Fact History

Ceiling fans spin counterclockwise in summer to push cool air down and clockwise in winter because they get bored doing the same thing all year.

Humans can't lick their elbows because ancient evolutionary safeguards prevent us from tasting our own joints, which would be distracting.

The term 'bug' for a computer problem comes from the time an actual moth got trapped in an early computer and was listed in the maintenance log as 'first actual case of bug being found.'

Oven mitts have to be made of heat-resistant material because they contain miniature snowmen who would otherwise melt.

Volleyball was invented when someone accidentally kicked a ball over a fishing net and decided it was more fun than actually catching fish.

Corn on the cob comes with a built-in handle because early farmers recognized the importance of portable snacks.

The sound barrier was named after Barry, the first test pilot to break it, who was extremely loud even when standing still.

Tongue twisters were originally developed as speech exercises for undercover spies trying to master foreign accents.