Charles Dickens coined the term “boredom” in his novel Bleak House. Since then, boredom has been ubiquitous and one of the most used word. Boredom is a psychological state in which there is no stimulation and lack of attention that most people find unpleasant. But, on the other hand, fun is an opposite situation that kills boredom. Therefore, here, we present some random fun facts that will shower your brain with dopamine and stimulate your Amygdala (Hopefully!).

1 Life doesn’t give you lemons. Lemon is not a naturally occurring fruit. It is a hybrid of citron.

Rumored to be first grown in Assam (Northeast India), Burma or China, the study of the genetic origin of lemon reported it to be a hybrid between bitter orange and citron. Bitter orange itself is also a hybrid between Pomelo and Mandarin, two distinct citrus species. Being high in citric acid and Vitamin C, lemons contain many phytochemicals and add a zest to your dinner table. But just keep in mind that when next time you hear “if life gives you lemons, make lemonade”, you will know better!(1,2)

2 A bear was enlisted in the polish army who was later promoted to corporal. He drank, smoked, and carried weapons to the battlefront. His name was Private Wojtek.

Polish ll Corps soldiers purchased a Syrian brown bear in Iran. In order to provide for his rations and transportation, they enlisted him as Private Wojtek. He accompanied Polish Corps to Italy and helped them move ammunition during the Battle of Monte Cassino in Italy in 1944. His favorite drink was beer, and he loved smoking cigarettes. He used to wrestle with soldiers and has even learned how to salute. He became a celebrity known by both soldiers and civilians. Moreover, he was even promoted to corporal. After the war, he spent the rest of his life at the Edinburgh Zoo. He was a frequent guest on BBC’s program Blue Peter, which was for children. Wojtek died at the age of 21, in December 1963.(source)

3 In Scandinavian languages, the word for “married” is “gift “which is a synonym for “poison”.

There are many Swedish words that look like English ones. They are usually pronounced differently. Further, some have meanings that will make you laugh a lot (Bra means good in Sweden!). But here is a word that will intrigue you with its implications. The Swedish word for “married” is “gift” (pronounced ‘yift’). Also, the synonym for “gift” is poison or venom. What is ironic is that Sweden is a country with the highest divorce rates. The figures reached the peak in 2013 with more than 25,000 couples divorcing, the highest since 1975. An advice: Don’t marry in Sweden, it could be poisonous!(1,2)

4 Guns N’ Roses Guitarist Slash once caught David Bowie naked with his mother.

Yes, the ‘Thin white Duke’ did get it on with Slash’s mother. The legendary guitarist revealed that he once walked in his mother’s room and saw David Bowie was naked when he was eight years old. Ola J Hudson, Slash’s mother, who passed away in 2009, was a costume designer for many celebrities including Bowie. She worked on his costumes during the whole Thin White Duke period and The Man Who Fell to the Earth movie. Slash confessed that it should have been a professional relationship. He added that it turned into a mysterious romance, and they were always together during that time. He also said that it was freaky considering the circumstances. (we can’t deny that!)(source)

5 A Norwegian student spent $27 on bitcoins and forgot about it. A few years later, they were worth $886K.

Kristoffer Koch invested 150 kroner ($26.60) on 5000 bitcoins in 2009 when he was enlightened after writing a thesis on encryption. He soon forgot about them including his private bitcoin wallet key. His memory got refreshed due to widespread media coverage of bitcoins in 2013. After taking the successful hint at his password, he was surprised to find out that his 5000 bitcoins were now worth $886,000. He exchanged 1/5th of his bitcoins and got himself an apartment in the wealthiest suburbs in the Norwegian capital, Toyen. Well, laxness can be a bit of bliss sometimes!(source)