Sea urchin gonads are a popular delicacy in Japan.

Gorillas can’t swim.

Native Americans speaking Munsee pointed to what we now call Manhattan and said “Manahata.” In 1822, one scholar theorized they actually said a word that meant “island where we all became intoxicated.” But another scholar later proposed it meant “place where we gather timber for bows and arrows.”

Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft is the longest word published in German. It means “Association for Subordinate Officials of the Main Maintenance Building of the Danube Steam Shipping Electrical Services.”

The game of Chinese checkers was invented in Germany in 1892.

This article appears in April 23 • 2021.

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