Here are 25 kickass random facts. For part 425, click here.
1-5 Kickass Random Facts
1. Even though Benjamin Franklin is credited with many popular inventions, he never patented or copyrighted any of them. He believed that they should be given freely and that claiming ownership would only cause trouble and “sour one’s Temper and disturb one’s Quiet.” – Source
2. In 1836, a sewer worker accidentally discovered an old drain which ran directly into the Bank of England’s gold vault. He wrote letters to the directors of the bank and requested a meeting inside the vault at an hour of their choosing and popped out of the floor to greet them. – Source
3. Dr. Donald Hopkins helped eradicate Smallpox and is on the verge of killing another disease. He’s taken Guinea Worm Disease down from 3.5 million cases a year to just 28 cases last year. – Source
4. The real Johnny Appleseed did plant apples on the American frontier, but that they were mostly used for hard apple cider. Safe drinking water was scarce, and apple cider was a safer alternative to drink. – Source
5. Mr. Rogers responded to every fan letter he received. He would wake up 5 every morning, pray, and begin answering letters as part of his daily routine. Many children wrote to him about their personal issues, such as family members dying. He received between 50 and 100 letters every day. – Source
6-10 Kickass Random Facts
6. Japan’s high schools often have strict standards of conformity regarding hair color. Half of Tokyo’s schools require students whose hair is not naturally black to provide baby pictures as proof; in 2017 a Japanese student sued her school after being forced to darken her hair with dye. – Source
7. 17-year-old Kenny Loggins wasn’t going to be able to record his song “House at Pooh Corner” because Disney was enforcing their copyright to Winnie the Pooh. Upset, he mentioned this to his girlfriend, only to find out her dad was the president of Disney he soon got permission. – Source
8. The son of a US Governor is 6,000 times more likely to become a Governor than the average American and the son of a US Senator is 8,500 times more likely to become a senator than the average American. – Source
9. General George Thomas was arguably better than both Robert E Lee and Ulysses S Grant. He never lost a battle and once completely destroyed a Confederate army, earning him the nickname “sledgehammer”. History has forgotten because he was too modest and always downplayed his own accomplishments. – Source
10. The dog who played Wishbone on the hit 1990s kids show of the same name was called “Soccer” and he was a veteran TV commercial star before appearing on the series. He lived from 1988-2001 and is buried on the Texas ranch where the show was filmed. – Source
11-15 Kickass Random Facts
11. The Night Witches was a WWII German nickname for the all-female aviators of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment. They would idle the engines near their target and glide to the bomb release point with only wind noise to reveal them. The Germans likened the sound to broomsticks, giving their nickname. – Source
12. When humidity is 100% it means the air cannot hold any more water vapor. The result is sweat cannot evaporate into the air causing the temperature to feel hotter. – Source
13. In 1847, with a population of just 20,000 people, Toronto took in 38,560 Irish famine victims. – Source
14. A doctor who was accused of sexual assault managed to beat three DNA tests by implanting a plastic tube filled with another man’s blood in his arm. A more comprehensive test using hair and saliva samples resulted in a match. He was eventually convicted, jailed, and deported. – Source
15. Basenji dogs are contenders for the title of oldest dog breed. From Africa, Basenjis are depicted in ancient Egyptian artifacts. Basenjis are “barkless,” fastidious and will groom themselves like cats. – Source
