12 Random Bits of Trivia We Frankensteined Together Like Sid’s Mutant Toys in ‘Toy Story’
Happy birthday, American money.
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China Had to Ban Banks From Enticing Customers With Labubus
A bank in China was forced to rescind its offer of a free Labubu doll to anyone who started a new account, because the Chinese government feared it would be so popular that it would throw off the country’s entire banking system.
An Extremely Promising Cure for Diabetes
It was a small clinical trial, but 10 of 12 people who underwent a single stem cell treatment had no need for insulin injections after one year.
Magnolias Are So Old, They Don’t Even Need Bees
Magnolias evolved before bees and butterflies existed, so they’re pollinated by beetles and flies.
The Largest DDoS Attack (So Far)
The largest distributed denial-of-service attack was 37 terabytes delivered in 45 seconds, which is the equivalent of getting spammed with 10,000 HD feature-length films.
The Guy Who Assassinated John Wilkes Booth Was a Grade-A Certified Weirdo
Boston Corbett likely went nuts from the chemicals in his hat manufacturing shop, became a religious zealot after finding God during a particularly brutal hangover and castrated himself with a pair of scissors.
Venice’s Population Has Halved
Jeff Bezos’ wedding in Venice has highlighted the unsustainable influx of ultra-wealthy visitors to the city. Hotels, short-term rentals and skyrocketing cost of living have caused the population to drop from 100,000 to 50,000 since the 1980s.
People Are Starting to Talk Like ChatGPT
A study of 280,000 academic YouTube videos found that people are beginning to use more words that A.I. programs use, and fewer that it doesn’t. ChatGPT, for example, doesn’t really use words like “bolster,” “unearth” and “nuance,” and these words have declined among human speakers in the year and a half since the program has existed. Meanwhile, A.I. favorites like “delve” and “adept” are up by 51 percent.
Why Can’t Sharks Do a Somersault?
Many shark species go limp and appear paralyzed when turned upside-down, and no one really knows why. It’s a freeze response called “tonic immobility,” like when a possum plays dead, but it’s unclear what evolutionary benefit that has to a shark.
American Money Just Turned 250
On June 22, 1775, the Continental Congress okayed the printing of $2 million worth of a brand new currency that George Washington needed to pay soldiers and do other Revolutionary War-related spending.
What’s the IRS’ ROI?
According to 2023 data, it cost the IRS 34 cents to collect $100.
What’s the Longest Nonstop Commercial Flight in the World?
New York City to Singapore is a 9,537-mile trip that takes 18 hours and 40 minutes. It’s 10 minutes slower than the runner-up: Newark to Singapore.
A Chinese Hotel Had to Stop Using Pandas as a Wake-Up Service
The Lehe Ledu Liangjiang Holiday Hotel had been allowing guests to order red pandas to come hang out with them in the morning, but its increasing popularity among influencers has led officials to rule that it was irresponsible and unethical to give normies access to an endangered species.
