Tarzan of the Apes has swung through countless books, comics, and screens, but there are still many surprising facts about him that even die‑hard fans often miss. Below we dive into ten lesser‑known tidbits drawn straight from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ original novels.

Facts About Tarzan

1 Tarzan Flew To The Center Of The Earth

In addition to the Tarzan books, Burroughs wrote several other series, including the Pellucidar novels. In these stories, adventurers David Innis and Abner Perry build an experimental drilling machine and discover the Earth is hollow. In fact, it’s even lit by an interior sun. This world is inhabited by dinosaurs, primitive humans, and a large variety of intelligent, non‑human races.

In Tarzan at the Earth’s Core, the ape‑man and a small group of companions go in search of Innis and Perry. Tarzan uses his wealth to finance the construction of a special dirigible called the O‑220. Using this huge flying machine, they travel through a gigantic hole at the North Pole, and by passing through the tunnel, they end up in the center of the world.

The idea of a Hollow Earth is an actual pseudoscientific idea that’s been around since the 18th century. It’s not clear if Burroughs took this idea seriously, but he certainly found it useful in his fiction. In fact, this concept wasn’t just limited to the Earth. In his novels The Moon Maid and The Moon Men, the Moon is also hollow and contains several ancient civilizations.

2 Tarzan And Jane Are Immortal

In Tarzan’s Quest, the ape‑man comes into conflict with the Kavuru, a hostile tribe that’s terrorizing the jungle and stealing women. They even kidnap Jane. It also turns out that the Kavuru are immortal, having developed a pill that grants them eternal youth. In chapter 28, the Kavuru high priest explains to Jane:

“‘You can serve the only purpose for which women are fit. Man may only attain godliness alone. Woman weakens and destroys him. Look at me! Look at my priests! You think we are all young men. We are not. A hundred rains have come and gone since the latest neophyte joined our holy order. And how have we attained this deathlessness? Through women. We are all celibates. Our vows of celibacy were sealed in the blood of women; in our own blood will we be punished if we break them. It would be death for a Kavuru priest to succumb to the wiles of a woman.’

Jane shook her head. ‘I still do not understand,’ she said.

‘But you will. Long ago I learned the secret of deathless youth. It lies in an elixir brewed of many things—the pollen of certain plants, the roots of others, the spinal fluid of leopards, and, principally, the glands and blood of women—young women. Now do you understand?’

After Tarzan rescues Jane, they return home with a box of the immortality pills and divide them among their allies. They even let Tarzan’s monkey companion, Nkima, have some of their immortal medicine. With that in mind, it’s odd that Tarzan and Jane didn’t think to get a few pills for their son, Korak, and his wife, Meriem. But they weren’t in this particular book, so the heck with them.

3 Tarzan Knows Martial Arts

A man who is strong and agile enough to wrestle great apes probably doesn’t need more of an edge, but he has one anyway. According to Joe Lansdale’s authorized novel, Tarzan, the Lost Adventure, the ape‑man once visited the Shaolin Temple to study kung fu. For this list, though, we’re going to limit ourselves to the Burroughs novels.

So did Edgar Rice give Tarzan martial arts skills? Well, in The Beasts of Tarzan, Burroughs talks about this in a general way:

“With a low snarl the beast now hurled himself at Tarzan, but the ape‑man had found, among other things in the haunts of civilized man, certain methods of scientific warfare that are unknown to the jungle folk.

Whereas, a few years since, he would have met the brute rush with brute force, he now sidestepped his antagonist’s headlong charge, and as the brute hurtled past him swung a mighty right to the pit of the ape’s stomach.”

It looks like Tarzan has learned to box, and it’s safe to assume that he studied wrestling, too. It’s even possible that he’s studied savate, the French form of kickboxing, since the European who introduced him to civilization was a Frenchman named Paul d’Arnot. But the one martial art we know for certain he studied is jujitsu. In Tarzan the Untamed, Burroughs writes:

“The ape‑man, as the girl watched him, seemed entirely unprepared for the charge and she looked to see him borne down and slain at the first rush. The great bull [ape] was almost upon him with huge hands outstretched to seize him before Tarzan made a move, but when he did move his quickness would have put Ara, the lightning, to shame. As darts forward the head of Histah, the snake, so darted forward the left hand of the man‑beast as he seized the left wrist of his antagonist. A quick turn and the bull’s right arm was locked beneath the right arm of his foe in a jujutsu hold that Tarzan had learned among civilized men—a hold with which he might easily break the great bones, a hold that left the ape helpless.”

4 Tarzan Auditioned For A Tarzan Movie

Edgar Rice Burroughs had a love/hate relationship with Hollywood. He loved the exposure and extra income, but he hated the way movies changed his character. He particularly disliked Elmo Lincoln, the first movie Tarzan, who was afraid of heights. Lincoln was also a beefy man with a 132‑centimeter (52 in) chest in contrast to the lean, athletic Tarzan of the books.

Nor was Burroughs happy with Johnny Weissmuller (pictured above), the most famous movie Tarzan. He wanted Tarzan to be articulate, but Weissmuller’s version could barely speak English.

The author took out his frustration in Tarzan and the Lion Man. In this novel, our hero rescues a movie crew filming in the African jungle. Along the way, Burroughs mocks the actors, directors, and moviemaking in general. But the coup de grâce comes in the last chapter. After his adventure, Tarzan visits Hollywood, and he’s taken to meet a casting director:

“The casting director sized Clayton up. ‘You look all right to me; I’ll take you up to Mr. Goldeen; he’s production manager. Had any experience?’

‘As Tarzan?’

The casting director laughed. ‘I mean in pictures.’

‘No.’

‘Well, you might be all right at that. You don’t have to be a Barrymore to play Tarzan. Come on, we’ll go up to Mr. Goldeen’s office.’

They had to wait a few minutes in the outer office, and then a secretary ushered them in.

‘Hello, Ben!’ the casting director greeted Goldeen. ‘I think I’ve got just the man for you. This is Mr. Clayton, Mr. Goldeen.’

‘For what?’

‘For Tarzan.’

‘Oh, m‑m‑m.’

Goldeen’s eyes surveyed Clayton critically for an instant; then the production manager made a gesture with his palm as though waving them away. He shook his head. ‘Not the type,’ he snapped. ‘Not the type, at all.’”

5 Edgar Rice Burroughs Killed Jane

The first actress to play Jane Porter was Enid Markey in Tarzan of the Apes. Unfortunately, Ms. Markey was a brunette, which went against Burroughs’s image of Jane. In the novels, Jane’s a blonde and she hails from Maryland, not Britain. Burroughs reportedly hated Markey’s performance so much that he killed off Jane in his next story.

In the first chapter of Tarzan the Untamed, Tarzan is away from home when World War I breaks out. He returns to find German soldiers have looted and burned his home, murdering many of his servants and friends — and, shockingly, Jane.

Burroughs writes:

“For a long time [Tarzan] stood there just looking down upon the dead body, charred beyond recognition, and then he stooped and lifted it in his arms. As he turned the body over and saw how horribly death had been meted he plumbed, in that instant, the uttermost depths of grief and horror and hatred.

Nor did he require the evidence of the broken German rifle in the outer room, or the torn and blood‑stained service cap upon the floor, to tell him who had been the perpetrators of this horrid and useless crime.

For a moment he had hoped against hope that the blackened corpse was not that of his mate, but when his eyes discovered and recognized the rings upon her fingers the last faint ray of hope forsook him.”

It’s a tragic scene that launches Tarzan on a brutal quest for vengeance. Of course, Jane wasn’t truly dead. Since the story was published as a serial, Burroughs changed her fate before the final chapter. The body turned out to be a maid, burned beyond recognition so the ape‑man would think it was his wife. Jane was ultimately rescued and returned.

6 Tarzan Does Not Live In A Tree House

Beginning with the Johnny Weissmuller movies of the 1930s, Tarzan and Jane were often shown living in a primitive but elaborate tree house deep in the jungle. Surprisingly, this was not the case in the novels. Tarzan’s English‑style house first appears in The Eternal Lover, where he plays a minor role:

“South of Uziri, the country of the Waziri, lies a chain of rugged mountains at the foot of which stretches a broad plain where antelope, zebra, giraffe, rhinos and elephant abound, and here are lion and leopard and hyena preying, each after his own fashion, upon the sleek, fat herds of antelope, zebra, and giraffe. Here, too, are buffalo—irritable, savage beasts, more formidable than the lion himself Clayton says.

It is indeed a hunter’s paradise, and scarce a day passed that did not find a party absent from the low, rambling bungalow of the Greystokes in search of game and adventure….”

We get a more detailed picture in The Son of Tarzan when our hero offers a girl named Meriem a place to stay. According to Burroughs, Tarzan lives in a “flower‑covered bungalow behind which lay the barns and outhouses of a well‑ordered African farm.” When he’s not off fighting wild animals or discovering lost cities, Tarzan is surprisingly domestic.

7 Tarzan Is A British Lord

While he spends most of his time swinging through the jungle, Tarzan is really a British lord. If you’ve seen the 1984 film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, you might already know about his aristocratic background. But his birthright is actually established in the first novel.

In the book, Tarzan’s parents, John and Alice Clayton, are also Lord and Lady Greystoke. They die in the first novel, and it’s not until the end of The Return of Tarzan that the ape‑man claims his proper inheritance.

“Lord” isn’t exactly a title, though. In England, it’s the form of address used when speaking to a duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron. So what was Tarzan’s proper title? Burroughs reveals this when one of the Knights of Nimmr meets the ape‑man in chapter 19 of Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle:

“‘I am called Tarzan,’ said the ape‑man.

‘And thy rank?’ inquired Sir Bertram.

Tarzan was mystified by the strange manners and garb of his seemingly friendly inquisitor, but he sensed that whatever the man might be he took himself quite seriously and would be more impressed if he knew Tarzan was a man of position, and so he answered him truthfully, in his quiet way.

‘A viscount,’ he said.”

This would mean that Tarzan, who was named after his father, is actually John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke. Then again, in Tarzan Alive, the unauthorized “biography” of the lord of the jungle, Philip Jose Farmer points out that the title of viscount was not used in England until the 15th century. In other words, the Knights of Nimmr wouldn’t have recognized it. Farmer suggests that Tarzan also held the older title of Earl of Greystoke. While that’s not official, the movie Greystoke actually supports this theory.

8 The Lost Civilizations

There were other writers who wrote fantasy stories about Africa before Edgar Rice Burroughs, and they undoubtedly influenced him. The most important of these writers was H. Rider Haggard, an author who specialized in vivid descriptions of lost cities in novels like She and King Solomon’s Mines.

Burroughs started writing four decades after Haggard, but there were still huge sections of Africa that hadn’t been mapped or explored. It was easy to think that there were undiscovered civilizations on the so‑called “dark continent,” and Burroughs let his imagination run wild. He created over a dozen of these realms for Tarzan’s adventures.

For example, Opar is the last remains of an ancient Atlantean outpost. It’s populated by ape‑like men and gorgeous women, and it contains a fabulous fortune in gold ingots and precious stones. Tarzan raids this treasure to replenish his personal fortune. The name may have been inspired by the wealthy, biblical city of Ophir.

Then there’s the City of God, one of Burroughs’s most unusual creations. Its ruler is a British scientist who’s dubbed himself “God,” and he uses genetics to place his mind into the body of a gorilla. He also imbues a tribe of gorillas with human intelligence and the personalities of Henry VIII and his royal court. It’s quite possible that this all‑powerful ape inspired DC’s Gorilla Grodd.

We’re just scratching the surface. In Tarzan and the Ant‑Men, our hero finds two rival cities populated with 46‑centimeter‑tall (18 in) humans. In Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, there’s a valley inhabited by crusaders stranded there since the 12th century. In Tarzan Triumphant, we find a city of epileptic religious fanatics who view their seizures as a gift from God.

Then there’s Pal‑ul‑don, a city inhabited by dinosaurs, and Xuja, a town of lost madmen who raise lions for food and worship parrots and monkeys. Kaji and Zuli are cities ruled by a wizard who uses an occult gem to control both populations. Finally, a Portuguese‑style castle run by descendants of conquistadores and local Africans is the only lost city in all of Tarzan’s Africa that isn’t run by white‑skinned people.

9 Tarzan Was Not Raised By Gorillas

Everybody knows Tarzan was raised by gorillas. It’s part of the established Tarzan lore…right? Well, that’s a common misconception. In fact, it’s so common that a number of movies have gotten it wrong.

Tarzan was actually raised by a species of ape unknown to science. These creatures resemble gorillas in size and strength, but they differ in other ways. They often walk upright, hunt animals, eat meat, and have a spoken language. They call themselves the “mangani,” and Burroughs describes them as “huge,” “fierce,” and “terrible.” He adds that they’re “a species closely allied to the gorilla, yet more intelligent.” Thanks to their smarts and strength, the mangani are “the most fearsome of these awe‑inspiring progenitors of man.”

As for gorillas, the mangani refer to them as the “bolgani.” And believe it or not, Tarzan actually does battle with these massive primates. In Tarzan of the Apes, Burroughs describes a young Tarzan’s first encounter with a massive gorilla:

“He had taken scarce a dozen steps toward the jungle when a great form rose up before him from the shadows of the low brush. At first he thought it was one of his own people but in another instant he realized it was Bolgani, the huge gorilla.

So close was he that there was no chance for flight and little Tarzan knew that he must stand and fight for his life; for these great beasts were the deadly enemies of his tribe, and neither one nor the other ever asked or gave quarter.”

10 The Origin Of Tarzan’s Name

In the world of Edgar Rice Burroughs (pictured above), the great apes have their own unique language. According to this primate dialect, “tar” means “white,” and “zan” means “skin.” Put these two together, and voila, you get “Tarzan.” In the novels, Tarzan’s adoptive ape‑mother, Kala, gives him this name when she sees his pale, hairless skin.

But Burroughs didn’t conjure the name out of thin air. In 1910, while living in Chicago, he fell in love with the southern‑California community of Tarzana and even bought some land there. Years later, when he needed a name for the human boy raised by apes, he thought of Tarzana, dropped the final vowel, and a legend was born.

Interestingly, the community wasn’t officially named Tarzana—or anything else—until it incorporated and got a post office in 1930. This has led to the urban myth that the town was named for the ape‑man, but the truth is actually the other way around.

Benjamin Franklin famously quipped that nothing is certain but death and taxes. While taxes can be dodged, death remains unavoidable, and the Victorian era took its fascination with mortality to extraordinary heights. Below we dive into ten fascinating death facts that reveal how the Victorians planned, feared, and even celebrated the inevitable.

Why These Fascinating Death Stories Matter

1 People Died in Very Strange Ways

Victorians succumbed to the same illnesses we know today—heart failure, strokes, pneumonia—but they also fell victim to some truly odd circumstances that read like a macabre novelty catalog. Take the tragic case of Jane Goodwin, a 22‑year‑old who died in church after her corset was laced so tightly that it cut off her breath. Or Edwin Clayton, who choked on his own false teeth after swallowing them, the top plate lodging behind his throat and preventing vomiting. Even children were not spared: a youngster named Mullins was mauled by a pig that dragged him out of his house by the throat. Beyond these headline‑grabbing deaths, common scourges like scarlet fever, typhoid, cholera, and for women, fatal burns from open hearth cooking combined with flammable clothing, added to the grim tally.

2 There Were Many Superstitions Regarding Death

Victorians lived under a cloud of ominous folklore that turned everyday moments into eerie portents. Crossing a funeral procession head‑on was deemed disastrous—if unavoidable, one was supposed to cling to a button until the cortege passed. Stopping a clock in a death‑room invited bad luck, while thunder after a burial signaled the soul’s ascent to heaven. Holding one’s breath near a graveyard was thought to guarantee burial, and the presence of roses without a source foretold an imminent death. Dreams of oneself, sparrows landing on pianos, pictures falling from walls, or a lone snowdrop in the garden were all interpreted as harbingers of mortality.

3 Survivors Obsessively Coveted Mementos of the Deceased

Mourning Victorians hoarded keepsakes like lockets, brooches, rings, and even locks of hair, turning grief into a relentless hunt for tangible reminders. Photography, still in its infancy, gave rise to the macabre practice of post‑mortem portraiture—known as memento mori. Families would photograph the deceased in settings that reflected their occupations: a carpenter in his woodshed, a priest amid church pews, or an infant posed with relatives. To achieve a lifelike appearance, photographers sometimes propped open the eyes or painted pupils onto the prints, even adding a rosy blush to cheeks. In the most unsettling cases, a deceased infant could be kept until mummified, then dressed and displayed as a morbid objet d’art.

4 Funeral Etiquette Was Rigorously Observed

Victorian funerals were governed by a strict code of conduct. Guests first received a formal written invitation—unless the deceased had died of a contagious disease, in which case a simple newspaper notice stating “funeral private” sufficed. Attendees were expected to arrive precisely an hour before the service, remove hats upon entering, and refrain from speaking loudly or laughing. The deceased’s remains were displayed so that mourners could view the coffin by passing single‑file from foot to head. Six pallbearers—three on each side of the hearse—accompanied the procession, while ladies were forbidden to follow the coffin to the grave. At the conclusion, the master of ceremonies led the mourners to the carriages, positioning the physician’s carriage directly behind the nearest relatives.

5 Mourning Periods Were Strictly Regulated

Queen Victoria turned personal grief into a national fashion, codifying mourning into a precise timetable. When someone died, curtains were drawn, clocks stopped at the moment of death, and mirrors were covered to prevent the spirit from becoming trapped. Mourning split into deep and half mourning. A widow endured two years of deep mourning, wearing only black and attending church exclusively. Parents who lost a child mourned deeply for nine months, then entered half mourning for three months. Siblings, in‑laws, and extended relatives faced mourning spans ranging from six weeks to six months. Consequently, many Victorians spent a large portion of their lives draped in sorrow.

6 Mourning Attire Was Very Strict

The dress code for mourning made it easy to read a person’s grief status at a glance. For the first six months, a widow wore a full‑length black crepe dress with white crepe collars, cuffs, and a crepe bonnet topped by a veil. Black fur, seal‑skin accessories, and black kid gloves complemented the ensemble. After six months, the heavy crepe was replaced with lighter fabrics like silk gabardine or plain black grosgrain, and the veil became less cumbersome. Doctors warned that prolonged wear of black crepe could release dye into the nostrils, causing catarrhal disease, blindness, and cataracts—yet fashion prevailed. Men, by contrast, simply wore their usual dark suits, black gloves, and cravats.

7 Churchyards Overflowed With Burials

Before the advent of modern cemeteries, the dead rested in cramped churchyards often located in the heart of towns. Bodies were buried in shallow pits beneath chapel floors and schoolyards, turning entire neighborhoods into health hazards. A modest 200‑square‑foot churchyard could hold sixty to seventy thousand bodies. By the 1830s, the unsanitary situation spurred the creation of commercial cemeteries modeled after Paris’s Père Lachaise. In 1831, London’s first grand cemetery—Kensal Green—opened on a 55‑acre plot, offering a park‑like alternative to overcrowded churchyards.

8 Different Rules Applied for Dressing the Dead

While mourners adhered to elaborate dress codes, the deceased themselves were dressed with a contrasting simplicity. Men were typically clothed in the habit they wore in life, whereas women were wrapped in a white robe and cap, and children in white cashmere garments. Coffins were usually hardwood or cast iron, especially for those who died of contagious diseases like diphtheria or cholera. The exterior of the coffin remained plain, draped only with a black cloth, while the interior was lined with satin. To guard against premature burial—a real fear when comas were misdiagnosed—coffins often contained a bell that could be rung from within, alerting attendants that the occupant was still breathing.

9 Queen Victoria Started It All

Queen Victoria’s personal grief after Prince Albert’s death in 1861 set the national standard for mourning. She ordered his rooms to be kept exactly as they had been, arranged for hot water to be brought for his morning shave, and wore black for three years, ultimately never abandoning the somber attire. Statues of Albert, displays of his mementos, and prolonged seclusion at Windsor Castle turned her private sorrow into a public ritual. The British public, captivated by the monarch’s devotion, adopted her exhaustive mourning practices, cementing the Victorian era’s reputation for elaborate death customs.

10 Nightclubs Existed to Celebrate Death

Even amidst the solemnity, some Victorians chose to revel in mortality. In Paris’s Montmartre district, establishments like the Cabaret du Néant (The Cabaret of Nothingness) invited patrons to sip drinks named after diseases while seated atop coffins. The Cabaret de l’Enfer (The Cabaret of Hell) offered a theatrical inferno experience with devil musicians suspended over flames and imps serving drinks amid volcanic fumes. Directly opposite, the Cabaret du Ciel (The Cabaret of the Sky) provided a celestial counterpart, where angels, Dante, and Father Time entertained guests. These nightclubs turned the contemplation of death into a theatrical spectacle, proving that even the most morbid era had its party‑goers.

We love history, especially anything that has to do with the ancient Romans. We’ve had a few lists about this unique civilization in the past, but there’s just so much fascinating information about them that we’re still discovering. Here are 10 more little known incredible things you probably never knew about ancient Rome.

1 Little Known Phallic Charms

Romans were a superstitious bunch, and one of their favorite good‑luck talismans was the phallus—a bold, erect symbol of fertility and protection. They wore tiny phallic amulets around their necks, hung them over doorways, and even crafted wind chimes shaped like the male organ. Some of these chimes were fancily embellished with lion’s feet, bird wings, or a stylized penis head. Today, hanging such a piece in your home would raise eyebrows, but back then it was a serious charm against evil spirits.

2 Trajan’s Market: The First Shopping Mall

Trajan’s market was a massive two‑storey complex in the heart of ancient Rome, and it’s widely regarded as the world’s earliest example of a shopping mall. Housing roughly 150 shops, the market survived millennia thanks to the Romans’ innovative concrete recipe—mixing lime into the mix to guard against corrosion. Even after 2,000 years, the structure still stands, a testament to Roman engineering prowess.

3 Gladiator Blood as a Cure

Medically, the Romans were both ahead of their time and wildly eccentric. They believed that the fresh blood of a slain gladiator could cure epilepsy, so vendors would sell still‑warm blood to eager crowds right after the arena bout. When gladiatorial combat was outlawed around AD 400, the practice shifted to using the blood of executed criminals as a substitute remedy.

4 Sinister Reputation of Left‑Handed Romans

Left‑handed people have long been stigmatized. In ancient Rome, being left‑handed was considered unlucky and untrustworthy—the Latin word “sinister” actually means “left.” Yet left‑handed gladiators were prized for their unconventional fighting style, earning them special bonuses in the arena. The superstition persisted, linking left‑handedness with evil across centuries.

5 The Emperor’s Urine Tax

In the first century AD, Emperor Vespasian introduced a tax on urine—a surprisingly lucrative commodity. Romans collected urine from public bathhouses because its ammonia was perfect for bleaching clothes and even used it in certain medicines. The tax, akin to modern liquor or tobacco duties, turned bodily waste into a taxable resource.

6 Spiderweb Bandages in Roman Medicine

Roman military medics were surprisingly inventive. To tend wounds, they often used a mixture of cobwebs, honey, and vinegar as bandages. Modern research shows spider silk is stronger than steel and may possess antibacterial properties—so the Romans were essentially pioneering a high‑tech medical material centuries before its scientific validation.

7 Caligula’s Cross‑Dressing Scandals

Emperor Gaius, better known as Caligula, was notorious for his excesses. Among his many eccentricities, he liked to appear in public dressed in women’s clothing and gave his guards feminine‑sounding call‑signs like “Kiss me quick.” He also declared himself a god and even appointed his beloved horse as a priest, showcasing his unbridled eccentricity.

8 Roman Flushing Toilets

While most people associate Romans with grand aqueducts, they also pioneered indoor plumbing. Wealthy Romans enjoyed hot and cold water on demand, and some private homes featured flushing toilets that used flowing water to carry waste away. This sophisticated sanitation system fell into disuse after Rome’s decline, later replaced by medieval bedpans.

9 Crucifixion Reserved for Non‑Citizens

Crucifixion is often linked to the crucifixion of Jesus, but in ancient Rome it was a punishment reserved mainly for non‑citizens and traitors. Roman citizens—even those who committed serious crimes—were typically exiled or fined instead of crucified. Non‑citizens, however, could be crucified for offenses ranging from petty robbery to treason.

10 Ancient Roman UFO Sightings

Even the ancients reported odd sky phenomena. In 218 BC, a fleet of gleaming ships was said to float above Rome’s sky, and around AD 150, witnesses described a massive, multicolored “beast” about a hundred feet tall, shooting fiery rays before landing in a dust cloud. These accounts, recorded in the study “Unidentified Flying Objects in Classical Antiquity,” hint at early UFO‑type sightings.

Octopuses boast blue blood, three hearts, and a reputation for starring in maritime horror tales. Here are some of the most obscure, bizarre, and downright mind‑blowing incredible facts that prove these mollusks are truly extraordinary.

10 They Can Hunt On Dry Land

Even though octopuses rely on gills to breathe, several species can slip onto land for short bursts of activity. They use passive diffusion through their wet skin to absorb oxygen, allowing them to stalk stranded crabs or make daring escapes from captivity. The most famous escape is that of Inky, a New Zealand octopus who slipped through a gap in his tank, slithered across the floor, and found a drainpipe that led back to the ocean.

Inky isn’t alone. In 2010, Sid, an octopus at Dunedin’s Portobello Aquarium, attempted multiple break‑outs—once hiding in a drain for five days and another time sprinting across the floor toward the exit. A decade earlier, Harry, another resident of the same tank, was discovered halfway up the steps to the University of Otago’s Marine Laboratory after a similar escape. “They can be very intelligent,” said the manager of the NZ Marine Studies Center. “Once they have worked out there is an escape route, it can be very difficult to stop them.”

Incredible Facts About Octopus Land Hunts

9 They Use Weapons, Carry Portable Forts, And Make Barricades

Some octopuses have been spotted lugging around snail shells, clam shells, coconut halves, and even discarded beer bottles. They treat these objects as portable lairs, hauling them across the seabed and tucking themselves inside when predators loom. When a threat appears, they can quickly assemble the shells around their bodies, turning a simple coconut into a mobile fortress.

Beyond fort‑building, certain species wield actual weapons. Large female seven‑arm octopuses have been observed clutching egg‑yolk jellyfish, letting the jellyfish’s stinging tentacles dangle beneath them. Scientists suspect the octopus first consumes the nutrient‑rich parts of the jellyfish, then uses the dangling tentacles as a defensive shield and a means to snag extra prey.

Blanket octopuses have taken weaponry to another level. Tiny males and young females have been seen ripping venomous Portuguese man‑o‑war tentacles from the siphonophore and attaching them to each row of suckers on their dorsal arms, effectively turning themselves into living harpoons.

8 They Have Really Bizarre ‘Penises’

Octopuses display extreme sexual dimorphism, especially the seven‑arm octopus, where females can reach up to 4 meters (13 feet) while males max out at about 30 centimeters (12 inches). To bridge this size gap, tiny males grow a massive hectocotylus—an arm specialized for sperm delivery. In the argonaut (paper nautilus), the hectocotylus can be twice the length of the male’s entire body.

The tip of the hectocotylus, called the ligula, transfers spermatophores into the female’s oviduct. In some species, the ligula contains erectile tissue that engorges during arousal, making octopuses the only known soft‑bodied animals capable of achieving erections.

Reproductive strategies vary. Some males simply insert their specialized arm into the female’s gill slot and leave it there for hours. Others, especially the tiniest males, detach their hectocotylus, which then swims autonomously to the female’s mantle cavity and attaches itself. Females can store multiple hectocotyli, meaning a single brood may have several fathers.

7 Reproduction Is Almost Always Deadly

For many octopuses, mating can be a lethal affair. Some females have been observed strangling and cannibalizing the male after copulation. Survivors of the encounter often enter senescence: they stop feeding, lose coloration, develop unhealing white lesions, and eventually become easy prey or even crawl onto beaches to die.

Females face an even slower demise. After laying hundreds of thousands of eggs, a mother will guard them relentlessly, cleaning and aerating the clutch for months. She refuses to eat, allowing her body to gradually consume itself, ultimately starving to death.

The deep‑sea octopus that holds the record for the longest brooding period was observed in the Monterey Canyon at 1,400 meters depth. Researchers returned over four and a half years to watch the female grow pale and haggard while tending to her eggs. When the eggs finally hatched, she used gill‑powered water jets to launch the hatchlings into the abyss before succumbing to senescence.

6 They Have A Legal Status Previously Afforded Only To Vertebrates

In July 2012, octopuses became the sole invertebrate mentioned in the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness, which lists animals that possess the neurological substrates of consciousness. The following year, the European Union extended its “Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes” directive to include cephalopods, granting them the same legal safeguards previously reserved for vertebrates.

Under the new regulations, any experimental procedure that might cause pain, suffering, distress, or lasting harm to a live cephalopod must be tightly controlled. Capture methods must minimize pain, and lighting in captivity must mimic natural dawn‑dusk cycles. Daily assessments for signs of distress are mandatory, and general anesthesia is required for all invasive procedures. The changes stem from a panel of scientists concluding there is solid evidence that cephalopods can experience pain and suffering.

5 They Can Detect Early Warning Signs Of Volcanic Eruptions

On the tiny island of Stromboli, one of the world’s most active volcanoes erupts every 20‑30 minutes. Octopuses living nearby consistently vacate the danger zone moments before each eruption. Researchers discovered they achieve this by detecting infrasound—low‑frequency vibrations that humans cannot hear.

Further studies revealed that octopuses are so sensitive to sound that high‑frequency noise can damage their statocysts, the fluid‑filled organs responsible for hearing, balance, and spatial orientation. In a lab experiment, exposure to a 50‑400 Hz pitch sweep at balloon‑pop volume caused lesions and nerve damage in the statocysts, underscoring how acoustic pollution could threaten cephalopod survival.

“If the relatively low intensity, short exposure used in our study can cause such severe acoustic trauma, then the impact of continuous, high‑intensity noise pollution in the oceans would be considerable,” said bioacoustics specialist Michel Andre.

4 Their Limbs Are Out Of This World

Octopuses don’t have tentacles; they have eight dexterous arms. Each arm sports 200‑300 suckers, each capable of independent movement, taste, and touch. The arms secrete a self‑recognition chemical that prevents them from sticking to themselves, a unique adaptation not seen elsewhere in nature.

Experiments where scientists amputated arms and then returned them to the animal showed that the severed limbs remained active for nearly an hour, refusing to grasp the living octopus or other detached limbs from the same individual. The octopus would sometimes cling to the exposed flesh of its own severed limb with its beak, yet it rarely ate its own arm—only consuming severed arms from other octopuses. When the skin was peeled away, the octopus ate the limb without hesitation, indicating it recognizes its own skin.

Octopuses also regenerate lost limbs. Within a day, the wound closes, and over the ensuing months a new arm fully regrows, complete with functional suckers and neural connections.

3 Their Brains Are Mind‑Blowing

Peter Godfrey‑Smith once called an octopus “the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien.” Their nervous system is split into three major sections, housing over 500 million neurons. The central brain, wrapped around the esophagus, contains about 50 million neurons. Behind the eyes sit the optic lobes with roughly 80 million neurons.

The remaining neurons reside in ganglia distributed throughout the body, especially one ganglion per arm. These peripheral ganglia control the fine‑grained movements of each arm, allowing them to operate semi‑autonomously. The central brain issues commands, but the arm ganglia execute the actions, effectively giving each arm its own “mind.”

2 They Can Edit Their Own Genes

Cephalopods—including octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish—are masters of RNA editing. In some species, up to 60 percent of RNA transcripts are recoded after transcription, allowing the animals to fine‑tune protein production on the fly.

Biophysicist Eli Eisenberg suggests this extensive editing may underpin the sophisticated behaviors and high intelligence seen in octopuses. By editing RNA, they can rapidly adjust physiological responses to environmental variables such as temperature, effectively editing their own genetic instructions whenever needed.

Some researchers hypothesize that certain coleoid species have traded the benefits of frequent DNA mutations for the flexibility of RNA editing. “The possibility that coleoids use extensive RNA editing to flexibly manipulate their nervous system is extraordinary,” said Kazuko Nishikura, emphasizing the potential lessons for neuroscience.

1 They Have The Most Amazing Skin In The Animal Kingdom

Octopuses are unrivaled masters of disguise. The mimic octopus can reshape its entire body to imitate plants, sea snakes, and other marine creatures, while the ink they expel forms a pseudomorph that resembles twisted arms, confusing predators during escape.

The true marvel lies in their skin. Thousands of chromatophores—pigment‑filled sacs beneath the skin—expand or contract under muscular control, producing rapid color changes. Simultaneously, papillae alter the skin’s texture, allowing the animal to match rocks, coral, algae, or sand with astonishing precision.

Surprisingly, octopuses appear to be color‑blind, yet their skin contains light‑reflecting cells that help them display colors taken directly from their surroundings. Light‑sensitive molecules called ospins have also been detected in the skin, leading scientists to speculate that octopuses might “see” with their skin, enabling lightning‑fast camouflage without waiting for visual input from the brain.

When it comes to the Aztecs, most people picture fierce warriors and dramatic sacrifices, but there’s a treasure trove of fascinating facts that paint a much richer picture. From artful athletes to sophisticated schools, their civilization was anything but one‑dimensional.

Fascinating Facts About the Aztecs

1 Artistic Athletes

Beyond the grim reputation of blood‑letting, the Aztecs were genuinely artistic and sporty. They excelled at pottery, sculpture, and intricate tattoo designs that celebrated a warrior’s achievements. Poetry also held a special place in their culture.

One of their most celebrated team games was Ullamaliztli, a demanding ball sport played on a stone‑lined court called a tlachtli. Using a rubber ball, players could only strike it with their heads, elbows, knees, or hips, never letting it touch the ground. Scoring required sending the ball through a tiny stone ring—a feat that combined agility, strategy, and sheer stamina.

2 Gender‑Separated Schools

Education was a civic duty for the Aztecs, and schooling was mandatory for every child. Noble boys attended the Calmecac, where priests taught history, astronomy, art, and governance. Commoner boys went to the Cuicacalli, a more militaristic curriculum preparing them for warrior service.

Girls received separate instruction, largely focused on domestic skills such as cooking and weaving, and much of their learning took place at home under the guidance of their mothers.

3 Disease, Not War, Toppled the Empire

Contrary to the popular notion that Spanish swords alone defeated the Aztecs, it was actually a devastating wave of European diseases—especially smallpox—that crippled their population. The Spaniards’ initial assaults were repelled, and the Aztecs stood a realistic chance of victory.

When the epidemic struck, it wiped out tens of millions of Mexicans within five years, including many of the empire’s leaders, making resistance virtually impossible.

4 The Name “Aztec” Was a Later Invention

The term “Aztec” never appeared in their own language. Modern scholars borrowed it from Aztlán, a legendary homeland in northern Mexico. The people themselves called themselves Mexica—a name that later inspired the country’s title, Mexico.

5 Advanced Record Keeping

The Aztecs wrote in Nahuatl using a pictographic script. Specialized scribes and priests recorded everything from tax collections to ceremonial sacrifices on bark paper and deer‑skin sheets.

These records were often colored with charcoal and natural pigments, and sometimes bound together into codices—early “books” that preserved history, poetry, and legal matters for future generations.

6 Unusual Burial Customs

Rather than building over ancestral graves, the Aztecs buried their dead beneath or around their homes. High‑status individuals were typically cremated, a practice believed to transform the soul and grant access to their version of heaven.

Dogs were sometimes interred or cremated alongside the deceased, serving as guides for the afterlife.

7 Children Sold Into Slavery

Poor families sometimes sold their children into slavery as a desperate means of survival. Adults could also sell themselves when bankrupt, hoping to earn enough to buy their freedom later.

Aztec slaves could own property, marry, have children, and even purchase their liberty, making the institution far less brutal than the chattel slavery many associate with later Western practices.

8 Polygamy for Men

Aztec men could have multiple wives, but strict rules governed these unions. The first wife, termed the “principal” wife, received formal marriage rites, while secondary wives were acknowledged but not ceremonially married.

All wives were expected to be treated with equal respect, and women retained considerable influence within the household. Polygamy signaled wealth and status, and divorce was permitted under certain conditions, though adultery could be punishable by death.

9 A Unique System of Slavery

Aztec slavery differed markedly from European chattel slavery. Children of slaves were not automatically enslaved, and slaves could own possessions—and even other slaves.

Freedom could be earned: a slave who presented themselves at a temple or stepped on human waste in a market could be released. Slaves were also allowed to purchase their own emancipation, making the system resemble indentured servitude more than outright bondage.

10 Cannibalism Theory Linked to Protein Deficiency

Anthropologist Michael Harner suggested that the Aztecs’ ritual sacrifices—often followed by cannibalistic consumption—might have stemmed from a dietary protein shortage. He estimated roughly 20,000 victims per year, arguing that the scarcity of meat forced the society to turn to human flesh as a supplemental source.

While the theory remains debated, archaeological evidence of cannibalism adds a provocative layer to our understanding of Aztec religious practices.

Living at the bottom of the world isn’t for the faint‑hearted, but it yields a treasure trove of crazy facts that most of us will never experience. From a year‑long sunrise to midnight celebrations across every time zone, the Amundsen‑Scott South Pole Station offers an adventure that’s as isolated as it is extraordinary.

10 One Sunrise And Sunset Per Year

Because the South Pole sits at the very tip of the planet, the Sun behaves like a slow‑moving spotlight. The tilt of Earth’s axis means the pole experiences just one sunrise and one sunset each year, each taking several days to fully emerge or disappear. Sun‑chasers get two epic solar events annually, and they last long enough to savor every golden moment.

Crazy Facts About Solar Patterns

During the brief summer, the Sun circles the sky, never truly setting, offering a continuous daylight that feels like a perpetual golden hour.

9 A Watch Is Unnecessary

When you’re outside the station, a timepiece becomes optional. After the Sun finally rises, it arcs around the horizon, climbing higher until midsummer and then slowly descending. By noting which building or landmark the Sun hovers over at lunchtime, you can tell the clock without ever looking at a watch.

8 Getting There Can Make Your Head Spin

Arriving at the Pole feels like stepping onto a giant, flat slab of ice. The surface is hard‑packed and non‑slippery, but the real kicker is the altitude. The station rests on a 3,000‑meter‑thick sheet of ice, effectively placing newcomers nearly three kilometers above sea level. After lugging luggage a short distance from the modest ski‑way terminal, the thin air reminds you just how high you really are.

7 Sleeping Can Be Troublesome

Even after acclimating to the base altitude, the Pole’s unique atmospheric dynamics can make it feel higher. The planet’s spin creates centrifugal force that pulls the atmosphere toward the equator, effectively lowering the sky over the poles. This results in thinner air, so the effective altitude can feel an extra 600 meters higher, leading to sleeplessness comparable to high‑altitude mountaineering.

6 Marooned

During the brief Antarctic summer, the station buzzes with scientific activity, but once winter settles in, only about 50 hardy souls remain. They stay put from the last aircraft’s departure in mid‑February until the next one returns in late October or early November. The extreme cold freezes fuel and hydraulic fluids, making any rescue flight impossible until the thaw returns.

5 The Mean Month

Winter at the Pole isn’t just dark—it can be downright oppressive. After a lengthy sunset and a month of twilight, the darkness stretches for several months. The lack of sunlight, combined with the close‑quarters environment of the same 50 people, can trigger seasonal affective disorder and turn even the friendliest crew member a little testy, especially around August.

4 Getting Naked With Friends

When temperatures plunge below –73 °C (–100 °F), a quirky tradition emerges: the 300 Club. Researchers strip down in the station’s sauna, crank the heat to 93 °C (200 °F), then dash outside in just boots toward the Geographic South Pole marker. The rapid 300‑degree Fahrenheit shift creates a frosty, silver‑glazed selfie that’s a badge of honor for the brave.

3 Moving

The continent’s massive ice sheet isn’t static. While the true Geographic South Pole stays put, the marker and the structures atop it drift about 2.5 cm (1 in) each day, translating to roughly 9 m (30 ft) per year. Surveyors recalculate the exact location annually, and a small ceremony moves the marker to keep it accurate.

2 Running Around The World

Because the Pole’s circumference is tiny—about 20 steps—a 5 km race circles the marker, letting participants brag that they literally ran around the world. The yearly 5K keeps residents fit and offers a fun way to claim a global running achievement.

1 Ringing In The New Year Again And Again And Again

All 24 time zones converge at the poles. By simply stepping a few meters, you can hop from one zone to another. On New Year’s Eve, this means you can celebrate every time zone in a single night, marching from one hour to the next. Only the most resilient revelers can endure the full 24‑hour toast marathon, with the later hours feeling more like a Twilight Zone than a time zone.

If you’re hunting for fascinating facts about the phenomenon that turned a simple mobile game into a cultural earthquake, you’ve come to the right place. Pokémon GO burst onto the scene in July 2016 and has since rewritten the rules for social interaction, exercise, data privacy, and even local economies.

Fascinating Facts Unveiled

10 It May Overtake All Social Networks

Pokémon GO relies on GPS to drop players onto a map that looks much like a stripped‑down version of Google Maps. As users wander the real world hunting virtual creatures, the game gobbles up a massive amount of data. The influx was so intense that server connections went spotty during the first week.

What’s truly mind‑blowing is how quickly the game eclipsed traditional social platforms. In its debut week, Pokémon GO was installed on more than twice the percentage of Android phones as the dating juggernaut Tinder—over 5 % versus Tinder’s 2 %. It even brushed shoulders with Twitter in daily active user counts. With each new feature—like the long‑awaited ability to trade Pokémon—the game’s popularity shows no signs of slowing.

9 Its Players Are Getting A Ton Of Exercise

Although Pokémon can pop up around your front door, the most rewarding experience comes from stepping outside. The game switches to a real‑world view via the phone’s front camera, overlaying animated Pokémon onto your surroundings. Players then fling Pokéballs to capture them.

The result? A surge of unsolicited leg workouts. Social media lit up with jokes about sore calves and the sudden obsolescence of gym memberships during the first weekend. Pokémon GO isn’t a fitness‑focused title, yet it succeeded in turning the classic parental command—“Get off that couch and go outside!”—into a game‑driven reality.

8 It’s Making Americans Learn The Metric System

Most Americans cling to the United States Customary System, but Pokémon GO forces a daily encounter with kilometers. The game’s egg‑hatching mechanic requires players to walk set distances—2 km, 5 km, or 10 km—to unlock new Pokémon, experience points, and Stardust.

Google Trends recorded a sharp spike in searches for kilometer‑to‑mile conversions within days of launch, proving that the game nudged countless users to brush up on metric calculations. Whether this translates into lasting metric literacy remains to be seen, but it’s a rare instance of a pop‑culture product prompting a nationwide unit conversion lesson.

7 It’s Created A Profitable Side Business

Where there’s a demand for shortcuts, entrepreneurs appear. Within days of launch, Craigslist listings surfaced advertising “chauffeuring” services for Pokémon GO players who wanted to catch ’em all without the legwork. The model capitalizes on two core game features: PokéStops—real‑world landmarks where players collect items—and Gyms—places where Pokémon can be powered up.

Drivers charge up to $30 per hour, touting amenities like snacks, Wi‑Fi, and insider knowledge of nearby PokéStops and Gyms. While a dedicated app for this niche hasn’t arrived yet, the service highlights how quickly a profitable side hustle can sprout from a mobile game’s mechanics.

6 It Might Help Some Criminals Commit Crimes

Even the most whimsical phenomena can have a dark side. A Wyoming teenager stumbled upon a dead body while searching for a PokéStop—a tragic coincidence that made headlines. More unsettling, police in St. Louis County, Missouri, arrested four men just four days after launch for using the game’s beacon system to lure victims for robbery. Players can place beacons near PokéStops, inadvertently turning those spots into crime magnets.

The Pokémon Company quickly issued a safety statement urging players to team up when exploring unfamiliar areas and stay alert to their surroundings. Law enforcement agencies have taken note, hoping the incident remains an isolated blip.

5 It Could Completely Transform Nintendo

Nintendo’s recent history has been a rollercoaster. After the lackluster Wii U, the company needed a game‑changing hit. Pokémon GO delivered just that, boosting Nintendo’s market value by roughly 60 %—about $12 billion—within six days of release.

With a 32 % stake in both The Pokémon Company and Niantic Labs, Nintendo now has a hefty cash infusion to fund future innovations. The success of Pokémon GO also marked Nintendo’s first major foray into mobile gaming, paving the way for upcoming hardware like the code‑named “NX” console slated for a 2017 debut.

4 There Are Dangerous Counterfeit Versions

High demand led some eager players to download Pokémon GO from unofficial sources. Unfortunately, many of these copies bundled a malicious remote‑access tool called DroidJack. Within 72 hours of launch, the malware began installing backdoors that granted attackers full control over infected Android devices.

Installing a counterfeit version requires users to disable Android’s security settings, a step most legitimate app‑store downloads avoid. As the official rollout concluded, the window for easy distribution narrowed, but the game’s massive popularity ensures that hackers will keep trying.

3 It’s Collecting A Huge Amount Of Data

Beyond GPS coordinates, Pokémon GO taps into a suite of device permissions. The app accesses the camera, storage, contacts, and network connections, while Google‑based logins automatically grant Niantic access to Gmail, Google Docs, and other services.

The License Agreement states that location data may be shared with law enforcement if required, but it remains vague on other potential uses. Analysts speculate that the sheer volume of precise movement data presents a goldmine for targeted marketing and other commercial endeavors.

2 World Businesses In On The Action

Pokémon GO inherited its landmark system from Niantic’s earlier game, Ingress, which mapped “Portals” onto real‑world sites—including local businesses. When those portals became PokéStops or Gyms, many establishments noticed an overnight surge in foot traffic.

Entrepreneurs can amplify this effect by purchasing “Lures,” an in‑app item that draws Pokémon to a specific location for a set period. Savvy shop owners have set Lures at their premises, turning casual hunters into customers. Not every entity is thrilled, though; a National Weather Service building turned Gym prompted staff to post signs asking trainers to hunt elsewhere.

1 It’s Bringing Augmented Reality To The Mainstream

Augmented Reality (AR) blends digital elements with the physical world. Before Pokémon GO, AR existed in niche applications like heads‑up displays for vehicles and fighter‑pilot helmets, and in consumer tools like Snapchat filters.

While the game’s AR engine isn’t the most polished—digital sprites sometimes appear clunky against real‑world backdrops—it succeeded in thrusting AR into the global spotlight. The massive popularity of Pokémon GO suggests that future, dedicated AR gaming platforms are on the horizon, perhaps even reviving concepts like Google Glass.

St. Patrick’s Day is upon us, and while many celebrate with a pint of green beer, there’s a treasure trove of interesting facts about the Irish that go far beyond the party scene. From groundbreaking inventions to myths that inspired classic literature, let’s dive into ten captivating pieces of Irish history that will make you see the Emerald Isle in a whole new light.

1 Earls of Rosse: Interesting Facts on Inventors

The Earls of Rosse, a distinguished Irish family, were not just aristocrats—they were pioneering inventors. Their estate became a hub for scientific exploration, housing an impressive collection of photographic equipment and engineering marvels. The crown jewel of their achievements was the Rosse Telescope, known as the Leviathan, constructed in the 1800s. Its 72‑inch (183‑cm) reflector made it the world’s largest telescope for nearly a century, a testament to the family’s ambition and ingenuity.

2 Irish Legend Inspired Dracula

Most people credit Vlad the Impaler for Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire, but the true inspiration may lie in Irish folklore. Stoker, an Irish native who never set foot in Eastern Europe, drew from the tale of Abhartach—a chieftain‑wizard who drank blood and was said to rise from the dead. This Irish vampire king predates the Romanian myth, suggesting that the eerie legend of Dracula could have Irish roots.

3 Halloween’s Celtic Roots

While today Halloween is a global celebration of costumes and candy, its origins trace back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts believed that on this night the veil between the living and the spirit world thinned, allowing ghosts to roam the earth. Christianity later renamed the holiday All Hallows’ Eve, eventually becoming Halloween, but many of its customs—like lighting bonfires and wearing disguises—remain deeply Celtic.

4 St. Patrick’s Day: A Solemn Irish Celebration

Across the Atlantic, St. Patrick’s Day often equals green beer and marching bands, yet in Ireland the holiday retains a more reverent tone. It began as a religious feast honoring Ireland’s patron saint, featuring church services and modest festivities. While modern Irish celebrations do include pubs and parades—largely influenced by American traditions—the day’s core remains a holy observance rather than a drunken revel.

5 Irish Architect Designed the White House

When the United States sought a design for the President’s residence in 1792, an Irish-born architect named James Hoban won the competition. Hoban, trained in Ireland, not only drafted the iconic façade but also oversaw its construction. After the White House burned in 1814, Hoban was called upon again to rebuild the landmark, proving that Irish determination can endure even the fiercest of fires.

6 No Snakes Ever Lived in Ireland

The popular myth that St. Patrick banished snakes from Ireland is, in fact, a botanical misinterpretation. Scientific evidence shows that the island never hosted native snake species. The last snakes likely vanished during the Ice Age, and subsequent geographic isolation prevented any re‑introduction. So, the legend is a charming tale, but the reality is that Ireland has been snake‑free for millions of years.

7 L’Engle’s Prayer Traces Back to St. Patrick

Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quartet contains a protective prayer that mirrors an ancient Irish prayer attributed to St. Patrick. The rhythmic verses invoke the elements—sun, snow, fire, lightning, wind, sea, rock, and earth—to shield the speaker from darkness. This lyrical homage showcases how Irish spiritual tradition continues to inspire modern storytelling.

8 Grace O’Malley: The Irish Pirate Queen

Grace O’Malley, often dubbed the “Pirate Queen,” commanded respect on the high seas and in political circles. A fierce strategist and fearless leader, she fought alongside her men, even giving birth at sea before returning to battle the very next day. Her legend endures as a symbol of Irish resilience and maritime prowess.

9 Irish Monk May Have Reached America First

While Columbus is credited with “discovering” America, Irish lore tells of a 6th‑century monk, St. Brendan, who set sail in search of the Ultimate Paradise. After a seven‑year voyage, his crew reportedly stumbled upon a massive island—so vast that even after forty days they could not see its far shore. Though unproven, this legend suggests that Irish explorers may have arrived in the New World centuries before the Vikings or Columbus.

10 St. Patrick Was Not Irish

Contrary to popular belief, St. Patrick was not native to Ireland. Born to Roman parents in Britain, he was kidnapped as a youth and taken to the Emerald Isle as a slave herding sheep. Recent scholarship even proposes that he may have returned to Ireland voluntarily, possibly selling slaves to avoid conscription as a Roman tax collector. Regardless of his origins, his legacy remains inseparably tied to Irish identity.

If you thought Laos was just rain forests, giant king cobras and ancient relics, think again—here are ten fascinating facts that reveal the country’s weird, wild side.

10 Trained Operatives Still Fight The Government

Imagine growing up as the grandchild of Hmong fighters who were recruited by the CIA during the Vietnam War. Your grandparents were taught to hunt communists, and now your whole family lives hidden in jungles, waging guerrilla warfare for decades.

Escaping the jungle isn’t a simple stroll in the park. Recent reports recount groups of women and children emerging from concealment only to be brutally assaulted by soldiers, with children as young as nine suffering horrific violence.

It’s a bitter irony: the United States promised asylum to those who helped them, yet many Hmong families still starve in the jungle, hunted by the Lao army, with no clear path to safety.

After the war, roughly 300,000 ethnic Hmong fled to Thailand, and about 145,000 eventually resettled in the United States. Surprisingly, U.S. intelligence later foiled a Hmong coup attempt in Laos in 2007.

Federal charges allege that nine Hmong and a retired California National Guard lieutenant colonel plotted to train a militia, acquire $9.8 million in weapons, smuggle the force into Laos via Thailand, attack key government sites, and install themselves as the new regime.

9 The World’s Most Bombed Country

During the Vietnam conflict, the United States dropped a staggering 270 million bombs on Laos. Roughly thirty percent of those never detonated, leaving a deadly legacy that surpasses the total ordnance dropped on Europe throughout World War II.

Hundreds of Laotians still lose limbs or eyesight each year to unexploded ordnance. With a large portion of the population dependent on manual labor, the impact on the nation’s economy is profound.

Because about 35 percent of Laos’s terrain is littered with hidden explosives, the Ho Chi Minh Trail remains a perilous zone for anyone trying to farm or travel.

8 One Of The Last Communist States Dependent On Capitalist Aid

Since 1986, Laos has posted annual growth of 6–7 percent after the communist regime loosened central controls and permitted private enterprise. Yet foreign aid remains a lifeline.

In the mid‑1990s, President Nouhak Phoumsavan—a staunch disciple of Ho Chi Minh—insisted that true communism was still the goal. Party critics warned that the country was “a little dogmatic” and needed a realistic assessment before choosing between communism and capitalism.

Despite progress, Laos still lags on the United Nations Human Development Index, ranking 138 out of 188 in 2016. Life expectancy sits just over 66 years, an improvement from the early‑1990s.

Child mortality remains high: of 1,000 births in 2012, 71 children were expected to die before age five—a 56 percent drop from 1990, yet still higher than neighboring nations. Malnutrition is a major driver of these deaths.

7 Deforestation Is A Threat To The Future

In 2005, roughly 70 percent of Laos was cloaked in rainforest; today that figure has shrunk to about 40 percent. The country still harbors some of the world’s last true wilderness.

A small population and relative isolation have shielded remote regions from mass‑scale capitalism, but recent decentralization of forest management has accelerated timber extraction.

Approximately half of the remaining forest is primary—meaning it consists of indigenous species with minimal human disturbance. As global resource conflicts loom, preserving these ecosystems could become a strategic priority.

6 In Laos, The Opium Of The Masses Is Just Opium

Smoking opium in Laos carries a prison sentence of three to ten years; possessing under a kilogram can net two to seven years behind bars. Yet the law is frequently ignored.

Backpackers once roamed Vang Vieng—dubbed “the town where teenagers ruled the world”—where cafés openly advertised opium tea, joints, and even magic‑mushroom pizzas.

If you’re caught in Vientiane, you’ll desperately need a lawyer and a lot of luck—luck, because legal aid can be hard to find before you’re potentially shot.

In 2009, pregnant British citizen Samantha Orobator was arrested for heroin smuggling. She didn’t see a lawyer for nine months, but a pregnancy that occurred four months after her arrest allegedly saved her from a firing squad.

Life behind bars for drug offenses in Laos is a grim prospect.

5 Rat Jerky, Deep‑Fried Grasshopper, Or Chicken Feet—Better Than Wendy’s

Food is a perfect lens for cultural differences. While some of us proudly bite into pecan pie, Laos offers culinary adventures that might make you squirm.

Picture jerky made from rat skin, served with a dipping sauce that’s literally its own blood. Or try deep‑fried grasshoppers and chicken feet—dishes that could give any fast‑food chain a run for its money.

Embrace the oddities; after all, they’re just another kind of lasagna on the global table.

4 A Lawless Party Town Is An Exercise In Darwinism

Vang Vieng, once notorious for its drug‑infested nightlife, has seen the death toll of tourists climb dramatically. In 2011, 27 backpackers perished at a single river‑jumping site visited by roughly 150,000 travelers each year.

A perfect storm of cheap whiskey, psychedelics, opiates, youthful exuberance, and sheer disregard for warning signs led many to be pulled from the river with broken necks or lungs full of water.

Life jackets are now mandatory for those daring enough to hop onto inner tubes, and the death count is expected to fall—though ignoring a sign that reads “Do not jump; you will die” is still a fatal gamble.

3 Sapphires And Corruption And Dead Lawyers, Oh My

Everyone loves a good shaggy‑dog tale, and Laos provides one involving sapphires, corruption, and murder.

In the 1990s, an Australian SAS veteran, an American raconteur, and a crooked lawyer teamed up to launder roughly $20 million by purchasing Laotian sapphires.

The scheme unraveled when the lawyer was found dead in a Phnom Penh hotel, his laptop—containing access codes to millions of dollars—still intact. Who walked away with the loot remains a mystery.

The “Golden Triangle” is famed for heroin, but it also houses some of the world’s finest silversmiths and a relatively untapped supply of sapphires—for anyone brave enough to survive the trade.

2 The Plain Of Jars

Legend has it that the stone vessels scattered across Laos’s Plain of Jars were crafted to brew potent rice wine in celebration of mythical giants’ victories. Other tales claim they stored whiskey for a thirsty mountain giant, while some suggest they hold the ashes of ancient royalty.

What’s certain is that, 2,500 years ago, the civilization that built them adored massive jars—some standing three meters tall and a meter wide—placing them across the fields.

Many of the sites overlap with former bomb zones, rendering them inaccessible. The true purpose remains a mystery, leaving only tantalizing clues for modern explorers.

1 Corruption Is De Rigueur

In September 2014, Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong signed Decree No. 327, criminalizing any online criticism of the government or ruling communist party and imposing penalties on violators.

Consequently, exposing everyday corruption is now illegal. If a relative is detained by corrupt officers, speaking out could land you in trouble.

Phout Mitane, a 26‑year‑old from Nabouam village, photographed police seizing her brother’s truck on dubious documentation charges. When the images surfaced on Facebook, she was taken into custody without formal arrest.

Laos’s laws forbid disseminating content that encourages terrorism, social disorder, or “divides the solidarity among ethnic groups and between countries.” In plain language: the state is aware of corruption but doesn’t want citizens to act on it.

When you think of slapstick comedy, the Three Stooges instantly spring to mind, but behind the laughter lie some truly tragic facts that shaped their legacy.

Tragic Facts That Shaped Their Legacy

The Three Stooges were one of the most notorious and popular comedy acts of the 20th century. Known primarily for their slapstick style of humor, much has been forgotten about their contribution to society during the USA’s darkest times. The following ten facts not only focus on this historical aspect but also the trials and tribulations these men endured in their professional and personal lives.

10 The Great Depression

The Three Stooges rose to fame during the Great Depression, one of the bleakest periods in American history. While the nation sank deeper into despair, the trio forced a smile on a hopeless public with their dim‑witted antics, relatable every‑man personas, and stubborn refusal to surrender to economic hardship.

Anti‑aristocracy and anti‑wealth themes ran through their routines, echoing the Depression‑era appetite for poking fun at the rich. Instead of glamorizing lavish lifestyles, the Stooges mocked the elite, often pelting them with pies and turning them into laughingstocks.

These jabs at high society gave down‑hearted Americans a much‑needed morale boost, proving that a good laugh could be a powerful antidote to misery.

9 Stolen Profits

Joe “Curly Joe” DeRita, the last surviving Stooge, joined the trio in 1958 and stayed for more than a decade. When an ailing DeRita lay on his deathbed in 1993, his share of the merchandising profits he had been receiving for over 25 years suddenly vanished.

DeRita’s wife, Jean, and Larry Fine’s granddaughter filed a lawsuit against Moe’s daughter and grandson, alleging that Moe’s heirs had cheated them out of $5 million. The families entered a bitter, very public feud, seeking a court injunction to freeze all funds until the missing profits were accounted for.

Adding a Hollywood‑soap‑opera twist, Bela Lugosi Jr., son of the famed vampire, represented DeRita and the Fine family. Ultimately, Moe’s grandson and daughter were found guilty of breach of contract and ordered to pay $2.6 million.

8 Unceremonious Exit

In December 1957, the Stooges were blindsided when Columbia Pictures terminated their contract after 24 years of low‑budget shorts that generated millions for the studio. There was no farewell, no thank‑you—just a cold dismissal.

Weeks later, Moe arrived at the studio hoping to say goodbye to several executives, only to be turned away by a security guard because he lacked a current studio pass.

At the time of their exit, Columbia had enough completed shorts on the shelf to keep releasing new material for another 18 months.

7 Manipulation And Greed

Harry Cohn, the president and chief of production at Columbia, once quipped that running the studio was “better than being a pimp.” While he transformed Columbia into a Hollywood powerhouse, Cohn earned a reputation as a combative, terror‑inducing boss.

Even after Curly suffered multiple strokes, Cohn forced the ailing comic to keep working, showing little regard for his health. Cohn also kept the Stooges underpaid throughout their careers, and when their shorts found a new life on television, he left them “out in the cold,” pocketing millions while the trio earned nothing.

6 Unnecessary Violence

Although the Stooges are forever linked to slapstick humor, few know the genuine violence that unfolded on set. Director Jules White dictated a “violence quota” for each two‑reeler, demanding grotesque and overly cruel gags.

He routinely incorporated mallets, scissors, and saws into scenes, leading to sprained ankles, fractured ribs, broken bones, and cracked teeth. Moe Howard even broke his nose during a take—injuries were a regular part of filming.

5 Hitler vs. The Stooges

In the 1930s, Adolf Hitler’s front men wielded influence over Hollywood executives, prompting censorship of any anti‑Nazi material. Defying the nation’s neutrality policy, the Stooges and Columbia Pictures slipped a daring satire into a short film because shorts weren’t regulated as tightly as features.

The result was “You Nazty Spy,” a bold lampoon that mocked Hitler, highlighted book burnings, Nazi leadership, and concentration camps. The trio reportedly landed on Hitler’s kill list alongside Charlie Chaplin and Jack Benny.

4 Food, Booze, And Women

Curly, the most popular Stooge, wore his heart on his sleeve and was generous to a fault. He drank heavily, splurging on wine, cars, dogs, and houses.

His greatest weakness was women. Insecure and prone to being taken advantage of, Curly’s early marriage was annulled, and he entered a series of tumultuous unions marked by binge drinking and overeating.

In 1945 he married Marion Buxbaum, a divorced blonde with a ten‑year‑old son. The marriage was stormy; Curly showered her with jewelry and fur coats in a futile attempt to keep her happy. They divorced nine months later amid a very public, bitter legal battle.

Shortly after, Curly’s health rapidly declined. Obesity, hypertension, retinal hemorrhages, and ultimately a stroke took their toll.

3 Larry Fine

Many would be surprised to learn that Larry Fine was a classically trained violinist and pianist. He also wrestled a serious gambling addiction and reckless spending habits that nearly drove him to bankruptcy after Columbia fired him in 1957.

Personal tragedy plagued Larry’s life. As a child he endured acidic burns to his arm, causing muscle damage and frequent hospital stays. In November 1961 his 24‑year‑old son, Johnny, died in a car accident.

His deepest sorrow arrived six years later when his beloved wife, Mabel, died unexpectedly of a heart attack while the Stooges were on tour. Three years after that, Larry suffered a massive stroke, ending his career and confining him to a wheelchair in a nursing home where he passed away in 1975.

2 The Murder Of The Stooges’ Founder

Ted Healy, the founder of the Three Stooges and a key figure in 1920s‑30s comedy, was known for his brilliant improv skills and a volatile Jekyll‑and‑Hyde personality.

On the night of December 20, 1937, Healy staggered into Hollywood’s Trocadero nightclub, where he encountered actor Wallace Beery and mobster Pat DiCicco, a top henchman for Lucky Luciano. After a heated exchange, the three men left the club and headed to the parking lot, where Healy was savagely beaten.

Half‑conscious, Healy called Shemp to recount the assault. He soon fell into a coma and died the following day. The police investigation was quickly quashed, and rumors suggest studio mogul Louis B. Mayer covered up the murder to protect Beery.

1 Curly’s Last Years

Curly’s final chapter was the most tragic of all. Betrayed by loved ones and driven to binge‑drink to mask his pain, he endured a series of strokes that left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair.

At 47, Curly was placed in a nursing home because his family could no longer care for him. His mental decline made him problematic for staff, and doctors advised committing him to a mental hospital.

Moe Howard fiercely opposed the recommendation, instead sending Curly to the Baldy View Sanitarium in San Gabriel, California. There, Curly died bedridden and alone in January 1952 at the age of 48.