Here are 25 Kickass Random Facts List #34.
1-5 Random Facts List
1. Norman Borlaug, an American biologist, developed many new strains of crops which yielded 4 times as much food. He is said to have saved the lives of over a billion people, making him one of the most influential men in human history. – Source
2. In 2006, a convicted murder named Richard Lee McNair escaped from United States Penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana by mailing himself out – Source
3. American Retailer Kroger uses infrared sensors to track customers in their stores. Then an algorithm decides how many checkout lines need to be open to reduce wait times. – Source
4. Rio de Janeiro was once capital of Portugal, making it the only European capital outside of Europe – Source
5. U.S. President James Buchanan regularly used to buy slaves in Washington, D.C. and quietly freed them in Pennsylvania. – Source
6-10 Random Facts List
6. Bitcoins were developed by an anonymous software designer who called himself Satoshi Nakamoto. In 2010, he turned over the source code and disappeared. Nakamoto is believed to be in possession of roughly one million Bitcoin. In December 2013, this was the equivalent of $1.1B. However, they have never been moved. There’s no evidence that they ever will. He might have destroyed his keys or be dead. No one knows. He might not even be a single person. Also, moving those coins would destabilize the price so even if they tried to sell them they’d be worth way less before they ever reached the exchange. – Source
7. North Korea uses a fax machine to send threats to South Korea. – Source
8. The Nigerian version of Sesame Street, Sesame Square, stars a HIV-positive Muppet to help remove the stigma of being HIV-positive. – Source
9. Bart Simpson’s hit song “Do the Bartman” was written by massive Simpsons fan, Michael Jackson. – Source
10. Alfred Binet, creator of the first practical IQ test, believed intelligence could change and be developed. He was against using his test as a standard measure of fixed intelligence. – Source
11-15 Random Facts List
11. Antifreeze is made artificially bitter because the original sweet taste makes it perfect for murdering/poisoning people – Source
12. Anheuser Busch employees not only get 2 free cases of beer per month, but AB also reimburses their employees for a cab fare if they are too drunk to drive home from consuming their products. – Source
13. Matt Groening named the Simpsons family after his father Homer, mother Marge, and sister Lisa. Bart was an anagram of the word brat. – Source
14. The WWII British code breakers had discovered the German’s preparations for invasion of the USSR. Although this information was passed to the Soviet government, Stalin refused to believe it. – Source
15. Burma had an economic crisis in the late 80s and the president decided to cancel any currency that wasn’t divisible by 9 (his favorite number) – Source
16-20 Random Facts List
16. For a shot in Transformers, Michael Bay had the cast members run over “a carpet of explosives.” He warned them not to stop or trip. The actors’ look of terror is real. – Source
17. Video Game Company Midway paid boxing announcer Michael Buffer $100,000,000 to license in perpetuity his trademark phrase “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble” for the video game “Ready To Rumble”. – Source
18. The minting of the U.S. half-penny was discontinued in 1857 because it was viewed as having too insignificant purchasing power and wasteful to continue minting. Adjusted for inflation it would be worth more than the penny, nickel, and dime today. – Source
19. The Rock accidentally knocked out Michael Clarke Duncan while filming a fight scene for The Scorpion King and had a custom Rolex made as an apology gift, but liked the watch so much that he kept it for himself. – Source
20. The straight, wide boulevards of Paris were designed such that artillery could easily be fired on rioting crowds. – Source
21-25 Random Facts List
21. The tomb complex of the Biblical King Herod was found nearly two hundred years ago, but his actual resting place remained elusive (despite zealous investigation) until this past decade, due to the complex’s size. The lowest portion of the complex in itself covers approximately 40 acres. – Source
22. Chisels used to be handed out to people visiting Stonehenge, so they could chip away at the ancient monument to get their own souvenirs. – Source
23. A group of people believe that they have slid from a different timeline into ours. Among other things, they remember Mandela dying in the 80s and New Zealand being located north of Australia, not south. – Source
24. Bearing a male child can alter a woman’s brain by leaving male DNA that can persist for the rest of her life making her less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, promote tissue repair, and improve her immune system, but it may also cause adverse effects. – Source
25. In 2006, anti-NATO protests in Ukraine canceled a joint exercise designed to simulate a Russian invasion of Crimea. – Source
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