Our ancestors did some strange things out of boredom that we today would have trouble getting our heads around. Once upon a time, people burned cats for fun and thought competitive walking was the height of entertainment. No matter how hard we try, we may never be as crazy as our grandparents.

10Cat Burning

In today’s world, the killing of some animals is met with immediate outrage. In 17th-century France, cat burning was a form of entertainment.

Every year, Parisians gathered during midsummer bonfire in Place de Greve to play, dance, and sing. To make the gathering more interesting, the crowd gathered live cats into sacks, hung them over the fire from a mast, and watched them die slowly. The cats were chosen for their supposed link to the devil and witches. Sometimes, a fox was thrown into the fire. While the poor animals shrieked and cried, the people partied.

French kings and other important dignitaries were also known to take part in this sick fun. Sometimes, they got the honor of lighting the bonfire. Similar midsummer bonfire rituals took place in other parts of France and Europe. After the burning, people took the ashes home because they believed it brought good luck.

9Incubated Babies Fairs

Before the 20th century, premature babies had very little chance of survival. That was set to change when Dr. Martin Corney invented his incubator, but not many people trusted the machine. Hospitals rejected it, and investors were not forthcoming. To prevent the death of his invention and convince skeptics, Couney came up with a very strange and crazy solution. He built an exhibit in which premature babies will be put on display at fairs and parks. The first exhibit, or “child hatchery,” opened in Berlin in 1896. He soon moved to the US, where he opened an exhibit on Coney Island.

Couney’s exhibit looked like a normal hospital. He placed babies in wards and employed doctors and nurses to look after them. The only difference was that one side of the ward was glass, and people watched through it.

The exhibit was very successful. Parents brought their premature babies to Couney and did not have to pay for medical care. The customers were charged up to 25 cents for the show, and the money collected paid for all expenses. Most of the premature children on display survived. By the time incubated babies fairs ended four decades later, Couney had managed to convince everyone that his incubators were safe.

8Blackened Teeth

Today, we brush, floss, and even go the extra mile of whitening our teeth to give us that extra confidence when smiling. Back in 16th- and 17th-century England, however, a fad was born from the lack of dental hygiene.

At that time, sugar was very expensive because it was imported into the country. Therefore, only the upper class Elizabethans could afford it. Excessive use of the commodity rots the teeth. Elizabeth I lost many of her teeth because of her love for sweets, and people could hardly understand her when she spoke. The few remaining teeth in her mouth were black and decayed.

People began seeing black teeth as a status symbol. People whose teeth were not black enough applied cosmetics and used coals to blacken them.

Incidentally, despite the lack of care for dental hygiene, Elizabethans did everything they could to prevent bad breath. This was perhaps because people believed the plague could be contacted from the bad breath of those around them. They used vinegar, anise seeds, and other similar herbs to clear their mouth of bad odor.

7Pedestrianism

In the 19th century, competitive walking was the most popular spectator sport in America. The sport, known as pedestrianism, was born out boredom by the people who migrated to the cities after the Civil War and needed a new form of entertainment. In filled arenas, competitors walked around tracks almost nonstop from Mondays to Saturdays in front of spectators. (Sundays were excluded because public amusement was not allowed on that day.) The competitors walked to see who could cover the most distance during the race’s duration. Some of these competitors would reportedly walk up to 160 kilometers (100 mi) in 24 hours.

The sport was so popular that celebrities were known to visit arenas during the event. Future president Chester Arthur was a regular spectator at the arena. As in modern sports, there were rivalries among the stars, who earned a fortune from the prize money and sponsorship deals. There were scandals over fixing games and over drugs.

Pedestrianism was eventually replaced by competitive cycling after the invention of the safety bicycle by John Starley in 1885.

6The Alexandra Limp

From the moment she got married to the Prince of Wales, Princess Alexandra of Denmark was beloved by the British public. She was the 19th-century version of Princess Diana. Aside from her good looks and lively nature, Alexandra’s love for charity also endeared her to the public.She was so adored that people copied her every move and style.

After the birth of her third child in 1867, Alexandra contacted rheumatic fever, which left her with a limp. This gave birth to the Alexandra Limp, a fad in which women in London and Edinburgh started limping intentionally. To make the limp more realistic, women bought mismatched shoes. Subsequently, shoemakers began making uneven shoes intentionally. The fad got to the point where walking canes became one of the most sought after accessories of able-bodied females.

The Alexandra Limp was criticized by prominent newspapers of the day, many of which saw it as an act of mockery against the princess. Thankfully, it did not take too long before the fad faded.

5Headless Portraits

A lot of bizarre trends emerged after the invention of photography. The most famous of these trends was post-mortem photography, which showed us how death-obsessed the Victorians were due to the high mortality rate back then. However, that wasn’t the only morbid photography trend that was popular at that time. In 1853, a prominent photographer named Oscar Rejlander started an equally disturbing trend known as “Headless Portraits.”

Oscar, sometimes considered the father of art photography, combined negatives and formed pictures of living people beside their own decapitated heads. Soon, there was a huge demand for these photographs, and several photographers adopted the technique.

People took pictures in which their heads were everywhere but on their neck. They held their decapitated heads tucked under their arms, some placed theirs on a platter, while others even dangled it from their own hands with a knife on the other hand. No one was left out of this bizarre fun, as even children were known to take headless portraits.

4Fasting Girls

Anorexia nervosa is an emotional disorder involving the desire to lose weight by refusing to eat. The disorder is prevalent common among teenage girls and young women. Though this was thought to be a recent problem, it has been around for centuries. The most famous cases of anorexia nervosa can be found in the late 19th century, when a group of girls known as “fasting girls,” claimed to be able to survive without eating anything over a long period of time.

These girls were known as having anorexia mirabilis, a miraculous lack of appetite. Their ability to survive without food was seen as a miracle, and they became celebrities. People from different part of the world came to them bearing gifts and offerings to find the favor of God.

3Tear Catching

No one knows how and when tear catching began, but the first documented reference of the practice can be found in the Bible. The practice was also quite popular during the Roman period. Back then, mourners filled small glass bottles with their tears, and these bottles, known as lachrymatory bottles or tear catchers, were left in the burial tomb as a symbol of respect. In some cases, women were paid to cry into the bottles during procession. This was done to get as many full bottles as possible since a person’s value was measured by the tears produced during their funeral.

The practice was revived during the Victorian era. Mourners cried into vials equipped with special stoppers that aided evaporation. Once the tears evaporated, the mourning period was over. On the other side of the world, in Civil War America, Women wept in tear vials and waited till their husbands came back from war to show them how much they have been missed. The more the tears in the vial, the more she had missed her husband.

2Ant Farms

Moving now to the more recent past, the ant farm was a popular toy created by Milton Levine in the 1950s. The idea came from an army of ants he saw at a picnic during a Fourth of July celebration. Milton found ants captivating and thought that if he put them in transparent plastic designed to look like a farm scene, people would enjoy observing them. He named the product “Uncle Milton’s Ant Farm.” After advertising the $1.98 product in newspapers, ant farms became an instant hit, and Milton received thousands of orders from people around the country.

The ants Milton used in his product were gathered by ant rustlers, who were paid a penny for each one. To purchase an ant farm, a customer had to first buy the farm before ordering for his ants, which would be delivered in vials within a day. An instructional manual, special sand, and a liquid dropper were also included in the product.

In 2011, Milton Levine died at the age of 97, having sold more than 20 million ant farms during his lifetime.

1Uranium Sitting

In 1953, a bizarre fad known as uranium sitting was born on a Texas dairy farm. The fad began after the owner, Jesse Reese, claimed his wounded leg healed because he buried it in the soil of his farm, where a group of scientists had recently found traces of uranium. Believing the radioactive soil had healing properties, people with all sorts of ailment ranging from the cold to cancer came to him for help. He soon sold his cows and turned his farm into a “uranium dirt house.” To get better, the customers buried their sick body parts under the soil.

Several uranium dirt houses cropped up in other parts of the state. They charged up to $20 for the service and added trailer camps and landing strips to their place of business to accommodate the increasing crowd. Although they did not know the effect of uranium sitting, medical experts spoke against it and refused to approve the practice.

In 1955, R.E. Hight and his business partner, Walter Miller, opened a uranium dirt house in Corydon, having leased 1.5 tons of radioactive soil from Jesse. Despite the promises of healing, they made customers sign a waiver stating that no miracle was expected from the sitting. Barely months after their business took off, a newspaper published an article stating the sand used in Corydon was not radioactive at all. Hight and Miller hired a geological engineer to examine the soil. The engineer discovered that the soil contained hardly any radioactive particles . Consequently, people began to doubt the healing power of the sand, and the fad died.

Originally settled by ancient Phoenicians, Spain features old-world cities, Mediterranean beaches, and its own unique culture. It’s a sizable country comprising almost 506,000 square kilometers including the Canary Islands and its territories along the coast of North Africa. To help travelers learn more about Europe’s fourth largest nation, once the royal residence of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, here are 23 fun facts about Spain.

23 Fun Facts About Spain

1. An Assortment Of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

There are now 49 UNESCO World Heritage Sites here. The Alhambra, a massive fortress complex in Granada that was constructed in the 13th century by the Moorish rulers of Andalusi, is among the most well-known ones. Another well-known location with a view of the Tagus River is the Historic City of Toledo. It was a significant city in the Middle Ages and is famous for its medieval architecture, winding streets, and breathtaking views. Garajonay National Park, Santa Maria de Guadalupe’s Royal Monastery, the Camino de Santiago, and Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia are just a few additional places to visit. 

2. Spain Hosts The World’s Largest Food Fight

On the final Wednesday of August each year, the town of Buol hosts the La Tomatina festival. It is an hour-long festival where people toss ripe tomatoes at one another. Every year, thousands of people travel from all over the world to attend this festival, which turns the streets of Buol into a sea of tomato juice and pulp. It may have begun as an unplanned food fight between friends in the middle of the 20th century, but its origin is unknown. Outlawed in the 1950s, but it has since gained popularity and received approval from the Buol town council. 

3. Spanish Is The Second-Most Spoken Native Tongue

The second-most widely spoken native language in the world is Spanish, which is another fascinating fact about Spain. When the Roman Empire began colonizing the Iberian Peninsula in 218 B.C., its soldiers and settlers spoke a language called Vulgar Latin, from which Spanish eventually developed. Various regional dialects of Spanish have emerged over time, including Castilian, Andalusian, Catalan in Catalonia, Basque in the Basque Country, and Galician. 

Spanish is the official language of Spain and is widely spoken throughout Latin America. It’s also referred to as Castilian. The Philippines and Equatorial Guinea both have Spanish as their official languages. 

4. The First Modern Novel: Don Quixote

The book Don Quixote by Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes is considered to be the first modern novel ever written. First published in 1605, it’s a significant work of Western literature that influenced authors such as Mark Twain and Alexandre Dumas. The La Mancha region, where Don Quixote is from, is one of many locations throughout Spain where the novel is set. Bullfighting, flamenco music, bullfighting, and typical Spanish cuisine are some of the aspects of Spanish culture present. Don Quixote has had a profound influence on Spain’s culture and is a key part of the nation’s literary heritage.

5. Exceptional Olive Oil

Olive oil is a traditional ingredient and one of the planet’s healthiest oils thanks to its abundance of omega-3 fatty acids. Spain produces over 40 percent of the world’s olive oil. It’s the largest producer in the world. It’s valued for its high quality and is an ingredient of numerous traditional Spanish dishes like gazpacho, and tortilla espanola.  

Olive oil is used in cosmetics and other goods too. Strict regulations are applied during production. The production and labeling of olive oil are governed by the Denomination of Origin system. This system guarantees that olive oil bearing a particular label is produced in a particular area and adheres to certain quality requirements. 

6. The Birthplace Of Flamenco

An exceptional example of Spain’s artistic heritage is flamenco dance. Flamenco was first performed in private venues like family gatherings, cafes, and taverns in the late 1700s among poor and marginalized communities in Andalusia, particularly in Seville, Jerez de la Frontera, and Cádiz. Flamenco is a form of Spanish music that is accompanied by guitar, singing, and rhythmic clapping. It’s now practiced and studied all over the world. Flamenco was officially recognized as a component of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2010. 

7. Spain’s Home To The Earth’s Oldest Eatery

The oldest restaurant still in business is Sobrino de Botn, which is nestled in Madrid in a historic building in the center of Old Town. It was established in 1725 and is renowned for its authentic Spanish dishes, such as roast suckling pig and lamb, as well as seafood. The eatery has a lengthy and illustrious past, having hosted numerous notable individuals over the years, including writer Ernest Hemingway and artist Francisco de Goya. It has kept many of its original features, including a 17th-century oven that’s still used to cook its roast meats and its 1590-year-old cellar. 

8. Spain Has The Highest Number Of Bars In The Entire European Union

Spain has the most bars of any country in Europe, so it’s difficult to go without drinking there. It is a known fact that Spaniards enjoy drinking. (Hey, who doesn’t?)  

Spain has a seemingly endless number of bars and pubs, from clubs to tapas bars, that are an integral part of its thriving social scene. Travelers will be able to find bars open both day and night in many of Spain’s major cities. Around 270,000 bars are thought to exist in Spain, which equates to about one bar for every 175 people.

9. The Spanish National Anthem Is An Instrumental

The Marcha Real, Spain’s national anthem, is distinctive in that it is an instrumental and lacks any official lyrics. Although it wasn’t formally acknowledged until 1997, the anthem has been in use since the 18th century and was made the official national anthem of Spain in 1931. One of only four nations whose national anthems lack official lyrics is Spain. The absence of lyrics in the national anthem has been criticized over the years, but it has also been viewed as a symbol of the country’s unity because it represents all of Spain without favoring any one region or language. 

10. The Infamous Spanish Civil War

The Spanish Civil War, which lasted from 1936 to 1939, was fought between the Nationalists, a confederation of fascist groups led by General Francisco Franco, and the Spanish Republic, which was backed by left-leaning organizations. After the Nationalist side won the war in 1939, Franco remained in charge of the Spanish state until his passing in 1975. Significant political and social changes occurred in Spain as a result of the war, which had a profound effect on both Spain and the rest of the world. It is regarded as a pivotal moment in 20th-century history and a catalyst for World War II. 

11. Spain Still Has A Royal Family

Spain is a monarchy. The current ruling monarchy in Spain is the Spanish Royal Family. King Felipe VI, who took the throne in June 2014 after his father, King Juan Carlos I, abdicated, is the reigning monarch at the moment. With a history that stretches back to the Middle Ages, the Spanish Royal Family has had a significant impact on the country’s history and culture. It has a long and illustrious history that is intricately entwined with the nation’s cultural and political identity, and it continues to be a widely admired and respected institution in Spain today.

12. Spain Has An Assortment Of Islands

Spain actually ranks among the nations in Europe with the most islands. There are more than 60 inhabited islands, and the total number of islands, including uninhabited ones, is thought to be more than 1,000. The Balearic Islands, which are comprised of Mallorca, Ibiza, Formenta, and Menorca, are situated in the Mediterranean Sea and are the most well-known Spanish islands. 

Off the northwest coast of Africa, Spain also has the Canary Islands, which include Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Tenerife, among others. Other islands, including Alboran Island, the Chafarinas Islands, the Ebro Delta Islands, and the Columbretes Islands, are Spanish territory. 

13. Spain’s Beaches Can Be Clothing Optional

Topless sunbathers are frequently spotted on beaches and in public pools, especially in tourist areas, as Spain is known for its lax attitude toward nudity. Numerous nudist clubs and resorts can be found all over the country, and clothing-optional beaches are also quite common. It’s crucial to be aware that in Spain, it is illegal to undress in public places like public streets and city squares. Always observe local laws and customs, only engage in nudity in private places and specifically designated areas, and be aware of cultural attitudes toward nudity. 

14. Spain Is The Birthplace Of Picasso

Spain has quite a long history of producing great artists and serving as a hub for great art in Europe. However, Pablo Picasso, who was born in Malaga, Andalusia, in 1881, might be its most well-known artist. He is renowned for having revolutionized the art world, and the most prestigious museums in the world continue to collect and exhibit his work. When one of Picasso’s works sold for $179.4 million in 2015, it broke the previous auction record.

15. Spain Doesn’t Have The Tooth Fairy

No Tooth Fairy here! In Spain, the Tooth Mouse, a.k.a. Ratoncito Perez, collects children’s missing teeth in Spain and leaves a coin or other token of appreciation in return. The local folk tale notes that he brings the teeth back to his mousehole to construct his castle. 

The custom, which has since become a beloved aspect of Spanish culture, is thought to have started in Spain in the late 19th century. Parents occasionally stage elaborate Tooth Mouse visits with props and costumes to make the experience even more magical for their kids. Children frequently make special Tooth Mouse boxes or leave notes for the Tooth Mouse. 

16. Spaniards Run With The Bulls

The widely publicized running of the bulls competitions and Spain’s highly controversial bullfighting tradition have made the bull a revered animal in that country, despite the fact that it is tortured in the ring. Today, animal rights activists are actively protesting it and calling for bullfighting and the like to be abolished. Nevertheless, Despite the injuries and occasional fatalities that result from the Pamplona running of the bulls, the event attracts up to 20,000 participants every year. Bull running and fighting is a Spanish tradition that dates back to the 14th century. 

17. Most Citizens Are Roman Catholic

Roman Catholicism is the most commonly practiced religion among Spaniards. This wasn’t always the case, though. The majority of Spain was ruled by North African Muslims, a.k.a. Moors, for over five centuries up until 1492. 

The country’s art, architecture, and very language have all been influenced by the Moors in a number of different ways. Spain has a long and rich history that has been shaped over the ages by a wide variety of religions and cultures. The history of Spain is a fascinating tapestry of various cultures, spanning the Romans, Visigoths, Moors, and beyond. 

18. Spain Has A Big Lottery

This fun fact about Spain is perfect for sharing with others around Christmas time. Indeed, the largest lottery in the world in terms of total prize money is the Spanish Christmas lottery, which is played every year on December 22. The payout was reported to be 2.5 billion dollars in 2022. There are many other smaller prizes available in addition to the top prize, also known as “El Gordo” (in English, the fat one), which is typically worth several million euros. More than 13,000 winning combinations have been found in the Spanish Christmas Lottery, meaning that a sizable number of ticket buyers actually win a prize.

19. The Tower Of Hercules Is Here

The Tower of Hercules is one of Spain’s most recognizable landmarks. Indeed, Spain is known for its rich history of engineering and architecture. The lighthouse is located in Coruna, a city in Galicia, and it was built in the second century AD. With a height of almost 57 meters, it is also the second-tallest lighthouse in Spain. The Tower of Hercules, which was constructed with the inventiveness and skill of the Roman engineers of the time, is still a source of pride for the Spanish people. 

20. Getting Hitched In Spain

It’s true that Spaniards have a propensity to view marriage as a serious commitment, and as a result, many are hesitant to enter into a marriage. Spain, with the exception of Sweden, has the lowest marriage rate in the EU. Unfortunately, after their weddings, couples aren’t always inclined to stay together. Spain now has a divorce rate of about 57 percent, which is higher than the U.S., where the rate has dropped to 44 percent. It’s important to keep in mind that divorce has many different causes and is frequently complicated, making it challenging to come to any firm conclusions about why divorce rates in Spain are higher than those in other nations. 

21. Spaniards Live Longer

The Mediterranean diet, which is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and olive oil, is the foundation of Spain’s balanced, healthy diet. Numerous health advantages of this diet have been linked to it, including a decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. According to the Bloomberg Healthiest Country Index, Spain is the world’s healthiest nation. The Mediterranean diet is renowned for its mouthwatering and varied flavors in addition to its many health advantages. Spain has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world, at 82 years. According to predictions, Spain’s citizenry will be the oldest in the world by 2050. 

22. Spain’s Big Beach Culture

More than 8,000 beaches can be found along Spain’s more than 4,828 kilometers of coastline. The beaches of Spain are renowned for their beauty and welcoming environment for visitors. Bogatell in Barcelona, Platja de Ses Illetes on Formentera, Ses Salines in Iberia, and East Side Beaches in Marbella are a few of Spain’s most well-known beaches. These beaches are just a few of the stunning shorelines Spain has to offer. Tourists from all over the world frequent Spain’s beaches, which provide a variety of activities like swimming, tanning, surfing, and more. There are options for everyone with so many from which to choose! 

23. Spain’s Energy Source Blows

Spain is a great place to produce solar energy because of how much sun it gets. However, the nation has concentrated on wind energy and has risen to become the fifth-largest wind energy producer in the world, after China, the United States, Germany, and India. Spain is a fascinating place to visit because of its rich culture and history, which was influenced by civilizations like the Romans, the Moors, and the Visigoths. Essentially, Spain offers something for everyone, from the sun-kissed beaches of the Mediterranean to the snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees. Spain is a distinctive and fascinating nation with a lot to offer tourists and history and culture buffs.

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The Mandalorian was touted as the flagship show of Disney+ since its announcement in early 2019, and over the course of its first two seasons it has been an unmitigated success. Combining elements of the old with elements of the new, the show is nostalgic yet forward-looking and proved to be a hit with both long-time fans as well as people making their first venture into the Star Wars universe.

But as with any show set in an already established universe, there is a plethora of hidden facts and easily overlooked details to be discovered! She here are the top 10 fun facts and Easter eggs from Star Wars: The Mandalorian!

Top 10 ‘Star Wars’ Background Characters You Never Even Noticed

10 The Mos Eisley bar is still as unwelcoming as ever

One of the most iconic scenes from the original Star Wars movie was Luke Skywalker’s visit to the bustling cantina populated by aliens of all shapes, sizes and descriptions. Upon entering the bar, gruff barman Wuher bellows out “we don’t serve their kind here” referring to Luke’s golden droid companion C-3PO. Well it seems that in the years since Skywalker’s visit the cantina has relaxed its anti-droid policy and now not only are robotic patrons allowed but they’re also working behind the bar! This really is inclusivity at its very best! However while Wuher might not be manning the blue milk pumps, in Chapter 5: The Gunslinger, Mando finds that his gruff attitude still lives on, with the bartender droids being just as curt as their more organic predecessor! It just goes to show that even in the furthest of the Outer Rim of the galaxy they’re not averse to change! Fun bonus fact – many of the shots of the Mando approaching and entering the cantina are faithfully replicated from the original movie, just to visually juxtapose how things have (or indeed haven’t) changed!

9 Sand People speak using sign language

In years gone by the Tusken Raiders have been portrayed as savages that roam the dunes of Tatooine, raiding, pillaging and destroying at will. They attacked Luke Skywalker while he was out looking for the wayward R2-D2, they shot at contestants during his intense Boonta Eve podrace and they even kidnapped, brutalised and killed Anakin Skywalker’s mother. But The Mandalorian went out of its way to portray these savages as more cultured and understanding beings that committed the heinous acts on order to protect their land. In both Chapter 5: The Gunslinger and Chapter 9: The Marshal, the Tusken Raiders are shown to communicate via sign language (after all – not many people can decipher their garbled roaring and screeching!) In order to develop and use an accurate sign language, real life deaf actor Troy Kotsur was hired to play a Tusken. Speaking about the role Kotsur said “I did research on the culture and environment of Tusken Raiders […] my goal was to avoid ASL (American Sign Language). I made sure it became Tusken Sign Language based on their culture and environment.

8 Imperials were based on Nazis

Star Wars has always drawn inspiration from real world history, but The Mandalorian draws from a pretty dark historical fact. In The Mandalorian Chapter 11: The Heiress, Mando and his crew capture an imperial captain who – instead of giving up information – decides to commit suicide via an electric shock component concealed in his mouth. Biting down on it he receives a fatal shock to his brain that instantly kills him and spares him from interrogation. This mirrors how high ranking members of the Nazi party used to conceal cyanide capsules in their mouths where, if captured by enemy forces, they could bite down on them and commit suicide rather than face questioning, imprisonment and possibly even the firing squad (which certainly is a much more grizzly way to go!)

7 IG-11’s sacrifice was not forgotten

The season 1 finale Chapter 8: Redemption saw assassin-turned-nanny-droid IG-11 sacrificing himself in order to protect little Grogu and save the day on the planet of Nevarro. Clearly his heroic last stand was greatly appreciated by the newly liberated residents of the planet, and when The Mando makes his mid-season 2 return the scene of the sacrifice, eagle eyed viewers might notice the residents of the city have erected a huge statue in honour of the sharp shooting hero droid. Its small details like this that create those strands that tie the two seasons together and ensure that all-important continuity that the star wars community loves.

6 Return of the ice cream maker

One of most famous bits of trivia amongst Star Wars fans is the appearance of an ice cream maker during the evacuation of Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back. Literally just an ice cream maker. That was the prop. One of the city’s residents is seen carrying the frozen treats maker through the corridors, and both the character (Wilrow Hood) AND the device itself have (known in-universe as a camtono) become cult favourites amongst die-hard fans. When it came time to make The Mandalorian, director Jon Favreau revisited the camtono and made it an important part of the story. In Chapter 1: The Mandalorian the reward for the capture and delivery of The Child is shown to be a camtono full of Beskar – the precious and durable metal used to forge Mandalorian armour. The inclusion of this ridiculous prop delighted fans, and further cemented its place in Star Wars history!

5 We finally meet a Krayt dragon

In the season 2 premier episode The Marshal, The Mandalorian has to defeat the deadly and monstrously huge Krayt dragon that is terrorising the residents of the small Tatooine town Mos Pelgo. In order to obtain the help of the titular Marshal, The Mando is roped into helping kill the beast. But this is not the first time we’ve seen the Krayt dragon! As well as appearing in multiple books and games that surround the saga, the monster (or rather the remains of the monster) can be seen as C-3PO traverses the sandy dunes of Tatooine in the original Star Wars movie. In fact in the very same film Obi-Wan Kenobi imitates the cry of the beast in order to scare away the skittish Tusken Raiders that have just attacked Luke. The Krayt dragon’s appearance in The Mandalorian however marks its first canonical appearance in all of its terrifying glory!

4 Jabba the hutt’s spirit lives on

The post-credits scene of Chaper 16: The Rescue sees Boba Fett return to the scene of his ‘death’: Tatooine. With a little help from sharp-shooter Fennec Shand he storms Jabba the Hutt’s palace and confronts the oversized alien sitting on the throne of the dearly departed slug-like crime lord. But who is the pretender, laying claim to the throne of one of the galaxy’s most infamous bad guys? It’s none other than Jabba’s ex-major-domo, Bib Fortuna! Fans presumed he perished when Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and the rest of the gang destroyed the sail barge in 1983s Return of the Jedi, but it seems that not only did he survive, but he laid claim to Jabba’s palace, keeping henchmen and slaves around him in the same way his ex-boss did. Luckily Boba ends his reign with fairly short shrift, and takes his place…for now!

3 Dark Troopers were once video game antagonists

Video games have always been an important part of the media surrounding Star Wars movies, with one of the most celebrated and enjoyed through the years being Dark Forces which was released in 1995. While the game has since become ‘legends’ (uncanonical Star Wars media), one of the antagonists found its way back into canon in The Mandalorian. The Dark Troopers were formidable opponents in the game, and in Chapter 16: The Rescue The Mando finds himself going toe-to-toe with one of these automated nightmares and barely beating it. It’s always great to see characters from legends media get reincorporated into canon, and the Dark Troopers are a welcome and terrifying addition to The Mandalorian.

2 Many directors made appearances

The Mandalorian had a whole host of directors contributing to the show, and many of the directors made sure they worked in an appearance. First off there is director Taika Waititi, who voices charismatic and inimitably blunt assassin droid IG-11 throughout the first season. Next up director and show runner John Favrau is the voice behind the burly Mandalorian warrior Paz Vizla in Chapter 3: The Sin. Skipping forward to Chapter 6: The Prisoner we find not 1 but 3 directors making an appearance: Dave Filoni, Rick Famuyiwa, and Deborah Chow can all be found as New Republic pilots sitting behind the yokes of X-Wings. And last but not least Greef Carga actor Carl Weathers directed Chapter 12: The Siege. Let’s be fair, if you were directing anything relating to Star Wars you’d definitely find a way to get yourself a role in that galaxy far, far away, right?!

1 There are breadcrumbs leading to the Sequel Trilogy

While raiding an Imperial facility during Chapter 12: The Siege, The Mando and his team stumble across something they didn’t expect – several vats containing shadowy human-like forms. The beings have clearly being manufactured, and if that wasn’t puzzling enough the ominous musical cue and short, snatched glimpses of one form in particular suggest that it is none other than future Supreme Leader of the First Order: Snoke. Questions as to why early forms of the (potential) Snoke clone are in an Imperial facility on a backwater planet like Nevarro remain unanswered, but these are tantalizing breadcrumbs that might eventually lead us to the formation of The First Order as seen in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy.

So there you have it – 10 fun facts and Easter eggs from The Mandalorian! Which was your favourite nugget of information? Did you spot anything that wasn’t included on this list? Let us know in the comments section!

10 Ideas George Lucas Wanted To See In The New ‘Star Wars’ Movies

About The Author: Hi, I’m Josh Gill, a freelance writer from South Yorkshire in the UK. I spent time studying music practice and theory at Barnsley College and Journalism and English literature and language at Coventry University before finding a role as a learning support assistant at a local school. So as you can see I’ve covered quite a few bases! Freelance writing aside, I’m a huge Star Wars and Disney fan who spends a lot of time playing music, reading, and filming for WanderWorks Vlogs; my daily vlog channel on YouTube.

Listed below are 15 fun facts about the human body.

15- I’m sorry, but your hair is dead

The hair is only alive while it is still inside the epidermis. In chemical terms, the hair is 50% made of carbon, 21% oxygen, 17% nitrogen, 6% hydrogen and 1% sulfur the adequate amount of heat to blood circulation and consequently hair growth. But hair air color influences the number of strands: Blonds are the ones with the most hair, while redheads are in the last position. Although dead, his hair is stiff: it contains information about everything that passed through his blood, including drugs. That is why it is used in anti-doping tests.

14- The fingernails grow faster than the toenails.

Nail growth varies according to age, sex, health and genetics. In fact, the fingernails grow faster than the toenails because our hands are physically closer to our heart. They end up receiving a better supply of oxygen and nutrients, transported through small capillaries located just below our nails. Regardless of the growth rate, the nails of the hands and feet have the same growth mechanism, being composed mainly of keratin, a substance also found in the skin and hair, as well as in the horns and hooves of animals.

13- The tongue is one of the strongest muscles in the body

Muscle size is not synonymous with strength, the human body has more than 600 muscles. The tongue is one of the strongest and most flexible muscles in the human body. It is also one of the regions of our body with the highest amount of microorganisms: 1 ml of saliva has about 1 million bacteria. If the language did not exist, we would not be able to speak, eat, swallow or even sing properly! The tongue helps to produce certain sounds, allows people to taste food and can give clues about people’s general health.

12- Déjà vu is real

Déjà vu has a supernatural reputation. But the feeling of having already experienced a situation of the present while it is occurring occurs when the brain sends signals to see if there was any type of “memory error”. In other words, the phenomenon is our brain checking if there was any inconsistency between what we really live and what we think we live. Have déjà-vu can be a good sign because it shows that the “memory check” system is working well and you are less likely to confuse past situations with present ones

11- Butterflies in the stomach

The stomach is stimulated by a nerve. Falling in love or being interested in someone awakens the pleasure system that causes responses in the body. The feeling of butterflies in your stomach is just a sign of bodily stress. Dopamine is the first neurotransmitter to manifest itself when you see someone attractive. The release of different hormones causes the heart rate to accelerate, the temperature of the face to rise and cause the color change in the cheeks. See also; 10 Misconceptions About Female Body.

10- Children have more bones in their bodies than adults

The bones fuse throughout human growth, and as a result, the skeleton of an adult human has 206 bones of varying shapes and sizes. In the baby’s skull, for example, we consider that there are six bones, which then fit together and become one. The vast majority of bones will only come together after the end of the growth phase. The femur, the thigh bone, is the longest in the human body and the strongest bone. Despite being hollow, it supports more weight than concrete. The smallest bone in the human body is the stirrup, one of the three bones we have in our ears.

9- You have 160 thousand km of blood vessels

The extent of the circulatory system is unbelievable. The blood vessels of an adult are more than 160 thousand kilometers long, this is enough to go around the land four times.
The aorta is considered the largest artery in the body, it leaves the heart, passes through the chest and goes towards the abdomen, where it divides to bring blood to the legs.On the other hand, capillaries are extremely small and are about 5 micrometers, although capillaries are the smallest blood tubes, they make up about 80% of this entire length.

8- You can identify the umami taste

Besides the four basic tastes we learned at school: sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Researchers recognized the umami flavor, which means delicious, as the fifth taste that can be distinguished by humans. An adult’s tongue has about 10,000 taste buds, which develop throughout life. Children have a natural preference for sweet because they have fewer taste buds than an adult, throughout life the palate changes with activation of the taste buds. So, when you grow up you no longer like the same foods you liked when you were a child

7- The brain is not able to feel pain

There are no pain sensors attached directly to the brain. But there are sensors in the membranes and skin that cover the skull and the brain. The pains we feel when we are hit or during a simple headache are emitted by these sensors. The mechanism of pain production in the body works through nociceptors, nerve endings that are pain receptors that are on the skin, joints and some internal organs. Its function is to detect physical, chemical or thermal variations that could destroy our tissues. The headache associated with a hangover is usually the result of dehydration caused by alcohol consumption, which causes pain in the blood vessels in the head

6- The skin is the largest organ in the human body

An adult human being carries about 3.6 kilos of skin, and in this phase the organ is approximately two square meters long. The skin is constantly renewed and serves as protection. The skin on the fingertips has a special mark: fingerprints, they are unique for each human being and help us to hold objects more easily. Patients with Nagali syndrome have no fingerprints. See also; 10 Useless Human Body Parts.

5- We are water

The body is made up of 70% water, which corresponds to half of our weight. In a newborn the number is even higher: 78%. Every part of the body has water, including our bones. Lungs and liver are the organs with the most water, even more than the blood itself. Water plays important roles in transporting nutrients and regulating body temperature. Despite this, our body is not able to store water, after consumption, water is distributed throughout our body. A glass of water takes about 30 to 60 minutes to travel all the way, some of it remains in the blood and then is disseminated to all organs and muscles.

4- You have 2 meters of DNA in each cell

The intensity of DNA compaction is extreme. So extreme that if all the pieces of DNA from each human chromosome were linked to each other from end to end and then stretched we would have 2 meters of genetic material. This quantity corresponds to the genetic material of a single cell. Another curious fact is that bonobo monkeys and humans share 98.7% of the same genetic map, the same percentage shared by humans with chimpanzees. Bonobos, chimpanzees and humans shared a single common ancestor about 6 million years ago, but that common ancestor remains unknown.

3- The heart beats, on average, 100 thousand times a day

An adult’s heart beats 60 to 100 times a minute. That is, there are about 100 thousand times a day, 35 million hits in one year and, at the age of 70, the heart will have beaten about 2.5 billion times;- and in children, this number is even higher. The heart has its own electrical system, which allows the organ to function outside the body, as long as you have an adequate supply of oxygen. The human heart is so strong that its contractions have enough pressure to squirt blood over a distance of almost 10 meters. See also 10 Shocking Things Found Inside Human Body.

2- The human eye can distinguish up to 10 million different colors

The retina has 120 million cells specialized in detecting colors and light intensities, which are the cones and rods. Color blindness is a disease in which the person has difficulty seeing colors like red or green. Besides it the images captured by the eyes are projected on the retina (bottom of the eye) upside down! However, the brain reverses them, so that we have the perception that they are in the normal position.

1- There are more bacteria in your mouth than people in the world

About 50 billion bacteria inhabit the mouth of every human being! These microorganisms live in a well-organized manner and not all of them are bad for your health. In fact, some are essential for maintaining good health. The role of bacteria in the environment also deserves mention: It is extremely important for the recycling of organic matter, that is, bacteria, together with fungi, carry out the decomposition process by transforming dead organic matter and returning it to the soil in the form of inorganic matter.

Source:

• Estructura y función del cuerpo humano : 15a ed.” / Gary A. Thibodeau, Kevin T. Patton.
• tuasaude.com