Here are 25 kickass random facts. For part 802, click here
1-5 Kickass Random Fact
1. There is clear evidence that one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history took place in the mid-15th century, but scientists still have no idea where it happened. – Source
2. To “protect the truth,” a woman recorded hundreds of thousands of hours of TV news between 1977 and 2012. Her archives grew to about 71,000 VHS and Betamax tapes stacked in her home and apartments she rented to store them. Upon her death, the Internet Archive agreed to digitize the volumes. – Source
3. Hans Gruber, the villain of Die Hard who appears on numerous “greatest movie villains of all time” lists (AFI, Empire, etc.), was theater actor Alan Rickman’s first film role. – Source
4. Frank Prentice a survivor of the Titanic, stated that the scent of the iceberg was detectable before the collision occurred. – Source
5. Joe Jackson would hold a belt as the Jackson 5 rehearsed, ready to strike his children if they stepped out of line. Michael Jackson was terrified of his father. “I have thrown up in his presence because when he comes in the room and this aura comes and my stomach starts hurting.” – Source
6-10 Kickass Random Fact
6. The average minor spends about 7 hours per week with their father, but about 15 hours a week on video games. – Source
7. Caligula, the third emperor of Rome, once declared war on the sea itself, commanding his men to collect seashells as proof of victory. – Source
8. There is a genus of bees nicknamed “vulture bees” that are stingless and eat carrion (dead animal meat) instead of pollen. They still produce edible honey and can be found in North and South America. – Source
9. When Weird Al wrote I Want A New Duck in 1985, he went to the library and researched ducks for a week. – Source
10. An English Naval force successfully conquered Quebec in 1629. However, because the capture had happened after peace was signed in Europe, France and England agreed that it didn’t count, so England returned Quebec and even paid for damages. – Source
11-15 Kickass Random Facts
11. In 2002, a false agent fed MI6 misinformation about Iraqi Weapons, based on the chemical weaponry in “The Rock” (1996). These false claims of weapons of mass destruction were the justification for the UK to enter the war. – Source
12. The longest living dog was “Bluey”, an Australian Cattle Dog, who was born on 7 June 1910 and died 29 years, 160 days later, on 14 November 1939. – Source
13. Poachers have resorted to poisoning elephant water holes with cyanide to increase their efficiency. One poacher, Tony Maphosa, killed more than 100 elephants this way before being caught, after four years on the run. – Source
14. In 1965, U.S. Patent was issued for the “Blonsky Device”. It was a centrifugal birthing table. A woman in labor was strapped to a high-speed spinning table that would “gently force the baby out.” – Source
15. Before Popeye gained superhuman strength by eating spinach, he became strong by rubbing a type of chicken called a whiffle hen. – Source
