This is the March 2026 edition of Fascinating Facts (Issue 37), a selection of short reads mixing history, folklore, science, and odd little real-world details. This edition includes write-ups about magic numbers, the three wise men and the green man
Fascinating Facts March 2026 Contents
“Fascinating Facts” is a free monthly e-magazine focusing on personal, historical, and military interests. Contributions are welcomed with appropriate credit given. You can download the full newsletter to read HERE; however, some snippets are listed below
THE MAGIC NUMBER?
A whistle-stop tour of why “3” keeps showing up everywhere: ancient symbolism (Pythagoras), storytelling (fairy tales), persuasion and memory (the “rule of three”), and even music (Mozart and Freemasonry references). It also rounds up famous three-part phrases and quotes that just land better in threes. Read More…
THREE WISE MEN
Look at the Nativity’s Magi through a more “What do we actually know?” Lens: possible explanations for the Star of Bethlehem (including comet theories and planetary conjunctions), why “wise men” became “kings”, and how later traditions filled in the blanks (names, number, and status). Includes the Matthew 2 account. Read More…
THE GREEN MAN
Explores the leafy-faced motif found across European church architecture: early examples; its medieval boom (Romanesque → Gothic); and the usual meanings attached to it—rebirth, nature, and cycles of life—plus its survival into modern festivals like “Jack-in-the-Green”. Read More…
YOUR NUMBER PLATE
A brisk history of UK vehicle licensing from the Motor Car Act 1903 to the DVLC/DVLA era, followed by a clear breakdown of how plates work: area code, age identifier, random letters, legal formats, and special cases (including royal exemptions). Ends with a quick parade of headline-grabbing, high-price registrations. Read More…
ST VITUS’S DANCE AND THE DANCE PLAGUE
Starts with the old saying (“He’s got St Vitus’ dance”) and dives into Strasbourg’s 1518 dancing mania—how it spread, what witnesses reported, and the competing explanations (mass psychogenic illness, cultural belief, and ergot poisoning). Also covers the religious response and how it fizzled out. Read More…
SEQUOIA SEMPERVIRENS: WORLD’S TALLEST AND LONGEST-LIVING TREES
A love letter to coastal redwoods: their sheer scale (height/diameter), longevity, and why they cope so well with fire (thick bark, low resin, regeneration benefits). Also drops in notable “record holder” trees and famous historical examples. Read More…
FACTS — FROM THE WEIGHT OF A CLOUD TO BITING YOUR FINGERNAILS
A rapid-fire page of curiosities: clouds weighing “millions of tonnes”, time perception in animals, why cats prefer certain stroking spots, microbial mind-benders, oddly specific phobias, super-old pets, volcano height comparisons, turbine bird mitigation, and plenty more. Read More…
NULL ISLAND — THE ISLAND THAT DOES NOT EXIST
Explains “Null Island” at 0°N 0°E—why it appears on maps despite being open ocean, how it became a useful placeholder in geospatial databases, and its real-world tie-in with ocean monitoring buoys (plus distances/depths near the Gulf of Guinea). Read More…
