38 Trivia Bits from Uncle John’s 38th Bathroom Reader

The newest Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader is out for 2025. It’s the 38th edition, and so here are 38 facts taken from its pages.

A Lovely History of Love Customs

Before flowers, chocolates, and paper cards, here’s how people through history showed off their love.

The Super Bowl, By the Numbers

Here’s every big and surprising number associated with the Big Game.

When the Whole World Went Wild for King Tut

After archaeologist Howard Carter uncovered the tomb of King Tut, it launched a worldwide fad for all things ancient Egypt.

Fire Up the SelectaVision, It’s Movie Night

Streaming has made DVDs and VHS tapes virtually obsolete. Those were about the only two home video formats that were ever successful – unlike these many other also-rans.

The Most Famous People to Pass Through Ellis Island

Across 60 years, more than 12 million emigrants entered the U.S. through Ellis Island. Some of them went on to become extremely famous.

Happy New Year, It’s Bowl Game Day

The origin stories of all the major and oldest New Year’s college bowl games: Rose, Orange, Sugar, and Cotton.

The Biggest Video Game Flops of All Time

Not everything the video game world put out was a success on the level of Atari, Nintendo, or PlayStation. Here are some of the biggest video game failures ever.

How ‘The Simpsons’ Got Started

Before it became the longest-running show of all time, launched with a Christmas special, here’s how The Simpsons took shape.

Christmas: It’s a Literary Tradition

Some of the best Christmasy things are Christmas stories, like “A Christmas Carol,” “The Gift of the Magi,” and “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Here are their origin stories.

Presidential Conspiracies (From the 1800s)

Presidential conspiracy theories go way back to the 1800s. Here are some of the wildest supposed stories about 19th century presidents.

Secrets of the Mall, Exposed!

Malls and stores use all kinds of tricks to get you to spend more money. Here are some of them.

8 Foods That Aren’t Old As You Might Think They Are

It seems like some foods — bananas, Hawaiian pizza, garlic bread — have been around forever. They’re actually quite new.

Check Your Calendar…And Make it More Efficient?

The calendar we use makes the most sense, but it’s not the only choice. Here’s a look at the history of calendars.

Is the Madden Curse Real?

So many football players who graced the cover of the annual Madden NFL video game were felled by injuries. So, is the “Madden Curse” real?

Some Shocking and Spooktacular Facts About Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley wrote FRANKENSTEIN, one of the most important (and scary) novels of all time, but that’s just one moment in a fascinating life.

The Wide World of Weird World Series Moments

The World Series always generates a few memorable moments of baseball greatness, if not some truly bizarre ones, too.

Thanks, Canada, for All the Great Stuff

You probably didn’t know that many things we all use everyday were invented up in Canada. Here are some important Canadian inventions.

Warning: This Article is Full of Rabies

Let’s demystify a scary thing with knowledge and give you the real facts about rabies.