30 Mind-Blowing Facts That No One Asked For
As expected, the Reddit community, known for its wit and wealth of knowledge, delivered an array of fascinating, quirky, and downright bizarre facts.
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In the vast and often peculiar universe of Reddit, one user posed an intriguing question: "What's a 'fun fact' that no one asked for?" As expected, the Reddit community, known for its wit and wealth of knowledge, delivered an array of fascinating, quirky, and downright bizarre facts.
Here are some of the standout responses that might just make you the most interesting person in the room at your next social gathering.
Image source: MJSchooley, Bas van Brandwijk
Playing a B flat on a tuba can cause arousal in alligators.
Image source: zhivago6, Elliott & Fry
Gandhi arrived in London right before Jack the Ripper started his k*lling spree and there were no more murders after he left. He can't be ruled out as a suspect.
Image source: Tosawi, A. D. McCormick - Google Books
In 1884, a crew stranded on a boat on the high seas ate the cabin boy, Richard Parker, to survive. (R v Dudley and Stephens case)
In 1838, Edgar Allan Poe's first and only novel was published (The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket). In the novel, a group of whaling sailors are stranded on a boat. To prevent them from dying of hunger and thirst, one of the crew offers to draw lots. The crew agrees. The one who draws the short straw is also the one who offered it. But the irony is not there. The real irony is the name of this fictional character in the novel: Richard Parker.
And no, you didn't misread the dates!
Image source: NoRecognition2527, Scandore/Shayne
"Louie Louie" was a #2 hit in 1963 for The Kingsmen. The vocals were so garbled and slurred, rumors spread that the lyrics were dirty. The FBI investigated the song on suspicion of violating obscenity laws. After two years, they decided the lyrics were "unintelligible at any speed."
Somehow, they missed the drummer yelling "F**k!" at 0:54
Image source: Velora56, Toubletap
There is a tiny little island in the Arctic called "Hans" island. It has been disputed Territory between Canada and Denmark. Denmark would plant its flag, and leave a bottle of schnapps. Eventually the Canadian ship would arrive remove the Danish flag and take the schnapps. They would then raise the Canadian flag on the island and leave a bottle of Canadian club. This has been going on since the 1980s and was finally resolved in 2022 when they decided to share the island.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is how war should be fought.
Image source: PCoda, Boys in Bristol Photography
For my fellow 90s kids who heard a lot about this growing up - the hole in the ozone over antarctica is basically fixed! Turns out we do have the power to make positive environmental changes if we work together as a global community.
Image source: InternationalGap6163, Karl Girardet / Jean Outhwaite
When Haiti was fighting the French in a civil war the French send some polish to deal with it when they saw how the slaves were treated the Polish joined the haiti revolution.
Image source: Rankorking, Pixabay
Cows have accents depending on where they’re born and they also have best friends and get depressed when separated.
Image source: Goat-Hammer, Alex Andrews
They found a giant ocean of water floating in space thats supposed to be something like 140,000 times the size of our solar system. Space sharks might actually exist.
Image source: hockeynoticehockey, Young Sung
Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined.
Image source: JoyfulMuffin07, Pixabay
Elephants can purr, like cats.
Image source: Adventurous_Weird124, Imperial War Museum
This may have been posted before, but still...
On 8 April, 1942, a detachment of Polish soldiers, deployed to Iran by the Allies, bought a **bear cub** from an Iranian boy. In August the bear was given to the 22nd Artillery Supply company and named Wojtek by the soldiers.
They fed him condensed milk, honey, fruit, and beer, which ended up being his favorite drink. He also picked up smoking, and enjoyed wrestling with his human friends, and bunking in on cold nights.
When the Polish II Corps was redeployed it Italy to fight alongside the British, the Brits wouldn’t transport mere mascots on a troop ship, so Wojtek was formally enrolled in the Polish army as a private.
During the brutal Battle of Monte Cassino Private Wojtek helped keep the guns firing by hauling boxes of ammo, each containing four 25 pound shells. These crates normally took four men to haul. For his bravery and service in battle Wojtek was promoted to Corporal, and his visage became the emblem of the 22nd Artillery Supply Company.
After the war the 22nd was sent to Scotland, before being demobilized, at which point Wojtek was given to the Edinburgh Zoo, where he was often visited by Polish soldiers until his death in 1963.
**TDLR:** Polish soldiers adopted a bear named Wojtek in 1942. He served in WWII, carrying ammo at the Battle of Monte Cassino, and was promoted to Corporal. After the war, he lived in the Edinburgh Zoo until 1963.
Image source: Lovely_BunnyCharm, wikipedia.org
Before he became president, Abraham Lincoln was an elite wrestling champion. In 300 matches, he only lost one. Bonus fun fact: He was also a licensed bartender.
Image source: Former-Finish4653, Elianne Dipp
Whales are mammals. Mammals make milk. Whale milk is so high in fat it is the consistency of toothpaste.
I love to bust that one out while someone is brushing their teeth.
Image source: Kshi-dragonfly, Ashithosh U
Pigeons mate for life.
Image source: Visual-Lobster6625, James Wheeler
Cold water holds oxygen better than warm water. Which is why you'll usually find fish in shadier areas during sunny days.
Also, if you want ice cubes to be clear, you have to boil the water first to get the extra oxygen/bubbles out.
Image source: dan-theman, Felicity Tai
Imitation vanilla used to be made from Beaver a**l sack juice.
Image source: Ok-Masterpiece7377, Wendy Wei
The reason UK Pubs had stupid names, was so the illiterate patrons could find them with the artwork.
Image source: Conscious-Room6601, Erik Karits
A cockroach can live up to 168 hours without its head.
Image source: jirohen, Ayanda M
Meaty human thighs have 13,355 calories.
Image source: lyric_tiara, Walt Disney Pictures
Chessy (Lisa Ann Walters) from Parent Trap (1998) gave birth to twin boys on October 11th 2000 which is the same birthday the twins had in the movie!
Image source: K_Xanthe, Matthis Volquardsen
Spider legs are on a hydraulic system. To move their limbs, they use their hemolymph (basically their blood) which is why when they die, their legs curl.
Image source: HeadFit2660, Jean van der Meulen
Penguins have an organ behind their eyes that turns sea water in to fresh water.
#1
Image source: MJSchooley, Bas van Brandwijk
Playing a B flat on a tuba can cause arousal in alligators.
#2
Image source: zhivago6, Elliott & Fry
Gandhi arrived in London right before Jack the Ripper started his k*lling spree and there were no more murders after he left. He can't be ruled out as a suspect.
#3
Image source: Tosawi, A. D. McCormick - Google Books
In 1884, a crew stranded on a boat on the high seas ate the cabin boy, Richard Parker, to survive. (R v Dudley and Stephens case)
In 1838, Edgar Allan Poe's first and only novel was published (The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket). In the novel, a group of whaling sailors are stranded on a boat. To prevent them from dying of hunger and thirst, one of the crew offers to draw lots. The crew agrees. The one who draws the short straw is also the one who offered it. But the irony is not there. The real irony is the name of this fictional character in the novel: Richard Parker.
And no, you didn't misread the dates!
#4
Image source: NoRecognition2527, Scandore/Shayne
"Louie Louie" was a #2 hit in 1963 for The Kingsmen. The vocals were so garbled and slurred, rumors spread that the lyrics were dirty. The FBI investigated the song on suspicion of violating obscenity laws. After two years, they decided the lyrics were "unintelligible at any speed."
Somehow, they missed the drummer yelling "F**k!" at 0:54
#5
Image source: Velora56, Toubletap
There is a tiny little island in the Arctic called "Hans" island. It has been disputed Territory between Canada and Denmark. Denmark would plant its flag, and leave a bottle of schnapps. Eventually the Canadian ship would arrive remove the Danish flag and take the schnapps. They would then raise the Canadian flag on the island and leave a bottle of Canadian club. This has been going on since the 1980s and was finally resolved in 2022 when they decided to share the island.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is how war should be fought.
#6
Image source: PCoda, Boys in Bristol Photography
For my fellow 90s kids who heard a lot about this growing up - the hole in the ozone over antarctica is basically fixed! Turns out we do have the power to make positive environmental changes if we work together as a global community.
#7
Image source: InternationalGap6163, Karl Girardet / Jean Outhwaite
When Haiti was fighting the French in a civil war the French send some polish to deal with it when they saw how the slaves were treated the Polish joined the haiti revolution.
#8
Image source: Rankorking, Pixabay
Cows have accents depending on where they’re born and they also have best friends and get depressed when separated.
#9
Image source: Goat-Hammer, Alex Andrews
They found a giant ocean of water floating in space thats supposed to be something like 140,000 times the size of our solar system. Space sharks might actually exist.
#10
Image source: hockeynoticehockey, Young Sung
Canada has more lakes than the rest of the world combined.
#11
Image source: JoyfulMuffin07, Pixabay
Elephants can purr, like cats.
#12
Image source: Adventurous_Weird124, Imperial War Museum
This may have been posted before, but still...
On 8 April, 1942, a detachment of Polish soldiers, deployed to Iran by the Allies, bought a **bear cub** from an Iranian boy. In August the bear was given to the 22nd Artillery Supply company and named Wojtek by the soldiers.
They fed him condensed milk, honey, fruit, and beer, which ended up being his favorite drink. He also picked up smoking, and enjoyed wrestling with his human friends, and bunking in on cold nights.
When the Polish II Corps was redeployed it Italy to fight alongside the British, the Brits wouldn’t transport mere mascots on a troop ship, so Wojtek was formally enrolled in the Polish army as a private.
During the brutal Battle of Monte Cassino Private Wojtek helped keep the guns firing by hauling boxes of ammo, each containing four 25 pound shells. These crates normally took four men to haul. For his bravery and service in battle Wojtek was promoted to Corporal, and his visage became the emblem of the 22nd Artillery Supply Company.
After the war the 22nd was sent to Scotland, before being demobilized, at which point Wojtek was given to the Edinburgh Zoo, where he was often visited by Polish soldiers until his death in 1963.
**TDLR:** Polish soldiers adopted a bear named Wojtek in 1942. He served in WWII, carrying ammo at the Battle of Monte Cassino, and was promoted to Corporal. After the war, he lived in the Edinburgh Zoo until 1963.
#13
Image source: Lovely_BunnyCharm, wikipedia.org
Before he became president, Abraham Lincoln was an elite wrestling champion. In 300 matches, he only lost one. Bonus fun fact: He was also a licensed bartender.
#14
Image source: Former-Finish4653, Elianne Dipp
Whales are mammals. Mammals make milk. Whale milk is so high in fat it is the consistency of toothpaste.
I love to bust that one out while someone is brushing their teeth.
#15
Image source: Kshi-dragonfly, Ashithosh U
Pigeons mate for life.
#16
Ignaz Semmelweis, who was the doctor that tried to convince other doctors to wash their hands, was mocked for it and eventually suffered a mental breakdown. He spent the last years of his life in an asylum. Image source: martinart904#17
Image source: Visual-Lobster6625, James Wheeler
Cold water holds oxygen better than warm water. Which is why you'll usually find fish in shadier areas during sunny days.
Also, if you want ice cubes to be clear, you have to boil the water first to get the extra oxygen/bubbles out.
#18
Image source: dan-theman, Felicity Tai
Imitation vanilla used to be made from Beaver a**l sack juice.
#19
Image source: Ok-Masterpiece7377, Wendy Wei
The reason UK Pubs had stupid names, was so the illiterate patrons could find them with the artwork.
#20
When you exercise, your body compensates for the calories lost by burning fewer calories over the course of the day. So roughly 25-50% of the calories burned are negated. Meaning if you burn 100 calories, it really only comes to 50-75. The higher your body fat percentage the worse it is ?. Image source: _Halboro_#21
Wasps lay their eggs in fig flowers and die, then the fig eats the dead wasp and grows into a fig, and the baby wasps hatch and leave, usually. But sometimes the fig doesn’t eat all of the wasp, and sometimes the eggs don’t hatch, and sometimes the baby wasps don’t escape, and you don’t really notice any of this when you eat them, most of the time. Image source: MagictheCollecting#22
El Paso, Texas is closer to San Diego, California than it is to Houston, Texas. Image source: 66Troup#23
The universe has either been around for all of eternity, or it literally went from absolutely nothing to suddenly having a universe. Thinking too hard about either one can make your head spin. Image source: DeathSpiral321#24
Donald Ducks middle name is Fauntleroy. Image source: papasnork1#25
Marijuana was not decriminalized in Jamaica until 2015, despite its association with the country. Image source: cyn00#26
Image source: Conscious-Room6601, Erik Karits
A cockroach can live up to 168 hours without its head.
#27
Image source: jirohen, Ayanda M
Meaty human thighs have 13,355 calories.
#28
Image source: lyric_tiara, Walt Disney Pictures
Chessy (Lisa Ann Walters) from Parent Trap (1998) gave birth to twin boys on October 11th 2000 which is the same birthday the twins had in the movie!
#29
Image source: K_Xanthe, Matthis Volquardsen
Spider legs are on a hydraulic system. To move their limbs, they use their hemolymph (basically their blood) which is why when they die, their legs curl.
#30
Image source: HeadFit2660, Jean van der Meulen
Penguins have an organ behind their eyes that turns sea water in to fresh water.DE
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