Fact Alert | Aspen Xchange

The Oldest Known Telephone Directory was Issued in February 1878 and Consisted of a Single Piece of Cardboard

It listed 50 individuals or businesses in New Haven, Connecticut that had telephones, but not their numbers. Learn More

The New York City Ballet has an Annual Shoe Budget of $780,000

Their dancers go through 500-800 pairs of pointe shoes performing "The Nutcracker" over 6 weeks and use even more pairs in just 2 weeks while performing "Swan Lake". Learn More

In 1929, W. Forssmann Performed the First Human Heart Cath on Himself

He inserted a catheter into his arm and then walked to the X-ray room to see if it reached his heart. He was fired from the hospital, but later awarded a Nobel Prize in 1956. Learn More

The French Philosophy on Emergency Medical Care is to Provide a Higher Level of Care at the Scene of the Incident

This means that every SMUR ambulance is staffed with a doctor. Learn More

In 2013, A Petition Requesting the US Government Build a Death Star Reached 25,000 Signatures, the Threshold Requiring a Government Response

Their response was simply "the administration does not support blowing up planets." Learn More

The Manchineel Tree is One of the Most Toxic Trees in the World

The sap causes blisters, eating its apples can be fatal and the smoke from burning this tree can cause blindness. Learn More

Modern Body Armor was Created by a Pizza Delivery Guy and Former Marine Named Richard Davis

He developed the bulletproof vest using Kevlar and demoed it for the police by shooting himself in the chest. Learn More

Medicine Cabinets are One of the Worst Places to Store Medicine

This is due to the high temperatures and humidity associated with bathrooms. Most medicine should be kept between 68 and 77 degrees F and avoid moisture. Learn More

Homer Simpson’s Famous “D’oh!” Gets Dubbed Around the World

It becomes "Nein!" in German, "Oi!" in Spain and the Czech dubbed version is usually changed to "Ou!" or "Sakra!". Learn More

Brad Pitt Tried to Buy Himself Out of the Movie “Interview with the Vampire”

After hearing there was a $40 million exit clause, he was forced to shoot the rest of the movie. It went on to receive 2 Oscar nominations. Learn More

In January 2020, Palau Became the First Country to Impose a Widespread Ban on Sunscreen in an Effort to Protect its Vulnerable Coral Reefs

Hawaii is imposing a similar ban starting in 2021. Learn More

In the 1950’s, Babies Traveled on Airplanes in “Skycots”

They were attached to the overhead luggage bin, with children placed inside for the duration of the flight. Learn More

During World War I the British Army had “Pals Battalions”, Which Allowed Men from the Same Community to Serve in the War Together

This practice was ended after the Somme offensive, as entire battalions and consequently communities, were wiped out. Learn More

Prior to 1743, the Celsius Scale Values were Reversed. The Boiling Point was 0 Degrees and the Freezing Point was 100 Degrees

The 1743 scale reversal was proposed by Jean-Pierre Christin. Learn More

The Sound You Hear When Your “Stomach Rumbles” is Actually Produced by Your Small Intestines

There's a series of muscle contractions called peristalsis, which move the contents through your small intestine sometimes resulting in this rumbling noise. Learn More

One of the Oldest Photographs in Existence of a US President, John Quincy Adams, was Discovered in an Antique Shop in the 1970’s and Bought for 50 Cents

President Adams himself described the photo as hideous at the time it was taken. Learn More

Pokemon, Despite Being Relatively New, is the Highest Grossing Media Franchise of All Time with an Estimated $95 Billion in Revenue

Beating out other franchises such as Star Wars, Marvel and Mickey Mouse. Learn More

Tigers Have ‘False Eyes’ on the Back of Their Ears to Discourage Predators from Attacking them from Behind

They are also thought to be used to make themselves appear more alert and aggressive when threatened. Learn More

During the Korean War, Tootsie Rolls Instead of Ammunition Were Accidently Sent to US Marines in a Battle at Chosin Reservoir

The nourishment from the candy is credited with helping save the marines and they also used it to fix bullet hole riddled equipment. Learn More

Finland has Some of the Strictist Driving Regulations in the World

They require a minimum of 30 hours of practical instruction, and learners must take a driving test in both the summer and the winter. Learn More

Real Dead Bodies Were on the Set and Going to be Used During the Filming of Apocalypse Now

However, the man who supplied them turned out to be a grave robber who was then arrested. Learn More

In the USA, Before TV was on 24 Hours, There was a Nighly Sign Off Where the Star Spangled Banner was Played

It included patriotic imagery such as the American flag before the TV cut to static. Learn More

The Vermont Novelty Toaster Corporation Sells a “Selfie Toaster” that Will Print Your Selfie Onto a Piece of Toast

You upload a photo with your order and you will receive a toaster that can print it. Learn More

Louis Le Prince, Who Filmed the First Ever Motion Pictures, Disappeared Without a Trace in 1890

Thomas Edison soon took credit as the first and sole inventor of cinematography and was granted US patents for his motion picture camera. Learn More

The Creator of the First ATM Machine, John Shepherd-Barron, Determined the Need for Such a Solution After Arriving at His Bank Late and Finding it Closed

The inspiration for his ATM Machines came from the vending machines already in use dispensing chocolate bars. Learn More

A Chicken Can be Hypnotized by Holding its Head Down and Drawing a Straight Line Away from Its Beak on the Ground

It will then wake up immediately if the line in front of it is erased. Learn More

Home Alone was Originally Financed by Warner Bros. When the Budget Grew from $13 Million to $18 Million WB Dropped the Film

It was then picked up by 20th Century Fox and would go on to gross $475+ million worldwide. Learn More

Perce Blackborow was a Stowaway on Sir Ernest Shackleton’s “Imperial Trans-Antartic Expedition” Ship the Endurance

He was allowed to remain on the ship as long as he agreed to the first to be eaten if they ran out of food. Learn More

The Movie Top Gun was the First Full Collaboration Between Hollywood and the US Military

The idea was to both enhance the US military's image after the Vietnam war and attract new Navy recruits. It surpassed all expectation, increasing recruitment by 500%. Learn More

Canada Only Gained Full Independence from the United Kingdom in 1982

The Canada Act 1982 is an act of the Parliament of the UK which "patriated" Canada's constitution, ending the power of the British Parliament to amend the Constitution of Canada. Learn More

Braille Was Originally Known as “Night Writing” and Invented in the Early 1800’s

It was invented by Charles Barbier of Napoleon's French Army after soldiers were being killed because they used lamps after dark to read combat messages. An 11 year old Louis Braille later simplified it into what we use today. Learn More

15 Year Old Art Student Demi Barnes Designed a Wedding Dress Out of 1500 Divorce Papers

She did this to raise awareness of the issue of people rushing into marriages and ending up divorced. Learn More

In Elf, None of the Shots with Buddy at the North Pole Involved CGI or Special Effects

It was all done with a technique called 'forced perspective'. Learn More

In Bruges, Belgium there is a 2 Mile Long Beer Pipeline

It flows from the De Halve Maan brewery in town to a bottling plant just outside of town. Learn More

Viggo Mortensen Purchased the Horse He Rode in the Lord of the Rings Movie

The horse had a hard time adjusting to the lights and sounds on set and it took a while for them to get in sync but they developed a strong bond in the end. He would also purchase two more of his equine co-stars, including his horse from Hidalgo. Learn More

A Swiss Couple in the Maldives Paid $1000 to Have Their Wedding Vows Renewed in the Native Dhivehi Language

The subtitles of the You Tube video revealed that the minister had actually been insulting them throughout the ceremony. Learn More

Mark Twain Hated Suspenders So Much He Invented and Patented an Alternative Clasp to Keep His Pants Up

It eventually found mainstream use as a bra strap clasp. Learn More

The Gender Neutral Term for a Niece or Nephew is a Nibling

Just like the gender neutral term for a brother or sister is a sibling. Learn More

Ring Announcer Michael Buffer has Made Over $400 Million

All from his trademark catchphrase "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!". Learn More

Deland McCullough, a Former NFL Player and Now Coach, was Given Up for Adoption at Birth in 1973

He found his birth mother in 2017. She told him the name of his father, who turned out to be his college coach and mentor throughout his adult life. Learn More

Sour Patch Kids were Originally Called Mars Men when Created in the 1970’s

The name was changed in 1985 to capitalize on the popularity of Cabbage Patch Kids. Learn More

The Beach Boys Song “Good Vibrations” Used 90 Hours of Tape from 17 Separate Recording Dates with LA’s Top Session Musicians

The cost of recording was estimated to be over $50,000, or roughly half a million adjusted for inflation. Learn More

There is a Rare Natural Phenomenon Known as a Fire Tornado that Occurs When Intense Rising Heat and Violent Wind Conditions Combine, Often as a Result of Wildfires

They can reach temperatures of up to 1090 degrees Fahrenheit and generate wind speeds of more than 100 mph. Learn More

In the 1970’s, Chrysler Advertised Their Luxury Cars as Containing ‘Corinthian Leather’ with Ricardo Montalban as the Spokesman

On Late Night with David Letterman, Montalban admitted that the term meant nothing. The leather was actually sourced from New Jersey. Learn More

Dragonfly Wings Kill Bacteria on Contact

This is done by ripping apart their cell membranes with sharp nanopillars as they move across the surface of the wing. Learn More

A California Farmer Named Mike Yurosek was Unhappy that He was Unable to Sell His Imperfect Carrots

So he cut and shaved them into smaller, cuter versions called baby carrots. These baby carrots now account for over 50% of carrot sales in the US. Learn More

There’s a Foaming Ingredient in Toothpaste that Blocks Your Ability to Taste Sweetness

Which if you drink orange juice shortly after, you only taste the acidity and bitterness of the fruit. Learn More

When a Friend Wrote “Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit” on a Wall, Kurt Cobain Assumed It was an Anti-Establishment Slogan and Titled the Hit Song with It

Months later he found out his friend had been making fun of him as Kurt's girlfriend wore a deodorant called Teen Spirit. Learn More

In the Late 1980’s, Pepsi Briefly Owned 17 Diesel Submarines, a Cruiser, a Frigate, and a Destroyer

All because of a $3 billion trade agreement with the USSR in which they exchanged soda for military equipment. Learn More

William James Sidis Enrolled at Harvard at Just 11 Years Old After He Completed His Primary and Secondary Schooling in Less than a Year

By the age of 8 he knew eight foreign languages and even invented his own called "vendergood." Learn More

More Guinness is Consumed in Nigeria Than in Ireland

Nigeria consumes the second most Guinness globally behind only the UK. The United States consumes the fourth most Guinness worldwide. Learn More

Stephen Wiltshire is an Autistic Artist with the Amazing Ability to Draw Any Landscape from Memory After Seeing it Just Once

He drew a 19 ft long picture of New York City from memory after just a 20 minute helicopter ride over the city. Learn More

Whorehouse Meadow, a Meadow Near Frenchglen, Oregon, was Renamed in the 1960’s to “Naughty Girl Meadow” on the Bureau of Land Management Maps

The old name was restored in 1981 after public outcry. Learn More

The Devil’s Pool is a Rock Pool Located Right on the Edge of Victoria Falls in Zambia on the Zambezi River

When you enter the pool, you get pushed to the edge by the force of the river which itself carries over the falls. Learn More

The ‘Happy Birthday’ Song Was Not Legally Available for Public Use Until a 2016 Lawsuit Settlement

Until then, it was copyrighted and you had to pay a license to use it. Learn More

In 2011, the Supreme Court of India Opened Six of the Seven Secret Vaults of Padmanabhaswamy Temple

Inside was a treasure of golden idols, golden elephants, diamond necklaces and countless bags of gold coins worth $22 billion. Learn More

The Word “Hangover” First Appeared in the English Vocabulary in the 19th Century as a Term for Describing “Unfinished Business” from Meetings

It was not until 1904 that the word began to be used in relation to alcohol. Learn More

Tom Brady is Selling His Customized Stretch Escalade for $300,000

There are five back seats under a raised roof, including two VIP electric recliners with hand veneered burl wood folding tables. It has 13,000 miles on the odometer. Learn More

The First Commercially Successful Videotape Recorder, Precursor to the VCR, was Made in 1956 and was the Size of a Piano

The Ampex Corporation developed the VRX-1000 in 1956 and sold it to TV networks and stations for $50,000. That would be about $471,000 in today's dollars. Learn More

In Denmark, There Are Some Unique Traffic Signals

One such example, traffic signals featuring small viking figures. Learn More

A Slave, Nathan “Nearest” Green, Originally Taught Jack Daniels How to Make Whiskey

He is credited as the company's first master distiller. Learn More

There is a Small Rock Island, Ilha Da Queimada Grande, Off the Coast of Southern Brazil Few Would Want to Visit

It was once thought to be home to upwards of 430,000 snakes. Today, that number is estimated at 3,000 or roughly 1 snake per every square meter. Learn More

Japanese Men Smoke Cigarettes at Double the Rate of American Men, Have Higher Cholesterol Levels and Higher Blood Pressure

Yet they still have less than 30% the rate of heart disease as men in the United States. This is mainly attributed to their diet and weight. Learn More

After a Bet in a Bar, Thomas Fitzpatrick Stole a Plane from a New Jersey Airport and Landed It on a Manhattan Street in Front of the Bar in 1956

He did it again 2 years later when someone refused to believe him. Learn More

Hummingbirds Often Build Their Nests Near Hawk Nests

This is attributed to the fact that their predators are scared of the hawks. Learn More

Australia’s Feral Cat Population is Massive

At its height the feral cat population was estimated to have killed 3 million native animals including birds, frogs, mammals and reptiles every day. Learn More

The Northern Scorpion, Canada’s Only Scorpion, Can Have as Many ad 12 Eyes But They are Mainly Able to Distinguish Light from Dark

However, they are so sensitive they can actually navigate by the stars at night. Learn More

Garfield Phones Have Been Washing Up on Northern Finistere Beaches in France for Over 30 Years

A shipping container fell off a cargo ship in a storm and ended up wedged in a nearby underwater cave. Learn More

The Tradition of Pouring Out Some of Your Drink on the Ground to Show Respect for Deceased Friends or Family Comes from an Ancient Practice

The practice is known as "Libation" and was common in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. Learn More

Contrary to His Modern Day Image as a Ruthless Tyrant, the Infamous Pirate Blackbeard Actually Spurned Violence

Preferring to rely on intimidation tactics, and never harmed or murdered anyone he held captive. Learn More

The 1977 Film Viva Knievel! Starred Evel Knievel as Himself

But used stunt double Gary Charles Davis for the more dangerous motorcycle stunts. Learn More

Douglas Engelbart Invented the First Ever Computer Mouse in 1964

It was made out of wood and two perpendicular discs. It had the cord in front, but they quickly moved it to the back to get it out of the way. Learn More

Alfred Hitchcock Bought All the Copies of Robert Bloch’s Psycho, Which was Published in 1959

In order to keep the plot twists a secret for the film debut in 1960. Learn More

The Inland Taipan or “Fierce Snake” is the Most Venomous Snake in the World

However, because of its shy and timid nature there has never been a recorded death caused by its bite. The word "fierce" describes its venom and not its temperament. Learn More

Dutch Researchers Have Created Artificial Leaves that Produce Drugs Using Sunlight

In testing, they successfully produced artimensinin, which is a drug to treat malaria, and ascaridole, used against certain parasitic worms. Learn More

The Builders of Japan’s Nijo Castle Created Purposefully Squeaky Floors, Known as Nightingale Floors

The floors were designed so that just the lightest step produced a clearly audible sound warning guards. Learn More

The USSR Successfully Sent a Spacecraft and Entry Probe to Venus in 1966

The floors were designed so that just the lightest step produced a clearly audible sound warning guards. Learn More

Arnold Schwarzenegger Paid Austria $20,000 to Ship Him a 1951 M-47 Patton Tank

The exact same tank he drove when he was a soldier. It is fully operable minus the gun. Learn More

If You Were on the Moon, the Earth Wouldn’t Actually Move in the Sky

It would appear to wobble a little because the moon is elliptical but it would never "rise" or "set". Learn More

Ducks Can Keep Their Eyes Open Underwater Due to a Transparent Third, Sideways Eyelid Called a Nictating Membrane

All birds have it and even humans have a vestigal remnant called the plica semilunaris. Learn More

Manta Rays Have the Largest Brain of All Fish

They show signs of recognizing themselves in the mirror and may be self-aware. Learn More

Colonel Harland Sanders Held Numerous Jobs Before He Started Serving Kentucky Fried Chicken at His Gas Station Café

He practiced law, delivered babies, sold life insurance and car tires as well as operated a steamboat ferry. Learn More

When Lady Gaga was Studying at NYU, Her Classmates Made a Facebook Group Called “Stefani Germanotta, You Will Never Be Famous” Where They Bullied Her

She dropped out after only a year to pursue her music career full time. Learn More

The Most Common Street Name in the U.S. is Second Street

First is the third most common street name, Third is the second most common, while Fifth is the sixth most common. Learn More

Professional Grade Shuttlecocks Are Made Only From The Feathers Of The Left Wing Of Geese

Feathers from the right wing make them spin the wrong way. Learn More

Mr. P is a 101 Year Old Italian Man Who Survived Both the Spanish Flu and WWII and Has Now Beat COVID-19 Too

He was born in 1919 while the 1918 flu pandemic was raging in his hometown of Rimini, Italy. Learn More

Blue Jeans Originated in Genoa, Italy Some 500 Years Ago

'Bleu de Genes' were worn by fishermen and navy sailors because they could roll them up to prevent them getting wet and because they were easy to remove if they ever fell overboard. Learn More

Research Has Found That Seals Actually Brought Tuberculosis to North & South America

Not European explorers which had long been held accountable for the devastating impact of the disease on the native people. Learn More

The Tongue is a Unique Organ Exhibiting Many Static and Dynamic Characteristics Which Differ Considerably Between Individuals

A tongue print is as unique as a fingerprint. Learn More

Christopher Langan is One of the Smartest People in the World According to His IQ Test Results

He spent 20 years as a bouncer on Long Island while he worked on his Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe. Learn More

Sloths Poop Once a Week. This is the Only Reason They Will Leave Their Tree

It's always a life-threatening situation for them as predators can easily prey on them while the do their "business" at ground level. Learn More

The Amazon is the Second Longest River in the World

Despite this fact, there are no bridges over the Amazon river. Learn More

The Saying “Over and Out” from TV and Movies Makes No Sense in Actual Radio Communications

The term "Over" means you want a reply and "Out" means you do not expect a reply. Learn More

The Band Chumbawamba Holds the World Record for the Longest Album Title

At 156 words and 857 characters in length the honor goes to their 2008 album "The Boy Bands Have Won..." Learn More

In 1896, New York Passed the Raines Law to Reduce Sunday Drinking. The Law had a Loophole Allowing Bars to Serve Alcohol with a Meal

Bars added an unappetizing Raines sandwich to every drink order, then took it away, serving it to the next customer. The sandwich often lasted weeks. Learn More

Since 1973, Volkswagen Has Manufactured Currywurst At Its Wolfsburg Plant. The Sausage Is Branded As A “Volkswagen Original Part’ With Its Own Part Number

They produce nearly 7 million currywurst yearly, which is more than the number of cars they produce across all their factories. Learn More

Arnold Schwarzenegger Wasn’t Allowed To Dub His Own Role In Terminator To German

His accent is considered very rural by German/Austrian standards. Learn More