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Curious Facts

1007 surprising, true stories about animals, history, space, food and the everyday things around us. Each one checked against trusted sources.

Illustration of ocean waves under a full moonSpace & the SkyThe Moon Raises a High Tide on the Side of Earth Facing Away From It, TooIllustration of a glass of water held over the oceanEarth, Nature & the OceanThe Ocean Isn't Blue Just Because It Reflects the Sky. The Real Reason Is in the WaterA stack of chocolate sandwich cookies next to a glass of milkFood & Kitchen SecretsThe Oreo Feels Like It Never Changes. Its Name, Design, and Filling Say OtherwiseIllustration of a vintage aluminum TV dinner tray with turkey, peas, and sweet potatoesInventions & Everyday ThingsThe Famous Story Says Leftover Turkey Created the TV Dinner. Not Everyone Agrees
Illustration of a round medieval town with red roofs and a church tower nestled inside a huge, gently rimmed craterStrange Places & GeographyThis Medieval Town Sits Inside a Giant Crater, and Its Walls Hide Millions of DiamondsIllustration of a plate of cookies and a glass of milk beside a glowing fireplaceEveryday Science & Curious CustomsThe Milk and Cookies for Santa Tradition Is Younger Than You'd Think. Its Roots Are Not
A dewy spider web glowing in early morning sunlight between garden plantsAmazing AnimalsA Strand of Spider Silk Long Enough to Circle the Earth Would Weigh Less Than 5 PoundsIllustration of an open vintage photo album filled with old baby picturesThe Human BodyAlmost Nobody Remembers Being a Baby. Scientists Have Some Intriguing Ideas Why
Illustration in the style of an old portrait painting of William Henry Harrison in a dark 19th-century coatHistory's OdditiesHe Gave the Longest Inaugural Speech in History. A Month Later, He Was GoneIllustration of an astronaut floating inside a space station washing with a clothSpace & the SkyNASA Once Built a Shower in Space. One Wash Took About Two and a Half HoursA huge, round, deep sinkhole in the middle of a city street surrounded by buildingsEarth, Nature & the OceanIn 2010, a Nearly Round Hole Opened in Guatemala City and Swallowed a 3-Story BuildingIllustration of a woven basket overflowing with shiny red applesFood & Kitchen SecretsThe Original Apple-a-Day Saying Was About Bedtime, and It Was Rather Cheeky
A pair of antique spectacles with smoky quartz lenses on an old wooden tableInventions & Everyday ThingsChinese Judges Wore Smoky Quartz Glasses Centuries Ago. Glare Wasn't the Only ReasonIllustration of a white lighthouse on a rocky Maine coastline at sunsetStrange Places & GeographyMaine Is the Only State With a One-Syllable Name, and Nobody Is Sure Where It Came FromIllustration of a single slice of frosted layer cake on a vintage floral plate with a forkEveryday Science & Curious CustomsWhy Is an Easy Job a 'Piece of Cake'? The Likely Answer Involves a DanceIllustration of salmon leaping up a rushing riverAmazing AnimalsSalmon Swim Out to Sea for Years, Then Find the Exact Stream Where They Hatched
Illustration of a single tear rolling down a person's cheek in soft lightThe Human BodyOnion Tears and Heartbreak Tears Look the Same. Inside, They Aren'tIllustration of a Victorian Christmas card showing a family raising a toast around a tableHistory's OdditiesThe World's First Christmas Card Was Printed in 1843. Its Picture Ruffled a Few FeathersIllustration of a deep blue gas giant planet with swirling storms near a bright starSpace & the SkyFrom Afar This Planet Looks Like a Calm Blue Marble. Up Close, the Weather Is a NightmareIllustration of a volcano erupting at nightEarth, Nature & the OceanSome Volcanoes Have Been Erupting Nonstop for Decades. A Few for Thousands of Years
Illustration of a china teapot beside a cup with tea bags and their paper tagsFood & Kitchen SecretsThe Famous Tale Says Tea Bags Were a Happy Accident. Two Milwaukee Women Got There FirstIllustration of an old pair of round wire-rimmed spectacles resting on a bookInventions & Everyday ThingsThe Inventor of Eyeglasses Kept the Secret to Himself. A Friar Gave It AwayIllustration of the sun rising over a quiet tropical coast with palm treesStrange Places & GeographyThe Island Famous for Seeing the World's First Sunrise Has Nobody Living on ItIllustration of a person bundled up against a cold windEveryday Science & Curious CustomsWind Chill Makes 20 Degrees Feel Brutal. But Your Pipes Don't Feel It at All