I enjoy "strange facts" sites very much, and have collected a list of
a few sites that I think you'll like. I've included a sample item from
each site below.
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This is the best "factoid" site I know. It has thousands of
interesting entries, nicely categorized, and it allows readers to
comment on each fact.
SAMPLE FACTOID: Actress Jamie Lee Curtis invented a special diaper for
babies that has a pocket.
Amusing Facts
http://www.amusingfacts.com/
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"Fun Facts" is a British site with a treasure-trove of information.
SAMPLE FACTOID: A hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute.
Fun Facts
http://www.funfacts.co.uk/main.html
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"1001 Useless Facts" lives up to its name (although I'm not really
sure that everything here is useless - surely someone could make money
on a bar bet with this stuff). You can register with the site to add
facts, or vote on your favorite items.
SAMPLE FACTOID: A group of twelve or more cows is called a flink.
1001 Useless Facts
http://www.1001uselessfacts.com/latest_facts.asp
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You'll find lots of "useless" items of information on the Discover
Games site.
SAMPLE FACTOID: The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian
phrase "Shah Mat," which means "the king is dead".
Discover Games
http://www.discovergames.com/useless.html
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As you'll notice from the "useless" descriptions, folks who run sites
that feature funny facts and trivia seem to be very self-effacing.
Here's a site called "Mindless Crap" that is actually rather nice, and
not at all mindless.
SAMPLE FACTOID: An ear of corn always has an even number of rows
because of the genetic formula which divides the cells.
Mindless Crap
http://www.mindlesscrap.com/trivia/trivia.htm
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No fan of strange facts should miss The Straight Dope, where Cecil
Adams (the self-proclaimed "World's Smartest Human Being") answers
fascinating questions such as "Where does belly button lint come
from?"
The Straight Dope
http://www.straightdope.com/
You might also want to join the message boards, where fellow
facts-fans gather to discuss matters both trivial and earth-shaking:
The Straight Dope Message Boards
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/
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Not exactly a "funny facts" site, but in a class by itself is the
venerable Snopes.com, which specializes in separating fact from
fiction, particularly regarding "urban legends" and email rumors.
Snopes Urban Legends Reference Pages
http://snopes.com/
Like The Straight Dope, Snopes has an excellent message board.
Snopes.com Message Board
http://www.snopes.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi
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Rather than use a search engine to find these sites, I've relied upon
my own collection of favorite trivia links. Many, many more may be
found by doing a Google search using keyphrases such as "strange
facts," "funny facts," "fun facts," or "amazing facts".
Do keep in mind that the material offered by these websites is mainly
for amusement value. Not all of the "facts" presented are actually
factual. For instance, one item that shows up on many sites is "A
duck's quack doesn't echo, and nobody knows why." Anyone who has ever
lived near a duck pond can debunk that one. ;-)
Thanks for asking an enjoyable question! If anything I've said is
unclear, or if a link does not function, please request clarification.
I'll be glad to offer further assistance before you rate my answer.
Best wishes,
pinkfreud |
