Facts That Sound Insane But Are 100% True
Unbelievable Facts
Oftentimes, life simply doesn’t make sense. Even still, some things that may sound completely ridiculous are actually true after all. Take sumo wrestlers, for example. Before a match, sumo wrestlers will open their legs and stomp as a way to ward off demons that may be lurking around the stage—but that’s not the only strange ritual they must perform.
We can’t promise that these 42 fascinating facts will fix all the cosmic confusion, but dang it, we’ll try our best!
1. Old Man River
Mark Twain's name is, in fact, a pun. Before he was the author of works such as Huckleberry Finn, he was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Eventually, he began writing under the name Mark Twain, which is a riverboat term that measures two fathoms (12 feet) in depth: mark (measure) + twain (two).
2. Goody One Origin
“Good Two-Shoes” is a neologism developed in 1765, and describes an excessive do-gooder. However, the original children’s tale from which it comes, Goody-Two Shoes by John Newbery, is at heart a Cinderella story, which tells of Margery Meanwell, who humbly makes her way through life with only one shoe. A rich man rewards her with another pair, instilling the earning of wealth as a sign of virtue.
3. Opportunities Caine and Go
Michael Caine was unable to physically accept his Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in Hannah and Her Sisters because he was contractually obligated to complete Jaws: The Revenge. When asked about the critically panned sequel for which he gave up his Oscar, Caine said, “I have never seen it, but by all accounts it is terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific."
4. A Salty Gesture
Before a match, sumo wrestlers will throw salt in the ring in order to purify the arena; the “dohyo” is considered a sacred space.
