Welcome to Iowa…Or Is It Nebraska?
The weird story of Carter Lake, an Iowa city that’s actually in Nebraska.
Author: Uncle John
The Tragic Fencing Death of Vladimir Smirnov
If it seems like a sport that’s just two people sticking swords at each other could result in death…it absolutely could. And did.
Car Talk: Automobile Records and Firsts
What did the first police car look like? What about the first solar car? Learn about these and other automobile firsts in this article from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader History’s Lists.
The Tale of Polybius, the Deadly Arcade Game That Probably Doesn’t Exist
One of video gaming’s craziest and earliest urban legends.
7 Fun Facts About American Currency
Did you know, Just under half of all money in circulation are $1 bills? Here are other fun facts about the American currency.
6 Quick Facts About NFL’s First Female Coach: Jen Welter
Welter just made history: She’s the NFL’s first female coach. Here are some quick facts about her.
Ask Uncle John Anything: We’ve Got Crackers
Uncle John knows pretty much everything—and if he doesn’t, he heads his massive research library, or puts one of his many associates on the case. So go ahead: In the comments below, ask Uncle John anything. (And if we answer your question sometime, we’ll send you a free book!) How did oyster crackers get their […]
Meet Dr. Seuss
We are celebrating the release of the new Dr. Seuss book, What Pet Should I Get. It’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! gift-giving season again, so here’s a look at the former Theodor Seuss Geisel. He adopted “Seuss” as his writing name while attending Dartmouth College. The reason: He was caught with a half-pint of […]
3 Places With Bad Insect Problems
Looking to book a vacation? You may want to think twice about visiting these locales during certain times of the year.
The Week in Beer News
All the latest news about brews, brought to you by Uncle John’s Beer-Topia. Beerhemian Rhapsody There are lots of beers named after musicians (or brewed with the cooperation of musicians), including ones inspired by Motohead, Smash Mouth, Wilco, and Slayer. The classic rock band Queen is getting one, too. To celebrate the anniversary of “Bohemian […]
3 Interesting Celebrity Museums
You’ve been to Graceland and you’ve visited the Roy Rogers Museum, but you’re still hungry for a celebrity fix? Here are some other destinations for your next road trip. The Ernest Hemingway Museum House Location: Key West, Florida Features: Hemingway, his wife Pauline, and their two sons lived in this two-story Spanish Colonial-style home from […]
The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Hits Album
“Best of” albums were once a huge source of revenue for record labels, and a great way for music lovers to get an overview of a favorite band. Not so much anymore.
4 Major Sports Trophies, and the People They’re Named After
It’s a big deal for a basketball player to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy…but who’s Larry O’Brien anyway? The Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy The winning team of the NBA Finals receives this award, a two-foot-tall, 14.5-pound sterling silver basketball on a stand, covered in gold overlay. O’Brien was the NBA commissioner from 1975 to […]
6 Out Of This World Facts About Buzz Aldrin
46 years ago, Buzz Aldrin became the second person to ever set foot on the moon.
The Theme Park That Cocaine Built
Pablo Escobar was one of Colombia’s most notorious drug lords, and made enough money to build himself an elaborate estate. It’s an amusement park now.
12 Interesting Facts About Apples
Did you know most apple harvests are still picked by hand? Here are 12 other interesting facts about apples you may not know. 1. Some apple varieties are as small as cherries. Others are as large as grapefruits. 2. Maria Ann Sherwood Smith found the first Granny Smith apple growing in her Australian orchard in […]
From the High Desert, It’s Art Bell
Art Bell has been (mostly) off the air for over a decade but, in honor of his return to radio, here’s a quick look at his bizarre career.
6 More Weird July Holidays You Ought to Celebrate
If you’re not still too tired from the Fourth of July and Canada Day, there’s always… July 20: Moon Day This one isn’t such a weird holiday: It honors what is perhaps humanity’s greatest achievement: traveling to the moon and back. It was on this day in 1969 that the “Eagle” Lunar Module touched down […]
