from the sound their wings make when a vast cloud of them sweeps through the skies.
The collective noun for starlings is a murmuration. The name may come from the sound their wings make when a vast cloud of them sweeps through the skies.
The Löwenmensch figurine a lion-headed figurine from the Swabian Alps in Germany is the oldest known statue in the world, dating to 30,000-40,000 years ago.