99 Surprising Facts From History
2. In 1969, the United States spent $24 million to develop a pen that could write in space, while the Soviet Union just used pencils.
3. The first known use of the word "robot" was in Karel Čapek's 1920 play R.U.R.
4. The world's oldest surviving dress dates back to around 3000 BC and was found in Egypt.
5. Cleopatra lived closer in time to the moon landing than to the building of the Great Pyramid.
6. In the 19th century, doctors recommended smoking as a cure for asthma.
7. In 1945, a B-25 bomber crashed into the Empire State Building, killing 14 people.
8. The shortest reigning monarch in history was King Louis XIX of France, who reigned for just 20 minutes in 1830.
9. In 1895, the first-ever automobile race took place from Paris to Bordeaux, and the winner had an average speed of just 15 miles per hour.
10. Ancient Egyptians used to shave their eyebrows when their cats died.
11. The longest recorded flight of a chicken is 13 seconds.
12. The first recorded baseball game took place in 1846 in Hoboken, New Jersey.
13. The first computer mouse was made of wood in 1964 by Doug Engelbart.
14. The world's first skyscraper was the Home Insurance Building in Chicago, completed in 1885 and standing 10 stories tall.
15. In 1816, a volcanic eruption in Indonesia caused a "year without a summer" in Europe and North America.
16. The first recorded use of the phrase "OMG" (meaning "Oh My God") was in a letter to Winston Churchill in 1917.
17. In the 18th century, people used to wear dead mice as beauty aids to cure various ailments.
18. The first-ever text message was sent in 1992, and it read "Merry Christmas".
19. In the 17th century, it was fashionable for men to wear high-heeled shoes.
20. The oldest known document with a date in history is a Sumerian tablet from 2025 BC.
21. In ancient Greece, it was common to exercise in the nude.
22. In 1912, a French orphanage held a raffle to raise money, and the prize was a baby.
23. The first recorded Olympic games took place in Greece in 776 BC.
24. The first recorded mention of a UFO sighting was in 1440 BC by the ancient Egyptians.
25. The first recorded use of the word "cool" as slang was in a 1931 novel by Zora Neale Hurston.
26. In 1859, the sun emitted a massive solar flare that disrupted telegraph communication around the world.
27. The first-ever photograph was taken in 1826 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce.
28. The first recorded use of the phrase "bucket list" was in a 2007 movie of the same name.
29. In the 19th century, some doctors believed that drinking urine could cure a variety of illnesses.
30. The first recorded mention of the Loch Ness Monster was in the 6th century by a monk named Saint Columba.
31. In ancient Egypt, it was common for people to shave their entire bodies, including their heads.
32. The first recorded use of the word "computer" was in 1613, when it referred to a person who did calculations.
33. The first known recipe for chocolate dates back to the Mayans in 600 AD.
34. The first ever recorded use of the word "hello" as a greeting was by Thomas Edison in 1877.
35. During the 16th century, there was a belief that tomatoes were poisonous.
36. The first known mention of a time machine in literature was in H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine" in 1895.
37. In ancient Rome, people used to wash their clothes in urine.
38. The first electric traffic light was installed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1914.
39. The first recorded use of the phrase "trick or treat" was in 1927.
40. In the 16th century, people used to use urine to tan leather.
41. The first recorded use of the word "telephone" was in 1835 by Sir Charles Wheatstone.
42. In the 18th century, people used to wear wigs made from horsehair and goat hair.
43. The first recorded mention of the word "cancer" was in the Edwin Smith Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical text from around 1600 BC.
44. In 1961, the Soviet Union sent the first-ever human into space, Yuri Gagarin.
45. The first recorded mention of the Great Wall of China was in a poem written in the 7th century BC.
46. In the 19th century, people used to use arsenic as a green dye for clothes and wallpaper.
47. The first recorded use of the word "computer virus" was in 1983.
48. The first recorded mention of the Sphinx was in a text from around 1400 BC.
49. In the 17th century, people believed the Earth was hollow and filled with underground civilizations.
50. The first recorded mention of the word "zombie" was in a book about African folklore published in 1819.
51. In the 19th century, people used to use mercury as a cure for syphilis.
52. The first recorded mention of the word "robotics" was in a science fiction story by Isaac Asimov in 1941.
53. The first recorded mention of the word "unicorn" was in a text from around 400 BC.
54. In the 17th century, people used to wear masks filled with flowers to ward off diseases like the plague.
55. The first recorded mention of the word "sarcasm" was in a play by Aristophanes in 423 BC.
56. In the 19th century, people used to wear corsets so tight that they could break ribs and cause internal organ damage.
57. The first recorded mention of the word "vampire" was in a Serbian dictionary in 1728.
58. In the 16th century, people believed that opium could cure all kinds of ailments.
59. The first recorded mention of the word "werewolf" was in a text from ancient Greece.
60. In the 19th century, people used to use radium as a cure for various illnesses.
61. The first recorded mention of the word "dragon" was in a text from ancient Greece.
62. In the 16th century, people believed bathing was unhealthy and could make them sick.
63. The first recorded mention of the word "witch" was in a text from ancient Sumeria.
64. In the 19th century, people believed drinking radium water could make them immortal.
65. The first recorded mention of the word "mermaid" was in a text from ancient Assyria.
66. In the 18th century, people believed tomatoes were an aphrodisiac.
67. The first known book ever printed was the Gutenberg Bible in 1455.
68. In the 19th century, people believed malaria was caused by bad air or "miasma."
69. The first recorded mention of the Loch Ness Monster was in the 6th century AD.
70. In the 19th century, people used to use lead-based makeup, which caused many health problems.
71. The first recorded mention of the word "skeleton" was in a text from ancient Greece.
72. In the 17th century, people believed the Moon was inhabited by creatures that looked like humans.
73. The first recorded mention of the word "alien" was in a book by H.G. Wells in 1898.
74. In the 19th century, people believed certain foods, like tomatoes, could cause insanity.
75. The first recorded mention of the word "laser" was in a paper by Charles Townes and Arthur Schawlow in 1958.
76. In the 19th century, people believed electric eels were a cure for many illnesses.
77. The first recorded mention of the word "cyborg" was in a paper by Manfred Clynes and Nathan Kline in 1960.
78. In the 19th century, people used to use belladonna drops to dilate their pupils and make their eyes look more beautiful.
79. The first recorded mention of the word "robot" was in a play by Karel Capek in 1920.
80. In the 19th century, people believed that drinking fresh cow's milk could cure tuberculosis.
81. The first recorded mention of the word "ape" was in a text from ancient Greece.
82. In the 18th century, people believed the Earth was only a few thousand years old.
83. The first recorded mention of the word "gnome" was in a text from ancient Greece.
84. In the 19th century, people believed smoking was good for your health.
85. The first recorded mention of the word "extraterrestrial" was in a paper by J.H. Oort in 1954.
86. In the 19th century, people believed drinking mercury could cure syphilis.
87. The first recorded mention of the word "genius" was in a text from ancient Rome.
88. In the 19th century, people believed drinking a mixture of arsenic and vinegar could cure many illnesses.
89. The first recorded mention of the word "neutron" was in a paper by James Chadwick in 1932.
90. In the 19th century, people believed drinking whiskey could cure the common cold.
91. The first recorded mention of the word "nuclear" was in a paper by Ernest Rutherford in 1912.
92. In the 19th century, people believed eating earthworms could cure many illnesses.
93. The first recorded mention of the word "quasar" was in a paper by Hong-Yee Chiu and William Fowler in 1960.
94. In the 19th century, people believed ingesting gold could cure many illnesses.
95. The first recorded mention of the word "black hole" was in a paper by John Michell in 1783.
96. In the 19th century, people believed bathing in urine could cure many illnesses.
97. The first recorded mention of the word "proton" was in a paper by Rutherford and Thomas Royds in 1917.
98. In the 19th century, people believed smoking opium could cure many illnesses.
99. The first recorded mention of the word "quantum" was in a paper by Max Planck in 1900.
These represent only a fraction of the myriad of peculiar and captivating historical tidbits. Every era and civilization boasts its distinct beliefs, customs, and breakthroughs, all of which have contributed to shaping our contemporary world. Exploring these facts can furnish us with a deeper insight into our history and the remarkable progress we've achieved as a society.