8 Quirky Random Facts

Here's a short collection of weird and wonderful facts perfect for impressing your friends, sprinkling into small talk, or satisfying your curiosity.

1. The letter Q is the only one that doesn’t appear in the name of any U.S. state. Every other letter of the alphabet shows up at least once somewhere between Alabama and Wyoming.

2. A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance. It’s one of many colorful collective nouns in the English language—others include a murder of crows and a parliament of owls.

3. Honey never spoils. Archaeologists have discovered pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old—and still perfectly edible.

4. Walter Morrison, the inventor of the Frisbee, had his ashes turned into a real Frisbee after he died.

5. Despite being a mythical beast, the unicorn is officially recognized as the national animal of Scotland. It has appeared in Scottish heraldry for centuries as a symbol of strength, purity, and pride.

6. The small dot above the letters i and j has a name—it’s called a tittle. It comes from an old Latin word meaning “a tiny stroke or point.”

7. In movies and TV shows, when extras need to fake background conversation, they often repeat the word “rhubarb” quietly over and over. The result sounds like indistinct crowd chatter without needing actual dialogue.

8. Sloths can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes by slowing their heart rate, which is longer than most dolphins—who usually manage about 10 to 15 minutes underwater.