In 1803, an English town experienced so many ghost sightings that its citizens formed armed ghost-patrols to catch the spirit. The hunt ended when a bricklayer dressed in white was mistaken for the ghost and shot in the face.
Honey bees aren’t native…
Honey bees aren’t native to North America. When they arrived from Europe they spread out faster than the colonists, and Native Americans considered the appearance of the “white man’s fly” to indicate the approach of European settlers.
In 1984 water beds were a $2…
In 1984 water beds were a $2 billion business with 3.4 million sold in the United States alone. At the time, 75 percent of all stores that sold water beds also offered a selection of water bed cribs.
The ABC TV show Turn-On debuted…
The ABC TV show Turn-On debuted February 1969. The first episode was so bad, one affiliate refused to return to it after the commercial break. Several west coast affiliates refused to air the show at all. Before the first episode had finished playing, the show was cancelled.
A computer repair shop employee…
A computer repair shop employee named Michael Gillespie decrypts ransomware in his downtime and helps victims for free. The FBI honored him with a Community Leadership Award in 2017. He isn’t charging for his services because he feels too guilty taking money from people just trying to get their baby photos back. He’s responsible for […]
Decades of studies have shown…
Decades of studies have shown that parenting has the largest effect on a child’s grades, not the quality of the school. Affluent families produce better grades regardless of the school due to having more interactions with their parents, resulting in a 30 million average word gap by age 3.
Ants have designated paramedics…
Ants have designated paramedics that are assigned to rescue their wounded soldiers, carry them back to their nest and help them heal by gently holding the hurt limb in place with their mandibles and front legs while intensely “licking” the wound for up to 4 minutes.
Don LaFontaine, the movie…
Don LaFontaine, the movie trailer voice guy, offered to record an answering machine message for anyone that contacted him, if he had the time. He received so many requests, he had to stop offering.
In Japanese Folklore, Ijuu…
In Japanese folklore, Ijuu is a strange beast that lives in the forests. If you are hiking and run into Ijuu, don’t be scared. Just offer to split your lunch with it and the beast will most likely repay you by carrying your heavy backpack.
Politicians mocked John Adams, nicknaming…
Politicians mocked John Adams, nicknaming him “His Rotundity” after he had suggested that the president should be titled like royalty, suggesting titles such as, “His Majesty the President” and “His Highness, the President of the United States of America, and Protector of the Rights of the Same”.