23 Random Facts to Whittle Wednesday Away

Carly Tennes Published 05/29/2024 in wow

Though you may think you know a lot of fun factoids — who doesn't! — there is still a whole lot to learn. Case in point? The entire existence of Reddit's resident curiosity farm, r/TodayILearned. For instance, did you know that there was an impossible question on the 1982 SAT test? Or that scientists first managed to communicate with chimpanzees in the 1960s? Don't worry if not — we didn't either.

From the fate of Michael Jackson's pet chimpanzee to just how long the United States could run on nuclear waste, here are 23 random facts to help you whittle away your Wednesday.

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1.
“TIL Weird Al turned down a $5 million beer endorsement deal. He thought it was ethically wrong because a lot of his fans were young and impressionable.”
2.
“TIL there was a math question on the 1982 SAT that every single test taker got wrong. The question was so paradoxical that the creators were confused and didn’t include the actual answer as part of the selection. All 300,000 exams had to be rescored.”
3.
“TIL In the USA, 60 people die from walk-in freezer accidents per year.”
4.
 “TIL that in 2013, a man tried to dribble a football from Seattle to Brazil to promote a charity. He was run over and killed by a truck just 250 miles into his 10,000-mile trip.”
5.
“TIL Stalin, towards the end of his life, routinely forced the politburo to get incredibly drunk. His compulsory dinners featured forced drinking games, such as guessing the temperature and taking a shot of vodka for each degree off.”
6.
“TIL that James Cameron offered Matt Damon 10% of ‘Avatar,’ which would've earned the actor over $250 million.”
7.
“TIL that Abraham Lincoln was so convinced that he was going to lose the election of 1864 that he asked Frederick Douglass to lead scouts into the South to free as many slaves as possible before the new president took office.”
8.
 “TIL there was a famous Japanese game show in which diehard baseball fan contestants were locked individually in small rooms for an entire baseball season: if their favorite team won each night they got dinner for the evening, if their team lost the lights would be turned out until the next win.”
9.
“TIL that when Blake Lively was offered a role on CW show 'Gossip Girl', she only agreed after being told that she could go to college part-time. Lively later said ‘This is advice to anyone: when they say, “We promise, but we can't put it in writing,” there's a reason they can't put it in writing.’”
10.
 “TIL Lady Gaga is the first woman in history to win an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA & Golden Globe in a single year, in 2019 for her performance in 'A Star is Born.'”
11.
“TIL Louis XIV had an elephant at Versailles, a gift from Portugal's king in 1668. The animal became part of the Ménagerie, the palace's zoo, and was fed 80 pounds of bread, 12 pints of wine, and two buckets of soup daily. It is the only African elephant recorded in Europe between 1483 and 1862.”
12.
“TIL that on warning of a likely missile launch against the USA, the Pentagon and Strategic Command war rooms, have one minute to brief the president, who then has roughly only six minutes to decide whether and how to respond.”
13.
 “TIL that only three objects have ever been found inside the Great Pyramid of Giza- pieces of wood, a ball made of diorite, and a copper hook. They were found in 1872 in a shaft leading from the Queen's Chamber.”
14.
“TIL more people died taking selfies (379) than from shark attacks (90) between 2008-2021.”
15.
“TIL of Rasa von Werder, popularized female bodybuilding, competing along with Arnold in ‘Best Body’ competitions. She also worked as a [dancer] and minister, later creating her own church. In 2008 she ended 30 years of religious celibacy because God told her to become a ‘cougar.’”
16.
“TIL that half of all plastics ever made were made in the last 15 years.”
17.
“TIL that US airlines are legally required to refund a ticket within 24 hours of purchase, no matter if the ticket type was refundable or not.”
18.
“TIL in 2012 LL Cool J broke the nose, jaw, and ribs of a man charged with breaking into his home. His family was sleeping when their home security alarm went off at 1am, ‘sending LL Cool J into action’. After catching the man, he held him until the authorities arrived.”
19.
 “TIL that a man died in the lighthouse he built. Henry Winstanley was so confident in the lighthouse's design that he wished to be inside during ‘the greatest storm there ever was’. The lighthouse was completely destroyed in the Great Storm of 1703, killing Winstanley.”
20.
“TIL researchers estimate that the United States could harness enough energy from its nuclear waste to power the nation for 100 years.”
21.
“TIL that Michael Jackson's chimpanzee 'Bubbles' is still alive at 40 years old and living in Florida.”
22.
 “TIL that the movie character Raymond from the Academy Award winning movie Rain man was based on real life savant, Kim Peek. He could simultaneously read the left side and right side pages of a book at the same time and had complete memory of over 12,000 books.”
23.
“TIL Scientists have been communicating with apes via sign language since the 1960s; apes have never asked one question.”

1.
“TIL Weird Al turned down a $5 million beer endorsement deal. He thought it was ethically wrong because a lot of his fans were young and impressionable.”
2.
“TIL there was a math question on the 1982 SAT that every single test taker got wrong. The question was so paradoxical that the creators were confused and didn’t include the actual answer as part of the selection. All 300,000 exams had to be rescored.”
3.
“TIL In the USA, 60 people die from walk-in freezer accidents per year.”
4.
 “TIL that in 2013, a man tried to dribble a football from Seattle to Brazil to promote a charity. He was run over and killed by a truck just 250 miles into his 10,000-mile trip.”
5.
“TIL Stalin, towards the end of his life, routinely forced the politburo to get incredibly drunk. His compulsory dinners featured forced drinking games, such as guessing the temperature and taking a shot of vodka for each degree off.”
6.
“TIL that James Cameron offered Matt Damon 10% of ‘Avatar,’ which would've earned the actor over $250 million.”
7.
“TIL that Abraham Lincoln was so convinced that he was going to lose the election of 1864 that he asked Frederick Douglass to lead scouts into the South to free as many slaves as possible before the new president took office.”
8.
 “TIL there was a famous Japanese game show in which diehard baseball fan contestants were locked individually in small rooms for an entire baseball season: if their favorite team won each night they got dinner for the evening, if their team lost the lights would be turned out until the next win.”
9.
“TIL that when Blake Lively was offered a role on CW show 'Gossip Girl', she only agreed after being told that she could go to college part-time. Lively later said ‘This is advice to anyone: when they say, “We promise, but we can't put it in writing,” there's a reason they can't put it in writing.’”
10.
 “TIL Lady Gaga is the first woman in history to win an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA & Golden Globe in a single year, in 2019 for her performance in 'A Star is Born.'”
11.
“TIL Louis XIV had an elephant at Versailles, a gift from Portugal's king in 1668. The animal became part of the Ménagerie, the palace's zoo, and was fed 80 pounds of bread, 12 pints of wine, and two buckets of soup daily. It is the only African elephant recorded in Europe between 1483 and 1862.”
12.
“TIL that on warning of a likely missile launch against the USA, the Pentagon and Strategic Command war rooms, have one minute to brief the president, who then has roughly only six minutes to decide whether and how to respond.”
13.
 “TIL that only three objects have ever been found inside the Great Pyramid of Giza- pieces of wood, a ball made of diorite, and a copper hook. They were found in 1872 in a shaft leading from the Queen's Chamber.”
14.
“TIL more people died taking selfies (379) than from shark attacks (90) between 2008-2021.”
15.
“TIL of Rasa von Werder, popularized female bodybuilding, competing along with Arnold in ‘Best Body’ competitions. She also worked as a [dancer] and minister, later creating her own church. In 2008 she ended 30 years of religious celibacy because God told her to become a ‘cougar.’”
16.
“TIL that half of all plastics ever made were made in the last 15 years.”
17.
“TIL that US airlines are legally required to refund a ticket within 24 hours of purchase, no matter if the ticket type was refundable or not.”
18.
“TIL in 2012 LL Cool J broke the nose, jaw, and ribs of a man charged with breaking into his home. His family was sleeping when their home security alarm went off at 1am, ‘sending LL Cool J into action’. After catching the man, he held him until the authorities arrived.”
19.
 “TIL that a man died in the lighthouse he built. Henry Winstanley was so confident in the lighthouse's design that he wished to be inside during ‘the greatest storm there ever was’. The lighthouse was completely destroyed in the Great Storm of 1703, killing Winstanley.”
20.
“TIL researchers estimate that the United States could harness enough energy from its nuclear waste to power the nation for 100 years.”
21.
“TIL that Michael Jackson's chimpanzee 'Bubbles' is still alive at 40 years old and living in Florida.”
22.
 “TIL that the movie character Raymond from the Academy Award winning movie Rain man was based on real life savant, Kim Peek. He could simultaneously read the left side and right side pages of a book at the same time and had complete memory of over 12,000 books.”
23.
“TIL Scientists have been communicating with apes via sign language since the 1960s; apes have never asked one question.”

“TIL Weird Al turned down a $5 million beer endorsement deal. He thought it was ethically wrong because a lot of his fans were young and impressionable.”

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1. “TIL Weird Al turned down a $5 million beer endorsement deal. He thought it was ethically wrong because a lot of his fans were young and impressionable.”

2. “TIL there was a math question on the 1982 SAT that every single test taker got wrong. The question was so paradoxical that the creators were confused and didn’t include the actual answer as part of the selection. All 300,000 exams had to be rescored.”

3. “TIL In the USA, 60 people die from walk-in freezer accidents per year.”

4. “TIL that in 2013, a man tried to dribble a football from Seattle to Brazil to promote a charity. He was run over and killed by a truck just 250 miles into his 10,000-mile trip.”

5. “TIL Stalin, towards the end of his life, routinely forced the politburo to get incredibly drunk. His compulsory dinners featured forced drinking games, such as guessing the temperature and taking a shot of vodka for each degree off.”

6. “TIL that James Cameron offered Matt Damon 10% of ‘Avatar,’ which would've earned the actor over $250 million.”

7. “TIL that Abraham Lincoln was so convinced that he was going to lose the election of 1864 that he asked Frederick Douglass to lead scouts into the South to free as many slaves as possible before the new president took office.”

10. “TIL Lady Gaga is the first woman in history to win an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA & Golden Globe in a single year, in 2019 for her performance in 'A Star is Born.'”

12. “TIL that on warning of a likely missile launch against the USA, the Pentagon and Strategic Command war rooms, have one minute to brief the president, who then has roughly only six minutes to decide whether and how to respond.”

13. “TIL that only three objects have ever been found inside the Great Pyramid of Giza- pieces of wood, a ball made of diorite, and a copper hook. They were found in 1872 in a shaft leading from the Queen's Chamber.”

14. “TIL more people died taking selfies (379) than from shark attacks (90) between 2008-2021.”

15. “TIL of Rasa von Werder, popularized female bodybuilding, competing along with Arnold in ‘Best Body’ competitions. She also worked as a [dancer] and minister, later creating her own church. In 2008 she ended 30 years of religious celibacy because God told her to become a ‘cougar.’”

16. “TIL that half of all plastics ever made were made in the last 15 years.”

17. “TIL that US airlines are legally required to refund a ticket within 24 hours of purchase, no matter if the ticket type was refundable or not.”

18. “TIL in 2012 LL Cool J broke the nose, jaw, and ribs of a man charged with breaking into his home. His family was sleeping when their home security alarm went off at 1am, ‘sending LL Cool J into action’. After catching the man, he held him until the authorities arrived.”

19. “TIL that a man died in the lighthouse he built. Henry Winstanley was so confident in the lighthouse's design that he wished to be inside during ‘the greatest storm there ever was’. The lighthouse was completely destroyed in the Great Storm of 1703, killing Winstanley.”

20. “TIL researchers estimate that the United States could harness enough energy from its nuclear waste to power the nation for 100 years.”

21. “TIL that Michael Jackson's chimpanzee 'Bubbles' is still alive at 40 years old and living in Florida.”

22. “TIL that the movie character Raymond from the Academy Award winning movie Rain man was based on real life savant, Kim Peek. He could simultaneously read the left side and right side pages of a book at the same time and had complete memory of over 12,000 books.”

23. “TIL Scientists have been communicating with apes via sign language since the 1960s; apes have never asked one question.”

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eBaum's Picks

1.
“TIL Weird Al turned down a $5 million beer endorsement deal. He thought it was ethically wrong because a lot of his fans were young and impressionable.”

2.
“TIL there was a math question on the 1982 SAT that every single test taker got wrong. The question was so paradoxical that the creators were confused and didn’t include the actual answer as part of the selection. All 300,000 exams had to be rescored.”

3.
“TIL In the USA, 60 people die from walk-in freezer accidents per year.”

4.
 “TIL that in 2013, a man tried to dribble a football from Seattle to Brazil to promote a charity. He was run over and killed by a truck just 250 miles into his 10,000-mile trip.”

5.
“TIL Stalin, towards the end of his life, routinely forced the politburo to get incredibly drunk. His compulsory dinners featured forced drinking games, such as guessing the temperature and taking a shot of vodka for each degree off.”

6.
“TIL that James Cameron offered Matt Damon 10% of ‘Avatar,’ which would've earned the actor over $250 million.”

7.
“TIL that Abraham Lincoln was so convinced that he was going to lose the election of 1864 that he asked Frederick Douglass to lead scouts into the South to free as many slaves as possible before the new president took office.”

10.
 “TIL Lady Gaga is the first woman in history to win an Oscar, Grammy, BAFTA & Golden Globe in a single year, in 2019 for her performance in 'A Star is Born.'”

12.
“TIL that on warning of a likely missile launch against the USA, the Pentagon and Strategic Command war rooms, have one minute to brief the president, who then has roughly only six minutes to decide whether and how to respond.”

13.
 “TIL that only three objects have ever been found inside the Great Pyramid of Giza- pieces of wood, a ball made of diorite, and a copper hook. They were found in 1872 in a shaft leading from the Queen's Chamber.”

14.
“TIL more people died taking selfies (379) than from shark attacks (90) between 2008-2021.”

15.
“TIL of Rasa von Werder, popularized female bodybuilding, competing along with Arnold in ‘Best Body’ competitions. She also worked as a [dancer] and minister, later creating her own church. In 2008 she ended 30 years of religious celibacy because God told her to become a ‘cougar.’”

16.
“TIL that half of all plastics ever made were made in the last 15 years.”

17.
“TIL that US airlines are legally required to refund a ticket within 24 hours of purchase, no matter if the ticket type was refundable or not.”

18.
“TIL in 2012 LL Cool J broke the nose, jaw, and ribs of a man charged with breaking into his home. His family was sleeping when their home security alarm went off at 1am, ‘sending LL Cool J into action’. After catching the man, he held him until the authorities arrived.”

19.
 “TIL that a man died in the lighthouse he built. Henry Winstanley was so confident in the lighthouse's design that he wished to be inside during ‘the greatest storm there ever was’. The lighthouse was completely destroyed in the Great Storm of 1703, killing Winstanley.”

20.
“TIL researchers estimate that the United States could harness enough energy from its nuclear waste to power the nation for 100 years.”

21.
“TIL that Michael Jackson's chimpanzee 'Bubbles' is still alive at 40 years old and living in Florida.”

22.
 “TIL that the movie character Raymond from the Academy Award winning movie Rain man was based on real life savant, Kim Peek. He could simultaneously read the left side and right side pages of a book at the same time and had complete memory of over 12,000 books.”

23.
“TIL Scientists have been communicating with apes via sign language since the 1960s; apes have never asked one question.”