The US Navy sustainably manages over 50,000 acres of forest in Indiana in order to have 150+ year old white oak trees to replace like for like on the 220-year-old wooden frigate USS Constitution. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Why the U.S. Navy Manages a Forest | The Sextant (archive.org)
In 2011, the largest Catherine wheel or pinwheel firework was built by Lily Fireworks Factory in Malta. It measured over 100 feet in diameter. – WTF Fun Facts
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the FBI formed a fake Arabian company and attempted to bribe members of congress as part of an operation known as ABSCAM. Nearly 25% of those tested accepted the bribe and were later convicted. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Abscam – Wikipedia
Male orb weave spiders have detachable genitals which work even after being detached. When mating, he will abandon his “palps” inside his (cannibalistic) partner and flee, knowing she will try to eat him. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Spider’s detachable penis still works without him – CBS News
In 1881 an Egyptian obelisk named Cleopatra’s Needle was erected in NYC’s Central Park. The 3700+ year-old obelisk was originally created around 1425 BCE near modern-day Cairo. It took over a year to move the 220-ton structure. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Obelisk (Cleopatra’s Needle) | Central Park Conservancy (centralparknyc.org)
The world’s smallest international bridge is the El Marco bridge between Spain and Portugal. The bridge is just over 10 ft long by 4.75 ft wide and is used by motorcycles, pedestrians, and bicycles. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: The smallest international bridge in the world is in Spain | Fascinating Spain
The town of Rjukan, Norway installed 50 square meters of mirrors on a mountain so they can get some sun in the winter. The project cost $850,000 and uses computer-powered mirrors that shift every 10 seconds to track the sun during the day. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Norwegian town installs giant mirrors for winter sunlight | CNN Travel
Green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) are often found covering themselves with the shells of hermit crabs, rocks, and other debris. Scientists don’t fully understand why they do so. – WTF Fun Facts
The mansion used on the ABC reality tv series, The Bachelor, is owned and lived in by a family. The family moves out and takes their furniture with them two times a year for 42 days of filming. It’s also available to rent on AirBnB and is over 200 years old. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: Here’s How You Can Rent the Mansion Seen on ABC’s “The Bachelor” (housebeautiful.com)