Featured Facts

Category Archives: Featured Facts

Did English Speakers Really Not Use Contractions in the 19th Century as Depicted in True Grit?

November 3, 2014 Melissa

Karl A. asks: In the movie True Grit, they don’t use contractions. Is it true that people back then didn’t use them? Won’t, don’t, wouldn’t, isn’t and even ain’t- where would we be without our contractions? Prevalent in spoken English and increasingly accepted in written pieces, contractions enable brevity and make written works more accessible and friendly. Contractions in some […]

Interesting Halloween Facts Roundup

October 30, 2014 Daven Hiskey

We’ve covered quite a few Halloween related facts here on TodayIFoundOut over the years. Here’s a list of all of them, as well as some interesting facts about various candies. Happy Halloween! 🙂 Halloween Related Facts: Why are Carved Pumpkins Called “Jack O’ Lanterns”? The name “Jack O’ Lantern” was originally one of the numerous names given to ignis fatuus […]

Child Actors and Coogan’s Bill

October 30, 2014 Melissa

Born into acting, by the age of five Jackie Coogan, Jr. was a veteran stage performer when Charlie Chaplin first spotted him in 1919. Immediately cast in Chaplin’s A Day’s Pleasure, the hard-working Coogan went on to star in The Kid (1919), Daddy (1923), Long Live the King (1923), Tom Sawyer (1930) and Huckleberry Finn (1931). As a child, he […]

What Happens to Your Social Security Number When You Die?

October 29, 2014 Melissa

U. Grening asks: What happens to your social security number when you die? Does it get used again? Since 1935, the Social Security Administration has been issuing numbers to permanent residents of the United States. Nine simple digits distinguish each American from his or her fellow residents. Today, assigned randomly and never recycled, a social security number is as unique […]

Is the Recipe for Coca-Cola Really Only Known By Two People?

October 28, 2014 Karl Smallwood

G. Franklin asks: Is it true that only two people in the world know the recipe for coke? The idea that the secret formula for Coca-Cola is only known by two people who are never to be allowed near one another in case of some disaster resulting in the recipe being lost forever is one of those pop culture staples […]

How Birds Grip Things When They Sleep

October 27, 2014 Melissa

Abi W. asks: Why don’t birds fall off branches when they sleep? Everyone needs sleep, but for many birds, by necessity this has to happen while perched on a branch or other place that must be gripped. Anyone who has ever fallen asleep reading and found her book on the floor knows how difficult it can be to hold onto […]

The Difference Between… [Food Edition]

October 24, 2014 Verity

Ever wonder what the difference between fruits and vegetables is? Or how about the difference between jelly and jam? These and other fascinating “difference between” food facts are covered in our latest video below. If you like it, be sure and subscribe to our YouTube channel. If you liked this video, be sure and subscribe to our YouTube channel here. […]

The Truth About Gladiators and the Thumbs Up

October 23, 2014 Karl Smallwood

Michael T. asks: Is it true that the thumbs up and thumbs down hand gesture came from crowds in ancient Rome voting on whether a gladiator should live or die? There are few hand gestures out there as well known or ubiquitous as the humble thumbs up. But why is this seemingly innocuous gesture so widespread; how did it come […]

Why Don’t Vultures Get Sick When Eating Dead Things?

October 22, 2014 Karl Smallwood

Scott K. asks: Why don’t vultures get sick when eating dead things? How come humans can’t do the same? As an animal that is synonymous with death and disease, the vulture understandably has a poor reputation in many cultures across the globe, despite, ironically enough, being a huge boon to humans in terms of being able to reduce instances of […]

The Fascinating Reason Witches are Commonly Depicted Flying on Broomsticks

October 21, 2014 Melissa

Emily A. asks: Why do witches fly on broomsticks? We’ve heard this one. To get high, of course! But seriously, it’s thought the idea of witches flying around on broomsticks came from the practice of concocting “witches flying ointment” (read hallucinogens) and then using a broomstick to administer the drug to certain sensitive regions, thereby bypassing some of the negative […]

Why We Call Certain Types of Threats “Blackmail”, and The Origin of the Lesser Known “Buttockmail”

October 20, 2014 Karl Smallwood

Karl M. asks: Why is it called blackmail when you threaten to reveal something about someone if they don’t give you money? “Blackmail” has its roots in the early 16th century, first used by English farmers living on the England/Scotland border. It derives from the Middle English word “male” which itself is thought to derive from the Old English word […]

The Surprisingly Recent Time Period When Boys Wore Pink, Girls Wore Blue, and Both Wore Dresses

October 17, 2014 Terynn Boulton

If we were to play a word association game where I said a word and you had to yell out the first color that came to mind, it would probably go something like this: Banana- Yellow; Apple- Red; Boy- Blue; Girl- Pink. We can all understand why yellow and red are associated with bananas and apples, but boys are not […]

Are There Any Animals Other Than Humans That Commit Suicide?

October 16, 2014 Karl Smallwood

Mark I. asks: Are there any known animals other than humans that intentionally commit suicide? Animal suicide is a hugely controversial issue in the world of animal research and psychology, because although there are numerous documented instances of animals seemingly intentionally ending their own lives, no one is exactly sure whether these cases can technically be classified as suicide. First […]

10 More Fascinating Quick Facts

October 15, 2014 Theodoros II

801) Nick Offerman, better known as Ron Swanson from the Parks and Recreation TV series, is a professional boat builder and has a side business as a wood craftsman. In 2008, he even released an instructional DVD- “Fine Woodstrip Canoe Building with Nick Offerman,” offering instructions on how to make your own canoe. He stated in an interview with Wood […]

The Surprisingly Recent Invention of the T-Shirt

October 14, 2014 Karl Smallwood

John E. asks: Who invented the T-shirt? The t-shirt is arguably the most popular outer garment in the entire world. Coming in a range of styles, colors and sizes there is quite literally a t-shirt for everyone. But where did this iconic garment come from and how did it become so popular? Relatively speaking, the t-shirt is a fairly new […]

Who is McDonald in McDonald’s Restaurant

October 13, 2014 Eddie Deezen

Mark R. asks: Was there a real “McDonald” that started McDonald’s or is it like the fictitious Betty Crocker? McDonald’s is, without question, the most successful, popular, and influential fast-food restaurant chain in recorded history. The name most commonly associated with McDonald’s is Ray Kroc. Kroc was the entrepreneur who founded the McDonald’s corporation. So how did it come to […]

When and How Jeans Became Popular

October 10, 2014 Karl Smallwood

Jeans are easily one of the most ubiquitous pieces of clothing on Earth with millions of pairs being made, sold and wrapped around the butts of style conscious individuals every single day. But why are jeans so popular and for what purpose were they first made? Before we answer that it’s important for us to first define exactly what we […]

Al Jolson- Misunderstood Hero or Villain?

October 9, 2014 Eddie Deezen

Ask most movie fans, “What was the first ‘talkie’?” The most frequent reply tends to be “The Jazz Singer” starring Al Jolson. This is a “sort of” correct answer, but not really. The earliest “sound” movies were made by synchronizing motion pictures to phonograph records. In 1926, (a year before “The Jazz Singer”) Warner Brothers re-released the previously silent film […]

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