Have you ever been asked to give a recommendation for a person who had little to recommend about himself? Have you found yourself in a situation where you are called upon to […]
A Non-Recommendation Letter of Recommendation from Benjamin Franklin
How to Tell Whether the Large Hadron Collider Has Destroyed the World
When the Large Hadron Collider went active in 2010, fears abounded that it would trigger the end of the world. Hypothetically, the world’s largest particle collider could generate stable microscopic black holes […]
Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of Disdain
A common word of warning for those who might be inclined to argue with someone who writes or edits a newspaper is, “Never pick a fight with a man who buys ink […]
How a Little “Common Sense” Created the United States of America
Americans remember 1776 as the year of revolution, but it didn’t start that way. As 1775 turned into 1776, the people of the thirteen American colonies of the United Kingdom considered themselves […]
Make Plans to Watch the Movie That Won’t Be Released Until 2115
As a result of COVID-19, moviegoers have had to deal with the delay of a number of long-awaited films. If you are one of those who struggle to have the patience to […]
The True Tale of the Meowing Nuns With Biting Issues
The Sisters of Plenitude are familiar to fans of BBC’s Doctor Who. The nuns lived on New Earth in New New York (technically, “New New New New New New New New New […]
Take a Journey on the Road that Disappears Twice a Day
If you want to drive from Beauvoir-sur-Mer to Barbâtre on the western coast of France, you have a couple of options. You can go southwest on Route D22 to La Barre-de-Monts and […]
France Says Sacré Bleu! When it Orders the Wrong Size of Trains
If you accidentally purchase the wrong size of pants, it’s no big deal; as long as you have the receipt, you can exchange them for something that will fit. If only it […]
D-Day Shrapnel Makes Up 4% of the Sand on Omaha Beach
June 6, 1944, saw the greatest amphibious landing in the history of warfare. Over 150,000 Allied troops braved unrelenting enemy fire in order so they could regain a foothold on the continent […]
The Reign of Terror of the Nazi Guillotine
Few images are more closely associated with France and its Reign of Terror than the guillotine. The horrifying execution device seems to be a relic of the past that faded away with […]
The Heroic Pigeon of WWI Who Saved Nearly 200 Lives
They called him a bird-brain, but it wasn’t an insult. He was known to fly from battle, but no one called him a coward. He spent the entirety of his military service […]
The Day Sark Was Invaded by One Man
The island of Sark has many admirable features. It is beautiful, idyllic, and has some of the lowest-priced rental property in the world. Located between Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands, […]
Cube-Shaped Wombat Poop and Other Scientific Breakthroughs
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 […]
The Island that Switches Countries Every Six Months
If you want to experience international travel without ever leaving your home, you might want to consider living on Pheasant Island. This island has the distinction of belonging to one country for […]
Parisian Parrots Protect People From Planes
During World War I, citizens of Paris were quick to contribute to the war effort in any way possible. Parisians of all walks of left chipped in, whether poor or rich, young […]
