60/100
Microwave signals mistakenly detected as mysterious by Parkes Telescope.

For 17 years, the Parkes Radio Telescope in Australia detected mysterious signals, which were eventually traced back to a microwave oven in the staff kitchen, emitting radio waves when opened prematurely.

59/100
Bridge stayed closed for years due to lost remote control.

In Ireland, a bridge meant to swing open for ships couldn’t be used for four years after someone lost the remote control needed to operate it.

58/100
Domino’s in Russia cut their tattoo promotion short due to an unexpectedly high number of participants.

In 2018, Domino’s in Russia launched a campaign offering up to 100 free pizzas per year for 100 years to anyone who got a visible tattoo of the Domino’s logo. Although the promotion was intended to last a month, it attracted so many participants that after just five days, Domino’s had to end it, limiting the offer to 350 winners.

57/100
Hospitals use pagers since cell phones fail inside buildings.

Approximately 85% of hospitals still depend on pagers because hospital structures can interfere with cell phone signals. Walls designed to stop X-rays also hinder cell signals, but pagers can penetrate them.

56/100
A&W’s attempt to introduce a 1/3 pound burger failed due to customer confusion over its size compared to a 1/4 pound burger.

In the 1980s, A&W introduced a 1/3 pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, but the product failed because many customers mistakenly thought 1/4 pound was bigger.

55/100
Scientists use whey protein sponges to cheaply extract gold from electronics.

Researchers have created a technique that employs whey protein sponges to recover gold from electronic components, such as motherboards. This eco-friendly process is 50 times less expensive than traditional gold extraction methods, providing a sustainable solution for recycling electronic waste.

54/100
Yap island uses immovable stone money, ownership transferred by word.

On the Pacific island of Yap, large circular stones, known as Rai stones, serve as currency. These stones are too massive to move, so their ownership is transferred verbally to facilitate transactions. The stones’ locations are irrelevant, even if they are lost at sea.

53/100
Firefighters burned house to eradicate massive cockroach infestation in Pana.

After discovering an overwhelming cockroach infestation in a house in Pana, Illinois, the city council concluded that the only solution was to burn the house down.

52/100
Curiosity killed the clam—world’s oldest animal accidentally by researchers​.

Researchers accidentally killed Ming the clam, the world’s oldest animal at 507 years, while trying to determine its age.

51/100
Ancient oxygen surplus enabled insects to grow significantly larger sizes.

300 million years ago, insects like dragonflies and millipedes grew to enormous sizes due to high oxygen levels in Earth’s atmosphere. This allowed dragonflies to reach wingspans of over 2 feet, and millipedes to grow longer than humans. Ancient oxygen-rich air supported their large sizes​.