Lighthouse keepers constantly went nuts due to mercury poisoning from the fresnel lens lamps they used combined with isolation. It was a major issue for the USCG until a doctor took a look at the huge pool of mercury sitting under the lens.
Hat making in the past involved prolonged exposure to mercury…
Hat making in the past involved prolonged exposure to mercury vapors, causing poisoning which symptoms are sensory impairment (vision, hearing, speech), and a lack of coordination. this inspired terms like “Mad as a hatter” and of course, the mad hatter of Alice in wonderland.
An inmate filed a $5 million lawsuit against himself…
An inmate filed a $5 million lawsuit against himself, claimed he violated his own civil rights by getting arrested – then asked the state to pay because he has no income in jail.
George Lucas built his $4 Billion ‘Star Wars’ empire by accepting…
George Lucas built his $4 Billion ‘Star Wars’ empire by accepting a salary of $125K instead of $1M in the first Star Wars movie, but keeping the right to direct sequels and licensing (sell toys, posters, T-shirt, etc.)
US government placed beer near a nuclear explosion…
US government placed beer near a nuclear explosion in 1956 to see if it would still be drinkable after a nuclear fallout, and it was.
Osama bin Laden’s estranged son is a British resident, although…
Osama bin Laden’s estranged son is a British resident, although his visa was initially declined because he “failed to state his father’s permanent address.”
A lot of old movie theaters had “cry rooms” you could take your…
A lot of old movie theaters had “cry rooms” you could take your children to if they were becoming disruptive. This way you could still enjoy the movie while not disturbing other movie goers.
A teacher in Queens resigned after an investigation revealed he’d used…
A teacher in Queens resigned after an investigation revealed he’d used 11 sick days to compete in professional wrestling matches, once on a televised “SmackDown!” match against Kurt Angle. His name was Matt Striker. He got signed to the WWE, and still makes his living in the Wrestling Industry as a Commentator.
Time, spatial, and memory distortions are common in police…
Time, spatial, and memory distortions are common in police officers after shootings. One officer described a memory of “beer cans” floating past his face, with the word “Federal” printed on the bottom. They were the shell casings from the officer firing next to him.
In 1941 the world’s largest seed bank (created by botanist…
In 1941 the world’s largest seed bank (created by botanist Nikolai Vavilov) was housed in Leningrad. As the Germans surrounded the city forcing mass starvation, Vavilov’s scientists refused to eat from the collection, slowly dying of hunger as they maintained 16 rooms of edible plants.