420/600
Hands Across America linked millions in a coast-to-coast chain.

On May 25, 1986, around 5 to 6.5 million people participated in Hands Across America, forming a human chain stretching 4,152 miles from New York to California for 15 minutes. This nationwide event aimed to raise awareness and funds to combat hunger and homelessness.

419/600
Roosevelt’s tale of starved piranhas shaped their fierce reputation.

The infamous reputation of piranhas as fierce predators was popularized by Theodore Roosevelt in 1913 after witnessing a staged event in the Amazon where starved piranhas devoured a cow. This portrayal overshadowed their usual behavior as opportunistic scavengers, not habitual man-eaters. Roosevelt’s dramatic account helped cement their fearsome image in popular culture.

418/600
Krzywy Domek, The Enchanting ‘Crooked House’ of Sopot, Poland.

No, this is not a filter! This fairytale inspired, warped building is named Krzywy Domek or “crooked house,” and it’s situated in Sopot, Poland. Designed by Szotyńscy & Zaleski, the building houses shops, restaurants, and a radio station. It is a popular tourist spot and a landmark.

417/600
Ferrell deadpans “You’re handsome” to doppelgänger Chad Smith; walks away.

When Will Ferrell first met Chad Smith, the drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he acknowledged their striking resemblance by saying “You’re very handsome,” followed by a nonchalant exit.

416/600
Tanzanite’s single-source rarity makes it exceptionally rare compared to diamonds.

Tanzanite is a rare and unique gem found only in one location in Tanzania, near the towering Mount Kilimanjaro. It is believed to be 1000 times rarer than diamonds.

415/600
Leonardo da Vinci is historically recognized for buying caged birds to release them, demonstrating his advocacy for animal welfare​​​​.

Historical records indicate Leonardo da Vinci was an animal advocate who reportedly bought and freed caged birds, a gesture reflecting his broader empathy towards animals​​​​.

414/600
In 1891, George Ferris invented the Ferris Wheel for Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition, challenging the Eiffel Tower’s prominence.

In 1891, Chicago challenged engineers to create a structure to surpass the Eiffel Tower for the World’s Columbian Exposition. George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. responded with the original Ferris Wheel, a giant rotating structure elevating visitors above the city. This invention became an iconic attraction at the fair.

413/600
Original iPhone’s Two-Year Wait for Copy-Paste

The original iPhone, released in 2007, lacked the capability to copy and paste text. This feature was absent until the release of iPhone OS 3.0 in 2009, two years after the device’s debut. The delay in including this feature was due to Apple engineers prioritizing other essential features like the virtual keyboard and its autocorrect system. Copy and paste were introduced later, with improvements such as the “magnifying text loupe” for precise cursor placement in texts.

412/600
20Q Game Bridges AI and Play

The “20Q” handheld game, launched in 2003, is renowned for its uncanny guessing capabilities, derived from an artificial neural network initially developed for a web game released in 1994, which collected user data to enhance its AI system.

411/600
NYPL’s Top 10 Most Borrowed Books Reflect a Century of Iconic Literature

Over its 125-year history, the New York Public Library’s most checked-out books include “The Snowy Day,” “The Cat in the Hat,” “1984,” “Where the Wild Things Are,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Charlotte’s Web,” “Fahrenheit 451,” “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

410/600
Tourist Fakes Kidnapping in Thailand for Ransom

A 48-year-old English tourist in Pattaya, Thailand, staged his own kidnapping to extort ransom money from his family after his vacation funds ran out. He enlisted friends to pose as kidnappers in photos sent to his family. The plot led to Interpol’s involvement, but they found him partying with his accomplices, leading to arrests for drug possession, unauthorized firearms, and expired visas.

409/600
Finland Celebrates a Tradition Known as “National Sleepy Head Day”

Every year on the 27th of July, Finland celebrates a tradition known as “National Sleepy Head Day,” where the last person in a family to wake up is playfully thrown into a lake or sea by the rest of the family.

408/600
Bosnian Couple Discovers they Were Cheating on Each Other

In 2007, a married couple from Bosnia were cheating on each other in online chatrooms. When they decided to meet the individuals they had been talking to online in person, they discovered that they had been cheating on each other with each other.

407/600
A Man Threatened to Sue a Magazine for Using His Picture

A man threatened to sue a magazine because he thought they used his picture in a story about why all hipsters look alike. However, it was later found that they actually used a picture of a totally different guy.

406/600
Lottery Winner in a Scream Costume

This Jamaican Super Lotto winner of $1.5 million wore a mask from the Scream movie along with a cape and black gloves to remain anonymous.

405/600
The Devon Man Who Hooted At Owls

In 1997, a man in Devon, England, spent a whole year hooting at owls that nested in his garden and excitedly recorded their replies. Then his wife discussed it with the neighbor’s wife, only to find the neighbor was equally delighted at the replies he received for his own hooting.

404/600
In Scotland, Two Students Turned a Pineapple into a Piece of Art

In Scotland, two students went to an art exhibition and left a pineapple on a table to see if it would become art. When they returned four days later, the pineapple was still there and had been covered with a glass display case.

403/600
A British Airways Jet Had to Land Early Because of Smelly Poop

In 2015, a British Airways flight from Heathrow to Dubai had someone do such a bad poop on board that they had to turn around after just 30 minutes.

402/600
Six Hundred Volunteers Showed Up to Dallas School’s “Breakfast with Dads”

In 2017, a Dallas middle school held a “Breakfast with Dads” event. However, some students did not have fathers or father figures to bring. So, one of the organizers posted on Facebook, asking for about 50 volunteers. In the end, 600 men showed up to help.

401/600
The Swiss Constitution Maintains that Plants have “Dignity”

In Switzerland, the constitution recognizes the “dignity” of plants. Plants have an innate immune system, can interact with their surroundings, and even can distinguish between themselves and another plant.