In Iceland books are exchanged on Christmas Eve and you spend the rest of the night reading. Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country; & new books are typically published only during the Christmas season. This frenzy is called Jólabókaflóð, or “Christmas Book Flood.”
On 2 May 1845, a bridge in Great Yarmouth, England, collapsed…
On 2 May 1845, a bridge in Great Yarmouth, England, collapsed because too many people had gathered on it to watch a clown in a barrel being towed by four geese.
Joseph R. Beyrle is thought to be the only American soldier…
Joseph R. Beyrle is thought to be the only American soldier to have served with both the United States Army and the Soviet Army in World War II. His son John Beyrle served as the United States Ambassador to Russia 2008-2012.
After gaining a job as a singing waiter in…
After gaining a job as a singing waiter in 1938, Frank Sinatra boasted that he would “become so big that no one could ever touch him”.
A guy from Sweden rode his bicycle to Nepal, climbed Everest…
A guy from Sweden rode his bicycle to Nepal, climbed Everest alone without Sherpas or bottled oxygen, then cycled back to Sweden again.
Residents in Mosinee, Wisconsin held a mock Communist…
Residents in Mosinee, Wisconsin held a mock Communist invasion which had concentration camps, a purged library, and inflated prices. The mayor, seemingly unaware of the plan, died due to the excitement.
An Ethiopian Olympic runner couldn’t find a comfortable pair of shoes…
An Ethiopian Olympic runner couldn’t find a comfortable pair of shoes, so he ran the 1960 Olympic Marathon in Rome barefoot, finished first, and set a new World Record.
Research from Moscow State University & the University of Iowa discovered…
Research from Moscow State University & the University of Iowa discovered that crows exhibit strong behavioral signs of analogical reasoning—the ability to solve puzzles like “bird is to air as fish is to what?” Analogical reasoning only develops in humans between the ages of three & four.
The United States Department of Agriculture says a sandwich…
The United States Department of Agriculture says a sandwich must contain at least 35 percent cooked meat and no more than 50 percent bread.
The Coast Guard trained pigeons to assist in finding…
The Coast Guard trained pigeons to assist in finding people lost at sea. They sat in a dome attached to a helicopter, pressing a lever after spotting life preservers or debris. They had a 90% success rate in initial trials.