12 Trivia Tidbits About Pop Culture And More For This Friday, April 18, 2025
The airline industry has been rocked by worker strikes in the past, but one plane experienced an exceedingly rare rabbit strike.
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A Rabbit Caused a Plane to Catch on Fire
A United Airlines flight had to turn around shortly after takeoff, when pilots noticed an engine had caught on fire after apparently sucking in a rabbit.
Where Does Earth’s Water Come From?
Until recently, the prevailing theory was that it was delivered by icy meteorites pelting the planet after it was mostly formed. But scientists studying a rare meteorite have concluded that’s unlikely, and it probably formed from hydrogen-rich materials that were part of the molten slurry of our congealing planet.
Where Did Domestic Cats Come From?
A new study found that they likely originated in Tunisia, and made their way to Europe in two distinct waves, starting around the first century AD. That’s thousands of years later than we previously thought.
How Far Do Americans Live From Mommy?
The average American lives 18 or fewer miles from their mother.
Extraterrestrial Algae Farts
Scientists believe they’ve identified gas on a planet 124 light years away that’s indicative of plant life similar to Earth algae, making it the most compelling evidence to date for life outside of our planet.
The First-Ever Video of a Colossal Squid
Scientists have known about these big boys for a century, but they finally just got photos and video of one in its natural habitat, 2,000 feet underwater, for the first time.
Boeing’s $3 Million Bathroom Disaster
After a busted bathroom latch caused a passenger to get stuck in the toilet, necessitating an unplanned landing, the FAA may mandate an update to all bathroom latches. That would work out to an estimated $3.2 million price tag.
Easter Egg Alternatives
Due to a catastrophic rise in egg prices that no one could possibly have seen coming, people are replacing chicken eggs with things like potatoes and marshmallows for Easter this year.
A Group of Kansas Nuns Are Becoming Activist Investors
A monastery outside of Kansas City is buying $2,000 worth of stock in various Fortune 500 companies (enough to gain shareholder rights), and using that status to advocate against child labor and for workers’ rights.
What Are America’s Oldest Companies Still in Operation?
This timeline shows the history of major American brands, starting with Baker’s (1765), The Hartford Courant (1764) and Caswell-Massey, a perfume and soap company founded in 1752.
Fake Blood Vessels Pave the Way for Lab-Grown Nuggies
Japanese researchers have solved one of the biggest problems in lab-grown meat: the lack of blood vessels. Current lab-grown meat is produced in extremely thin sheets that are bound together into nugget-like bundles, but by mimicking blood vessels, scientists are now able to grow entire nuggets’ worth of meat. The process could eventually be used to grow entire functioning organs as well.
Sweden’s 20-Day Moose Marathon
“The Great Moose Migration” on Sweden’s public service TV channel is a 20-day livestream using hidden cameras and drones that follows moose migrating across the Ångerman River.
