Arugula is called “rocket” in the UK.

John von Neumann, the mathematician and physicist who pioneered modern game theory, usually lost money in weekly poker games versus other scientists.

Koalas sleep 20 hours a day and on average spend 10 minutes on the ground to move between trees.

According to a Charles Sturt University study, if a cockatoo feels the beat of a piece of music it may perform as many as 30 distinct dance moves, including headbanging, body rolling, and sidestepping. Some cockatoos have their own signature moves.

In 1893, President Grover Cleveland decided to have surgery on his mouth in secret in order to avoid a national panic. Instead, he said he was going on a vacation cruise and met surgeon Dr. Joseph Bryant in New York. The surgery was performed on a yacht off Long Island.

This article appears in August 15 • 2025.

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