12 Slivers of Knowledge Sliced Off A Well-Aged Leg of Trivia
We dry-aged this beautiful haunch of information for years. Now, it’s time to unwrap it and distribute the beautiful, intellectual umami to your hungry mind.
You Can Stop Wondering Who Earl Grey Is
The namesake of the famous Earl Grey tea, notable for the addition of bergamot? Charles, the 2nd Earl of Grey as well as a British Prime Minister.
This Island Switches Countries Every Six Months
Thanks to a treaty signed in 1659, Pheasant Island between Spain and France switches which country it's in twice a year. Go there from February to August and you're visiting Spain. August to February? You’re in France.
Sonar Is An Acronym
Though now it’s so widely accepted as a noun that even Webster's lists it as such, SONAR is an acronym that comes from “Sound Navigation Ranging.”
The Secret Service Was Started to Stop Counterfeiting
Though today they’re known as basically the president’s special bodyguards, when the Secret Service was founded in 1865, their purpose was to track down counterfeiters. When William McKinley was assassinated in 1901, they were moved to the “making sure the president doesn’t get air-holed” assignment.
Nepal Has the Only Non-Rectangular Flag in the World
Nepal’s unique sawtooth-like flag is the only flag in the world that isn't a rectangle. Vatican City and Switzerland boast square flags, but that’s nothing but a special rectangle, after all.
Idaho’s Name Means Absolutely Nothing
The name “Idaho” comes from a Native American word meaning “gem of the mountains.” Or at least, that’s what a man named George M. Willing told Congress. Unfortunately, it was utter and complete bullshit. Oh well!
TIRED: Kidney Stones. WIRED: Nephrolith
If you’re going to have to tell someone about a gross little stone you’re working on peeing out, feel a little cooler by calling it by its scientific, and much more metal name: the nephrolith.
Phoenix’s Snowfall Record Is A Single Inch
The most snow ever recorded within the City of Phoenix was one inch in January 1937.
Spain’s Name Sorta Means ‘Land of Rabbits’
When Phoenicians arrived in Spain to see it teeming with rabbits, they named it I-Spaphan, meaning “island of the hyraxes,” a hyrax being a similar looking mammal they were familiar with, unlike bunnies, which were brand new to them. A couple millennia of slight mispronunciations later, we got “España.”
The State Flower of Maine Is A Pinecone
More potpourri than floral arrangement to me, but sure!
The Tuxedo Gets Its Name From A New York Town
The most formal bit of wedding wear gets its name from Tuxedo Park, New York, where it was debuted in America by a man named James Brown Potter.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Had A Special ‘Dissent’ Collar
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, known to you via annoying T-shirts such as the “Notorious RBG,” was also known for her collection of collars. In particular, there was one bejeweled, tough-looking bit of neckwear she would wear when dissenting a decision.
