15 Supplemental Facts That Really Carved Our Pumpkins
![15 Supplemental Facts That Really Carved Our Pumpkins](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/9/0/876290_320x180.jpg)
Did you know that Columbus was the first European to try peppers? That's right - and they're named so because of Christopher Columbus. He visited the Caribbean and thought they tasted like black pepper (the spice), so he brought them back home with him. Thus began our love affair with chili peppers, bell peppers, and all kinds of deliciousness. On another note – English cricket great Denis Compton was renowned for his absent-mindedness. In fact, once he arrived at a match without his kitbag and had to use an antique bat from the stadium's museum! And during a celebration in honor of his 70th birthday, guess what happened? His mother called to tell him that he was only 69. Last fun fact for you: the voice of Boo from Monsters, Inc., Mary Gibbs, was just an actual toddler during production. The crew couldn’t get her to sit still and read her lines, so they had her play in the studio while following her around with a mic. And that's how we got one of the most iconic movie characters ever - complete with the most adorable voice imaginable.
Lego made bricks for architects.
![Lego produced a line of bricks intended for professional use by architects and planners. M RO CRACKED.COM The Modulex line from the 1970s and '80s had muted colors compared to the recreational line and was based on a 1:1:1 cube instead of the 10:5:3 ratio.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/7/876307.jpg)
Fake smiling will make people literally go out of their minds.
![Smile Mask Syndrome is a psychological disorder as a result of prolonged, unnatural smiling. CRACKED.COM The disorder causes sub- jects to develop depres- sion and physical illness. First described in Japan in 1983, this is attributed to the great importance placed on smiling in the Japanese service industry.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/6/876306.jpg)
Worker’s comp started in the 18th century.
![The practice of worker's compensation has its origins in 18th-century piracy. CRACKED.COM A system was established as a result of the occupa- tion's high risk of injury and included payments for different types of injuries as well as giving crew- mates less strenuous du- ties when injured.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/5/876305.jpg)
A retired couple was billed $1 million for starting a forest fire.
![In 1993, Idaho billed a retired couple $1.3 million dollars to put out a forest fire. CRACKED.COM A car towed by the cou- ple's RV blew a tire and caught fire, with the sparks and burning de- bris left along the road for eight miles until they noticed a problem.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/4/876304.jpg)
A cyclist avoided two separate airplane disasters by chance.
![Dutch cyclist Maarten de Jonge narrowly avoided two separate airplane disasters. malaysia CRACKED.COM Не was scheduled to fly on Malaysia Air flights MH17 (which was shot down over Ukraine) and MH370 (which disappeared). Both times, he changed his plans and booked a differ- ent flight](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/3/876303.jpg)
A Sega designer made a switch that messed up one of the games he was working on on purpose.
![The lead designer on a Sega arcade game intentionally messed up the colors to get more time to develop. GRACKED COM The president of SEGA insist- ed that if the graphics were done on Space Harrier, the game was ready for release. The lead designer rigged a switch on his desk that would mess up the colors whenever giving a demonstration.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/2/876302.jpg)
The Hollywood sign used to be lit up with thousands of bulbs.
![In the 1920s, the Hollywood sign used to be lit by thousands of light bulbs. HOLLYWOOD CRACKED.COM The guy who changed them lived in a little cabin near the sign, and had to replace non-working bulbs with fresh ones every day.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/1/876301.jpg)
Prince's death helped save 2 lives.
![Prince's death convinced Chaka Khan and her sister to get clean. CRACKED COM Khan says they entered an intensive rehab program for their fentanyl addiction because the tragic death of Prince made them real- ize it was time to take ac- tion to save our lives.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/9/9/876299.jpg)
Competitive eaters are better if they’re skinny.
![Many competitive eaters are so skinny because it allows their stomachs to expand. CRACKED.COM Obese people have more fat in their midsec- tion and around their or- gans, but a skinny per- son lacks this which al- lows their stomachs to expand further.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/9/8/876298.jpg)
Oil in the 1930s was bonkers cheap.
![During the Great Depression of the 1930s, a barrel of oil cost only 65 cents. CRACKED.COM Massive oil discover- ies in Texas, along- side falling global demand for energy, sent oil prices tum- bling downwards.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/0/876300.jpg)
A skydiving instructor used his body as a cushion to save a woman diving with him.
![A skydiving instructor saved a woman on a tandem skydive by using his body as a cushion. انتاج CRACKED COM After the main chute failed and the second got tan- gled, Dave Hartsock placed himself under the woman to absorb the eventual im- pact. Both survived, with Hartstock becoming para- lyzed from the neck down.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/9/7/876297.jpg)
It’s against the law to be drunk in an Alaskan bar.
![In Alaska, it is illegal to be drunk in a bar. CRACKED.COM Per state laws, a person who is already drunk may not knowingly enter a bar to drink more, or re- main in the bar that got them drunk in the first place.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/9/6/876296.jpg)
The voice actress for “Boo” was a real toddler.
![The voice of Boo from Monsters, Inc., Mary Gibbs, was just an actual toddler during production. CRACKED.COM The crew couldn't get her to sit still and read her lines, so they had her play in the studio while following her around with a mic.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/9/3/876293.jpg)
A cricket player was renowned for his absent mindedness.
![English cricket great Denis Compton was renowned for his absent mindedness. GRAGKED.COM Не once arrived at a match without his kitbag, so he used an antique bat from the stadium's museum. During a celebration in honor of his 70th birthday, his mother called to tell him that he was only 69.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/9/5/876295.jpg)
Columbus was the first European to try peppers.
![Peppers are named so because of Christopher Columbus. BILLI CRACKED.COM Chili peppers, bell peppers, and the rest got their English name when Columbus visit- ed the Caribbean and thought they tasted like black pepper.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/2/9/4/876294.jpg)