Dr. William Stewart Halstead, the father of modern surgery, pioneered the use of anesthetics by experimentally injecting himself himself with cocaine. He eventually became addicted to cocaine and then morphine but somehow continued to modernize medical training. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.idigitalhealth.com/news/podcast-how-the-father-of-modern-surgery-became-a-healthcare-antihero
In 1963, Winston Churchill was the first foreign national to receive honorary United States citizenship. He also received a passport-like document along with it which was not valid for travel. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.history.com/news/americas-honorary-citizens
According to a recent study, researchers found infants who get more hugs and physical contact have more developed brains. – WTF Fun Facts
Up until 1970, United Airlines had ‘men only’ flights featuring complimentary cigars, cocktails, and a full-course steak dinner in the exclusive company of other men. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://viewfromthewing.com/united-airlines-men-only-executive-service/
Castoreum is a warm, carnal, and leather-like scent used in perfume. Now synthetically replicated, it originally came from the castor sac of the mature North American Beaver which was used in combination with urine to mark their territory. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.fragrantica.com/notes/Castoreum-102.html
The White Bellbird, found in the Guianas, Brazil and Venezuela, is known as the world’s loudest bird. Their mating call sounds like a fire alarm and can reach up to 125 decibels. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/6066393/loudest-bird-bellbird-song/
Woody Guthrie wrote “This Land is Your Land” as a retort, after he got tired of hearing Kate Smith’s “God Bless America” over and over again. He sarcastically named the song “God Blessed America For Me” before later changing the title. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.npr.org/2000/07/03/1076186/this-land-is-your-land
If they do not break on impact, both a glass and a steel ball of similar proportion to a rubber ball will bounce higher than the rubber ball. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://sciencenotes.org/why-a-glass-ball-bounces-higher-than-a-rubber-ball/
In 1953, a single PEEPS Marshmallow Chick took 27 hours to make and was created by hand with a pastry tube. Today, even with advances in technology it still takes about six minutes. – WTF Fun Facts
Source: https://www.justborn.com/news-and-media/2015/came-first-peeps-chick-peeps-decorated-egg/