Featured Facts

Category Archives: Featured Facts

The Famous “Wilhelm Scream” Heard in Over 200 Films is Thought to Have Come from the Vocal Talents of the Guy Who Wrote and Sang the Song “Purple People Eater”

March 15, 2013 Amanda Poitras

Even if you don’t recognize the name, odds are you’ve at least heard the Wilhelm Scream (listen to it here). It’s that classic scream that movie goers around the world remember and is sometimes also called the “Star Wars Scream”. You hear it when Luke Skywalker shoots that Stormtrooper on the Death Star, when Indiana Jones takes down that Nazi, […]

10 Fascinating Food Facts (Part-4)

March 14, 2013 Noreen

Embed This Infographic [Source: Today I Found Out] [Some images used in the infographic via Shutterstock] For Part 1 of this series go here: 12 Fascinating Food Facts For Part 2 of this series go here: 10 Fascinating Food Facts (Part-2) For Part 3 of this series go here: 10 More Fascinating Food Facts (Part-3)

Why Mustard is Yellow

March 12, 2013 Matt Blitz

Today I found out why mustard is yellow. A common misconception is that yellow mustard (the kind you put on your hot dog) is yellow because of the mustard seed. This is not true. The mustard seed is a dullish gray, brown color. The striking, bold yellow color actually comes from the rootstock of a plant called turmeric. Turmeric, native […]

The Woman Who Carried a Fetus in Her Body for 60 Years

March 8, 2013 Daven Hiskey

The woman was Huang Yijun from China. When she was 31 in 1948, she became pregnant only to find out that she had an ectopic pregnancy, meaning the egg had not attached in the uterus. In most ectopic pregnancies, the egg will implant in the Fallopian tubes, but in Huang’s case, the egg implanted just outside her Fallopian tubes causing […]

The Origin of Saint Patrick’s Day

March 7, 2013 Daven Hiskey

Today I Found Out has teamed up with Jeremiah Warren to show his awesome “trivia” related videos here. You can subscribe to Warren’s YouTube Channel here. If you liked this video and the Bonus Saint Patrick’s Day facts below, you might also enjoy: Why Superheroes Wear Their Underwear on the Outside The Origins of Halloween and Trick or Treating The […]

Why Sideburns are Named as They Are

March 6, 2013 Daven Hiskey

Today I found out why sideburns are named as they are. It turns out, despite this particular brand of facial hair style being around as far back as at least 100 BC (with one of the earliest known instances being in a mosaic of Alexander the Great), sideburns were named after a specific man in the late 19th century. The […]

How Nintendo, Lego, Adidas and 17 other Major Companies Got Their Names

March 4, 2013 List25

This is a guest post by List25.com for more interesting lists, subscribe to their newsletter here. Lego: In 1934, Danish carpenter Ol Kirk Kristiansen, the founder of what we now know of as Lego®, asked his staff to come up with a good name for his growing toy company. The two names that ended up being finalists were “Legio” and […]

The Beatles’ Worst Experience

February 28, 2013 Eddie Deezen

The Beatles arrived in Manila to give two concerts in early July of 1966. This was to be one of their gigs on their 1966 final-ever tour; they had just finished a few very pleasant gigs in Germany. There were “bad vibes” almost from the word “go” as the boys arrived at the Manila airport. Ringo: “I hated the Philippines. […]

Caffeine Does Not Stunt Your Growth

February 28, 2013 Scott

Myth: Caffeine will stunt your growth We all remember being 12 years old and seeing your mom guzzling down her 3rd cup of coffee and really wanting some. When we asked if we could have a cup, the response was always the same: “No, caffeine will stunt your growth…” As if being tall was a necessary element in survival! It […]

10 Totally Random Facts (Part-3)

February 28, 2013 Noreen

Embed This Infographic [Source: Today I Found Out] [Some images used in the infographic via Shutterstock] For Part 1 of this series go here: 10 Totally Random Interesting Facts For Part 2 of this series go here: 10 Totally Random Interesting Facts (Part-2)

Why We Call the Seasons Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring

February 26, 2013 Daven Hiskey

J.K. asks: Why are the seasons called winter, spring, summer, and fall? “Winter” derives from the Proto-Germanic *wentruz, meaning winter. This in turn probably comes from the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) *wed, meaning “wet”. Alternatively, it may come from the PIE *wind-, meaning “white”. Either way, the Proto-Germanic *wentruz gave rise to the Old English “winter” as the fourth season of the […]

10 Wild and Wacky Animal Mating Rituals (Part-2)

February 25, 2013 Noreen

Embed This Infographic Source: Today I found out [Some images used in the infographic via Shutterstock] Text Version: 1. Bowerbirds: When looking for a mate, bowerbirds (found in northern parts of Australia) put in a little more sophistication and effort into the process unlike a lot of other animals. Their women have a rather unique taste in interior decoration (of […]

10 Wild and Wacky Animal Mating Rituals

February 22, 2013 Noreen

Embed This Infographic Source: Today I found out [Some images used in the infographic via Shutterstock] Text Version: 1. Flatworms: Like most aquatic invertebrates, flatworms are hermaphrodites, which means they have reproductive organs of both genders- male and female. So they determine who’s going to be which gender, with a good old fashioned fight. When it comes to their dagger-like […]

5 Common Misconceptions About George Washington

February 21, 2013 Daven Hiskey

Today I Found Out has teamed up with Jeremiah Warren to show his awesome “trivia” related videos here. I hope you enjoy his videos as much as I have. Bonus George Washington Facts: George Washington was taphephobic (irrationally terrified of being buried alive). On his death bed, he told his attendants “I am just going. Have me decently buried and […]

The Man Who Survived Three Consecutive Hangings

February 19, 2013 Eddie Deezen

Joseph Samuels (some sources list his surname as “Samuel”) was an English criminal, born in 1780. After being arrested for robbery at the age of 15, Samuels was eventually convicted and shipped to Australia in 1801. At the time, Australia had a penal colony at Sydney Cove. Security in these early penal settlements was reinforced by the isolation of the […]

15 Interesting President Facts

February 17, 2013 Daven Hiskey

1) Heaviest President in U.S. History: The the 27th President of the United States, President William Howard Taft (serving from 1909 to 1913) was the heaviest President in U.S. history. He was 5’11″ tall and weighed 290 pounds. Not only was he the heaviest, he was also the last President to regularly sport facial hair. In 1921, Taft became the […]

Fact or Myth: Sodium Raises Blood Pressure

February 14, 2013 Scott

Matt asks: Why does salt raise blood pressure? Well, Matt, it turns out a high sodium diet might not raise blood pressure, nor have any sort of adverse effect on cardiovascular health at all. But I’ll cover the theory on why salt raises blood pressure below- just realize it is just a theory and one not backed up by much […]

The Way a Soldier’s Horse is Portrayed in an Equestrian Statue Has Nothing to Do With How The Soldier Died

February 12, 2013 Daven Hiskey

Myth: The way a soldier’s horse is portrayed in an equestrian statue indicates how the soldier died. This myth, perpetuated by many a tourist guide the world over, simply isn’t true. (Not unlike how tourist guides around the equator will often tell you that what hemisphere you’re in effects the way the water swirls down the toilet or drain. They’ll […]

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