Random Fact Sheet #343 – Random Marvels: 35 Astonishing Facts That Will Leave You in Awe

The national sport in Anguilla is boat racing. This passion stemmed from the early 1900s when Anguillans sought employment on neighboring islands. The voyages home would turn into competitions of speed.

27. The Stadium Sponsorship Curse is the phenomenon of bad things happening to companies that put their name on a sports stadium.

28. Henry Ford believed jazz music was unwholesome. So, to protect wholesome culture, he used his money to have square dancing taught in public schools.

29. The Kereru is a species of Wood Pigeon, native to New Zealand, which is well-known for getting drunk off fermented fruit and falling out of trees. Consequently, it has earned the reputation for being "clumsy, drunk, gluttonous, and glamorous."

30. The Dodge Stealth and the Mitsubishi 3000GT are essentially the same cars. The Dodge Stealth is an example of rebadging or badge engineering: that is, a manufacturer creates a distinct automobile by applying a new badge or trademark to an existing product line.

The British MI5 hired an astrologer after they learned that Hitler supposedly used astrology to influence his actions. However, it was later known that the predictions of Hitler's astrologer were extremely inaccurate and Hitler himself thought of astrology as 'complete nonsense.'

32. Hula hoop isn't simply a fad from the 1950s. Hoops have been twirled by adults and children since at least 500 B.C.

33. In the UK, it is a legal requirement for at least 5% of all broadcasts on a channel to be in sign language. At least 10% must have an audio description. This is on top of a requirement for 90% of programs to be subtitled.

34. On May 25, 1979, American Airlines Flight 191 crashed into an open field after the plane engine fell off during take-off. This caused the plane to rotate left and fly sideways until it plunged to the ground. With 273 fatalities, it is the deadliest aviation accident in U.S. History.

35. There is an asteroid (technically, a minor planet having a diameter of ≈250 km) named '10199 Chariklo' that has its own ring system. It is the smallest known celestial body to have a ring system.