Here are 25 kickass random facts. For part 809, click here
1-5 Kickass Random Fact
1. Uwe Hohn is the only person in history to throw a javelin 100m. His world record of 104.8m was declared an “Eternal World Record” as it will likely never be broken due to the IAAF redesigning the javelin in 1986 and resetting the WR to coincide with the change. – Source
2. Virtually all communion wafers distributed in churches in the USA are made by one for-profit company. – Source
3. In 1941, USS New York opened fire on an object, believing it to be a Japanese aircraft. Fire commenced until a navigator realized they were shooting at Venus. – Source
4. Hysterical strength refers to a display of extreme physical strength by humans, beyond what is believed to be normal. Examples include a woman saving several children by fighting a polar bear and a woman lifting a car high enough to save a person. – Source
5. There are male-only species of clams that reproduce by having their sperm fertilize the eggs of other clam species, kicking out most of the egg’s DNA. – Source
6-10 Kickass Random Fact
6. The French military has a long tradition of organizing brothels for its soldiers, both at bases and near the front lines, including in the Algerian and Vietnamese wars. The last one at a base closed in 2003. – Source
7. The thick white rind on the outside of a wheel of brie cheese is actually mold, Penicillium candidum. – Source
8. Michelin once accidentally gave a Michelin star to a small cafe that shared the same name as the actual recipient. – Source
9. Following the D-Day invasion the USS Texas intentionally flooded part of itself to allow the ship’s guns to fire further inland. – Source
10. Bountygate was a scandal in the NFL during the 2011 season which involved New Orleans Saints players gambling over the severity of injuries they could cause the opposing teams players. The result was the head coach being suspended for a season as he was found to have condoned the behavior. – Source
11-15 Kickass Random Fact
11. In England, there are “wavy” brick fences. This shape uses fewer bricks than a straight wall. The waves’ arch support allows the wavy wall to stand strong while a straight wall requires at least two layers of bricks to do the same. – Source
12. The USS Indianapolis delivered the enriched uranium and parts for the “Little Boy” atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima, but no one onboard knew the contents of this cargo. The uranium was secretly monitored by a radiologist throughout the trip to make sure the sailors would not be poisoned. – Source
13. Vulfpeck was one of the first ever bands to sell out Madison Square Garden without a manager or record label. – Source
14. It costs about $100000 for a typical day to operate a blimp. Of the 25 blimps existing around the world, only half are in use. They are primarily used for advertising and aerial photography. – Source
15. The Middle Ages had retirement homes, where seniors could buy residences for the rest of their lives at a monastery with food, shelter, and clothing included. – Source
