Random Topics

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Is Russia the Same Size As Pluto? 3/2/18

It was claimed that Russia is the same size, or may be bigger than the planet Pluto. And some said they could easily fit Pluto, into the largest country Russia. In terms of diameter, the Pluto was found to be 2370 kilometers or 1473 miles, which would easily fit within Russia's largest east to west width of 10,000 km.

Who Invented Monopoly? 3/1/18

We all know what the game Monopoly is. Who invented it? The answer to this question is Charles Darrow. He made this game during the Great Depression in 1933. This game turned him into a millionaire seemingly overnight! Next time you play this addicting game, think about the man you have to thank for inventing it.

How Fast is the Speed of Sound? 2/28/18

Have you ever wondered how fast the speed of sound is? You probably know it is very fast. Did you know that if an object surpasses the speed of sound, a sonic boom occurs? Well, the answer to the question is exactly 767.269 miles per hour! Another fun fact is that light travels a million times faster than sound. Next time you sing, think about how fast the sound is traveling!

What Percentage of a Watermelon is Water? 2/27/18

Have you ever wondered how much of a watermelon is actually water? Everytime you bite into a watermelon, you can tell that water makes up a big part of the fruit. When you want to figure out how much percent is water, you need to look for a clean watermelon with no dents or cuts. The exact answer is 92%! Who knew water had such a big part of the watermelon?

Is a Strawberry a Berry? 2/26/18

You probably think a strawberry is a berry, right? Well, that is actually not true. The definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single seed. However, the strawberry has its dry, yellow "seeds" on the outside. Each of these seeds is considered a separate fruit. In fact, when you think of it this way, a banana is a berry! Pretty cool, right?

Is Lightning Hotter Than the Sun? 2/16/18

Have you ever heard the saying 'lightning is hotter than the Sun'? Maybe not, but we're gonna give you the facts anyway! Lightning is actually hotter than the Sun. In fact, the Sun's surface temperature is only 6,000 kelvins (10,340 °F). While lightning is 30,000 kelvins (53,540 °F)! So next time you wanna play in a thunderstorm, think about your odds of surviving. Just kidding ;).

Why is the Pinky Finger Called a Pinky Finger? 2/15/18

You probably know what a pinky finger is. It is the last and smallest finger on your hand. How did this finger get its name? The Scottish-English word pinkie come from the Dutch word "pink". "Pink" in Dutch means little finger. This is the reason we call this little finger a "pinky" finger.

Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? 2/14/18

Have you ever wondered why hot dogs are called hot dogs? Well, the reason is that hot dogs can be traced to German immigrants in the 1800s. The immigrants brought sausages to America as well as dachshund dogs. Most likely hot dogs got their name as a joke about the small, long, and thin dachshund dogs.

The Greek Olympians Did What?!?! 2/12/18

The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in Olympia, in southwest Greece. The Games were part of a religious festival. The Greek Olympics, thought to have begun in 776 BC, were inspired the modern Olympic Games. The Games were held in honour of Zeus, king of the gods, and were staged every four years. But in ancient Greece, athletes didn’t worry about sponsorship, protection, or fashion – they competed naked.

Who Were the First People to Use Money?

2/10/18

You use money everyday. Whether it be to pay your rent or buy lunch, money is an important part of your life. So who were the first people to use money? No one knows for sure who first used such money, but historians believe metal objects were first used as money as early as 5,000 B.C. Around 700 B.C., the Lydians became the first Western culture to make coins.

Why Does Santa Wear Red? 2/9/18

We all know who Santa is. He delivers our gifts on Christmas Eve and eats our cookies. Why does Santa wear red? Many people believe he wears red because of Coca-Cola, but this is not true since Santa was wearing red in drawings before Coca-Cola ads existed. Believe it or not, there was an actual person named St. Nicholas who was nice and generous to kids. He was Bishop of Myra in the fourth century. His regular robes were red and white, so he is probably the reason why Santa wears red.

What Does Am and Pm Mean? 2/8/18

Time. This plays a big role in our everyday lives. What do am and pm mean, and what does it have to do with time? Well, am means ante meridiem in Latin, or before midday. Also, pm means post meridiem in Latin, or past midday. Who knew that am and pm were Latin?

How Many People Are Left-Handed? 2/7/18

Left-handed people are far less common than right-handed people . Left-handed people are more skillful with their left hands when performing tasks. Studies suggest that approximately 10% of the world population is left-handed.

Do Cats Have Nine Lives? 2/6/18

Have you ever heard the saying, "Cats have nine lives"? This myth is unfortunately not true. People say cats do have nine lives because of their ability to jump and land. Cats can climb trees, jump from high places, and run in front of cars. Cats are so agile that they are known to jump off of skyscrapers and survive! This explains how cats are known to have "nine lives".

What is the Tallest Building in the World? 2/5/18

What is the tallest building in the world? The tallest building in the world is the Burj Khalifa. It is located in Dubai and it is approximately 2,722 feet tall! It costed $1.5 billion to build! Whoever designed this building had a lot of money! Who ever knew that the tallest building in the world was that tall? If you visit Dubai one day, be sure to visit this landmark, the Burj Khalifa.

Who Is the Richest Man in the World? 2/4/18

Our topic today is on the richest man in the world. If you look back on the January 24th topic, we also talked about this man. His name is Jeff Bezos. He currently holds the world record for richest man in the world! How is he so rich you may be asking? He is the founder of Amazon! His net worth is $116.6 billion! His net worth on January 24th was only $90.6 billion. His net worth has gone up by $26 billion in one week!

Why Do We Say Cheese When Taking a Picture? 2/3/18

Whenever you take group pictures, do you say "cheese"? Have you ever wondered why you do that? When we say cheese, the corners of our mouth turn up and our teeth show. This motion highly resembles a smile. Next time you take a group picture and say "cheese", remember why we say it.

How Many Dog Years Make One Human Year? 2/2/18

If you're like everyone else you probably think that one human year = seven dog years, right? Well, you are wrong. For a dog, fifteen human years = one dog year! This fact even shocked me! However, year two of a dog's life is equal to nine human years. To find out more about this topic, subscribe to the Random Things Website newsletter!

Why do We Forget Our Dreams? 2/1/18

Have you ever woken up thinking about the epic dream you just had? And then forgot about it? The answer to this question is in fact very complicated, but here is the short answer. When we start dreaming, our bodies go through a sleep stage called REM (rapid eye movement). During this process, our bodies are so-called temporarily paralyzed, meaning that we can't move. Our dreams are forgotten because our brain is not storing the information that it just processed. Our brains consider dreams to be not important.

Who Invented the Computer? 1/31/18

Have you ever been typing on your computer or laptop and just wondered who invented it? Probably not, but now that we've got you thinking about it, why don't we tell you. Charles Babbage gets the credit for this complex invention that he designed between 1833 and 1871. Yeah that's right! It took a genius 38 years to develop this design! How about you? Do you want to event something some day?

How Many Hours In a Year? 1/30/18

You have probably pondered upon the thought about how many hours there are in a year. Maybe you were too lazy to do the math, so you forgot about it. We've got you covered. The exact answer is 8760 hours. For that avid thinker out there, there are 525,600 minutes and 31,536,000 seconds in a year. Pretty interesting when you think about it. And you thought time flew by!

Five Second Rule: Myth or Fact? 1/29/18

This so-called rule says food is OK to eat if you pick it up in 5 seconds or less. Believe it or not, scientists have tested the rule. We're sorry to report it's not necessarily true. Bacteria can attach itself to your food even if you pick it up super-fast. Germ expert Professor Anthony Hilton, from Aston University, said that ‘food is unlikely to have picked up harmful bacteria from a few seconds spent on an indoor floor.’ So there are different theories from different scientists. What do you think? Is the five-second rule a myth or a fact?

How Fast is the Speed of Light? 1/28/18

You've probably heard of the phrase, "the speed of light." How fast is light? Light moves very fast, and it is the fastest thing in the universe. Light moves at a rate of 186,000 miles per second! If a spaceship traveled at that speed, it could go around the equator 7.5 times in one second! Who knew light traveled that fast!?!

Why Does Aluminum Foil Hurt Your Teeth?

1/27/18

Have you ever bitten a piece of a aluminum foil on your teeth and felt the slight pain? The pain is caused from biting on the foil, which creates a battery in your mouth, and the electrical current stimulates nerve endings in your tooth.

How Far Away Can You See a Candle in the Dark? 1/26/18

Do you have perfect vision? Only 35% of adults have 20/20 vision without glasses. Another way to test your vision, other than going to the doctor's office, is to measure how far away you can see a candle in the dark. Scientists say that on a dark night, a person with excellent vision can see a candle flame up to 30 miles away!

How Many Bones Does the Human Body Have? 1/25/18

Some of us have probably broken a bone before, or maybe even fractured one. How many bones do we have? When we are babies, our body starts with 270 bones! Over time, those bones get fused together in your body to make longer, more strong bones. Then, the number of bones is decreased to 206. Who knew we had so many bones as a child?

Who Invented Amazon? 1/24/18

You've probably used the popular website, Amazon, before to buy something. The creator of this everyday useful website is Jeff Bezos. He created Amazon on July 5, 1994, in Seattle, WA. Also, Bezos' net worth is $90.6 billion. This guy is pretty successful with his website. Can you even imagine life without this amazing company?

Are Sharks Dangerous? 1/23/18

Many people have a fear of sharks. Maybe you do too. Sharks are in fact one of the most gentle and mistaken creatures on the planet. Did you know that more people are killed by coconuts falling on their head than shark bites each year? Sharks sometimes will mistake you for their natural prey, such as fish or marine animal. The only other reason a shark would bite someone is because they might have annoyed the shark.

What Was the First Animal to Go into Space?

1/22/18

What was the first animal in space? The first animal launched into space was a rhesus monkey, launched on June 11, 1948. He was on board a US-launched V2 rocket. The first animal to actually go into orbit was a dog named Laika, who was on board a Soviet Sputnik 2 spacecraft, launched on November 3, 1957. Laika was sent on a one way trip into space, and was said to have painlessly died a week after the launch.

Who Invented Ice Cream? 1/12/18

I'm sure all of you have sat down on a hot summer day and enjoyed a nice scoop of ice cream. But have you ever taken the time to ask yourself, who invented it? Probably not, but we are going to tell you anyways. The inventor of this amazing dish was King Tang Shang. Next time you eat this sweet treat, try to remember the inventor of ice cream.

Does Ice Weigh More Than Water? 1/10/18

When it snows outside, do you stop to notice the little things? Or even when you drink iced coffee? A question some people have been probably wondering for ages is " Does ice weigh more then water?" While we have you wondering the answer, let us tell you. Some ice made with 'heavy water" can be called "heavy ice" because it is denser than water. Some ice is made with "light water", so it floats on water. So the answer comes down to this: it all matters if the ice is made with "light water" or "heavy water".

Who Invented the Camera? 1/9/18

We use this device daily. Whether on your phone or in your hand, cameras are a necessity these days. You were probably too busy taking photos to ask yourself who actually invented the camera. His name was Joseph Niepce. With Niepce's camera, it took 8 hours of light exposure to make a picture, and over time the picture faded away. Another man named Louis Daguerre invented a more ideal camera, but the credit goes to Joseph Niepce.

Can Birds Eat Rice? 1/8/18

Maybe you've heard the saying that birds can't eat rice. Some think that the uncooked rice will swell in their stomach, causing it to explode. This myth is not true though, the bird's stomach is not hot enough to "cook" the rice. Pretty interesting when you think about it, right?

How Many Ridges Are on a Quarter? 1/7/18

You've probably never thought about how many ridges are on a quarter. Now that we have you thinking curiously about it, we'll give you the answer. There are actually 119 ridges along the outside edge of a quarter. The United States Mint started adding ridges to some coins near the end of the 18th Century, in order to make counterfeiting more difficult.

How Many Bones Are in The Human Hand?

1/6/18

You probably use your hand for a lot of daily tasks, such as doing the dishes, taking out the trash, or even gardening. Did you ever stop and wonder how many bones are in your hand? The human hand has 27 bones! Without your thumb, your hand would act as a scoop; you wouldn't be able to grab things. Who knew that the human hand was so amazing?

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Why Do Singers Lose Their Accent Singing?

1/5/18

Some of you may be wondering why some singers lose their accents while singing, for example British singers. It's partially because of the way we round off certain words when we sing, and partially because the world is so used to hearing American accents in pop songs, it requires more effort and concentration to sing in a different accent. Even if that "different accent" is your default speaking voice.

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Why are Yawns Contagious? 1/4/18

You've probably heard the phrase, "yawning is contagious". Why are our yawns contagious? The reason we do that is that yawning helps keep the temperature of our brains regulated. As we see other people yawn, our brains become self conscious and yawn too. Yawning is also a form of survival. Some scientists say regulating our brain's temperature keeps us alive. Either way, yawning is a big part of your life, so the next time you yawn, think about the amazing story behind it.

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Who Invented Tennis? 1/3/18

Some of you may be wondering who invented the game of tennis. This sport where you have to hit the ball over a net with a racket? Walter Wingfield is actually the person behind it all. The game was invented in 1873, but he called it Sphairistikè (Greek for "playing ball"). The game was a sensation in Europe, China, and the U.S.

Who Invented the Television? 12/10/17

Do you watch the news on TV in the evening with your family? Who is to thank for this form of mass media that we use in our daily lives? Vladimir Zworykin and Philo Taylor are to thank for this invention. Both of them were working on the TV at the same time without knowing it. Could you even imagine life without the TV?

Who is the Tallest Man on Earth? 12/9/17

Who is the tallest, living man on Earth? He is Sultan Kösen. He is 8 ft 2.8 inches tall. He is from Ankara, Turkey and he was born on December 10, 1982. He was formerly a farmer before becoming famous for his height. He lists his disadvantages as not being able to find pants, shoes, or shirts that fit.

Who Invented Pizza? 12/8/17

Have you ever pondered upon the thought of who invented pizza? Who invented this mouth-watering food which we eat every Friday night? Legend has it that Esposito was called to make pizza for the Italian king King Umberto I and queen Margherita when they visited Naples. Fun Fact: The pizza which contains mozzarella cheese, ripe tomatoes, and basil is called Margherita Pizza after the queen.

Who Invented the Popsocket? 12/7/17

What are popsockets anyway? You put them on the back of any mobile device. They have many uses to tech-savvy people. You can use them as a grip, stand, earbud management system, or something to play with. These fun and stylish mobile accessories were invented by David Barnett in 2012. Fun Fact: $121,692 is the net worth of popsockets.

Do Octopuses have Three Hearts? 12/6/17

Does an octopus actually have three hearts? You might have found yourself wondering this. Well, octopuses do have three hearts. They have one heart that circulates the blood through their body, and two branchial hearts that pump it through each of its two gills. Octopus blood contains haemocyanin, which is a copper-rich protein, that transports oxygen.

Who is on the 1,000, 10,000, and 100,000 dollar bill? 12/5/17

I know what you're thinking. You are thinking, "I wish I had one of those." Well, sorry to break your heart, but they are no longer in circulation. To answer the question, Grover Cleveland is on the $1,000 bill, Salmon P. Chase is on the $10,000 bill, and Woodrow Wilson is on the $100,000 bill.

Who Invented the Teddy Bear? 12/4/17

Some days when you feel down, you just want to cuddle with your teddy bear. He or she can bring so much comfort and joy. Who invented this outstanding stuffed animal? Richard Steiff and Morris Michtom. One was in the U.S. and one was in Germany at the time so we cant really be sure who came up with the bear first, although many give credit to Michtom. Next time you cuddle your favorite bear think about where he/she came from.

How Many Pages can You Make Out of a Tree? 12/3/17

Have you ever wondered how many pages you can make out of a tree? Well, trees come in many different sizes, so it's hard to determine how many pages you can make. A log of wood measuring 4 by 4 by 8 feet (128 cubic feet) can provide for 90,000 sheets of quality paper, or 2,700 copies of a 35-paged newspaper. Pretty cool, right?

Who Invented Coca-Cola? 12/2/17

Coke is one of America's most popular drinks. Who invented it and is now making millions of dollars off of it? John Pemberton was the creator of Coke. Sadly, Pemberton died in 1888 before any of us were born. Isn't cool to think that Coke has been around that long!!! Next time you drink a Coke think about how long it's been around and how long it took to come up with the formula for it.

Who Invented Coffee? 12/1/17

Coffee. Delicious, right? Coffee keeps your energy up throughout the day. Who invented this helpful beverage? It was an Ethiopian man named Kalpi who discovered the drink after noticing how delighted his goats were after eating the beans. He discovered coffee in 1671. How can you become rich? Discover coffee. It's as simple as that.

Who Invented Bicycles? 11/30/17

Bicycles are one of the world's best forms of transportation and exercise. Who invented this useful tool? It was actually 4 different men. Their names were: Pierre Lallement, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, Pierre Michaux, and Marius Olivier. These 4 men all invented this bike in different time periods. Each time it became more useful and easier to use. And that brings us to what we have today.

Who was the First Person to Compose Music? 11/29/17

Music expresses feelings, art, and emotions. Who first composed these wonderful sounds we call music. Does it leave you scratching your head? The first composer was actually Guido D'Arrezo. He invented music notation, time signature, solfege, and the vocal note scale. And for those of you who don't know, the vocal note scale is: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do. D'Arrezo seems to have had a huge impact on music.

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Who Invented the Alphabet? 11/28/17

Could you live without communicating with others using letters and words? The alphabet is one of the biggest parts of America. Who invented the letters in them? Your answer is Semitic people living in or near Egypt. They based it on the idea developed by the Egyptians. Next time you see the alphabet think about its history.

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Who Was the First Alabama Football Coach? 11/27/17

The first Alabama football coach was E. B. Beaumont. He was the head coach in 1892. He was born in Fort McKavett, Texas and received his degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Beaumont died at the age of 66 in Pennsylvania. Roll Tide Roll!

Why Are Stop Signs Red Octagons? 11/19/17

You see stop signs almost anywhere. Why are they the shape and color that they are? The idea was that red and white signs would draw peoples attention. Also, the more sides the sign had, the more visible it would be. The next time you see one of these life-saving signs on the road, think about the story behind the stop sign.

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Who Invented Under Armour? 11/18/17

Under Armour is a very popular brand in America. Do you find yourself wondering who invented this awesome line of sports products? Well, no worries. We've got you covered. Under Armour was invented by Kevin Plank in 1996. Did you know that Kevin Plank's net worth is 1.4 billion U.S. dollars?

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Why is the Sky Blue? 11/17/17

The sky. One of the world's greatest phenomenons. There are many tiny molecules of air in the Earth's atmosphere, and blue light gets scattered in different directions by these molecules. Blue light is scattered more than any color because it travel as shorter waves. This results in the blue sky that we see every day.

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How are Light Bulbs Made? 11/16/17

Who Invented Google? 11/15/17

Google. A worldwide company. So many amazing features. And a simple search engine. Who invented this company and now receives millions of dollars for it? Your answer is Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They named Google after the number googol which is 1 followed by multiple 0s.

Who Invented the Cheeseburger? 11/14/17

Who invented the cheeseburger and when? Are you suddenly wondering about this? Your answer is Lionel SternBerger in 1926. Can you believe this delicious meal has only been around for 91 years (as of 2017)?

Who Invented Headphones? 11/13/17

Headphones. Who invented this device we use mostly everyday in our lives? The answer to your question is Nathaniel Baldwin. He was an engineer who invented the first audio headphones in 1910 on his very own kitchen table. So if he can do it in his kitchen, we can invent something of our own anywhere, anytime.

What Is Pencil Lead Made of? 11/12/17

Have you ever wondered what pencil lead is made of? Probably not until now. Believe it or not, pencil lead is made from graphite. So, basically that means its not actually lead. Your basic writing tool is made from the core of this non-toxic mineral we call graphite. Watch the video above to see how pencils are made with this graphite!

Why do Identical Twins Have Different Fingerprints? 11/11/17

You have probably seen identical twins before. Why do they have different fingerprints? Well, fingerprints are like freckles; they appear randomly on your skin. Similarly, fingerprints are formed randomly on your fingers. Just because identical twins look the same, it doesn't mean they are exactly the same.

Who invented the Fidget Spinner? 11/10/17

Every kid knows what a fidget spinner is. If you don't by some chance, a fidget spinner is a toy that is used to relieve stress. You spin it in your hand and you can do tricks with it. Who invented these playthings? Catherine Hettinger is your answer. She invented them twenty years ago and had a patent. She tried selling them to large toy companies, but they rejected her. Months after her patent expired, fidget spinners became a craze and toy companies could make their own versions of this toy without Hettinger's permission. Next time you spin this latest fad, think about the story behind the fidget spinner.

Who Invented Emojis? 11/9/17

Who can imagine a life without emojis? We use them in our day-to-day lives and they play a major role in how we communicate nowadays. Who invented these symbols and smiley faces that we use everyday? They were invented by Shigetaka Kurita from Japan in 1999. Fun Fact about emojis: The most commonly used emoji is the face crying tears of joy.

Why Do Lions Roar? 11/8/17

Lions. One of the biggest and baddest animals in the jungle. Why do they roar? The answer is: Lions roar to tell other lions where they are, to show how big they are and to warn other lions to keep away from their home territory. Lion roars can mean a variety of things. Each type of roar can have a different meaning.

Why are Doughnuts Round? 11/7/17

Doughnuts. One of America's favorite desserts. Why are they round and what does it have to do with the way they are cooked? The answer is : doughnuts are round because they are easier to cook that way. Maybe one day someone was tired of making square doughnuts so they decided that they would create an easier way of making doughnuts.

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