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When you take education and sprinkle in a healthy dose of entertainment on top, you get something special. Whether or not you’re a fan of learning like us, you’ll probably agree that adding a good hook can make history, science, psychology, and other subjects more appealing.
The ‘Weird Facts’ project is widely known on social media for sharing interesting and cool facts about the world. We’ve picked out some of the most unusual ones to share with you. You’ll find them below.
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#1
Keanu Reeves gave up $66 million in potential earnings from the Matrix sequels to boost pay for the special effects and costume teams. He also surprised his stunt performers with new Harley Davidson motorcycles on the last day of filming for The Matrix Revolutions.
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#2
On October 24, 1975, 90% of Iceland’s female population went on strike to demand equal rights. For an entire day, they refused to work, do housework, or take care of their children. In 1980, Iceland elected its first female president, who credited her victory to the impact of that significant day.
#3
A family lost their dog during hurricane sandy. After searching for 1.5 years and giving up hope, they decided to adopt another dog. The adoption counselor brought in the first candidate ... and it was actually their lost dog.
In this day and age, when the internet and social media are so easily accessible, information can spread lightning-fast. Unfortunately, it’s not just real facts that get shared and reshared but misinformation and fake news as well. That’s why media literacy is such an important skill to develop, no matter your age: it allows you to see what’s biased, politicized, and opinionated and what’s grounded in the truth.
Verywell Mind explains that media literacy essentially lets you detect, analyze, and evaluate negative or false media messages. In other words, you can make better and more informed decisions as you start taking control of media again, allowing you to enjoy it more. Furthermore, research shows that you may become happier and healthier as a result.
#4
A boy dying of an incurable illness wanted to meet Luke Skywalker (in character). His mental state devolved to the point where he did not realize Luke was fictional. Mark Hamill agreed to dress up in character and meet the boy. He spent hours answering questions.
BrunoVI 5 days ago
A nice gesture, but hardly the best example of "80 ‘Weird Facts’ To Prove How Little We Actually Know About The World (New Pics)." I'm glad it's someone doing something decent instead of what atrocity of bad taste Kanye West's gf is wearing, but enough of the celebrity stuff, please.
#5
In ancient Athens, there was a practice known as ostracism, where once a year, the citizens could vote for the politician they disliked the most. The politician with the most votes was exiled from the city for the next 10 years.
Rosecrucian Roeth 5 days ago
This should be brought back although I don't know how you could possibly limit it to just one........ and maybe several hundred in the US
#6
In 2011, a Brazilian man rescued a starving penguin covered in oil on the beach near his home. The penguin stayed with him for approximately 11 months before returning to the sea. Remarkably, for at least the next five years, the penguin returned to visit the man for a few months each year.
When you get into the habit of thinking critically about the content you come across online, you are less likely to reshare something that may be false without first analyzing it. A good rule of thumb is to think about the intent of the person or organization posting the information. If something sounds too good or bad to be true, it very often might be biased, subjective, or warped to promote someone’s goals.
Because most of us are super busy with work, studying, chores, family, and all the other adult responsibilities in our lives, it’s unfeasible to double-check every single fact. So, it’s best to evaluate the reliability of the sources. All news and media sources make mistakes from time to time, but they’re not all equal. Trustworthy sources will provide references for any claims they make and will admit to any mistakes they’ve made while reporting something.
#7
The Navajo have a tradition centered around celebrating a baby's first laugh. When a baby is about three months old, family members closely observe the child for that first genuine giggle. The person who successfully makes the baby laugh for the first time is then responsible for throwing a party in celebration.
#8
Margaret Mitchell’s husband said to her “For God’s sake, Peggy, can’t you write a book instead of reading thousands of them?” She went on to write “Gone with the Wind.”
#9
An orangutan named Fu Manchu repeatedly escaped from his cage at the zoo using a key he had fashioned from a piece of wire. Every time his zookeepers inspected him, he hid the key in his mouth.
Cornell University points out that one of the signs of an unreliable source is lots of spelling and grammar errors in the text. On the flip side, credible news sources tend to have very rigorous editing processes. (Though, how easy access to generative AI will affect this is still to be seen.)
Meanwhile, where serious claims are concerned, you should take a bit of time to cross-check the information with multiple reputable sources so you get a broader perspective on the issue, instead of sticking to just your echo chamber and reading what you want to be true. Generally speaking, diversifying your ‘diet’ of new sources is healthy.
#10
A study revealed that the 54% of American dog owners are willing to end their relationship if their dog doesn't like their partner.
#11
In 1990, the high school dropout rate in Sevierville, Dolly Parton’s hometown, was over 30%. In 1991, she launched The Buddy Program, offering 7th and 8th graders $500 if they graduated. The dropout rate for those classes dropped to 6% and has generally retained that average to this day.
UKGrandad 5 days ago
This one has me confused. Am I correct in thinking that 7th. and 8th. graders are 12-14-yr-olds, and that 'dropping out' means the same in America as it does over here - leaving education? If so, how is it even legal for kids that young to just drop out of school altogether?
#12
A man named Joel Burger married a woman named Ashley King in 2015. Burger King paid for their wedding.
The couple contacted Burger King for permission to use the company's logo on their wedding favors. When the chain learned about their request, it decided to support the couple by funding their wedding and providing branded merchandise to help create "a whopper of a wedding."
Content shared by ‘Weird Facts’ is something that you’ve probably stumbled upon in your social media feeds at some point in time. It’s that widespread. Though it’s far from the only project to share interesting facts online (there are tons and tons!), it is one of the most well-known ones.
On Facebook alone, the curators of the project have amassed a whopping 6.9 million followers. Meanwhile, 1.2 million people follow the ‘Weird Facts’ page on Instagram, while another 301k follow it on Threads.
#13
An off-duty nurse saved a boy's life with CPR after he was hit by a baseball bat during a Little League game. Seven years later, the boy saved her by using the Heimlich maneuver when she choked in a restaurant.
#14
In 1959, Volvo invented the 3-point seat belt, then gave a free license to all other car manufacturers to use it.
The modern three-point safety belt was developed by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin in 1959, and its patent was given for free to the world. This invention has been credited with saving over a million lives globally.
#15
In 1978, a researcher played the recorded calls of a deceased elephant from a hidden speaker. The elephant’s family responded by frantically searching for her and calling out in distress, with the daughter continuing to vocalize her grief for several days. Moved by their sorrow, the researcher decided never to repeat the experiment.
#16
Dolphins have been known to protect humans when they’re in trouble. A California surfer was once being attacked by a shark when a group of dolphins surrounded him and escorted him safely to shore. Dolphins have similarly saved many people, and reports date back to Ancient Greece.
#17
In Scotland, a group of students went to a modern art gallery and left a pineapple in an empty exhibit to see if people would think it was art. When they returned four days later, not only was the pineapple still there, it had been covered with a glass case.
#18
A guinea pig named Randy broke into a female enclosure and impregnated over 100 female guinea pigs.
#19
In 2017, police in Frankfurt found a car belonging to a 76-year-old man who had forgotten where he parked it two decades earlier.
#20
In 1914, a 4-year-old girl named Charlotte May Pierstorff was shipped via parcel post. Her parents found sending her this way cheaper than buying a train ticket, costing only 32 cents. Just under the 50-pound weight limit, May rode in the mail car. She had a stamp attached to her coat.
Tucker Cahooter 5 days ago
Presumably she was correctly addressed, otherwise she would have ended up in the dead letter office
#21
In 1984, a boy wrote a letter to Ronald Reagan asking for federal funds to clean his bedroom after his mother called it a “disaster area”.
Warren Peece 5 days ago
President Reagan gave the money to a millionaire and told the boy to wait and get some of the money through trickle-down economics.
#22
After being denied rights to use “Another One Bites the Dust” for Rocky III, Sylvester Stallone hired Survivor to write an original song instead, which turned out to be “Eye Of The Tiger.”
Midwest Mike 5 days ago (edited)
And the "Music Video" looks like a bunch of Young Accountants out walking the streets after a Tax Prep Bender in the safest area for While People ever....
#23
Rats can squeeze through holes or gaps the size of a quarter because their skulls are not plated together, allowing them to change the shape of their heads and fit through tiny openings. They can leap four feet sideways, fall from a height of five stories without sustaining injuries, and tread water for up to three days.
#24
A South African girl was kidnapped when she was two days old. Seventeen years later, she was reunited with her real family when she coincidentally started going to the same school as her younger sister. The girls formed an almost immediate friendship and had a strong resemblance. A DNA test confirmed their relation.
#25
Japan’s largest organized crime syndicate, the Yakuza, provided food, water, diapers, blankets, and more during both the 1995 and 2011 Japanese earthquakes, responding faster than the Japanese government.
#26
When trains were introduced in the U.S, many people believed that “women’s bodies were not designed to go at 50 miles an hour,” and that their “uteruses would fly out of [their] bodies if they were accelerated to that speed.”
Scott Rackley 5 days ago
Trains, bikes, airplanes, etc. Is there any method of conveyance that won't cause a uterus to fly out?
#27
A study involving 80 pairs of jeans found that women's pockets are generally half the size of men's pockets for the same brand. Only 40% of women's pockets can comfortably fit an iPhone X, and just 10% can accommodate an entire hand. In contrast, 100% of men's pockets can fit both.
#28
A 75-year-old woman took shelter from a tornado by hiding in her bathtub. The tornado ripped off the roof of her house, lifted the tub, and transported it to the woods with the uninjured woman still in it.
#29
In 2015, researchers tested the efficiency of mosquito repellents by using Victoria’s Secret perfume, believing its floral fragrance would attract mosquitoes. Surprisingly, they found that it repelled mosquitoes better than various mosquito deterrents.
Upstaged75 5 days ago
So does Avon Skin So Soft. We used to use it as bug spray for the horses.
#30
Sir Ben Kingsley, born Krishna Bhanji, changed his name and observed an immediate increase in job offers, shifting from "We don't quite know how to place you" to "When can you start?"
#31
In 2008, Nebraska implemented a law allowing parents to drop off unwanted newborns at safe-havens. The law did not specify an age limit, resulting in nearly all of the abandoned children being over ten years old, with some as old as 17.
#32
A psychology study of more than 4,000 millionaires found that people with more wealth are indeed happier in life. They also found that people who earned their wealth were happier than those who inherited it.
David Houde 5 days ago (edited)
I'd be willing to bet that you take anybody that's struggling and got them to the point where they had $10,000 in savings they would be immensely happier. Whoever said "money can't buy happiness" has never had to make a choice between having a roof over their head or food in their belly for the next month.
#33
A hiker was lost on a mountain for 24 hours and ignored calls, texts, and voicemail messages from rescuer teams because he didn’t recognize the phone number.
#34
You can hire a “coffin confessor” in Australia, who will gatecrash your funeral and reveal all your secrets to your loved ones.
Michael Largey 5 days ago
I'm taking all my secrets to the grave with me - as well as the TV's remote.
#35
A man secretly outsourced his job to China, spent his time at work surfing the internet and watching cat videos, and made hundreds of thousands of dollars before being caught and fired.
It turned out that the work done in China was of high quality; the employee’s code was clean, well-written, and submitted on time. In fact, his performance reviews consistently recognized him as the top developer in the building, quarter after quarter.
#36
The appendix does have a purpose. It stores samples of good bacteria so they can repopulate your digestive system in case they are wiped out entirely by diseases such as diarrhea.
Catlady6000 5 days ago (edited)
There seems to be a correlation between removal of the appendix and IBS. Guess how I found that out. Just to clarify, it's not known if appendectomy actually causes IBS, but it often follows the surgery. Mine started a year later on the anniversary.
#37
A 60-year old truck driver sued the Tokyo hospital where he was born after discovering that he was accidentally switched with another newborn in 1953. He ended up with a poor single mother while the other baby grew up to own a real estate company under his rich biological parents.
Trophy Husband 5 days ago
And still maintained it was genetics and not family that made him successful I bet...
#38
While filming ‘Tokyo Drift,’ the crew was unable to obtain a permit for a scene. They filmed it anyway, and the studio hired someone to pose as the director to take the blame and spend a night in jail.
#39
A couple in Japan divorces and remarries every three years to take turns using their family’s names, as they cannot agree on which last name to use.
#40
Even though they don't have wings, spiders can fly for hundreds of miles (across entire oceans) on long strands of silk using Earth's electric fields; it's called "ballooning." Spiders have been found two-and-a-half miles up in the air, and 1,000 miles out to sea.
Sally Moen 5 days ago
Read an illustrated version of the book Charlotte's Web by EB White for a look at what these parachuting spiders look like. Also, it's a good story
#41
Men process other men's voices with the part of the brain that processes simple sounds such as car engines and machinery, but they process female voices with the part of the brain that processes music.
#42
In India, a woman filed a lawsuit against her husband for showing more affection and care towards their cat than towards her.
#43
A nurse wanted to know if her farts were contaminating equipment in the lab. The doctor and a microbiologist tested the hypothesis by having a colleague fart clothed then naked onto two Petri dishes. The conclusion was that clothing acts as a filter, but naked farts can cause contamination.
#44
There was a man so dedicated to April Fools' Day that he flew hundreds of tires into a dormant volcano in Alaska and set them on fire, fooling the local public and the Coast Guard into thinking the volcano was active.
#45
In 1995, a man robbed a bank with lemon juice on his face. He believed that because lemon juice can be used as invisible ink, it would make his face invisible on camera. He tested this method by applying juice to his face and taking a photograph with a Polaroid camera. Since he was absent from the resulting image, he trusted that the method was effective. Detectives believed his absence in the photograph could be attributed to a faulty film.
#46
The actors who played brother and sister on "Dexter" began dating, fell in love, got engaged, got married, and got divorced, all while continuing to play brother and sister on TV.
#47
Shakira was removed from her school choir because her music teacher believed she could not sing and thought she 'sounded like a goat.'
#48
In 2021, Italian artist Salvatore Garau sold an invisible sculpture for £13,000 ($18,000), providing the buyer with a certificate of authenticity to confirm its existence.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 5 days ago
I have a few invisible sculptures, down in my lock up, they fell off the back of a lorry. Any of you guys interested in buying some art?
#49
During the construction of the Egyptian pyramids, each worker received a daily ration of four to five liters of beer, which provided both nutrition and refreshment and was crucial for the pyramids’ construction.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 5 days ago
I am guessing low alcohol beer, otherwise the sides would be less than straight.
#50
A guy made a fictional restaurant the #1 restaurant in London by using trip advisor and fake reviews. He then set up tables in his yard and served microwaved food. The customers gave excellent feedback.
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