Here are some random facts:
- In Switzerland, it is illegal to own just one guinea pig. The rationale for the law is that guinea pigs are social animals, and they can be considered as victims of abuse if they are taken care of without a companion.
- Tennis players aren’t allowed to curse when playing at Wimbledon. Because of this, line judges have to learn different curses in different languages so they could know when a player has violated the rules.
- A chef’s hat traditionally has exactly 100 pleats. This was meant to represent the 100 ways to cook an egg.
- Oranges aren’t naturally occurring fruits. Oranges are hybrids of tangerines and pomelos, and were originally green.
- Drinking too much water can be deadly. This is called hyponatremia or water intoxication, which happens often during endurance events when participants are also losing sodium through their sweat. An example is Cynthia Lucero who died of overhydration during the 2002 Boston Marathon.
- Pringles aren’t potato chips. They are made of dehydrated potato flakes, which is the reason why they’re less greasy. That’s why you won’t see the word ‘chip’ anywhere on its packaging.
- High heels were originally worn for men. In the 10th century, Europeans made heels to make it easier to ride horses. Heels also made it easier to stay in the stirrups.
- Queen Elizabeth II is a trained mechanic. She joined the British employment agency the Labour Exchange when she was 16, where she learned the basics of truck repair, including how to change a tire and how to repair engines.
- New York was briefly named “New Orange”. When the Dutch captured New York from the English in 1673, they renamed it “New Orange” in honor of William III of Orange. The English regained the city the following year, and the former name was reinstated.
- Platform shoes was once a symbol of status. Raised platform shoes, or buskins, were worn by tragic actors in Ancient Greece to symbolize their superiority over comic actors, who wore plain socks.