Random Facts Generator

In 1982, drug dealers in California tried to synthesize heroine more cheaply, and accidentally created a substance that gave users late-stage Parkinson's disease in a matter of days.

After NBC rejected the first pilot of Star Trek, Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy Fame used her clout to convince NBC to give Gene Roddenberry a second chance.

Michael Burry, a physician with Asperger's syndrome, pored over data from the U.S. housing market in the mid-2000s and used his pattern-spotting strengths to make a bold prediction that the market would collapse in 2007. As the numbers worsened and his contrarian bets drew intense pressure from investors, his stress levels soared. Burry found that listening to heavy metal music calmed his nerves and helped him stay focused on the data instead of the panic around him.

Originally, the role of Buzz Lightyear was to go to actor Billy Crystal. His regret for turning it down led to him being cast as Mike Wazowski.

In 1944, tragedy struck the Ringling Bros. Circus in Hartford, Connecticut, when a massive blaze tore through its big top. At the time, circus tents were waterproofed with paraffin wax, a method that backfired horribly as the wax fueled the flames. As the fire raged, 1,800 pounds of molten wax rained down from the roof, killing 167 people and injuring 700, most of them women and children.

One small victim, despite a nationwide publicity campaign with her photo in magazines, was never identified. She became known as "Little Miss 1565," and the investigating officers who never found her name left flowers on her grave every year until their own deaths. Adding to the eerie story, the man who confessed to setting the fire claimed he acted after a nightmare in which "an Indian riding a flaming horse" urged him to start blazes.

Jennifer Aniston personally owned Pat the Dog, the white, ceramic dog statue in Joey and Chandler's apartment. It was a gift to her on the first day of filming and the producers of Friends wanted to use it.

Each US state manages a federally-allocated fund to support victims of crime. If you are the victim of a crime, you can apply for reimbursement for medical services, mental health counseling, lost wages, and other costs incurred as a result of the crime.

"South of the Border," located just south of the North Carolina border, in South Carolina, is a faux-Mexican-themed tourist attraction. Its mascot is a caricature of a Mexican Bandido named Pedro. All of the restaurant’s employees, regardless of race, are referred to as "Pedro."

In Captain America Civil War, Ant-man's suit glows blue when he grows, due to the injection of Blue Pym Particles. It normally glows red.

When Southwest Airlines began using the motto “Just Plane Smart,” Stevens Aviation, which had been using “Plane Smart,” advised of infringing its trademark. Instead of a lawsuit, the CEOs staged an arm-wrestling match. The loser paid to a charity of his choice and the winner claimed the motto.