This is the October 2025 edition of my fascinating facts newsletter, which includes a range of interesting topics. This includes write-ups about getting old, lottery, common phrases and snacks.
Fascinating Facts October 2025 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.
LIVING ROOT BRIDGES
Guided rubber fig roots are woven across streams, then thicken by inosculation; with bamboo or wood scaffolds they can last centuries. Notables include Nongriat’s “Double Decker” and long spans near Pynursla and Padu. Read More…
FEELING HUNGRY? FANCY A CESNA 150 SNACK?
Pica is an eating disorder involving non-food items; performer Michel Lotito (“Monsieur Mangetout”) famously ate metal, glass—and over two years, a Cessna 150—enabled by unusual gut lining and powerful digestive juices. Read More…
ORIGIN OF COMMON PHRASES
Quick origins: “nest egg”, “pinch of salt”, “red-letter day”, “baker’s dozen”, “beyond the pale”, “by hook or by crook”, “curry favour”, “dead as a doornail”, “dyed in the wool”, “get off scot-free”, “hue and cry”, “let the cat out of the bag”, “Peeping Tom”, “play devil’s advocate”. Read More…
STASTICALLY IMPROBABLE COINCIDENCES
From Mark Twain and Halley’s Comet to WWI’s first/last British casualties buried 15 ft apart, Laura Buxton’s balloon twin, Hawking’s dates and ALS survival, a double A-bomb survivor, Titanic parallels, and more. Read More…
HISTORY OF THE LOTTERY
From Han-dynasty keno and Roman draws to medieval Low Countries cash lotteries, Genoa’s name-to-number lotto, France’s state games, England’s 1569 lottery, colonial America, and Spain’s Christmas lottery; modern bans eased post-WWII. Read More…
SWIMMING THE ENGLISH CHANNEL
First accepted unaided crossing: Capt. Matthew Webb (1875). Then Burgess (1911). A 1920s prize spurred Sullivan, Tirabocchi (first France-to-England record), Toth, and Gertrude Ederle (first woman, new record); Corson’s 1926 success also won a famous bet. Read More…
LIFE OF THE TELEPHONE KIOSK
Britain’s red kiosks evolved K1→K2→K3→K4→K5→K6→K8 under Sir Giles Gilbert Scott; many are listed or preserved even as numbers fell with mobiles. Read More…
BURJ JEDDAH THE 1 KILOMETRE MEGATALL SKYSCRAPER
Planned to exceed 1 km, Jeddah Tower’s tapered design mixes flats, offices, hotel, observation deck and ~59 lifts; after long delays, construction has resumed toward completing the megatall landmark. Read More…
GETTING OLD (humour)
Same friends pick Wetherspoons every decade—for changing reasons from memories and TV sport to parking, accessibility… then “because they’ve never been there before.” Read More…
