Elvis was originally blonde. He started colouring his hair black for an edgier look. Sometimes, he would touch it up himself using shoe polish.
100 Mind-Blowing Would Facts
In 2009, Stephen Hawking held a reception for time travellers but didn’t publicize it until after. This way, only those who could time travel would be able to attend. Nobody else attended.
A wildlife technician, Richard Thomas, took the famous tongue-twister “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood” and calculated a rough estimate of what the answer would be. It came out to be around 700 pounds.
Scientists discovered sharks living in an active underwater volcano. Divers cannot investigate because they would get burns from the acidity and heat.
To properly write adjectives in order, you would list them by amount, value, size, temperature, age, shape, colour, origin, and material.
In 2014, Princeton researchers determined that Facebook would lose 80% of its users by 2017.
The longest Cricket Test match lasted over 12 days between England and South Africa. It only ended because the English team would have missed their boat home.
Whenever Charles Dickens was away from home, he would always realign the bed he was sleeping in to face Northwards, as he felt that this fostered and unlocked his creativity.
During the Second World War, German tank drivers would drive their vehicles over camel droppings, thinking it would bring them good luck.
The money for the Statue of Liberty came from fundraising from auctions, a lottery, and boxing matches in Europe and the U.S. The Statue cost the French about $250,000, which today would be over 5.5 million dollars.
Dinosaurs would swallow large rocks which stayed in their stomach to help churn and digest food.
During the first live iPhone presentation, Steve Jobs had to frequently switch phones behind his desk. Otherwise, it would run out of RAM and crash.
In 18th Century England, having a pineapple was a symbol of wealth because of high import fees. They would be used as displays instead of being eaten.
If you ate nothing but rabbit meat, you would die from protein poisoning. This would be a mixture of too much protein and an absence of fat in the diet.
When Blackbeard captured ships, many of the African slaves on board would go on to become pirates. When he died, nearly one-third of his total crew were former slaves.
Calling “shotgun” when riding in a car comes from the term “shotgun messenger.” This term was used to refer to the guard who sat next to the Stagecoach driver. The guards would use a shotgun to keep robbers and criminals away. It made its way into society due to Hollywood’s love of Western flicks.
In the early 1900s, there was a pod of killer whales that helped humans hunt down other whales in Australia. They would do this for the fins and tongues of the captured whales as rewards, and this agreement was known as “The Law of Tongue.”
The word “Gymnastics” linguistically means “to train naked.” It is derived from the two Ancient Greek words “gumnasía” (athletic training, exercise) and “gumnós” (naked). This is because many Greek athletes would train naked for the Olympic games.
In the 1830s, the ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali Pasha, wanted to disassemble the Giza Pyramids and use them as pre-cut building materials. Thankfully, the Quantity Surveyor for the project fudged the figures and made it look like it would cost too much to save them.
There is such an expansive collection of books in the British Library in their archive that if a person could read 5 books per day, it would take 80,000 years to complete.
The modern salute is believed to be derived from how French Knights would greet each other by lifting the visors of their helmets.
Another term for your nieces or nephews would be “niblings.”
Makeup has been used by women since before Cleopatra’s time. They would use berries and other fruits to give their faces some colour.
In Texas, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, it is legal to kill Bigfoot if you find it. It would be considered a non-protected nongame animal.
“Led Zeppelin” originally wanted to be called “Lead Zeppelin,” but they felt that “thick Americans” would pronounce the word wrong.
The smallest possible measurement of length is known as the Planck Length. Anything smaller than this would break everything we understand about physics.
All the world’s bacteria stacked on top of each other would stretch for 10 billion light-years. Together, Earth’s 0.001mm-long microbes could wrap around the Milky Way over 20,000 times.
Most maps of the world are wrong. On most maps, the Mercator projection – first developed in 1569 – is still used. This method is wildly inaccurate and makes Alaska appear as large as Brazil and Greenland 14 times larger than it is. For a map to be completely accurate, it would need to be life-size and round, not flat.
Most ginger cats are male. There are roughly three ginger male cats to one ginger female. This is because the ginger gene is found on the X chromosome, meaning female cats would require two copies of the gene to become ginger whilst males only need one.
LEGO bricks withstand compression better than concrete. An ordinary plastic LEGO brick can support the weight of 375,000 other bricks before it fails. This, theoretically, would let you build a tower nearing 3.5km in height. Scaling this up to house-size bricks, however, would cost far too much.
If the Earth doubled in size, trees would immediately fall over. This is because surface gravity would be doubled. It would also mean dog-size and larger animals would not be able to run without breaking a leg.
It would take you approximately 18 months to walk along The Great Wall of China. (It’s over 5,000 miles long).
It would take 19 minutes to fall to the centre of the Earth.
In 1871, Potter Palmer, a Chicago businessman, built Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel, for a wedding gift for his wife, Bertha, who in 1893 asked the hotel’s pastry chef to make a chocolate cake-like treat that would be easy to transport for the World’s Columbian Exposition. The result of this request was the Palmer House Brownie, made of thick chocolate and topped with a walnut and apricot glaze and later published in a Sears Roebuck Catalog in 1898.
The circulatory system is more than 60,000 miles long. If a child’s entire circulatory system—we’re talking veins, arteries, and capillaries—were laid out flat, it would stretch for more than 60,000 miles, according to the Franklin Institute. By the time we reach adulthood, our bodies have become home to approximately 100,000 miles of blood vessels.
The longest English word is 189,819 letters long. We won’t spell it out here, but the full name for the protein nicknamed titin would take three and a half hours to say out loud. While this is, by far, the longest word in English, the longest word in the Oxford English Dictionary has 45 letters, and the longest made-up word has just 28. Just a few more interesting facts for your next cocktail party!
The current American flag was designed by a high school student. It started as a school project for Bob Heft’s junior-year history class in 1958, and it only earned a B-minus. His design had 50 stars, even though Alaska and Hawaii weren’t states yet; Heft figured the two would earn statehood soon and showed the government his design. After President Dwight D. Eisenhower called to say the design was approved, Heft’s teacher changed his grade to an A.
Europeans were scared of eating tomatoes when they were introduced. Scholars think Hernán Cortés brought the seeds in 1519 with the intent of the fruits being used ornamentally in gardens. By the 1700s, aristocrats started eating tomatoes, but they were convinced the fruits were poisonous because people would die after eating them. In reality, the acidity from the tomatoes brought out the lead in their pewter plates, and they died of lead poisoning.
Paint used to be stored in pig bladders. The bladder would be sealed with a string and then pricked to get the paint out. This option wasn’t the best because it would often break open. American painter John G. Rand was the innovator who, in the 19th century, made paint tubes from tin and screw caps.
An employee at Pixar accidentally deleted a sequence of Toy Story 2 during production. Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar, wrote in his book, Creativity Inc., that the year before the movie came out, someone entered the command ‘/bin/rm -r -f *’ on the drive where the files were saved, and scenes started deleting. It would have taken a year to recreate what was deleted, but luckily another employee had a backup of the entire film on her laptop at home.
Baseball umpires used to sit in rocking chairs. People have been playing baseball since the mid-19th century. In the early days, umpires would officiate the games while reclining in a rocking chair located 20 feet behind home plate. By 1878, the National League also declared that home teams must pay umpires $5 per game.
The first commercial passenger flight lasted only 23 minutes. In 1914, Abram Pheil paid $400 (which would be $8,500 today) for a 23-minute plane ride. The Florida flight flew between Saint Petersburg and Tampa, where only 21 miles of water separated the cities. Pheil, a former mayor of Saint Petersburg, and the pilot, Tony Jannus, were the only passengers. This momentous flight paved the way for air travel as we know it.
Dunce caps used to be signs of intelligence. Thirteenth-century philosopher John Duns Scotus believed that a pointed cap would help spread knowledge from the tip to the brain, and his “Dunsmen” followers wore them as a badge of honour. In the 1500s, though, his ideas became less popular and the meaning of the Duns cap was turned on its head, becoming something of a joke.
The British royal family is named after Windsor. You’d think Windsor Castle was named after the House of Windsor, but it’s the other way around. The royal family changed its name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1917 so it would sound less German and chose Windsor because they had ties with the English town.
The inventor of the Internet regrets the URL setup. Tim Berners-Lee, who created the main software of the World Wide Web, admitted he regrets one thing: Adding “//” after “https:” in a web address. It was standard for programming but didn’t serve any real purpose, and when looking back in 2009, he said leaving it out would have saved time and space. We guess we can forgive him.
It would take 19 minutes to fall to the centre of the Earth. Scientists have worked this out, they haven’t tried it in real life.
Queen Elizabeth II had a stand-in to make sure the sun wouldn’t get in her eyes. Ella Slack was a similar height to the late Queen, so she would rehearse big events beforehand to make sure everything would be comfortable for the monarch. However, she wasn’t allowed to sit on the throne, so she had to squat above it.
Spiked and studded dog collars were an Ancient Greek invention. Who would think that the spiked collars we see on cartoon characters or the local scene kids had ancient origins? Ancient Greek herders would give their sheep-dogs sharply spiked collars as protection from wolves while they guarded livestock at night.
Artist Salvador Dali would get out of paying at restaurants by drawing on the checks. The renowned artist responsible for Chupa Chupp’s logo was not a fan of paying for his meals. Often, he would draw on the checks, making them priceless works of art. He may be stingy and obsessed with money, but you gotta give the guy credit for his genius.
You could go to jail for collecting eagle feathers in the U.S. Only official members of federally accepted Native American tribes can keep or collect eagle feathers. If a regular citizen had one, it would be illegal.
If you ate nothing but rabbit meat, you would die from protein poisoning. Rabbit meat is extremely lean. Using it as a sole food source will leave you with too much protein and no fat, which is toxic for the body.
Crocodile poop was the first contraceptive. The Ancient Egyptians certainly had a unique way of doing things. One of the fun facts about Egypt is how they practised safe sex: Women would insert crocodile dung into their vaginas. (Uh, fun?!) The science was that it would soften when it reached body temperature, forming a barrier.
In Elizabethan England, the spoon was so novel and prized that people carried their folding spoons to banquets. In the 13th century, the coronation of every British king was preceded by a ritual where the new king would be anointed with a ceremonial spoon.
Over 70% of people would reveal their passwords for chocolate. In a 2004 study, 71% of office workers stopped on the street agreed to give up their computer passwords for a chocolate bar. Who could blame them?
Henry Cavill’s muscles are the real deal. Henry Cavill refused to take steroids for his role as Superman. He also refused digital enhancements, so the hulking physique you see in the films is all-natural. He reasoned that it would have been dishonest to manipulate the Superman look.
There were 25 snakes found on The Maze Runner set. The grassy plains of the first Maze Runner film create a fearful anticipation of what lies within – and for the film’s cast and crew, it would have been snakes. Before shooting, the production team had to hire snake wranglers to clear out the area. They located a total of 25 venomous snakes – with the biggest one they found at 5 feet long.
Victorians said “prunes” when taking pictures. Whenever we take photos, we say “cheese” because it makes us smile. However, smiling in photographs was once seen as a vulgar act. To keep a neutral face, they would say “prunes,” but there was little to no chance of it forming a smile.
There are more than 24 time zones around the world. If the Earth’s time zones were only one hour apart, then we would have 24 time zones. However, many time zones only differ by 30 to 45 minutes. This means that there must be more than 24 existing time zones.
The place where cartoon characters store things, just to pull out of thin air, is known as “Hammerspace”. If you’ve ever seen Tom & Jerry, you’d be familiar with those scenes where Jerry would pull a bat out of nowhere to bonk Tom mid-chase. However, animators have given this unseen, mysterious sphere where characters pull objects out of a name: the Hammerspace.
Superman used to leap places instead of flying. Superman’s flying was only a somewhat recent development. In the 1940’s, Superman would only leap onto tall buildings. Thinking it looked silly, the animators of Superman’s first animated show requested permission to give him flight. Superman’s been flying high ever since.
Kids ask about 300 questions a day. A 2013 study showed that the average kid asks one question every 2 minutes and 36 seconds. Of all types of children, girls aged four are the most curious, asking 390 questions per day. Interestingly, 82% of children would ask their mother first before their father.
Before the 1800s, people slept in batches. Before, people had a “first” and “second sleep.” Towards the evening, they would sleep for 3-4 hours, wake for 2-3 hours to do some activities, and then go back to sleep until morning.
The “Like” button on Facebook was supposed to be the “Awesome” button. However, the developers decided “Like” would be a more universal term.
Blue whales eat 500,000 calories in 1 mouthful. When whales open their gaping mouths in the ocean, they eat half a million calories worth of krill. If whales were like humans, their calorie deficit would be way off the charts: the energy they get is more than 240 times the energy they expend to gather all the krill in their mouths.
Baseball umpires used to sit in rocking chairs. Baseball has been around since the 19th century. However, in the early games, umpires would sit in a rocking chair 20 feet behind the home plate.
Turtles can talk to each other. If you’ve ever had a pet turtle, you would know they’re a silent bunch. However, scientists have discovered that they actually “talk” through low-frequency clicking and hooting.
170-year-old champagne was found under the Baltic Sea. The bottles would have been travelling from Germany to Russia in the 1800s before sinking into the sea. With temperatures between 2-4°C, the ocean floor was perfect for wine ageing. Oenologists described the flavor profile as “sometimes cheesy,” with “animal notes,” and elements of “wet hair.”
Ancient Egyptians used dead mice for toothaches. In Ancient Egypt, people soothed their toothaches by putting a dead mouse in their mouth. Sometimes, the Ancient Egyptians would even mix other ingredients with these mice, to form a paste that they would apply to the affected tooth.
Tiramisu translates to ‘take me to heaven’ in Italian. This implies that this dish is so good that it would take you to heaven. This Italian dessert is well-loved all over the world and has several alternative twists you can create.
Brunch was invented as a way of curing hangovers. This meal would be enjoyed as a late breakfast that leans more towards fatty foods. This came from the belief that alcohol causes cravings for greasy food to increase.
Sailors consider black cats good luck. Some sailors use black cats as the ship’s cat in hopes of a safe voyage. Some fishermen’s wives would even keep a black cat at home as well in hopes of their husband’s safe return.
SEARS once sold houses. SEARS once offered kit houses that you would have to assemble yourself. The original instruction manual was 75 pages long. This was much before every city and state in the U.S. had Walmart.
Incan people used knots to keep track of records. These knots were also tied to pendants and cords. The knots are better known as quipu and their meanings would depend on their position on the cord. Over 600 examples of quipu have been discovered already.
Most businesses do not see the practicality of having diaper tables. However, they quickly change their minds after being given the idea that women would have to change their baby’s diapers on a bathroom floor. Who knows how many bacteria are on those floors?
Some pandas fake a pregnancy to get better healthcare. An example would be a Chinese panda named Ai Hin who was believed to show signs of pregnancy. Zookeepers ensured that she was given better care for the upcoming baby that never arrived.
The inventor of the frisbee became a frisbee himself. During the 1950s, Steady Ed invented the frisbee, and later on the sport of disc golf in the 70s. He dedicated his life to frisbees and it was stated in his final testimonials that he wished to have his ashes turned into a frisbee itself. This was so that he would be able to play with his son even when he wasn’t around.
Dolphins have names. Research has found that dolphins use their unique vocal whistles to identify and differentiate one another. When a specific call was played back to the dolphins, they would respond differently each time.
Driving south from Detroit will lead to Canada. Specifically, the directions are to head north from Windsor, Ontario, and cross the Detroit River. Eventually, you would have already crossed the borders of the U.S.
May 29th is Put a Pillow on Your Fridge Day. This odd holiday dates back to the early 1900s when families would place a piece of cloth on top of their larders. This is regularly celebrated in Europe and the U.S. to bring luck and wealth.
People used to answer the phone with “ahoy”. Back during the 1800s phone greetings were inspired by the Simpsons when Mr. Burns would pick up the phone with “Ahoy-hoy”. Thomas Eddison, however, wanted users to use ‘Hello’ instead. We know who won that argument.
Pinocchio cannot say ‘My nose will grow now’. If he was to speak this sentence, it would create a paradox. For his nose to grow, he would have to lie, however, it cannot grow otherwise the statement would be true.
95% of people text things that they would never say in person. However, what’s more, interesting is what people are willing to say rather. People are more willing to be revealed over the phone rather than in person because of the psychological thrill it entails.
Dr Pepper does not have a period. This is mainly due to the font of the logo that would make it look like ‘Di: Pepper’. Many were confused by this, hence the change.
The calling shotgun for the front passenger seat comes from a messenger. The original term is the shotgun messenger and it was a term used to call the person who sat next to the driver. These messengers would act as guards and use a shotgun to prevent criminals from getting too close. Due to Hollywood’s influence, this term eventually made its way into our society.
The 1996 film called Scream increased the usage of caller IDs in the U.S. The movie featured a serial killer who would anonymously call and murder his victims. After the film started showing in cinemas, the number of caller ID users tripled instantly in the U.S.
The spiked dog collars are meant to protect their necks from attacks. This iconic accessory was invented by the Ancient Greeks to protect their dogs against wolves when attacked. The spikes would prevent predators from instantly causing heavy damage to their dog’s necks.
The boss in Metal Gear Solid 3 takes a week to beat. The player can either defeat them by not playing for one week or simply by changing the date on the console. Battle the boss as you would normally until it is almost beaten after that quit the game and change the date one or two weeks later.
Shakira was rejected from her elementary choir group. Her music teacher at the time stated that her vibrato was too strong and that she sounded like a goat. Little did she know that this student would grow up to become one of the most inspirational female pop singers of all time.
Starfishes do not have blood. If you were to cut one of its legs, blood would not spill out. Instead, they simply regrow their lost limbs as if nothing happened. Starfishes get their nutrients by using the seawater found in their vascular systems.
A British scientist studying chocolate has her taste buds insured. Her taste buds are insured for one million British Pounds. This entails that she would need to avoid very hot foods to keep her taste buds from damage.
People once believed that chewing on tree bark would keep your gums healthy. It was also used as a method of pain relief. The bark of a willow tree contains high traces of salicylic acid which is an active ingredient in aspirin today.
Red blood cells circulate in your body at an amazing speed. Within 20 seconds, one RBC would have already completed one lap around your circulatory system. These blood cells help deliver oxygen to all the organs and cells in the body.
Driving to space would only take an hour. Theoretically, this is possible if you were to drive in a straight line upwards into the atmosphere at a speed of 60 mph.
A hotel in New Orleans offered a $15,000 stay in a contest. The rules simply stated that the prize would go to whoever could steal the most outrageous item from them. This contest was published to the public on the hotel’s 125th anniversary.
You can gain calories by licking stamps. Licking 1 stamp makes you consume 1/10 of a calorie. If you were to lick 3000 stamps a day that would equate to about 16 chicken nuggets from McDonald’s.
A mouse trap built 155 years ago caught a mouse in 2016. One of the earliest concepts for mousetraps managed to capture a wild rodent in 2016. Its inventor, Colin Pullinger claimed that his device would last a lifetime.
The human bone is stronger than steel. If you were to have a bone and a piece of steel of the same length and thickness, the bone would be five times stronger than the steel bar. However, bones are brittle and can also fracture on impact.
Kangaroos can’t hop without their tails. If you were to lift a kangaroo’s tail, it would not be able to jump. This is mainly because they use their tails for balance while jumping.
Keeping a goldfish in a dark room will cause it to go pale. If you were to keep a goldfish in the dark permanently, it would not be healthy for the fish. This is why most fish tanks include a light that is left on throughout the entire night and day.
Humans consume a lot of water. Water is a major part of most life forms and cannot survive without it. By the time humans reach the age of 70, they would have consumed about 12,000 gallons of water. Water is known to be the best and most hydrating liquid that promotes cardiovascular health.