The world’s most expensive spice is saffron: it takes about 75,000 flowers to make just one pound of saffron. NEW
At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, the gold medals were made of solid gold, unlike today’s gold-plated versions.
In English, the shortest sentence possible is “I am.”
The popcorn emoji (🍿) has become shorthand on the internet for “sitting back and watching drama unfold.”
Before rubber erasers, people used pieces of soft white bread to erase pencil marks!
Shopping carts, invented in 1937, were initially refused by shoppers who preferred carrying baskets.
Ruth Wakefield traded her chocolate chip cookie recipe to Nestlé for a lifetime supply of chocolate.
The first official basketball game in 1892 was played with a soccer ball and two peach baskets as hoops.
Ketchup used to be sold as a medicine in the 1830s, believed to cure ailments like diarrhea and indigestion.
The longest English word without a vowel is “rhythms.”
Real wasabi is incredibly rare and pricey: most wasabi you eat is actually just colored horseradish.
A golf ball typically has 336 dimples, designed to improve aerodynamics and reduce drag.
The beloved 90s Indian series Malgudi Days is still remembered for its heartfelt stories and music.
The modern toothbrush with nylon bristles was introduced in 1938: earlier versions used boar hair or twigs.
Apples float in water because they’re made up of roughly 25% air.
The word “quiz” may have been invented as a prank to create a nonsense word that caught on.
The longest tennis match lasted over 11 hours and was played across 3 days at Wimbledon in 2010.
India’s iconic superhero Shaktimaan became a cultural craze in the late 1990s as the country’s first superhero TV series.
The microwave oven was accidentally discovered when a scientist noticed his candy bar melted near radar equipment.
Chocolate was once used as currency by the Aztecs for trade and tribute.
The word “alphabet” comes from the first two Greek letters: alpha and beta.
Cricket is the world’s second-most followed sport, yet it’s played seriously in fewer than 20 nations.
India’s Bollywood film industry produces over 1,000 movies every year: more than any other country.
Velcro was inspired by burdock burrs sticking to a dog’s fur and was invented by a Swiss engineer.
Honey can last for centuries: archaeologists found edible honey in ancient Egyptian tombs.
An ambigram is a word or design that reads the same even when turned upside down, like “SWIMS.”
Baseball games were once canceled due to an overwhelming mosquito invasion.
Lata Mangeshkar recorded over 25,000 songs in her lifetime: a Guinness World Record achievement.
Paperclips were used as a symbol of resistance during World War II in Norway: not just for holding paper.
Bananas are technically berries, while strawberries are not!
A palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same backward and forward, like “madam” or “121.”
The first basketballs were brown: orange was introduced to improve visibility for players and fans.
All India Radio once banned film music until the huge success of Binaca Geetmala changed that policy.
Jeans were first created as durable pants for California gold miners in the 1800s.
Peanuts aren’t true nuts: they’re actually legumes that grow underground.
The word “nerd” first appeared in a 1950 Dr. Seuss book called “If I Ran the Zoo.”
In kabaddi, players must repeatedly say “kabaddi” aloud to prove they’re not inhaling during the raid.
The iconic Indian song “Mile Sur Mera Tumhara” united celebrities to promote national integration.
Ballpoint pens were inspired by how newspapers dry ink quickly on paper surfaces.
Carrots weren’t always orange: they originally came in purple, white, red, and yellow varieties.
The word “emoji” comes from Japanese: “e” (picture) + “moji” (character): it’s unrelated to “emotion.”
Chess originated in India around the 6th century and was known as “Chaturanga.”
Salma Sultan, a DD news anchor, was famous for her rose-wearing style and calm delivery in the 1980s.
Zippers were once called “clasp lockers” and originally designed to fasten boots.
Chewing gum was originally made from tree sap called “chicle.”
The word “salary” comes from the Latin word “sal” meaning salt, which was once used as pay for Roman soldiers.
Table tennis was once banned in the Soviet Union, believed to be harmful to eye health.
Doordarshan was India’s only TV channel until 1991: its opening tune remains instantly recognizable today.
Refrigerators existed before electricity: early versions used blocks of ice to keep food cold.