The first credit card was issued by American Express in 1951.

Excessive use of credit is cited as a major cause of non-business bankruptcy, second only to unemployment.

The first credit card was issued by American Express in 1951.

At over 6 miles below sea level, the deepest point in the sea: the Mariana Trench off Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

The Mariana Trench is 10,9 km (6.77 miles) below sea level.

At over 6 miles below sea level, the deepest point in the sea: the Mariana Trench off Guam in the Pacific Ocean.

About 30% of consumers use their credit card as their main means of buying Christmas gifts.

70% of consumers do not save to buy Christmas gifts and 86% of consumers do their Christmas shopping during December.

About 30% of consumers use their credit card as their main means of buying Christmas gifts.

When Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1912, six replicas were sold as the original.

Each replica sold at a huge price in the 3 years before the original was recovered.

When Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1912, six replicas were sold as the original.

In the 1950's some 80% of chickens in Europe and the US were free-ranging.

By 1980, it was only 1%. Today, about 13% of chickens in the West are free-ranging.

In the 1950's some 80% of chickens in Europe and the US were free-ranging.

The average age of Forbes's 400 wealthiest individuals is over 60.

In 1955, the richest woman in the world was Mrs Hetty Green Wilks, who left an estate of $95 million in a will that was found in a tin box with four pieces of soap.

The average age of Forbes's 400 wealthiest individuals is over 60.

Technically, an onion, apple and potato all have the same taste.

The differences in flavor are caused by their smell.

Technically, an onion, apple and potato all have the same taste.

The "$" dollar sign was designed in 1778 by financier Oliver Pollock.

Oliver Pollock was a zealous patriot, known as the “Financier of the Revolution in the West”, and typically attributed as the creator of the U.S. dollar sign.  This was first noted by the character Owen Kellogg in Ayn Rand’s novel “Atlas Shrugged”.  A...
The "$" dollar sign was designed in 1778 by financier Oliver Pollock.

The term "soda water" was coined in 1798 by Samuel Fahnenstock.

The soda fountain was patented by Samuel Fahnestock in 1819, with the first bottled soda water available in 1835.

The term "soda water" was coined in 1798 by Samuel Fahnenstock.

It it estimated that 80% of millionaires drive second-hand cars.

Millionaires are notoriously frugal with their money.  As of 2010, there are more than 9 million millionaires and about 800 billionaires in the world – depending on how the stock market did that day.

It it estimated that 80% of millionaires drive second-hand cars.

UK stamps are the only stamps in the world that do not bear the country's name.

Great Britain was the first county to issue postage stamps, on 1 May 1840. Hence, UK stamps are the only stamps in the world not to bear the name of the country of origin.

UK stamps are the only stamps in the world that do not bear the country's name.

In 1965, CEOs earned an average of 44 times more than factory workers. Today the gap is 10-times greater.

In 1965, CEOs earned on average 44 times more than factory workers. In 1998, CEOs earned on average 326 times more than factory workers and in 1999, they earned 419 times more than factory workers. The gap has remained more-or-less at 400 times.

In 1965, CEOs earned an average of 44 times more than factory workers. Today the gap is 10-times greater.

Annually, France exports some 140 million bottles of champagne to the rest of the world.

Although 140 million bottles of champagne seems like a lot, even more impressive, they keep more than 180 million bottles for local consumption.

Annually, France exports some 140 million bottles of champagne to the rest of the world.

Between 1998 and 2005, two thirds of U.S. corporations operating in the U.S. paid no taxes at all.

Foreign corporations operating in the United States fared even better – 68% of foreign corporations paid no taxes during the same time period.

Between 1998 and 2005, two thirds of U.S. corporations operating in the U.S. paid no taxes at all.

Napoleon's christened name was really Italian: Napoleone Buonaparte.

Napoloen was born on the island of Corsica one year after it became French property. As a boy, Napoleon hated the French.

Napoleon's christened name was really Italian: Napoleone Buonaparte.

In the 17th century, England produced 2/3 of the world's wool fabrics.

In the 17th century, wool fabrics accounted for about two-thirds of England’s foreign trade. Today, the leading wool producers are Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and China.

In the 17th century, England produced 2/3 of the world's wool fabrics.

The term "smart money" refers to gamblers who have inside information or have arranged a fix in order to win.

The term “smart money” is the gambling term for insuring the outcome of an event by illegal methods.  In gambling language, for a gambling house a “sure-thing” is a wager that a player has little chance of winning; “easy money” is their profit from an inexperienced bettor, an...
The term "smart money" refers to gamblers who have inside information or have arranged a fix in order to win.

In 1894, Lord Kelvin predicted that radio had no future.

Kelvin also predicted that heavier-than-air flying machines were impossible.

In 1894, Lord Kelvin predicted that radio had no future.

The NASDAQ stock exchange was brought down one day in December 1987 when a squirrel burrowed through a telephone line.

Squirrels are common culprits in fiber optic line cuts too.

The NASDAQ stock exchange was brought down one day in December 1987 when a squirrel burrowed through a telephone line.

Joseph Niepce developed the world's first photographic image in 1827.

He developed heliography, a technique used to produce the world’s first known photograph in 1825. Among Niépce’s other inventions was the Pyréolophore, the world’s first ‘internal combustion engine’.

Joseph Niepce developed the world's first photographic image in 1827.

Honey is the only food that will not rot.

A jar of honey will remain edible for over 3,000 years.

Honey is the only food that will not rot.

Nokia was named after a wood-pulp mill that opened in the town of Nokia in 1865.

In 1865, Frederik Idestam founded a wood-pulp mill in southern Finland, naming it Nokia. It rapidly gained worldwide recognition, attracting a large number of workforce and the town Nokia was born. In 1898, the Finnish Rubber Works company opened in Nokia, taking on the town name in the 1920s....
Nokia was named after a wood-pulp mill that opened in the town of Nokia in 1865.

About 40%, nearly half, of all commercial bottled water comes from plain old tap water.

it is estimated that from 25% to 45% of all bottled water in the United States comes from municipal water system – it’s just plain old tap water that has been processed through some sort of filtering mechanism.  Even if the bottled water label shows mountains, snow, or other bodies...
About 40%, nearly half, of all commercial bottled water comes from plain old tap water.

The first neon sign was made in 1923 for a Packard automobile dealership.

Packard was an American luxury automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana. The first Packard automobiles were produced in 1899, and the last in 1958.

The first neon sign was made in 1923 for a Packard automobile dealership.

The TV was introduced in 1926. By 1936 there were 100 TV sets on the entire planet.

Although the beginnings of mechanical television can be traced back to the discovery of the photoconductivity of the element seleniumby Willoughby Smith in 1873, it was not until 1926 that Scottish inventor John Logie Baird gave the first public demonstration of television Soho, London. Ten...
The TV was introduced in 1926. By 1936 there were 100 TV sets on the entire planet.

The first vending machine was invented by Hero of Alexandria in the first century.

When a coin was dropped into a slot, its weight would pull a cork out of a spigot and the machine would dispense a trickle of holy water.

The first vending machine was invented by Hero of Alexandria in the first century.

The Monopoly game was invented by Charles Darrow in 1933. He sold the rights to George Parker in 1935.

Parker went on to invent more than 100 games, including Pit, Rook, Flinch, Risk and Clue.

The Monopoly game was invented by Charles Darrow in 1933. He sold the rights to George Parker in 1935.

Leonardo da Vinci never built the inventions he designed.

 
Leonardo was a master of mechanical principles. He utilized leverage and cantilevering, pulleys, cranks, gears, including angle gears and rack and pinion gears; parallel linkage, lubrication systems and bearings. It is impossible to say with any certainty how many or even which of his...
Leonardo da Vinci never built the inventions he designed.

Scientists believe music may help restore memories.

Scientists also believe that music may make it easier for the brain to process new information.

Scientists believe music may help restore memories.

One hour before Alexander Graham Bell registered his patent for the telephone in 1876, Elisha Gray patented his design.

After years of litigation, the patent went to Bell.

One hour before Alexander Graham Bell registered his patent for the telephone in 1876, Elisha Gray patented his design.

Traffic lights were invented and in use long before the advent of the motorcar.

On 10 December 1868, the first traffic lights were installed outside the British Houses of Parliament in London, to control the traffic in Bridge Street, Great George Street and Parliament Street. They were promoted by the railway engineer J. P. Knight and constructed by the railway signal...
Traffic lights were invented and in use long before the advent of the motorcar.

Count Alessandro Volta invented the first battery in the 18th century.

During the 1860s, George Leclanche developed the dry-cell battery, the basis for modern batteries.

Count Alessandro Volta invented the first battery in the 18th century.

Thomas Edison filed 1,093 patents, including those for the light bulb, electric railways and the movie camera.

When Edison died in 1931, he held 34 patents for the telephone, 141 for batteries, 150 for the telegraph and 389 patents for electric light and power.

Thomas Edison filed 1,093 patents, including those for the light bulb, electric railways and the movie camera.

Female koalas have two vaginas.

Male koalas, even though they have two penises, still complain that they don’t get enough sex.

Female koalas have two vaginas.

According to Guinness World Records, the longest movie in the world ran for 87 hours.

The longest movie in the world according to Guinness World Records is The Cure for Insomnia, directed by John Henry Timmis IV. Released in 1987, the running time is 5220 minutes (87 hours).

According to Guinness World Records, the longest movie in the world ran for 87 hours.

Carrots, loaded with Vitamin A, are known to prevent "night blindness".

Vitamin A is known to prevent “night blindness,” and carrots are loaded with Vitamin A. One carrot provides more than 200% of recommended daily intake of Vitamin A.

Carrots, loaded with Vitamin A, are known to prevent "night blindness".

The first public movie was screened in 1907 by brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere.

In 1895 French brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere demonstrated a projector system in Paris. In 1907 they screened the first public movie.

The first public movie was screened in 1907 by brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere.

The first film animation was "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces" made in 1906 by American J. Stuart Blacton.

Less than 10 years later, in 1919, 18-year-old Walt Disney teamed up with Ub Iwerks, to produce a series of cartoons entitled “Alice in Cartoonland.”

The first film animation was "Humorous Phases of Funny Faces" made in 1906 by American J. Stuart Blacton.

All but one of the planets in the solar system rotate counter-clockwise.

All the planets in the solar system rotate anticlockwise, except Venus. It is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

All but one of the planets in the solar system rotate counter-clockwise.

A kick to a male's testicles (balls) produces over 9,000 del (units) of pain.

9000 del (units) of pain is equivalent to giving birth to 160 kids or breaking up to 3,200 bones at a time.

A kick to a male's testicles (balls) produces over 9,000 del (units) of pain.

The first electronic mail, or "email", was sent in 1972 by Ray Tomlinson.

It was also his idea to use the @ sign to separate the name of the user from the name of the computer.  Queen Elizabeth of Britain sent her first email in 1976.

The first electronic mail, or "email", was sent in 1972 by Ray Tomlinson.

Mickey Mouse was originally to be named Mortimer Mouse.

The Walt Disney company was founded in 1923, and in 1927 Walt came up with the idea for an animated mouse called Mortimer Mouse. His wife Lillian convinced him to change it to Mickey Mouse.

Mickey Mouse was originally to be named Mortimer Mouse.

The first TV commercial was a 20-second ad for a Bulova clock broadcast in 1941 during a baseball game.

The first TV commercial was a 20-second ad for a Bulova clock, broadcasted by WNBT, New York during a game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies in July 1941. Bulova paid $9 for that first TV spot. Bulova also was the first watch in space.

The first TV commercial was a 20-second ad for a Bulova clock broadcast in 1941 during a baseball game.

In 2010, 1 out of every 25 websites was sex-related and 13% of searches were for porn

If you cannot afford pornography, turn your TV to a tennis game and close your eyes.

In 2010, 1 out of every 25 websites was sex-related and 13% of searches were for porn

All planets, except Earth, are named after Roman gods.

Planets, meaning wanderers, are named after Roman deities: Mercury, messenger of the gods; Venus, the god of love and beauty; Mars, the god of war; Jupiter, king of the gods; and Saturn, father of Jupiter and god of agriculture; Neptune, god of the sea.

All planets, except Earth, are named after Roman gods.

The telephone automatic exchange was invented as measure for competitive advantage by a practicing undertaker in 1889.

In 1889, Kansas undertaker Almon B. Strowger wanted to prevent telephone operators from advising his rivals of the death of local citizens. So he invented the automatic exchange, or “stepping switch”, which led to the automation of telephone circuit switching.

The telephone automatic exchange was invented as measure for competitive advantage by a practicing undertaker in 1889.

The first animation picture to be nominated for Best Picture Oscar was Disney's Beauty and the Beast in 1991.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast was nominated in 1991 – it did not win, however.  Years earlier, in 1937, Disney won a special Oscar for the first full-length animation: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

The first animation picture to be nominated for Best Picture Oscar was Disney's Beauty and the Beast in 1991.

The first regular TV soap was DuMont TV's A Woman to Remember, which began its run in February 1947.

The first televised sporting event was a Japanese elementary school baseball game, broadcast in September 1931.

The first regular TV soap was DuMont TV's A Woman to Remember, which began its run in February 1947.

The first written account of the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, was made in 565AD.

The earliest report of a monster associated with the vicinity of Loch Ness in Scotland, appears in the Life of St. Columba by Adomnán, written in the 6th century.  According to Adomnán, writing about a century after the events he described, the Irish monk Saint Columba was staying in the...
The first written account of the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie, was made in 565AD.

If you stack one million US $1 bills, it would be 110m (361 ft) high and weight exactly 1 ton.

Pennies are even more efficient.  200 billion of them would make a stack that reached from the Earth to the Moon.

If you stack one million US $1 bills, it would be 110m (361 ft) high and weight exactly 1 ton.

The first video recording machine weighed over 1,000 pounds.

The video recording machine was invented by the Ampex corporation of California in 1956. The first video recorder, the Ampex VR1000, stood 1,1 m (3 ft. 3 in) high and weighed as much as a small car: 665 kg (1,466 lbs.).

The first video recording machine weighed over 1,000 pounds.

Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk's middle name is Tiberius.

The idea for the Vulcan nerve pinch came from Leonard Nimoy himself. In the first episode he was supposed to club “evil Kirk” over the head but Nimoy thought that seemed out of character for Spock and that a non-violent nerve pinch would be more fitting.

Star Trek's Captain James T. Kirk's middle name is Tiberius.

Nearly 100% of suicide jump survivors say they changed their mind between jumping and hitting the ground.

Of course, that regret they feel could be translated into a defense mechanism (e.g. position oneself to minimize damage upon impact) which would itself increase their chance of survival.

Nearly 100% of suicide jump survivors say they changed their mind between jumping and hitting the ground.

The world's first skyscraper was the 10-story Home Insurance office, built in Chicago in 1885.

Although Roman build buildings up to 8 stories high, due to the Home Insurance building’s unique architecture and unique weight-bearing frame, it is considered the first skyscraper in the world.  In 1890, two additional floors were built on top of the original 10-story building.  It was...
The world's first skyscraper was the 10-story Home Insurance office, built in Chicago in 1885.

Robbing a bank? A million dollars' worth of $100 bills weighs only 10 kg (22 lb).

Robbing a bank of pennies however, would be much more difficult.  One million dollars’ worth of one-cent coins (100 million coins) weigh 246 tons.

Robbing a bank? A million dollars' worth of $100 bills weighs only 10 kg (22 lb).

Only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still survives: the Great Pyramid of Giza.

In addition to the Great Pyramid of Giza, the remaining six wonders of the world are: Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes, and Lighthouse of Alexandria.

Only one of the Seven Wonders of the World still survives: the Great Pyramid of Giza.

The term "Blue Chip" comes from the color of the poker chip with the highest value, blue.

Small-time gamblers who place small bet in order to prolong the excitement of a game are called “dead fish” by game operators because the longer the playing time, the greater the chances of losing.

The term "Blue Chip" comes from the color of the poker chip with the highest value, blue.

The first pop video was Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, released in 1975.

Queen’s Body Language video, filled with scantily clad men and women in a sauna setting, groping and caressing, would be tame by today’s standards, but back when MTV was new they were afraid of what people would think – they banned the video from their airwaves.

The first pop video was Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, released in 1975.

Kay Perry has a cat named "Kitty Perry".

Now that’s one, ahem, kitten that we’d love to see more of.

Kay Perry has a cat named "Kitty Perry".

The largest movie theater in the world is Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The largest movie theater in the world, Radio City Music Hall in New York, opened in 1932 – it seats almost 6,000 people.

The largest movie theater in the world is Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The first mention of soap was on Sumerian clay tablets dating about 2,500 BC.

Ancient soap was made of water, alkali and cassia oil.

The first mention of soap was on Sumerian clay tablets dating about 2,500 BC.

From the 1500's to 1600's, in Holland and Spain, urine was commonly used as a tooth-cleaning agent.

And yes, the public’s biggest complaint continued to be bad breathe.

From the 1500's to 1600's, in Holland and Spain, urine was commonly used as a tooth-cleaning agent.

Tea was discovered by a Chinese emperor when some tea leaves accidentally blew into a pot of boiling water.

The first documented consumption of tea occurred in 1257 BC.  The first European to encounter tea was the Portuguese Jesuit Jasper de Cruz during his visit to China in 1560.

Tea was discovered by a Chinese emperor when some tea leaves accidentally blew into a pot of boiling water.

Approximately two-thirds of a person’s body weight is water.

Blood is 92% water. The brain is 75% water and muscles are 75% water.

Approximately two-thirds of a person’s body weight is water.

Pepsi-Cola was originally named "Brad's Drink".

Pepsi-Cola was invented by Caleb Bradham in 1890 as “Brad’s Drink” as a digestive aid and energy booster. In was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898.  Coca-Cola was invented a few years earlier, in Atlanta, Georgia by Dr. John S. Pemberton in 1886. Thus began the “cola wars”.

Pepsi-Cola was originally named "Brad's Drink".

In early drafts of the movie "Back to the Future", the time machine was built out of an old refrigerator.

The DeLorean was deliberately selected for its general appearance and gull wing doors, in order to make it plausible that people in 1955 would presume it to be an alien spacecraft.

In early drafts of the movie "Back to the Future", the time machine was built out of an old refrigerator.

The bones in your body are not white.

Bones range in color from beige to light brown. The bones you see in museums are white because they have been boiled and cleaned.

The bones in your body are not white.

Cream of Wheat cereal and Juicy Fruit gum were first introduced at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.

Pabst Blue Ribbon beer was also introduced at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 along with new technilogical advances such as the dishwasher, fluorescent light bulbs, and Pittsburgh-based bridge builder and steel magnate George Washington Gale Ferris’s new Ferris Wheel ride.

Cream of Wheat cereal and Juicy Fruit gum were first introduced at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.

The average time spent outdoors by North Americans is 1 hour per day.

I went outside once.  The graphics were amazing but the gameplay and storyline were horrible!

The average time spent outdoors by North Americans is 1 hour per day.

We live our entire lives 80 milliseconds in the past - that's how long our brain takes to process information

Still, the brain is far more powerful than any computer on Earth.

We live our entire lives 80 milliseconds in the past - that's how long our brain takes to process information

In 1900, a person could expect to live to be 47 years old.

Today, the average life expectancy for men and women in developed countries is longer than 70 years.

In 1900, a person could expect to live to be 47 years old.

About 13% of people are left-handed.

The percentage of left-handed people is up from 11% in the past, when civilizations used to discourage people from using their left hand as the predominant hand.

About 13% of people are left-handed.

Ice tea was introduced in 1904 at the World's Fair in St. Louis.

The introduction of the tea bag followed four years later – the tea bag was introduced in 1908 by Thomas Sullivan of New York.

Ice tea was introduced in 1904 at the World's Fair in St. Louis.

The United States spends more money on military than education.

Annual global spending on education is $1.1 trillion. Annual global spending on military is $1.3 trillion (45% by USA).

The United States spends more money on military than education.

There are about 5,000 prince and princesses in each Saudi Arabian royal family.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded by Abdul-Aziz bin Saud (known for most of his career as Ibn Saud) in 1932, although the conquests which eventually led to the creation of the Kingdom began in 1902 when he captured Riyadh, the ancestral home of his family, the House of Saud, referred to in...
There are about 5,000 prince and princesses in each Saudi Arabian royal family.

There are 66 books in the Bible, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.

The 66 books of the Bible is divided into 1,189 chapters consisting of 31,102 verses. The Old Testament has 929 chapters, the New Testament 260 (King James version).

There are 66 books in the Bible, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.

Tremendous, horrendous, stupendous and hazardous are the only English words ending in "dous".

Dreamt is the only common English word ending in mt. Others are the obscure adreamt, redreamt undreamt and daydreamt.

Tremendous, horrendous, stupendous and hazardous are the only English words ending in "dous".

The German PJ Reuter started the first foreign news agency in 1858.

Reuters is still around today and is one of the biggest news agencies in the world.

The German PJ Reuter started the first foreign news agency in 1858.

Your finger nails grow at 1 nanometer per second (0.000 000 001 m/s).

Your hair grows at 4 nanometers per second (0.000 000 004 m/s).

Your finger nails grow at 1 nanometer per second (0.000 000 001 m/s).

In 1987, Pennsylvanian politician R. Budd Dwyer called a press conference only to shoot himself in front of the cameras.

Convicted of bribery and conspiracy in federal court and on the verge of being sentenced, Pennsylvanian politician R. Budd Dwyer called a press conference. There, in front of spectators and television camera, he placed a gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger.

In 1987, Pennsylvanian politician R. Budd Dwyer called a press conference only to shoot himself in front of the cameras.

George Washington called New York City "the seat of the empire" when NYC was the capital

New York City was the capital of the country (1788-1790) when Washington called it the “seat of the empire”.  Hence the nickname, “Empire State”.

George Washington called New York City "the seat of the empire" when NYC was the capital

The tallest mountain on earth, Mauna Kea in Hawaii, is under the ocean.

Although much of the mountain’s body is underneath the ocean water, Mauna Kea is 10,200 metres (33,465 ft) high from bottom to top. Mount Everest is 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) high, significantly shorter than Mauna Kea (although more of Mount Everest is exposed).

The tallest mountain on earth, Mauna Kea in Hawaii, is under the ocean.

Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails.

Your middle fingernail grows the fastest.

Fingernails grow nearly 4 times faster than toenails.

In 1932, actress Peg Entwistle committed suicide by jumping from the “H” in the Hollywood(Land) sign.

After leaving a suicide note and telling family she was going to the store for a quick errand, she climbed a workman’s ladder to the top of the “H” and jumped to her death.

In 1932, actress Peg Entwistle committed suicide by jumping from the “H” in the Hollywood(Land) sign.

Botanically speaking, the banana is a herb (not a fruit) and the tomato is a fruit (not a vegetable).

Bananas are the world’s most popular fruit after tomatoes. In western countries, they could account for 3% of a grocer’s total sales.

Botanically speaking, the banana is a herb (not a fruit) and the tomato is a fruit (not a vegetable).

The liver is the largest of the body's internal organs.

The skin is the body’s largest organ.

The liver is the largest of the body's internal organs.

When asked his thoughts on dying, actor Edmund Gwenn's last words were, “It's tough. But not as tough as doing comedy”.

On September 6, 1959, laying on his deathbed, actor Edmund Gwenn was asked if he thought dying was tough. In response, his last words were, “Yes, it’s tough…, but not as tough as doing comedy.”

When asked his thoughts on dying, actor Edmund Gwenn's last words were, “It's tough. But not as tough as doing comedy”.

The original name for the planet Uranus was Georgium.

Organist William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus in 1781 with the first reflecting telescope that he built. He named it Georgium Sidium in honour of King George III of England but in 1850 it was renamed Uranus in accordance with the tradition of naming planets for Roman gods.

The original name for the planet Uranus was Georgium.

Not all our taste buds are on our tongue

About 10% of a person’s taste buds are on the palette and the cheeks. Unless food is mixed with saliva you cannot taste it.

Not all our taste buds are on our tongue

The last words of famous Roman Emperor Galius Caligula were “I am still alive!”

Hated by many Romans, Galius Caligula was stabbed to death by his own guards in 41 AD.  After the stabbing, he triumphantly cried, “I am still alive” and then drew his last breath.

The last words of famous Roman Emperor Galius Caligula were “I am still alive!”

When Auguste Rodin exhibited his first work, it was so realistic, people thought there was a live model inside the cast.

The ultra-realistic piece was called The Bronze Period.  It was created in 1878.  40 years later, Rodin died of frostbite while the French government kept his statues warmly housed in museums.  The French government had refused his request for financial aid for a flat to live in.

When Auguste Rodin exhibited his first work, it was so realistic, people thought there was a live model inside the cast.

The can opener was invented 48 years after cans were introduced.

The first cans typically weighed more than they food that they contained and had to be opened with whatever tools the person had available.  Instructions often read, “Cut around the top near the outer edge with a chisel and hammer”.

The can opener was invented 48 years after cans were introduced.

The salt and sweet taste buds are at the tip of the tongue

We have four basic tastes plus umami. The salt and sweet taste buds are at the tip of the tongue, bitter at the base, and sour along the sides; umami is a mixture of tastes sensed along the center of the tongue.

The salt and sweet taste buds are at the tip of the tongue

Karl Marx's last words were “last words are for fools who haven't said enough”.

In 1883, Russian revolutionary Karl Marx was urged by his housekeeper to tell her his last words so she could write them down. His famous last words (which she wrote down) were, “Go on, get out – last words are for fools who haven’t said enough.”

Karl Marx's last words were “last words are for fools who haven't said enough”.

Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like its kissing the conveyor belt.

Hershey’s Kisses Brand Chocolates were first introduced in 1907 at which time they were individually wrapped by hand. The paper plume was inserted so customers could be sure they were getting the real product and not a cheap imitation. The word KISSES (all capital letters) became a...
Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like its kissing the conveyor belt.

Long ago, villages burned homes of people they wanted to get rid of, hence the phrase - "to get fired".

Some linguists think the phrase may have even earlier origins – from back when rulers burned people’s feet as punishment.

Long ago, villages burned homes of people they wanted to get rid of, hence the phrase - "to get fired".

A coward was originally a boy who took care of cows.

The name “yellow-belly” began as the name for a person born in the Fens of Lincolnshire and was derived from the yellow, sickly complexion of persons residing in their marshy situations.

A coward was originally a boy who took care of cows.

Only two people actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th - John Hancock and Charles Thomson.

Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn’t added until 5 years later.

Only two people actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th - John Hancock and Charles Thomson.

The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.

Stewardesses’ is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand.

The only 15 letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.