Long ago, this information was stored in one single orb, and then… the shattering.
Before It Was eBay
The site that would become eBay was originally known by a much more straightforward, if less mysterious, name: AuctionWeb.
The Reason Behind Nepal’s Strangely Shaped Flag
Nepal’s unique flag is a jagged, triangular shape meant to evoke the Himalayas.
What Exactly Is A ‘Gaffer’?
If you’ve always wondered but never asked, here’s your answer: The gaffer is in charge of the lighting and electrical equipment on a film production, and is actually a pretty critical job.
The First Ever Oscar Winner for Best Actor Was A Bad Guy
The inaugural award went to Emil Jannings in 1929, a guy who unfortunately turned out to be a big-time Nazi.
The Last Ever Stagecoach Robbery
Though the perpetrators probably didn’t know it, when they robbed a mail wagon outside of Jarbidge, Nevada in 1916, they were committing the last stagecoach robbery in the Old West.
Here’s the Tallest Horse
The tallest breed of horse is the Shire horse, and the tallest Shire horse was known as Sampson. He measured in at 7 foot, 2.5 inches tall, and 3,360 pounds.
An Unexpected Meat Tenderizer
Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain, which is an excellent meat tenderizer. It’s also the same reason eating too much hurts your tongue.
The Origin of Noob Saibot
Even in a game like Mortal Kombat, (once) secret character Noob Saibot’s name is a little unusual. That’s because it’s actually the last names of the two creators, Ed Boon (Noob) and John Tobias (Saibot) spelled backwards.
The President for Whom English Was A Second Language
You might think that what with the patriotism, every president’s first language would be English. In fact, Martin Van Buren grew up speaking Dutch.
Get Good Enough at Crosswords and Earn A Sick Descriptor
Someone who’s especially good at making or solving crosswords is known as a cruciverbalist.
The Meaning of Seoul’s Name
The city of Seoul is the capital of South Korea, which makes sense, since “seoul” literally means “capital city” in Korean.
The Flintstone That Was Left Out of the Vitamin Bottle
For whatever reason, the Flintstones have had a stranglehold over the business of children’s chewable vitamins. For a long time, however, one character wasn’t included: Betty Rubble. It was only after Rosie O’Donnell, who played Betty in the live-action Flintstones movie, complained about it that a campaign was launched to get Betty in the bottle. Originally, the manafacturers apparently claimed her waist was too thin and she was too hard to tell apart from Wilma.