Jakob Maria Mierscheid is listed as a member of the German Bundestag, the federal parliament, since 1979. However, Mierscheid is not a real person. He was created by SPD (Social Democratic Party) politicians as an inside joke.

In 1977, Kevin Baugh established the Republic of Molossia, a self-proclaimed micronation located in his backyard near Dayton, Nevada, USA. Despite its small size—covering about 1.3 acres—Baugh declared himself “His Excellency President” and created an independent government.

The Electoral College was established in the U.S. Constitution as a middle ground between electing the President by Congress and by direct popular vote. Though the term “Electoral College” isn’t in the Constitution, Article II and the 12th Amendment refer to “electors,” who cast votes on behalf of states.

When Prohibition began in 1920, bootleggers produced low-quality alcohol using industrial alcohol or illegal stills. To mimic whiskey or scotch, they added dead rats, rotten meat, and creosote for flavor. Gin was the easiest to make, using juniper oil and glycerin.

The Yellowstone Dutton Ranch exists as Chief Joseph Ranch in Darby, Montana, with cabins available for rent. The lodge house, a real 6,000-square-foot log mansion, was built in 1920.

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the Moon wearing the A7L spacesuit. Costing $100,000 (equivalent to $670,000 today), the suit was more than clothing—it was a spacecraft, with 21 protective layers shielding him from extreme temperatures, radiation, and micrometeorites.

In Kostenki, Russia, archaeologists have uncovered a massive 40-foot diameter structure made from the bones of at least 60 woolly mammoths. Built 25,000 years ago during the Ice Age, its purpose remains unclear but offers clues about survival in extreme conditions.

The Westray to Papa Westray flight in Scotland’s Orkney Islands is officially the shortest scheduled flight in the world. Operated by Loganair, the flight covers a distance of just 1.7 miles, often completed in under a minute, depending on wind conditions.


In Trunyan, a remote village on Bali’s Lake Batur, locals follow an ancient funerary practice. Instead of cremating or burying their dead, they place corpses in bamboo cages on the ground, allowing natural decomposition to take place in the open air.

In December 1994, an internet hoax claimed Microsoft had purchased the Catholic Church. The story alleged that Microsoft, under Bill Gates, had made the unprecedented acquisition to merge religion with technology. It further stated the church would use Microsoft software for prayers.