There is a street that is split down the middle by the USA-Canadian border, aptly named Canusa street. People who live in houses on the south side of the street are in the USA, and the north side, in Canada. Crossing the street requires having to report to the border crossing office.
In 1924, the US had “Radio Silence Day”…
In 1924, the US had “Radio Silence Day” where radio broadcasts would be kept quiet for 5 minutes every hour in order to listen for radio signals from space. They didn’t hear anything.
During filming of It’s a Mad Mad…
During filming of It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, seeing a white stunt double for a black actor applying blackface, black extra Eddie Smith asked the director why they couldn’t hire a black one. The director said, “find us one, and I will,” and Smith later founded the Black Stuntmen’s Association.
In 1993, a South Korean professor…
In 1993, a South Korean professor successfully built and tested a self-driving car, which travelled more than 300km from Seoul to Busan. His car was eventually scrapped.
In 2018, the US hit a record high…
In 2018, the US hit a record high of never-married adults. 35% of Americans ages 25 to 50 had never been married, compared to 9% in 1970.
Neanderthals, which were traditionally thought…
Neanderthals, which were traditionally thought of as extremely primitive humans, are now believed to have been extremely intelligent, even comparable to the intelligence of modern humans. They used tools, had social structures, thrived in hostile environments, and lived long lives.
Humans are incredible long distance…
Humans are incredible long distance runners. There’s a Man vs Horse marathon held in Wales annually since 1980. It’s been won by a human multiple times after the first human winner in 2004.
Industrialist Henry Clay Frick feuded with…
Industrialist Henry Clay Frick feuded with Andrew Carnegie after they split as business partners. He even built his skyscraper, the Frick Building, directly adjacent to one of his buildings to keep it constantly in the shadows.
There was an early 1900s act named…
There was an early 1900s act named ‘Sober Sue, whose only draw was that never smiled. A theatre offered $1000 to anybody who could make her laugh, attracting big comedians who failed and gave crowds free shows instead. It was later discovered that Sue suffered from facial paralysis.
Two beer drinkers in California…
Two beer drinkers in California sued the Kona Brewing Co. in 2017 for deceptive marketing and branding, believing their products to be made exclusively in Hawaii. Kona does in fact make beer in 5 different states, including Hawaii, and labels their products accordingly.