Random #363 – 50 Quirky Random Facts

Many haunted houses have been investigated and found to contain high levels of carbon monoxide or other poisons, which can cause hallucinations. The carbon monoxide theory explains why haunted houses are mostly older houses, as they are more likely to contain aging and defective appliances.

2. Walmart tried and failed to establish itself in Germany in the early 2000s. One speculated reason for its failure is that Germans found certain team-building activities, as well as the forced greeting and smiling at customers, unnerving.

3. There is a German man named Marc Wubbenhorst who must drink 20 liters of water every day in order to avoid dying from dehydration. He suffers from an extreme case of diabetes insipidus.

4. Octopuses have nine brains: one mini-brain in each arm and another in the center of their bodies. Each arm can independently taste, touch, and perform basic movements, but all arms can work together when prompted by the central brain.

5. The Undertaker was engulfed in flames during his entrance at the 2010 WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, yet he remained in character for the entirety of the match despite sustaining 1st and 2nd-degree burns, as well as a chest burn that would bubble up during the match.

In 2013, a couple walking their dog in California found eight coffee cans containing over 1,427 gold coins worth over $10 million. The original source of the hoard is still unknown.

7. An estimated 200,000 to 600,000 pets were left behind during the evacuations from Hurricane Katrina, as people were not allowed to take pets with them and shelters did not permit pets.

8. Canada geese eggs are manually "aborted" by coating them with corn oil for population control. Simply removing or destroying the eggs will only result in the geese laying more eggs.

9. King Henry VIII, at the age of 48, expressed his disappointment with his fourth wife, 24-year-old Anne of Cleves, for being considered unattractive. Henry's displeasure, combined with his impotence, led to four difficult honeymoon nights without consummation. Eventually, Henry gave up and had the marriage annulled.

10. All clownfish are born male. One female lives with a group of males but only mates with one of them. When she dies, her mate will change sex and become female. This change is irreversible.

Orcas, too, can have cultural fads. They had one such fad in the 1980s, which involved wearing dead salmon as hats. This trend spread to three separate Pacific pods before abruptly going out of style.

12. In 1980, Star Wars released a Christmas music album, and the producers sought a better lead singer for the track "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas." They approached a 17-year-old kid who was sweeping floors at the studio, and he delivered an exceptional performance. That kid's name was Jon Bon Jovi.

13. There were 26 families of passengers on the Mayflower that are known to have left descendants. It is estimated that over 30 million people can trace their ancestry back to those 26 families who sailed on the Mayflower.

14. Titanic Thompson, a prolific hustler and golfer of the early 20th century, had a clever trick up his sleeve. He would play right-handed, win, and then offer to play double or nothing left-handed, despite being naturally left-handed himself. In his time, professional golfers could earn $30,000 a year, but Thompson managed to earn that amount in just a week.

15. In the 17th century, when coffee made its way to Europe, some people reacted with suspicion or fear, deeming it the "bitter invention of Satan." In 1615, the clergy in Venice sought the intervention of Pope Clement VIII. Surprisingly, the Pope found the drink so satisfying that he gave it papal approval.

At the Hanford Engineer Works in Richland, WA, during World War II, every employee donated one day's worth of their pay to purchase a B-17 bomber as their contribution to the war effort. The plane was named 'Day's Pay' and went on to fly over 60 missions in Germany.

17. In 2010, New Jersey lost $400 million in federal education reform money due to submitting data from the wrong school year. This error cost them 4.8 points, falling short by 3 points of receiving federal aid, which was ultimately awarded to Ohio. This mistake has been referred to as a "stunning $400 million mistake."

18. Despite encountering a cracked outer window pane during their groundbreaking dive to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, the brave crew of the bathysphere chose to continue their descent and successfully reached the depths.

19. Paris, with an approximate population of 2.14 million residents, boasts more than 44,000 restaurants. That means there are 48 people for every restaurant in the city.

20. In 2010, the Colombian army created a pop song titled "Better Days" with a hidden message for Colombian soldiers held captive by FARC guerrillas. Embedded in the chorus was Morse code, which conveyed messages such as "19 people rescued," "You're next," and "Don't lose hope." The song was subsequently played on over 130 radio stations.

During the search for the missing submarine ARA San Juan in 2017, search crews initially detected a banging noise at the search site, reminiscent of tools striking metal. However, further analysis revealed that the sound did not originate from the submarine but likely had a biological source.

22. In the 1989 movie "The Abyss," the scene featuring a rat seemingly breathing liquid was achieved through practical means rather than visual effects. The rat was immersed in an oxygenated perfluorocarbon emulsion, commonly known as "breathing liquid," which was captured on film.

23. Shockingly, a mere $2 was allocated for safety training for the crew of the South Korean passenger ferry MV Sewol, which tragically sank in 2014, claiming the lives of 306 people. This negligible sum was utilized to obtain a paper certificate.

24. Women experiencing a heart attack may exhibit symptoms such as nausea, sweating, vomiting, and pain in various areas such as the neck, jaw, throat, abdomen, or back. This is due to the distinct manner in which cholesterol plaque accumulates in women's bodies compared to men's.

25. Grizzly 399 is a female bear residing in the Grand Tetons, who has defied conventional behavior by living into her old age and giving birth to triplets instead of twins. She has chosen to inhabit areas close to humans for their protection, transforming her into both a social media sensation and a tourist attraction.