1ENIAC's Overlooked Female Programmers
The first digital computer, ENIAC, was programmed by six women in the 1940s: Fran Bilas, Betty Jennings, Ruth Lichterman, Kay McNulty, Betty Snyder, and Marlyn Wescoff. Unfortunately, their contributions were overlooked for decades, despite laying the foundation for modern computing.
2. The Journal of Forensic Sciences analyzed 400 movies and 126 fictional villains, concluding that Anton Chigurh from "No Country for Old Men" was the most realistic villain.
3. Samuel Colt, in his efforts to secure investment for his firearms, hosted laughing gas parties across America, presenting himself as a doctor and conducting demonstrations with nitrous oxide.
4. The country of Brunei observes a two-day weekend, but it falls on Friday and Sunday, thus rendering them non-consecutive.
5. The halftime show of Super Bowl XXIII in 1989 featured an Elvis impersonator named Elvis Presto, with not a single authentic Elvis song performed.
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6Augustus Caesar's Temple Escapes
When Augustus Caesar reached adulthood, he often had to attend the temple under the cloak of darkness to evade the attention of older noblewomen, who were drawn to his "comeliness" and "youthful charm."
7. Peter Stiftskulinarium, a restaurant in Austria, has been in operation since 803 A.D., making it the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world. Its esteemed clientele purportedly included historical figures such as Christopher Columbus, Johann Georg Faust, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
8. The burglary tools featured in the film Thief (1981) were not mere props but actual tools, with the actors receiving training in their use. These tools were provided by real-life thieves who served as technical consultants on the film.
9. In 2001, an Australian hacker, armed with only a laptop and a radio transmitter, infiltrated a local sewage system in Queensland and diverted municipal sewage into parks, rivers, and public lands as an act of revenge against the department that denied his hiring request.
10. The sound of running water triggers beavers' instinct to build. If a speaker emits the sound of running water, a beaver will construct a dam, even if it's placed on concrete with no visible water.
11Rushed Airliner Design Disaster
Pressured to meet an air mail contract deadline, a British aircraft manufacturer hastily designed a passenger airliner in just four months in 1934. Unfortunately, the resulting plane suffered from numerous design flaws, leading to three fatal crashes immediately after its introduction.
12. Anthony Babington's journey from severe brain damage is remarkable. Injured severely during World War II to the extent that his girlfriend left him, he found himself unable to speak and paralyzed on his right side. However, Babington persevered, relearning speech and writing, eventually becoming a lawyer and judge, and authoring numerous books.
13. At the North Pole, local time is non-existent as all lines of longitude, and consequently all time zones, converge at this point. With the sun rising and setting only once annually, synchronizing time using the sun's position is impractical.
14. Despite his deafness, severe visual impairment (stemming from a head injury), and status as the shortest soldier in his company, Rodger Young posthumously received the Medal of Honor for single-handedly neutralizing a Japanese machine gun nest during World War II, sacrificing his life in the process.
15. In 1960, Tom and James Monaghan purchased DomiNick's, a small pizzeria, for $1400. James, unwilling to resign from his postman position, exchanged his share of the business with Tom for the VW Beetle utilized for deliveries. Subsequently, Tom acquired two additional pizzerias, laying the groundwork for Domino's Pizza.
16Gene Simmons' Pokémon Lookalike
Gene Simmons, a member of the band Kiss, felt flattered upon discovering he had a Pokémon lookalike.
17. Danny DeVito, known for portraying The Penguin in 1992's Batman Returns, penned a comic book narrative providing The Penguin with the romantic partner he coveted in the film: Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman. Titled "Bird Cat Love," the story depicts the duo combating a pandemic together. DeVito sought approval from Pfeiffer prior to publication.
18. Astronaut Scott Kelly received compensation at a rate of $70 per hour from NASA until his retirement, whereupon his pay was reduced to $10 per hour to account for debriefings and participation in medical tests. Kelly accumulated 520 days in space across four missions.
19. Three sailors who perished in Pearl Harbor have incorrect dates inscribed on their gravestones. Trapped underwater in the West Virginia battleship for 16 days post-bombing, their ordeal remained largely concealed, with most of their relatives passing away unaware of the truth.
20. Nazi officer Otto Skorzeny faced a war crime trial for allegedly deploying American military uniforms in battle but was acquitted after successfully arguing that they had discarded the uniforms before engaging in combat. Later, he was liberated from prison by individuals disguised in American military attire.
21Sutton's Law in Medicine
Sutton's law of medicine advocates considering the most obvious diagnosis first. Derived from a purported interview with bank robber Willie Sutton, who explained his choice of target by stating "because that's where the money is."
22. Frankfurt boasts a neighborhood with a Mediterranean microclimate, thanks to sunlight reflecting off the river and wind resistance, where even palms and bananas flourish, known as "The Nizza."
23. Pistachios have a tendency to undergo spontaneous combustion, necessitating stringent precautions during mass transport.
24. Prior to the 1872 photo series 'Horse in Motion', the mechanics of a galloping horse's leg movements remained a mystery due to its rapid pace, imperceptible to the naked eye. Before this discovery, horses were often depicted with their legs stretched out at both ends, a portrayal inconsistent with any actual horse gait.
25. In 1984, Marvel secured trademarks including "Hulk Hogan," "Hulkster," and "Hulkamania" for a span of 20 years, while the WWF agreed to refrain from referring to Hogan as "incredible" or "Hulk" and from dressing him in purple or green attire. Additionally, Marvel received $100 for each Hulk Hogan match and 10% of earnings under this name.
