45 Fascinating Random Facts That’ll Inspire Anyone | Random List #192

Congressman Leo Ryan, who was murdered while investigating Jonestown in 1978, had a record of directly looking into his constituents' concerns. As an assemblyman, he investigated the conditions of California prisons in 1970 by using a pseudonym to enter Folsom Prison as an inmate.

2. As a child, Einstein's Uncle Jakob introduced him to algebra and called it "a merry science". He compared algebra to hunting a little animal. You didn't know the name of the animal, so you called it "x". When you finally caught the animal you gave it the correct name

3. Janet Airlines is a highly classified airline that shuttles military personnel in and out of Area 51. The name stands for 'Just Another Non-Existent Terminal'.

4. Movie theatre popcorn is sold at a 1275% markup

5. During WW2 there was a saying that "It's more likely for a snake to smoke a pipe than for Brazil to go the front and fight", so when Brazil joined the war, their troops became known as "Cobras Fumantes", or "the Smoking Snakes".

Victor Hugo wrote the "Hunchback of Notre-Dame" to inform people of the value of Gothic architecture, which was being neglected and destroyed at the time. This explains the large descriptive sections of the book, which far exceed the requirements of the story.

7. Only in the twentieth century did humans decide that the dandelion was a weed. Before the invention of lawns, the golden blossoms and lion-toothed leaves were more likely to be praised as a bounty of food, medicine, and magic. Gardeners used to weed out the grass to make room for the dandelions.

8. The Illuminati is present in modern conspiracy theories largely due to some prank letters published in Playboy magazine in the 1960s.

9. Researchers have proposed the creation of atomic priesthood similar to Catholic Church to solve the problem of communicating to humans 10,000 years from now about nuclear waste sites. It is proposed that they can preserve information about the locations and danger of nuclear waste using rituals and myths.

10. Romans weaved asbestos fibers into a cloth-like material that was then sewn into tablecloths and napkins. These clothes were cleaned by throwing them into a blistering fire, from which they came out unharmed and whiter than when they went in.

Dr. Jane Goodall set herself apart from traditional conventions by naming the animals in her studies of primates instead of assigning each a number. This also led her to develop a close bond with the chimpanzees and to become, to this day, the only human ever accepted into chimpanzee society.

12. Breathing 100% pure oxygen for more than 16 hours can lead to irreversible lung damage, damage to the retinas, and eventually, death.

13. Legendary musician Prince passed away leaving no will detailing how to distribute his multi-million dollar estate. Within 3 weeks of his death, more than 700 people claimed to be his half-sibling or descendant.

14. Dennis Rodman started dying his hair blonde after seeing Wesley Snipes’ character in the movie Demolition Man.

15. Top Gear's "tame racing driver", The Stig, would often eat his lunch in the back of an ambulance to avoid being identified. He would also remain in his racing overalls and helmet throughout the day and would put on a French-like accent when talking.

Led Zeppelin had become so frustrated with reporters and interviewers that officials had to put down strict rules for anyone who went backstage. One of those rules stated "Do not make any sort of eye contact with John Bonham. This is for your own safety."

17. The human body, if eaten, would be 81,500 calories. Based on the recommend daily intake of 2,500 calories, one average human body would feed one person for about one month.

18. In 2002 paramedics in Poland were arrested for killing patients and selling their information to funeral homes who would contact their relatives to make funeral arrangements. The funeral homes then added the cost of the bribes they paid the killers to the funeral bills of the victims' families.

19. The word ‘bus’ is actually short for 'omnibus' meaning “To contain many things” and didn't originate until the early 19th century.

20. Dandelions are not only completely edible raw and cooked but also packed with nutrients and may have many other benefits to their consumption.

A charity in the UK is ‘adopting’ red phone boxes, removing the phone and installing lifesaving defibrillators instead.

22. Sweden has a forest of oak trees planted 200 years ago because their Navy at the time needed them for ships.

23. Marie Curie was involved in a sex scandal when a newspaper published love letters between her and a former student of her deceased husband. Her lover later challenged the newspaper’s editors to a dual to defend Marie’s honor.

24. Giraffes sleep using their own butts as pillows

25. Men who are receiving chemo should avoid causing pregnancy during and for some time after treatment because chemo may damage the DNA in sperm cells. This could lead to birth defects.