If anyone tells you they know everything, they’re bluffing. The world is filled with millions and millions of random facts, and even the smartest people have things that go over their heads.
And yet, even though none of us are perfect, we still can’t help but feel silly when we realize that we didn’t know a basic fact about the universe that apparently everyone else knows.
These people on Twitter felt exactly the same when they announced that they were “today years old” after discovering these facts.
Have fun scrolling through them, and don’t be shocked if there are some interesting things here you didn’t know as well!
Pew Pew!
The Apple universe truly goes by its own set of rules and regulations. The more you learn about it, the more incredible and weird it gets—and Twitter user Jen most recently learned that as well.
She became “today year’s old” when she learned that two iPhone carriers can send each other lasers simply by typing the words “pew pew”. No, we aren’t joking, this is a real thing. We aren’t promoting iPhones or anything, but maybe it’s time we converted back to Apple.
Tasty Sponge
Prepare to be flabbergasted, because we’d be surprised if you already knew this. When you want to clean your bathroom, one of the most popular items to use is a loofah. Up until now, we thought that a loofah was simply a fancy kind of sponge. Oh, how wrong we were…
Well, it certainly is a fancy kind of sponge, but it’s also so much more. As Twitter user Grace was surprised to find out, loofahs are actually fruits. That just seems like a waste of fruit…
Chuck E. Cheese’s Middle Name
We’ve all celebrated a pizza birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese at least once in our lives. The furry little mascot in the logo, the delicious pepperoni pizza, the endless arcade games—you really can’t go wrong. But have you ever wondered what the “E” in his name stands for?
According to a Twitter user who goes by the name of Content Provider, the “E” in Chuck E Cheese actually stands for “entertainment”! Umm, what? Our childhood memories will officially never be the same.
Getting Divided
Some of the most basic math symbols are a lot more straightforward than you may realize. Twitter user Abdul shared his shock when he realized that the division symbol is simply “a blank fraction with dots replacing the numerator and denominator.”
You might say that this was completely obvious, and perhaps you’re right. But there are countless “obvious” things in the world that often stare us right in the face, and we don’t even realize that they’re there. So we’ve got your back, Abdul!
Hakuna Matata!
The most you look at the movies in pop culture, the more you realize how much they’re based on the most ancient of stories. Disney films in particular have a tendency to borrow from past tales—including The Lion King.
For those who don’t know, The Lion King is pretty strongly based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet. When Twitter user Tasha found this out, she told the world that she would “never be the same”. We’d have to admit that we’re in the same boat as her.
A Stapling Discovery
Some of the best logos are so captivating that we don’t even realize what they’re showing us right in front of our eyes. The iconic Staples logo had that effect on Twitter user AlvPerg, who was “today year’s old” when he realized that the “L” in the logo was the shape of an actual staple.
Can you see it now? If this wasn’t something you noticed before, we wouldn’t be surprised if your mind is now blown as a result. Ours’ sure was.
Oh, Thank Heaven
The chances that you’ve once wandered into a 7-Eleven for a late-night snack or a quick pick-me-up are pretty high. But the chances that you’ve pondered over why the logo looks the way it does are much slimmer.
It turns out that there are multiple theories to explain why the “n” is infuriatingly lowercase. Multiple sources have reported that the wife of the retailer’s former president Joe C. Thompson once thought a capitalised “N” was “too harsh”.
Foreign Exchange Student
If you’ve ever watched That 70s Show, you probably know Fes, one of the main members of their gang played by actor Wilmer Valderrama. What you may not know, however, is the actual reason his name is Fes.
Twitter user Brianna Bowers didn’t know the reason either, until one day when she realized that Fes actually stands for “Foreign Exchange Student”.
This certainly adds to his mystique, since they never really did reveal where he was from. Eric, Hyde, Kelso, and the gang were really just having a laugh, after all!
The Club Sandwich
This fun fact has to do with the naming of a certain sandwich—the club sandwich, to be exact. Maybe you’re one of those food aficionados who already knows the reason, and if so, we urge you to be patient with the rest of us who thought it just had a nice ring to it.
However, it was Maddie Rose on Twitter who announced that she was “today year’s old” when she learned that the letters in “club” actually stand for “Chicken Lettuce Under Bacon”. She was extremely shell-shocked, and if you didn’t already know this fact, we’d be surprised if you weren’t as well!
American Dad
American Gothic is one of those classic paintings you don’t forget in a hurry. Created by Grant Wood back in 1930, to this day it’s considered one of the most well-known paintings of the 20th century. But just because people know of the painting doesn’t mean they know everything about it.
For instance, one Twitter user recently learned that the painting shows a farmer and his daughter, not his wife. If we’re being completely frank, we also thought she was his wife, and now we’re left just as flabbergasted as the Twitter user.
Yellow Watermelons
Even though there are famous fruits such as apples, oranges, mangos, and bananas, there are also some strange ones that fewer people know about. For example, there’s such thing as a yellow watermelon, and it’s delicious.
A Twitter user named Spice Lowery had no idea that anything remotely resembling a yellow watermelon existed, and when he found out, he was sure to let the world know about it. If he thinks that’s exciting, we’d love to see his face when he tastes it…
Et Tu, Brutus?
Foreign languages are embedded into our daily lives a lot more than we often realize. Take the Latin word “Et” for example, which means the word “and” in English. It was Sarah Pappalardo who revealed to the Twitter world that an ampersand symbol is actually just a ligature of the word “et”. Nifty, eh?
If you already knew this fact, take our word that we’re extremely impressed with you. If not, then you were probably just as shocked as the rest of us!
You’re a Dime
If you’ve spent any time at all in the dating scene, you might’ve heard someone being called a “dime”. Maybe you knew what it meant and maybe you didn’t, but Iman from Twitter only just found out.
She recently posted on Twitter that she was “today year’s old” when she learned that calling someone a “dime” meant you were essentially calling them a “ten”. If you get called a dime, it’s apparently one of the greatest forms of flattery, and now Iman has been let in on the secret!
Be There Or Be Square
The beauty of some phrases is that they can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. You may have heard the phrase “be there or be square” in the past and wondered what it meant—but now we have an answer for you.
Originally from the 80s, the term loosely refers to someone who’s strict and stuck inside their own box of boring routines. But this Twitter user decided that the meaning goes deeper than that. He declared that if you’re not there, you must be square—because you’re not “a-round”. If that’s not a hilarious corny 80s joke, we don’t know what is!
Juice Box?
Here’s one that we’d be willing to bet you didn’t already know—but if you did, then our hats are off to you.
We all loved juice boxes when we were kids, and not just because they were incredibly tasty. There was something super neat about the way it would fit perfectly into our hands, and its nifty design.
Speaking of its design, Twitter user Kylie recently made a startling realization that the flaps on the side are actually for the kids to hold the drink so they don’t have to squeeze it. Was that the makers’ true intention? We’d like to think so.
California Love
How much do you know about population quantities? Don’t be afraid to say very little, because most people rarely give much thought to certain things. In fact, Twitter user Jay had his mind blown when he learned a shocking statistic that would boggle most people.
Jay learned that the state of California has a higher population count than that of Canada—even though the latter is a massive country. He’s certainly not in the minority, because we’d be willing to bet most people didn’t know that either!
Pilot Takeoff
Have you ever wondered why the first episode of a show is called the pilot? Twitter user Delilah wasn’t sure, but she was overjoyed when she realized that a pilot is called the way it is because it’s the first time the show is “on air”.
But while we certainly adore her interpretation, there’s actually another reason it’s called that way. In the early 1920s, a pilot was a term used to describe a prototype for scientific experiments, hence the first episode being called that. But we like Delilah’s version better!
Toblerone Bear
Children are little geniuses in their own right. They see the world with such innocent eyes, and often are able to keenly notice things that even the smartest adults never have. Take the Toblerone logo, for instance. Have you ever noticed that there’s a bear in there?
If you haven’t, you’re certainly not alone. Most people have no idea that it exists, and neither did Twitter user Stephanie until her son pointed it out to her. How about that!
The Truth Behind Ore-Ida
If you’ve been fortunate enough in your life, you may have tried an Ore-Ida brand product. It might seem like merely just a potato-based frozen food, but once you heat it up, it melts in your mouth. However, the name itself is a little bit funky, and Twitter user “I Don’t Text Back” recently made a stunning realization about it.
The Twitter user announced to the world that they were “today year’s old” when they realized that Ore-Ida was just a combination of two Northwestern American states: Oregon and Idaho.
Ahoy Our Taste Buds!
When we’re in the mood for some chocolate chip cookies, sometimes we don’t feel like baking a whole batch. Instead, our go-to is to buy a box of cookies from the store, and what better cookies to buy than Chips Ahoy?
Indeed, Chips Ahoy cookies are incredibly tasty, so much so in fact that we’ve never even stopped to think where it gets its name from. Twitter user Poetic Kate was exactly the same, which is why she was flummoxed when she learned that it was simply a play on the phrase “Ship’s Ahoy!”
Open Sesame … Not
Regardless of how well-versed you are in Arabian history, you’ve probably heard the following phrase before: “Open sesame”. Now, if you’re like most people, you have no idea where the phrase comes from, or what sesame has anything to do with Arabian culture or anything else for that matter.
However, one Twitter user decided that they’d had enough. They came out and said that it was never “open sesame” at all. In fact, they were saying “open says me” the whole time!
Raising The Load
Okay, here’s another shocking fact that took us by surprise. There are many slang terms in the English language, and up until now, we thought that a “buttload” was one of them. Similar to Twitter user Rebecca Munson, we figured it simply was an informal (albeit slightly inappropriate) way of saying “a lot”.
However, apparently there’s legitimate history behind the word, given that it’s an actual form of measurement. Back in Medieval times, when measuring wine units in barrels, one buttload was about as heaviest as it got!
Not So Innocent Nursery Rhyme
Now, we’re not trying to ruin anyone’s childhood over here. But we’ve discovered that some of the songs and little rhymes we used to chant back in the day might have a much darker meaning than anyone once thought.
Some people propose that this one isn’t actually about weather at all. The “pouring” is referring to adult drinks, and the old man had so many that he could no longer stay awake.
Pique Your Pinterest
If you’re not someone who uses Pinterest, it’s a site that allows you to save images and sort them based on your interestS. In other words, it allows you to “pin your interests”—hence the name “Pinterest”.
When Twitter user “Broooooke” realized this, she simply had to share this fact with the rest of the world. We appreciate her innocence, and her willingness to be open about it! Wait till she learns that the logo is also shaped like a pin…
This Is Stan
Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the last 20 years, you’ve most likely heard the classic Eminem song “Stan”. It tells a fictional story of Eminem himself reading letters from a crazed fan who’s a bit too obsessed with the rapper. Featuring the melodic voice of Dido, it’s truly a masterpiece—but one person missed the point of the title.
The person writing the letters signs his name as “Stan”—but there’s a deeper meaning behind it. The name “Stan” is actually a combination of the two words “stalker” and “fan”, and this Twitter user was literally shocked when they found out.
No Stress, Just Dessert
This is a cool little fun fact that’ll actually warm your soul if you’re ever in a pinch. At the very least, it’ll make you feel less bad about eating a massive dessert when you’re craving some sugar.
As celebrity Ryan Seacrest pointed out on Twitter, the word “desserts” is actually “stressed” spelled backwards. Is there something meaningful to be learned there? We’d like to think so. In our heads, we now have a free license to eat dessert whenever we’re feeling stressed or down.
You Shall Not Pass!
As major Lord of the Rings fans, we have to admit that we’re embarrassed that we never realized this before. And yet, we also think it’s the most amazing thing ever, and it makes us love J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth universe even more. So now we ask you: have you ever taken a closer look at Gandalf’s staff?
If you were to look closely at the wizard’s magical staff, you’ll notice that it actually holds his smoking pipe. We all know that Gandalf loves to smoke, but we never imagined that this was where he kept his pipe! Sam Sykes on Twitter shared our wonder at this fact, and we’re grateful that he opened our eyes to it.
Harrowing Disease
There are many horrible diseases out there, but sometimes people forget how bad some of them are. For instance, how much do you really know about the measles? If we’re being honest, we really didn’t know all that much about it until today—and neither did this Twitter user.
Twitter user Fiqah announced that they were “today year’s old” when they learned that the measles “completely erase your body’s immunological memory on how to fight disease. That’s ALL disease.” We’re pretty shocked ourselves, to be frank.
The Perfect Match
When Tinder became all the rage in the dating app world, many people just dived into it without asking many questions. Then again, it’s incredibly easy to get suckered into the murky world of infinite swiping, so can you really blame them?
Most people understand that the word Tinder is a reference to a flame catching fire, akin to the way a romance sparks. However, this Twitter user proved that the significance of the flame runs even deeper. After all, you go on Tinder to get matches—which also happens to be what starts a fire. We love it!
French Bulldogs
Let’s be real, dogs are some of the cutest animals around. Some dog breeds are so innocent that you can’t help but stare at their mushy little faces and give them treats when they ask for it. Among these cute dog breeds, the French bulldog definitely is one of the cutest—and this person was ecstatic when they found out.
As they wrote on Twitter, they were “today year’s old” when they found out that French bulldogs merely existed! Clearly, we know what to get this person for next Christmas.
Corny Concept
Candy was a huge part of our childhood. Okay, who are we kidding, it’s still a huge part of our lives, and in fact we sometimes have trouble putting the stuff away. And one popular candy that has stood the test of time is none other than candy corn—but have you ever wondered why it’s called that?
This one Twitter user never really thought about where candy corn got its name, until one day when they realized that it was because when you stack it up, it looks like the outside of corn. We think it’s safe to say their enjoyment of the popular candy will never be the same.
The Colonel Approves
This may just be the most amazing thing we’ve seen today. Apparently, the KFC Twitter account only follows 11 people: each of the Spice Girls, and six different men named Herb. If you’re wondering why they do this, it’s to signify the fact that their recipe is a secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.
But that’s not even the best part. The first Twitter user who pointed out this fact was then sent a picture of himself piggybacking on the Colonel and raising a drumstick! Now that’s respect!
IHOP Raises a Smile
IHOP is the kind of place you can never really go wrong with. Whether it’s dinnertime, or breakfast, or three in the morning, IHOP usually always has something tasty to offer you. But it turns out that the logo has a lot more to it than people realized…
Well, at least one person didn’t realize this groundbreaking little optical fact—that when you focus on the last two letters of IHOP, you begin to see a smiley face. See it now? You’re welcome, now go enjoy your pancakes on the house!
Growing Pains
If you’re someone who loves nuts, this should shock you to your very core. Cashews are among the most popular kinds of nuts out there, but have you ever wondered how they’re made?
We won’t delve into the whole complex process, but we will show you a picture of what it looks like. Twitter user Colleen Ballinger was incredibly taken aback when she realized that cashews look like this when they’re grown. What exactly are we even looking at here? They look like red peppers!
Under The Sea
Volcanos are among nature’s most incredible feats, and yet most people know very little about it. This Twitter user expressed their wonder when they discussed what they had learned about the Philippines-based Taal Volcano, and particularly how little of it we can actually see today.
Although it’s considered to be a supervolcano, much of it actually resides underwater, and this Twitter user announced that they were “today year’s old” when they discovered that. To be honest, we didn’t know that shocking tidbit either!
Crabby Trappy
This major revelation is a little bit more on the darker side of things. But since it’s a cartoon, that makes it okay—kind of.
If you’ve ever watched the classic kids cartoon Spongebob Squarepants, then you know that Spongebob works at a restaurant called the Krusty Krab.
That’s all good and well, until you realize that the entire restaurant is actually one giant crab trap. Twitter user Aspen Sipes pointed out this dark truth—and unfortunately, we’ll never be able to see the show the same again.
New Footage
To be honest, when we saw this Twitter post, it was the first time we learned this interesting fact as well. Apparently, when filmmakers talk about movie footage, the reason it’s called footage is because the film reel is measured in feet.
This fact becomes even more interesting when you realize that modern digital videos are still referred to as footage—even though there’s no film reel in sight! This just goes to show the amazing influence that society has in passing on vocabulary words of slang.
Spa For Mice
The more you learn about nature, the more you fall in love with it. You may not think it at first, but mice in particular are some of the most amazing little creatures around. Don’t believe us? Take this Twitter user’s new revelation for evidence.
This person posted on Twitter that they were “today year’s old” when they realized that harvest mice love crawling into flower beds—not just to eat pollen, but to lounge inside there all day like they’re in a spa. We’ve never identified more with mice in our entire life.
Bed of Insight
This is by far one of the stranger Twitter posts we’ve ever seen. Ariel Rabinowitz posted that they were “today year’s old” when they realized that the word “bed” looks exactly like a bed.
To be clear, Rabinowitz is referring to the way the actual word visually looks when it’s spelled out. Indeed, the user does have a point. With two posts on either side and a flat surface in the middle, there are some striking similarities at play! We’ll never look at our bed the same way again…
The Meaning Behind Eggplants
Eggplants are quite tasty, but have you ever wondered why they’re called eggplants at all? If you were to go into a garden where an eggplant grows, you would see that in its origin phase, it looks exactly like its name suggests—like a white egg that’s being planted.
Unbeknownst to many, “eggplant” is actually just its slang name, with its real name being “aubergine”. Twitter user Badly Bruised Bee was quite ecstatic to learn the truth, and if we’re being completely honest, so were we!
Hold Your Horses!
You’ll soon start to realize that not all of these facts are quite “facts”, per se, and instead are actually ingenious new takes on the way we see the world.
Twitter user Sir John, for instance, recently blew our minds with his pun on the common phrase “hold your horses”. He pointed out that when someone says it, they’re simply telling you to be “stable”. If that’s not a hilarious, cringe-worthy dad joke, we don’t know what is.
For accuracy’s sake, however, the phrase actually stems from the 1600s, when authorities would tell horse-owners to “hold their horses”, and make sure they don’t go wild in public.
The Spongy Truth
Let’s go back to Spongebob Squarepants again. This cartoon world is filled with zany characters who are illustrated in funny and interesting ways. Take Spongebob’s parents for example. We all know that they’re sponges, and yet they look a lot like a familiar tasty treat…
Yes, that’s right. You’re not the only one who thought that Spongebob’s parents resembled chocolate chip cookies. Twitter user Tiffany Ray felt the same, until she realized that they were simply dried-up sponges. Well, that would make sense…
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