We at Commonplace Fun Facts are big fans of the Ig Nobel Prize and its mission to “first make people laugh, then make them think.” The list of 2019 laureates touched on […]
Cube-Shaped Wombat Poop and Other Scientific Breakthroughs
Doling Out the Difference Between Dole and Nixon
One of the favorite sons of the state of Kansas is former U.S. Senator Bob Dole. He is admired for his service to the country and for his brilliant sense of humor. […]
Lincoln Gets Burned By Red-Hot Stove Story
No one appreciated a funny story better than Abraham Lincoln. Whenever he heard something that made him chuckle, he filed the story away in his memory to use again when the opportunity […]
Fatherhood Prepares Lincoln For the Presidency
While Abraham Lincoln was living in Springfield, Illinois, one of his neighbors looked out the window and saw a curious sight. The tall, lanky lawyer was walking down the street with his […]
How Henry Ford Helped Make Backyard BBQ Easier for Everyone
Henry Ford was famous for promoting his game-changing Model T automobile, telling consumers they could have the car in any color, as long as it was black. There was another game-changing innovation […]
The Case of the Surprise Witnesses
In the early years of the 20th century, John T. Bevins, an attorney from Pearsall, Texas, asked a judge to continue his case, due to the fact that two vital witnesses were […]
The Last-Minute Change that Created One of TV’s Favorite Shows
It was 1969 and Fred Silverman had to scramble to revise his big plans. He staked a lot on a new children’s program that he was sure was going to be a […]
George Washington’s Prayer for the Nation
On June 8, 1783, General George Washington wrote a prayer for his young nation. This prayer is read each day at the wreath-laying ceremony at his grave at Mount Vernon. Over 237 […]
The Secret Code That Was Hidden in a Pop Song
Many people find comfort in music. They find encouragement in the lyrics, or they allow the upbeat tempo of the music to lift their spirits. In one case, there was a message […]
Could an Infinite Number of Monkeys Really Reproduce the Works of Shakespeare?
It has been said that if you give enough monkeys enough time to peck away at typewriters, they will eventually, through random chance, reproduce the works of William Shakespeare. That’s an interesting […]
The Mysterious Illness That Killed 80% of a Nation
At a time when much of the world’s attention is on the COVID-19 coronavirus global pandemic, it is appropriate to remember an epidemic that history has largely overlooked, despite the fact that […]
One of History’s Bloodiest Wars Was Fought Over a Bucket
Commonplace Fun Facts has documented a war fought over a pig, a war against emus, and another that was fought over spilled soup. None of this can quite compare to one of […]
The Secret Mission Behind the Discovery of Titanic
The discovery of Titanic’s wreckage in 1985 was a major media event. As the world looked upon a ship that had not been seen in over 70 years, it was generally assumed it was […]
He’s Red Dead, Jim: How Likely Are Star Trek’s Red-Shirted Crew Members to Die?
It is widely accepted among fans of the original series of Star Trek that any crew member who beams down to a planet’s surface while wearing a red shirt is unlikely to […]
Eight Years Trapped at Sea: the Story of the Yellow Fleet
You may have always dreamt of spending extended time sailing on a ship. What would you think about spending eight years on that ship, wondering if you would ever be able to […]
