ADVERTISEMENT

Not everything that you read on the internet is true. In a similar vein, far from everything that sounds made up is fake. Fact is often stranger than fiction, and some truly bizarre things about life on Planet Earth are closer to reality than myth.

Reddit user u/Mmemyo sparked an interesting discussion on r/AskReddit. They invited everyone to share the “stupid facts” they knew which might sound suspicious and weird but are actually correct. We’ve collected the most intriguing ones to share with you, Pandas. Scroll down to check them out! Hopefully, you'll learn something new.

#1

The Bored Panda App used to be perfect, but now the App just wants to sell you stuff from Amazon which is a real shame.

Report

RELATED:
    #2

    The Eiffel Tower can be 15 centimeters taller during the summer due to thermal expansion.

    Light944 Report

    #3

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real There are clouds of alcohol floating around in space.

    Unexpected_Waffles Report

    #4

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Cows have best friends and can become stressed when they're separated from them.

    berrybandz_ Report

    #5

    -40C and -40F are the same temperature.

    feewak Report

    #6

    You have to kill about 400 people to get enough iron from their blood to make a sword

    human_person27 Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #7

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real A man named John Young brought a corned beef sandwich to space illegally and shared it with his colleague on board and he would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for the recording of them talking about the sandwich.

    Watermelonseeds8U Report

    #8

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Someone named the fear of long words hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia.

    Fynx_HD Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #9

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Sloths are most vulnerable to predators when pooping. They have to climb down to the trees to the floors floor, and it is a bit of a process for them to actually poop leaving them at risk of predators.

    Faultiergeist Report

    #10

    When basketball was first invented, at every game, they would have a man who would go up a ladder to retrieve the ball after every basket. It took them around 20 years to figure out maybe it would be a good idea to cut the bottom of the basket out to make retrieving the ball a lot easier. 20 years!!!

    SeanChewie Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Michael MacKinnon
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a Canadian TV heritage minute. If I remember correctly, the intervening step was to cut a **small** hole in the bottom of the basket, so that the caretaker could poke the ball out with a broomstick.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #11

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Pink is really just a light shade of red, but we think of it as a distinct color because we have a word for it that stuck. Not all languages have that. In Italian, they have a similar word for light blue, called “azzurro,” and it’s so common they actually think of it as a separate color from blue. We have the word “azure” in English, but it isn’t nearly as common, so we tend to think of that color as just a shade of blue.

    Atheist_Alex_C Report

    #12

    A bone “break” is the same as a “fracture.” Fracture is just the medical term. It does not have any correlation with the severity.

    Horror-Impression411 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Binky Melnik
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Huh. All my life, I’ve thought a fracture is a crack, and a break is … er, a displaced fracture. You know: it’s no longer in one piece. I have no idea whether someone told me this, I saw it on a medical drama, or I worked it out myself (incorrectly, apparently).

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #13

    A species of frog, the African clawed frog, was the most reliable pregnancy test for a few decades before at-home tests were widely affordable and accessible.

    kawaiikaeru23 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Sky Render
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The test was that the woman peed on the female frog. If the frog began to ovulate, the woman was pregnant. It was actually pretty accurate.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #14

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real The vikings, who came from Scandinavia, used iron as their main ingredient for forging weaponry, but it was also common practice to add the bones of dead animals to the mix. The belief was that it would infuse the weapon with the spirit of the creature, making it stronger, but they ended up making a primitive version of steel because of the carbon in the bones mixing with the iron making the weapon stronger, just as they thought it would. 

    Nameless_Chad Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Ace
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pure speculation. There's every reason to believe that the vikings were borrowing technology from the Middle East and Asia to produce their steel, nothing to suggest that they just threw bones in at random. In any case their production, especially of the very special "Uthbert" swords, would require charcoal, so they must have known what they were doing, even if it was not fully understood.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #15

    A man named Wilmer McLean owned a farm in Manassas, Virginia USA where the very first battle of the US Civil War was fought. After the battle he's like "I'm outta here" and bought a farm way out in the country at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia...where Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. Ulysses Grant in McLeans living room four years later.

    rgrtom Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Ba-Na-Na
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So he can be all, “ It started with me and ended with me!”

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #16

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real If you open your eyes in a completely dark room, the name of the color you will see is eigengrau, a kind of dark grey shade

    Wisanbon Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    martymcmatrix
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I finally decided to translate it with »custom gray«...beside that, it's spelled correctly »Eigengrau«...🌫️

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #17

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Bananas are berries, but strawberries are not true berries (in botanical terms berries are defined by their structure, and bananas fit the bill while strawberries don't)

    willyw0nka_ Report

    #19

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real - [ ] Of the few people who have top secret clearance at the White House one of them is the person who writes all of the party invitations.

    Eejaypea14 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    ADDee
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And in the previous administration they added two clowns named Ivanka and Jared.

    #20

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real The longest place name in the world is Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu

    x_Fairy_Daisy Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Ms. Mack
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not a single person with hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia lives there.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #21

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real You can go the rest of your life without breathing.

    Janube Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #22

    The average number of skeletons in a human body is more than 1.

    BelmontZiimon Report

    #23

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real For every single human being on Earth, there are 2.5 MILLION ants.

    Yes, this means that there are about 20 QUADRILLION ants on this planet.

    If the ants decide to take over, are you strong enough to handle the 2.5 million that you'll be responsible for killing? If you've got kids, you might have to kill more because a 2 year old isn't going to accomplish a god damn thing if millions of ants are marching towards them.

    PM-ME-FOR-CATNIP Report

    #24

    Redheads require more anesthesia than non-redheads.

    JohnnyWall Report

    #25

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Honey never spoils

    willyw0nka_ Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Apatheist Account2
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It does if you pour it into an electrical device - it spoils it good and proper.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #26

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Coffee is not a bean it is the pit of the coffee plant which is a fruit.

    Chance-Personality50 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Jennie P
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have tasted the fruit, called a "cherry". It's a little sweet, a little bland. Not tasty enough, I guess, for coffee producers to make jam out of it.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    #27

    The Earth is not round. It is an oblate spheroid.

    MacduffFifesNo1Thane Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually I have it on good authority from YouTube that the world is flat and surrounded by a giant ice wall. The "globe" is what our secret lizard overlords want us to believe.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #28

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real 18% of adult Americans claim they have seen or been in the presence of a ghost.

    OJimmy Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Andy Pandy
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And they're all crazy, just like being abducted by aliens. Like they would really find intelligent life there!

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #29

    The plural of cul-de-sac is culs-de-sac

    invasive-breaker Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Apatheist Account2
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Plurals apply to the noun, not the adjective, hence mothers-in-law, courts martials, poets laureate, astronomers royal etc.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #30

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Cleopatra is closer to the invention of the iPhone than the building of the Giza pyramids.

    feedg Report

    #32

    Bald eagles are not actually bald. Balde is old english for white.

    whodunnitno Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #33

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real The original name for the color orange was "geoluhread," which means "yellow-red" in Old English

    willyw0nka_ Report

    #34

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real A lot of averages.

    Example: The average number of legs humans have is less than 2.

    Uilamin Report

    #35

    Racecar spelled backwards is racecar.

    uncultured_swine2099 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    El Cucuy
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The term for this is palindrome - when a word or series of words reads the same forwards or backwards. Fun fact: the longest single word palindrome in every day use is saippuakivikauppias (Finnish for a soapstone vendor).

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #36

    Crows can be trained to bring you money

    Hotsteppa_85 Report

    #37

    The Atari 2600's release date and the last execution by guillotine happened less than 24 hours apart.

    SleeplessShitposter Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #38

    Some invader (don't remember specifics) sent a letter to sparta saying that "If I invade Lakonia you will be destroyed, never to rise again" and the Spartans sent a letter back with a single word in it. "If" 

    Jaxonhunter227 Report

    #39

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real There are 5.87 Popes per square mile in the Vatican City.

    henfeathers Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Ms. Mack
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ??? Vatican City isn't even one square mile (.19). If someone else understands this, please explain.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #40

    Pirates wear eye patches to see better in the dark (covered eye doesn't get used to sunlight and is more sensitive after uncovering).

    henholic Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Doctor Strange
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is pure speculation. Much more likely, pirates wore eye patches because being a pirate was inherently dangerous, and many of them lost eyes. Point of fact, health insurance was invented by pirates. They would pay extra out to those who were injured during raids, with a set rate based on injuries.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #41

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Less than 40% of great white sharks have filed their 2022 tax returns

    Due_Essay447 Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #42

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real Im always seeing my nose ..its just that my brain ignores it

    PYROMANIA6 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #43

    The Bored Panda App used to be perfect, but now the App just wants to sell you stuff from Amazon which is a real shame.

    Report

    #44

    There was a plan to dose Hitler with oestrogen in the hopes that the female hormone would make him less aggressive.

    source Report

    #45

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real I’m closer to being a millionaire than Bill Gates is.

    i_am_cullivan Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #46

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real We thought to put wheels on luggage after we got to the moon.

    The lighter the Roast the more caffeine coffee has.

    A new car costs less than it's equal weight in Hamburgers.

    Chance-Personality50 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Neil Armstrong struggled with his luggage, taking it up the gantry to Apollo 11 without wheels.

    View More Replies...
    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #47

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real There are more planes in the ocean than boats in the sky

    vexix Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    JimSteve
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    But I think that, with your help, we can change that! Starting next year, we will make every boat on and under the ocean fly away!

    #48

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real New Mexico (the state) got its name before Mexico (the country)

    HiThisIsMichael Report

    #49

    You are constantly clapping, but the claps are just spaced differently.

    bigfatpoopbum Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #50

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real There are more Hydrogen atoms in a single molecule of water than there are stars in the entire Solar System.

    Wadsworth_McStumpy Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Apatheist Account2
    Community Member
    2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is just silly maths. I wish they wouldn't keep including it, it's the sort of thing that baffles a five year old, but I'd hope we were better than that.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #51

    50 “Stupid Facts” That Sound Fake But Are Genuinely Real 6X9+6+9=69

    DushyantKhator Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #52

    The Bored Panda App used to be perfect, but now the App just wants to sell you stuff from Amazon which is a real shame.

    Report

    #53

    Chip Wilson, the founder of Lululemon

    created the name (Lululemon) to have many L's so that it would sound western to Japanese buyers, who often have difficulty pronouncing the letter. He later remarked that he found it "funny to watch (Japanese speakers) try and say it" and that "it was the only reason behind the name"

    Kashmir6 Report

    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda