Fact Alert | Aspen Xchange

Recently, a British Airways Boeing 747 Set a New Sub-Sonic Record for a Flight Between New York and London

The jumbo jet maxed out at 825 mph while riding a 200 mph jet stream tailwind to arrive in 4 hours and 56 minutes. Learn More

During the US Prohibition, Moonshiners Would Wear Cow Shoes

The fancy footwear left hoofprints instead of footprints, helping distillers and smugglers evade police. Learn More

In 1959, Police Were Called to a Segregated Library in S. Carolina When 9yr-Old Ronald McNair Refused to Leave

He later got a PhD in Physics from MIT and died in 1986 aboard the space shuttle challenger. The library that refused to lend him books is now named after him. Learn More

Volunteer’s Spent 2 Years Cleaning Up Over 11,500,000 Pounds of Trash Along Mumbai’s Versova Beach in One of ‘The World’s Largest Beach Clean-Ups’

This resulted in Olive Ridley Turtles Returning to Lay Eggs for the First Time in 20 Years. Learn More

In 1821, an African American Business Owner Named Thomas Jennings Invented the Dry Cleaning Process and was One of the First African Americans to be Granted a Patent

He used the proceeds from his invention to buy his wife and children out of slavery. Learn More

The Tradition of Firing Guns as a Salute was Originally a Sign of Peaceful Intentions

Since guns and cannons would need to be reloaded after each shot, firing your gun in the air essentially rendered you "unarmed." Learn More

There’s a Species of Orchid that Looks Like a Monkey’s Face Called ‘Dracula Simia’

It is native to the tropical cloud forests of Southeastern Ecuador and Peru as it grows best in elevations above 2,000 feet. Learn More

Recent Research Found that Nearly Half of All US Food Produced is Discarded

It is left in the field to rot, fed to livestock, or hauled directly from the field to landfill because of unrealistic "cosmetic food" standards. Learn More

Japan has Installed Special Concrete Tunnels Under Some of Their Train Tracks

They allow for turtles to cross the tracks. Learn More

In 1999, Philip Morris Attempted to Convince the Czech Republic that Smoking was Highly Beneficial to the Country

The company argued that as more people would die earlier, saving the government millions on pensions, hospitals, and housing for elderly citizens. Learn More

In 1979, When the Skylab Re-Entry Approached and Headed for Australia, the San Francisco Examiner Offered $10,000 to the First Person to Deliver a Piece to them Within 72 Hours

A 17yr old Aussie collected a piece, jumped on a plane to SFO with no passport or luggage, and collected his prize. Learn More

Studies Have Shown that Removing Lead from Gasoline is One of the Factors that Lead to the Drop in the Violent Crime Rate in America in the 1990s

Individuals exposed to lead at young ages have numerous conditions and problems with impulse control, all of which may negatively impact decision making and lead to a life of violent crime as they reach adulthood. Learn More

The Word Sarcasm Can be Traced Back to the Greek Verb Sarkazein

Which initially meant "to tear flesh like a dog." Learn More

Wellington Boots Were Oddly Enough Designed by Germans

Named by an Irishman, manufactured by an American in France and first worn by French peasants. Learn More

On March 14, 1942, Anne Miller, Diagnosed with Blood Poisoning, was Given a Tablespoon of Penicillin

It represented one half of the entire stockpile of the antibiotic in the whole United States at the time. Learn More

In 1964, When Bob Dylan First Met The Beatles, He had Misheard the Lyrics to I Want to Hold Your Hand as “I get high” Instead of “I Can’t Hide”, and Showed Up to Meet Them Ready to Smoke

He gave a joint to Ringo, who didn't realize he was supposed to pass it and smoked the whole thing himself. Learn More

Dr. Barry J. Marshall Proved to the Medical Community that Ulcers Weren’t Caused by Stomach Acid by Drinking Helicobacter Pylori Bacterium

He developed stomach ulcers within days, treated them with antibiotics, and went on to win a Nobel Prize. Learn More

Artist Max Siedentopf is Creating an Installation Called “Toto Forever” at an Undisclosed Location Somewhere in the Namib Desert, Africa

The solar powered installation will consist of six speakers and an MP3 player with Toto's Africa on repeat. Learn More

A Recent Study of Biomedical Papers Published Through May 2015 Found 213 References “Unequivocally Citing” Bob Dylan

The singer/songwriter's most popular songs referenced were "The Times They Are a Changin", which had 135 citations, and "Blowin' in the Wind", which had 36 citations. Learn More

Old-Time ‘High Wheeler’ Bicycles Were Also Known as ‘Penny Farthings’

People thought they looked like the largest (penny) and smallest (farthing) English coins of the day rolling along one after the other. Learn More

Draco was an Athenian Lawyer Who Gave the City of Athens its First Written Laws

The word Draconian originated from his name as his laws were so brutal. Learn More

In Saudi Arabia, a Dozen Camels Were Disqualified from a Camel Beauty Contest

They had been given Botox injections to make them more attractive. Learn More

The Red-Lipped Batfish or Galapagos Batfish Have Frowny-Faces and Giant Red Lips

They use their fins as feet to walk around the sea floor because they're terrible swimmers. Learn More

The Red Flag, When Used by Pirates, Came to Mean “No Quarter Given”, Or No Mercy Would be Shown and No Life Would be Spared

Alternatively, a black flag meant that those who surrendered without a fight would be allowed to live. Learn More

Astronauts in Space Need to Sleep Near Fans

So that when they exhale, there isn't a CO2 cloud in front of their face causing them to potentially suffocate. Learn More

Serial Killer Ed Kemper Befriended the Very Police Officers Investigating His Murders and Would Socialize with Them at a Bar Called the Jury Room

They called him "Big Ed" and never suspected him and thought he was joking when he confessed. Learn More

The Food Court at Costco Makes So Much Money Selling Pizza to Hungry Shoppers that it Ranks as the 14th Largest Pizza Chain in the US

That makes it larger than California Pizza Kitchen and nearly as large as CiCi's. Learn More

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal Tried Out for the Part of Frodo in the Lord of the Rings

But was not aware he had to have a British accent for the role, resulting in one of the worst auditions they had. Learn More

The Drinking Age in Wisconsin is 21, But Anyone Underage is Legally Allowed to Drink Alcohol in Bars and Restaurants

As long as they are with a parent or guardian of legal drinking age and the establishment allows it. Learn More

Roses are Planted at the End of a Row of Grape Vines on Vineyards Because They are Very Susceptible to Powdery Mildew and Mold

As such, they act as an early warning sign of mold or mildew allowing the vineyard staff to react before it impacts the grapes. Learn More

In 2013, a Brooklyn School was Shut Down Due to a Noxious Odor that Resulted in Several Students Being Transported to the Hospital

The odor turned out to be from excessive Axe body spray from some 6th grade boys. Learn More

During the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, McDonald’s Announced a Promotion that Offered Free Food and Drink Every Time a U.S. Athlete Reached the Medals Podium

The former Soviet Union boycotted the Olympics leading to many American wins and a very costly promotion. Learn More

If You Spent One Day on Each of the Islands in the Philippines, it Would Take You Nearly 21 Years to Visit them All

The latest count of the islands is 7,641. Learn More

The Oldest Known Musical Composition to Survive in Its Entirety is a Song Called the Epitaph of Seikilos

Its lyrics "While you live, shine / Have no grief at all / Life exists only for a short while / And time demands its toll." Learn More

Pepperidge Farms Produces Over 140 Billion Goldfish Crackers Each Year

And nearly 560 million Milano cookies. Learn More

People Who Work in Silence are Slower and Less Proficient Than Those Who Listen to Music While Working

Video game music itself is designed to keep you motivated and finishing tasks without stealing your focus. Learn More

Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, who played Mr. Miyagi in the 1984 classic Karate Kid, was 2 years old when he contracted spinal tuberculosis and was confined to a bed in a sanitarium for 9 years

When experimental medicine finally cured him, he was sent to live in an internment camp in Arizona with his family. Learn More

The US Federal Government has an Office in Denver Called the National Eagle Repository that Receives Dead Bald and Golden Eagles

Which are then used by registered Native Americans tribes for religious and cultural ceremonies. Learn More

Drooping Ears is a Trait for Domesticated Animals that Very Rarely Occurs in the Wild

Almost all species gain this trait when domesticated. A Russian experiment successfully domesticated foxes over 40 generations, and in that span their ears drooped. Learn More

When the CEO of Supermarket Chain ALDI, Theo Albrecht, was Kidnapped, He Haggled Down His Ransom Amount with His Abductors

After his release he claimed the sum as a tax-deductible business expense in court. He then became a recluse. Learn More

Every Rolls-Royce Pinstripe is Painted by Englishman Mark Court, a Former Village Sign Painter

It's the last manufacturing step and needs to be perfect as the paint instantly bonds with the car body and cannot be erased. Learn More

Fireworks Have Been Completely Illegal in Florida Since 1941

But are sold to people en masse via hundreds of stores across the state to anyone who signs a waiver saying they're for agricultural use to scare birds away from crops. Learn More

Charles Darwin Once Made a List of the Pros and Cons for Marriage

The pros included: 'constant companion and a friend in old age better than a dog anyhow.' The cons: 'less money for books' and 'terrible loss of time.' Learn More

Patrick’s Pub and Grill is a Bar that’s on the Border of Georgia and Tennessee and Split Between the Two States

The Georgia half is in a "dry county", meaning that any alcohol purchased at the bar on the Tennessee side cannot be brought to the Georgia side where the restrooms are. Learn More

The Word Muscle Comes from the Latin Musculus Meaning Little Mouse

So called because the shape and movement of some muscles, notably biceps, were thought to resemble mice under cloth. Learn More

Camels Can Drink 30 Gallons of Water in Just 13 Minutes

The water is stored in the camel's bloodstream and not in its energy-rich fatty hump. Learn More

In 1959, USPS Delivery of Mail by Rocket Took Place for the First and Last Time. The USS Barbero, a Submarine, Fired an Unarmed Cruise Missile Carrying ~3,000 Pieces of Mail as its Payload

It took 22 minutes to travel 100 miles and arrive at Naval Auxiliary Air State in Mayport, where it was sorted and distributed. Learn More

In a New Study, Researchers Found that the Human Nose has Roughly 400 Scent Receptors that Can Detect at Least 1 Trillion Different Odors

Far more than the 10,000 previously thought. Learn More

Poison Dart Frogs Derive Their Toxicity from Eating Poisonous Ants and Termites in the Wild

A captive-bred dart frog is essentially harmless, as its diet does not include any poisonous prey. Learn More

The Servant of Philon was an Ancient Greek Humanoid Figure Capable of Automatically Filling a Wine Cup when Placed in its Hand

It accomplished its task using a pneumatic system that was very advanced for its time. Learn More

Lewis Fry Richardson, Considered the Father of Modern Weather Forecasting, Derived Many of the Complex Equations Needed for Weather Prediction in the 1920’s

However, the math was so difficult that to predict the weather for the next six hours took him six weeks to do the calculations. Learn More

There’s an Old Finnish Measurement Unit Called a Poronkusema, which Translates to “Reindeer’s Piss”

It describes the distance a reindeer can travel without having to stop to pee, which is roughly 4.5 to 5 miles (7 - 7.5 km). Learn More

There Aren’t Any True Wild Horses in the US Anymore

The Western US has a population of free-roaming mustangs that are descendants of domesticated colonial Spanish horses and therefore are technically feral and not wild. Learn More

Researchers in France have Developed a Brain-Controlled Robotic Suit that has Allowed a Paralyzed Man to Walk Again

A tetraplegic man has spent two years moving a virtual avatar in a video game in order to train a decoding algorithm, which translates the signals into movements. Learn More

A Mantis Shrimp Can Swing its Claw Very Fast

So fast that it boils the water around it and creates a flash of light. Learn More

Greek Fire was an Incendiary Weapon Developed by the Byzantines in the 7th Century and was Impervious to Water. It was Used on Ship to Ship Combat, as well as in Handheld Tubes, Operating Similar to a Flamethrower

Its precise chemical composition was a closely held secret that has been lost to history. Learn More

In 1922, there were a Series of Riots in New York that Lasted 8 Days known as the Straw Hat Riots

They started because men were wearing straw hats past the date deemed socially acceptable - September 15th. Learn More

The Guinness Book Of Records Holds a World Record of its Own

It is the book most often stolen from public libraries. Learn More

A Man in South Florida Won an Auction with a Winning Bid of $13,000 for What He Thought was a Villa

But turned out to be a 12 in. x 100 ft. strip of land between two villas. Learn More

Wildlife Trafficking, Worth an Estimated $10 Billion a Year, is Thought to be the Third Most Valuable Illicit Commerce After Drugs and Weapons

Birds are the most common contraband with anywhere from two million to five million wild birds smuggled yearly. Learn More

John Wayne Was Given His Own Namesake Island Off the Coast of Panama

This was in thanks for his support of returning control of the Panama canal to Panama. Learn More

Dr. William Stewart Halstead, the Father of Modern Surgery, Pioneered the Use of Anesthetics by Experimentally Injecting Himself with Cocaine

He eventually became addicted to cocaine and then morphine but somehow continued to modernize medical training. Learn More

In 1963, Winston Churchill was the First Foreign National to Receive Honorary United States Citizenship

He also received a passport-like document along with it which was not valid for travel. Learn More

Up Until 1970, United Airlines had ‘Men Only’ Flights

They featured complimentary cigars, cocktails, and a full-course steak dinner in the exclusive company of other men. Learn More

Woody Guthrie Wrote “This Land is Your Land” as a Retort

After he got tired of hearing Kate Smith's "God Bless America" over and over again. Learn More

Chock Full o’ Nuts Coffee was Introduced in 1932; But it Does Not Contain Nuts

It's named for a chain of nut stores that the founder converted into coffee shops during the Great Depression. Learn More

Dwayne Johnson is the First Ever Third-Generation Professional Wrestler

Additionally, both his grandfather and father had ties to the Anoa'i family, a large family of wrestlers known as the Samoan Dynasty. Learn More

There’s a 12-foot-Tall Replica of the Washington Monument Concealed Under a Manhole on the Grounds of the Monument

Its used as a surveying tool, which is typically a simple metal rod, but because of its location this special version was installed. Learn More

Oliver “Porky” Bickar Was So Dedicated To April Fools Pranks That He Flew Hundreds Of Tires Into Mt. Edgecumbe, a Dormant Volcano Near Sitka, Alaska, And Set Them On Fire

He fooled both the locals and Coast Guard into thinking the volcano was active. Learn More

It Takes Over 500 Years to Produce Just Under an Inch of Topsoil

This most productive layer of soil is often derived from rock which has to be broken into smaller pieces through either physical or chemical weathering. Learn More

Kano Jigoro, the Father of Judo, Asked to be Buried in His White Belt

He wanted to be remembered as a learner and not the black belt master that he was. Learn More

Pistachios Split Themselves Open When They are Ripe in a Process Called Dehiscence

This trait has been selected and specifically cultivated with different varieties having various rates of dehiscence consistency. Learn More

Michelangelo was the Third Sculptor to Work on the Famous Statue of David

The piece of Carrara marble itself is of mediocre quality, stood out in the elements for ~25 years, and was known as the Duccio stone before Michelangelo sculpted it into a masterpiece. Learn More

The Pop-Tart was Created After Post’s Pet Food Division Created the Technology for a Non-Refrigerated, Semi-Moist Dog Food Called Gaines Burgers

While Post would then leverage the technology to create Country Squares the product languished in the lab. By contrast, Kellogg's was quick to recognize the potential of the technology and just six months later introduced their Pop-Tart, which propelled by superior marketing, pushed Country Squares off store shelves. Learn More

In the Early 1900’s, Marshall Field’s Department Store Used Professional Scapegoat’s or “Fired Men”

They would take the blame and be fired to appease disgruntled customers. Learn More

Since 2000, Each Member of the Cast of Friends has Been Making $20 Million Per Year Thanks to Syndication Royalties

The studio WB is making nearly $1 billion each year. Learn More

Studies Show That About 85% of People Only Breathe Out of One of Their Nostrils at a Time

Click Image to View Video

There is a nasal cycle which rotates between the two every ~4 hours. Learn More

Dogs Can Tell Time by Smell

They can smell different times of the day and how long their owner has been gone by how much their smell has dissipated since they left. Learn More

The Antikythera Mechanism is the Oldest Known “Computer” in the World

It was used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses for calendrical and astrological purposes and was developed in the second or first century BC. Learn More

A Jellybean Takes Anywhere From 7 to 21 Days to Make

It starts with liquid sugar and flavors being heated and mixed with starch and glucose. More sugar is added to give it a hard shell plus hot syrup and wax are applied to give it a shiny finish - all over the course of many days of processing. Learn More

In 2012, a Cleveland Woman Arrested for a Traffic Violation was Ordered to Share Her Crime by Holding a Sign for 2 Days

The sign read 'only an idiot would drive on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus.' Learn More

Facebook Created Two AI Chatbots Named Alice and Bob But Shut Them Down

They did so when Alice and Bob stopped communicating in English because it wasn't as efficient as the language they developed themselves. Learn More

The Oceans are Filled with Giant Tubular Organisms That Grow to the Size of Sperm Whales

They are known as Pyrosomes or unicorns of the sea and can be nearly 60 ft in length. Learn More

In 2015, a Teenager Named Bud Weisser was Arrested for Trespassing in a Secure Area

He was at the Budweiser brewery located in St. Louis, Missouri. Learn More

The Four Construction Bay Doors on NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building are the World’s Largest Doors

At 456 feet high, they are taller than the Statue of Liberty. Learn More

Muhammad Ali’s Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is Not on the Sidewalk

It is on the wall of Kodak/Dolby theater because of his request that the name of Muhammad not be walked on. Learn More

The Colombian River Cano Cristales is Commonly Called the River of Five Colors

This is due to its striking colors. Learn More

A 2015 Research Study on the Efficiency of Mosquito Repellents Made a Novel Discovery

It found that Victoria's Secret's Bombshell perfume actually repelled mosquito's better than nearly all the other non-DEET products. Learn More

You Receive a Higher Dose of Radiation Living Next to a Coal Plant than You do a Nuclear Plant

This is due to the fly ash emitted by the power plant which is 100x more radiation than a similar nuclear plants waste. Learn More

During the Great Depression, a Banker Convinced Families in Quincy, Florida to Buy Coca-Cola Shares for $19 a Piece

The town later became the single richest per capita in the United States with 67 millionaires. Learn More

Avocados Nearly Went Extinct 13,000 Years Ago After Large Animals Like the Mammoth and Giant Ground Sloth Went Extinct

With no means of dispersing the seeds, it was left to early farmers to cultivate the species. Learn More

The Hairy Frogfish Uses a Vacuum in its Mouth to Suck in Prey that is as Large as It is in Just 1/6000th of a Second

Despite having only 5mm palatal teeth, it has the fastest 'bite' in the animal kingdom. Learn More

The Toddlers’ Truce was a Piece of British TV Scheduling Policy in the 1940’s that Required Transmissions to Stop Between 6pm and 7pm

Children's programming ended at 6, which allowed young children to be put to bed before the evening programming at 7. Learn More