Did you know ...




- that the five stripes of the flag of Togo (pictured) represent the country's five regions?
- ... that Kanaria's song "King" has been characterized as an allegory for the house arrest, trial, and execution of Louis XVI?
- ... that a schoolteacher tried to make left-footed footballer Norman Hunter play right-footed?
- ... that the Santos Passos Church in Guimarães, Portugal, was declared a royal chapel by King Luís I in 1878?
- ... that the United States' largest planned solar project, Mammoth Solar, is named after mastodon fossils rather than its size?
- ... that a lyric in the song "Hands on Me" is about Meghan Trainor being unable to have sex due to pelvic floor damage?
- ... that William Hewett was the last-surviving British Army officer to have fought at the Battle of Waterloo?
- ... that a 1938 Catholic procession featured 80,000 marchers and one blimp?
- ... that though Donatello was a Bardi, he was not part of the Bardi family?
- ... that the Auckland meteorite crashed through the roof of a house in New Zealand?
- ... that the creators of Poetry for Neanderthals faced difficulties during its release because they needed a way to manufacture inflatable clubs?

- ... that The Hooded Man (pictured) is an iconic photograph of the Iraq War, known as a symbol of torture at Abu Ghraib prison?
- ... that Asiatyrannus is thought to have grown to less than half the size of other tyrannosaurs?
- ... that the colors of the flag of Madagascar originally had no meaning?
- ... that Indian film editor A. Sreekar Prasad holds a record for editing films in 17 different languages?
- ... that Alfred Biliotti excavated the first known examples of Mycenaean painted pottery in 1868?
- ... that the Dublin Castle scandal in 1884 led to the resignations, loss of positions, and criminal convictions of a number of British administrators in Dublin, and celebrations amongst Irish nationalists?
- ... that brothers Mike McCartney and Paul McCartney, and sisters Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning, use their middle names as their first names?
- ... that in The Gambia, there is a belief that people can summon evil spirits to cause abortions?
- ... that the demolition of the Iloilo Central Market was criticized as being unlawful?
- ... that Swedish naval officer Henrik Johan Nauckhoff fought against the British in the American Revolutionary War?
- ... that German officials exiled the Samoan king from his own kingdom in 1887?
- ... that a judge compared the bankruptcy fraud of an Ohio TV station to a 1601 English court case?
- ... that the surviving copies of the Kitab-ı Bahriye contain a total of more than 5,700 maps?
- ... that in 2006 the parochial church council of St Peter's, Draycott, tried to sell the church's baptismal font?
- ... that the 1920 foxtrot song "I'll See You in C-U-B-A" was an example of Cuba being perceived as "America's playground"?
- ... that 30 royal portraits of Korean kings were completely destroyed in a 1954 fire in Busan, South Korea?
- ... that Babydog is "a fixture in West Virginia politics"?
- ... that an office building on New York City's Times Square was almost entirely vacant upon its completion?
- ... that during the 1929 Dollar Mountain Fire, 65 firefighters survived being surrounded by fire overnight by sheltering near a creek?
- ... that the lyrics of "Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe)" were inspired by beheadings in medieval Europe?
- ... that from around the Seattle metropolitan area to a wetland in Bothell, Washington, up to 16,000 crows regularly commute?
- ... that according to a TikTok theory, burnt toast could save you from a car accident?
- ... that a researcher called the community on the short-lived collaborative writing website One Million Monkeys Typing "astonishingly harmonious"?
- ... that during the 1964 New York World's Fair, police officers used computers at the United States Pavilion to help arrest people?
- ... that the Church of St John of the Collachium was said to contain the hand of John the Baptist, a bowl used by Jesus, and a piece of the True Cross?
- ... that LA LOM have named many of their songs after various locations in Los Angeles?
- ... that the Nuwhaha people, despite sometimes being erroneously known as the "Upper Samish", do not speak the Samish language?
- ... that Betty Hanley, originally a Michigander, was appointed lampshade designer to the British royal family?

Modern sculpture of Henry III's white bear
- ... that in 1253 Henry III of England ordered that his white bear (sculpture pictured) be permitted to swim and hunt in the River Thames?
- ... that country music singer Buck Owens bought a bankrupt TV station in California from his sister?
- ... that the owner of the De Vinne Press Building finalized his purchase of the building while in an elevator?
- ... that hot-dog vendor Dan Rossi has slept inside his cart overnight to preserve his spot in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art?
- ... that Piri Reis did not map Antarctica in the sixteenth century?
- ... that a Florida radio station DJ's attempt to break a world record was foiled by blown transmitter tubes?

Sony PVM-4300, with a cat for scale
- ... that Gerald Shirtcliff's fake engineering qualifications were exposed following the collapse of the CTV Building?
- ... that Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple was likened to a Mayan ball court after its completion in 1908?
- ... that John Stacy warned the Duke of Suffolk that a Tower would be dangerous to him; Suffolk was later murdered by sailors on a ship called The Nicholas of the Tower?
- ... that the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson in Sherlock is one of the most studied examples of queerbaiting?
- ...that the Wisconsin State Capitol burned nearly to the ground on February 26, 1904?
- ...that the Plymouth Council for New England was the joint stock company which organized the Plymouth Colony?
- ...that there appears to be no localized consciousness in the human brain?
- ... that The Motherfucker With the Hat was the Broadway debut for actor Chris Rock?
- ... that Twitch streamer Morgpie went viral for using her buttocks as a green screen?
- ... that more than half of all children in the United States under the age of 16 played Roblox in July 2020?
- ... that a dam failure at a Chinese-owned copper mine released 50 million litres of highly toxic waste into the Kafue River in Zambia, devastating ecosystems at least 100 kilometres (62 mi) downstream?
- ... that novvot, a popular traditional candy in the Middle East and Central Asia, is often served with tea and has roots in Persian cuisine?
- ... that "Grim Reaper of Love" by the Turtles features an unusual quintuple-meter (5
4) beat? - ... that 269 Justitia is one of the reddest known asteroids in the asteroid belt?
- ... that the Edmonds' Clock Tower was split in two after the June 2011 Christchurch earthquakes?
- ... that Betsy Arakawa's house was once featured in Architectural Digest?
- ... that the theme song to SpongeBob SquarePants was written by Stephen Hillenburg with the idea "to try to make the most annoying song you can"?
- ... that the Vatican's website was first made available in Latin under Pope Benedict XVI?
- ... that a disused industrial pier was incorporated into a city park?
- ... that a former U.S. president helped dedicate the United Engineering Center, and a future U.S. president demolished it?
- ... that former governor of Jakarta Sutiyoso has a museum dedicated to himself in his backyard?
- ... that Tao Asian Bistro was used by The New York Times to test new conversation-boosting features in Apple's AirPods Pro?
- ... that LGBTQ people have adopted cutie marks as personal signifiers, with some getting tattoos of their favorite pony's mark as a form of identity expression?
- ... that Venezuelan-American socialite Reinaldo Herrera's extensive connections led to Vanity Fair employing him to work as a fixer?
- ... that in North America, Europe and New Zealand, research funding is sometimes distributed by lottery?
- ... that a North Carolina TV station was originally named after its attorney?
- ... that the filming sets of A New Old Play were visibly fake, with shaking white fabrics and plastic bags used to mimic turbulent waves?
- ... that Proceratosaurus is one of the oldest tyrannosaurs?
- ... that writer Jilly Cooper named a goat in her novel Jump! after a critic who revealed spoilers for an earlier work?
- ... that William Arthur Ganfield often wore a red tie when Carroll College was running a deficit and a black tie when it was running a surplus?
- ... that CBS received a membership to the exclusive Sebonack Golf Club when it bought a TV station on Long Island?
- ... that fighter pilot Morton D. Magoffin made pilots in his group sprint around an airfield for not saluting him?
- ... that the Doctor Who episode "Lux" is set in Miami, Florida, despite being filmed in Penarth, Wales?
- ... that despite being named in college as the best at his position in the U.S., football player Buster Maddox only appeared in one NFL game?
- ... that a Long Island TV station sued a columnist for satirizing its signal and programming?
- ... that the music video for "The Kids from Yesterday" by My Chemical Romance was directed by a fan?
- ... that Chicago's tornado siren has been described as creepier than the city's actual tornadoes?
- ... that, to research her bonkbuster Wicked!, Jilly Cooper visited more than a dozen schools and taught at one?
- ... that Brian Satterfield worked for United Parcel Service before playing in the NFL?
- ... that My Little Pony fan music has developed its own music subgenres such as "dubtrot" and "ponybeat"?
- ... that the YouTuber behind Stop Killing Games compared video-game publishers shutting down online-only games to silent-era film studios "burning their own films ... to recover the silver content"?
- ... that a New Jersey TV station claimed that potential advertisers were "hostile" to efforts to encourage them to air commercials?
- ... that Cybersocket, Inc., started by repackaging public domain information into a niche paperback guide to gay pornographic sites?
- ... that during the fatal arrest of Abisay Cruz by Montreal police, Cruz was recorded saying "Je vais mourir" ("I'm going to die")?
- ... that to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Duster's Stratosphere, a vinyl copy of the album was launched into space?
- ... that the Washington D.C. Temple (pictured) was moved 60 feet (18 m) to exactly align with a nearby road?


- ... that actress Emma Stone contributed "oddities" to "Florida!!!"?
- ... that Oduwa's reign saw cowries becoming so widespread as currency that nobles stitched them into their clothes, causing runaway inflation?
- ... that Korean science fiction has evolved into distinct North and South branches since the first work appeared in 1929?
- ... that an announcer damaged the tower of an Arkansas radio station while driving a moving van?
- ... that Christ Church, Amherstburg, a Canadian church built by a Loyalist, features timbers fashioned after a ship's hull?
- ... that the United States' first capitol building was later sold for $425 and then demolished?
- ... that from 1986 to 1988, a Boston TV station was the only one in the U.S. to broadcast digital audio in its video signal?
- ... that Walmart referred to a store at Muscatine Mall as their "Yankee store" because it was then their northernmost?
- ... that the Atari 2600 version of Space Invaders led to Atari rescheduling its entire release line-up
- ... that Eduard Hermann was a race walker, boxer, and farmer?
- ... that Astoria the turkey evaded capture by the New York City Police Department?
- ... that Claude-Charles Bourgonnier was barred from exhibiting his art at the Salon in Paris after tearing up one of his own paintings while it was on display?
- ... that Harriet Converse Moody's restaurant and catering business failed after almost 40 years in part because of her lavish spending as a patron of poets?
- ... that in July 2025 Elon Musk opened a flying saucer–shaped diner on Route 66 in Hollywood?
- ... that a reviewer found the children's novel The Cat Mummy "really quite disturbing"?
- ... that the video game Danan: The Jungle Fighter allows the player to summon either an armadillo, an eagle, or a chimpanzee for help?
- ... that, when the allegedly poisoned Patriarch Stephen was asked by his king how he was, he replied: "Sire, I am faring as you desire"?
- ... that in 1915 Prahran became one of the first railway stations in Victoria to be provided with automatic signalling?
- ... that around 700,000 calls were made using 5 Calls to members of the US Congress in one week?
- ... that the first Portuguese translation of Homer's Odyssey was reportedly "harder to read than the [original] texts"?
- ... that Emmett Barrett wore glasses while playing American football?
- ... that Queen Isabella I lost her first husband to politics, her second to assassins, her third to a window, and her fourth to fish?
- ... that Shadow the Hedgehog's love for Latinas in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was borne from Sonic fandom shitposting?
- ... that emos and anti-emos confronted each other, but Hare Krishna members de-escalated the situation?
- ... that one of the first Polish film producers was prevented from screening his first film in Poland?
- ... that an image of a skull can be used to express happiness?
- ... that you should "hang a gone fishin' notice on your office door" before reading Geometry of Quantum States?
- ... that the Mansfield Town Mill has produced flour, textiles and cannabis?
- ... that some Jeep owners enjoy ducking each other?
- ... that texting someone a poop emoji in Japan is a way to wish them good luck?
- ... that VTuber Sakura Miko was featured in a paper on structural stability and thermodynamics?
- ... that one analysis of the song "Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell" cites the ancient Roman orator Quintilian?
- ... that in one version of Zeus's childhood his enemies are terrified of the goat who raised him?
- ... that before it was good to be the GOAT, it was actually bad to be a goat?
- ... that according to the Zoo Miami communications director, 100 men could beat a single gorilla if they "envelop the gorilla and create a human straightjacket"?
- ... that one of the bosses of the video game CarnEvil can be replaced with a giant teddy bear?
- ... that Death Angels are Happy?
- ... that people in parts of India, North America, and Africa marry tree trunks?
- ... that Peter Gersten has been called the "UFO lawyer"?
- ... that some Italians eat eggplants with chocolate?
- ... that the Fuck Tree has been described as a "physical embodiment of desire"?
- ... that conservationist Stephen King was kicked out of Bible College for refusing to wear shoes?
- ... that during one of his Diddy parties, Sean Combs promised not to spill champagne on the Declaration of Independence?
- ... that USS Gyatt (pictured), after being fitted with a Terrier anti-air missile launcher, became the world's first guided-missile destroyer?

- ... that a pencil sharpener "is a device for sharpening a pencil's point by shaving the end of the pencil"? Well, all right, you probably did.