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Every other Friday, Arik Devens and Allen Pike take turns sharing fun facts. Practical, historical, technical, and trivial facts all deserve their fair shake.

Arik Devens and Allen Pike


    • Oct 12, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 51m AVG DURATION
    • 131 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Fun Fact

    Final Fact

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2024 41:46


    Arik shares buttloads, Allen has too many facts, oxygen is heavy, strangeness is strange, moons cause issues, and we hit max fact capacity. This show has gone as all good things do. Thank you so much to all the Factors, we love you! You can follow Allen's work and Arik's. ❤️

    Dinosaur In a Wingsuit

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2024 35:38


    Arik uncovers what things are really named after, Allen goes subatomic, Arik marvels at astronomical coincidence, and Allen considers extraterrestrial flight. Titan Do subatomic particles have a colour?

    Solar Stands for Solar

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 39:54


    Allen dives in to diodes, Arik explores the origin of taxis, and Allen reveals an unsavoury fact about zygotes. Steve Mould on LEDs and solar panels Why blue LEDs were almost impossible Thornton Blackburn

    Back Door Fact

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 36:08


    Arik throws peanuts, Allen tries to cook vegetables, photographers try to prompt a good pose, and the earth's magnetic field threatens to cause trouble. High-altitude cooking Say cheese Geomagnetic reversal

    Suffered for Science

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 38:34


    Scientists discover where birds go, the trouble with coin flips, the limits of the human body, and what exactly you can find in the Perseus Molecular Cloud. The majestic Pfeilstorch XCKD's What If: What if Nascar had no rules? The Perseus Molecular Cloud

    Raspberry Dust

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2024 37:51


    Science discovers our galaxy's flavor, machinists discover precision measurements, and Arik discovers why you shouldn't rent a car in Germany. Galaxy's centre tastes of raspberries and smells of rum, say astronomers What Does Space Taste Like and Why Does It Matter? Thousandth of an inch

    That Doesn't Seem True

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2023 33:29


    We check in on platypi and Polaris, consider zero's parity, and make a decision about booby traps. Polaris Parity of zero Legality of booby traps

    Gelatinous, Delicious, Terrible

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 43:02


    Allen thinks about cans, Arik thinks about governance, and everybody thinks about the Roman Empire. Why are cranberry sauce cans upside down? Roman Dictator Why do bees make honey?

    You're Cursed Anyway

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2023 38:24


    Allen considers ancient honey, Arik considers ancient surgeries, and some jobs may or may not get automated. Honey's Eternal Life, Explained Caesarean section ATMs and tellers

    All You Need Is a Cartel

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2023 32:12


    Allen showcases a very surprising study, Arik recounts a very Canadian heist, and somebody loses a finger. Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma when jumping from aircraft: randomized controlled trial Inside Quebec's Great, Multi-Million-Dollar Maple-Syrup Heist The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist Sugar Shack Dr Sam Moghtaderi's finger-loss quiz

    The Bone of Theseus

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2023 32:30


    Arik improves an idiom, Allen shares a good news fact, Arik shares a grammar fact, and Allen locates your bones. You can't have your cake and eat it too in other languages Status update on pandas Pisiform bone Sesamoid bones

    Cool Fact

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2023 32:56


    Arik and Allen attempt a live episode, Allen attempts to store dry ice, Arik attempts to use the word “relative”, and Allen attempts to explain what salt does. Carbon capture and storage Permanent storage of carbon dioxide in the marine environment: The solid CO2 penetrator Starboard and larboard - NOAA Do fish drink?

    Both Jaunty and Cool

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2023 39:08


    Allen explains why summer exists, Arik outlines a trademark scheme, and Allen betrays Arik with a fishy biology fact. Seasonal lag List of genericized trademarks Cladistics, the effort to recategorize living things into clades

    This Would Be Unsurvivable

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2023 35:08


    Allen goes deep on whale ingestion, and Arik explains what's really going on with dinosaurs. National Geographic on the plausibility of whales swallowing humans Dinosaur Evolution of birds Ornithischia Saurischia Scott_D._Sampson ‘Dinosaurs Among Us' Retraces an Evolutionary Path

    Ridiculously Ridonkulously Large

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2023 36:52


    Our sun proves a nuisance, the former Soviet Union makes a trade, we consider pepper seeds, Isaac Newton considers an apple, mice consider some cheese, rats get exonerated, and we share a superior alternative to implausible. What would the sun sound like? List of common misconceptions It Shipped That Way #6, where Arik and Allen talk about engineering leadership, software architecture, and Netflix's culture

    Astronomically Unlikely

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2023 45:55


    Women handle backward buttons, Allen handles a lot of feedback about very improbable things, and Arik handles digested asparagus. Why Zippers Are On Different Sides For Men And Women's Clothing Sumptuary law Understanding the Birthday Paradox Universally unique identifiers (UUID) Why Does Asparagus Make Your Pee Smell?

    We Gotta Blow It Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2023 49:32


    Allen saves us from asteroids, Jack Black's mom saves some astronauts, Allen offends Arik's sense of probability, and Arik sets the record straight on streetcar conspiracies. Asteroid impact avoidance The Truth About Jack Black's Mother's Historic Past Ep. 63, A Heaving Mass of People In Memory of Judith Love Cohen The math behind how unlikely it is that two well shuffled decks have the same order An attempt to convey how long it would take to shuffle 52! times Did a conspiracy really destroy Los Angeles's huge streetcar system? Kennedy, 60 Minutes, and Roger Rabbit General Motors streetcar conspiracy

    Let's All Do Crime

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2023 46:47


    A Portuguese scheme attempts to make counterfeit money real, an American scheme attempts to make walking illegal, and we set the record straight on Australian toilets. Alves dos Reis on Wikipedia Rose Bailey's Mastodon thread on the scheme The forgotten history of how automakers invented the crime of “jaywalking” - Vox The Modern Moloch - 99% Invisible Motor vehicle fatality rate in U.S. by year - Wikipedia Not Just Bikes on YouTube Pringles' Sweet Potato Cinnamon Crisps

    Don't Eat This

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2022 36:06


    Ancient cultures name colours, algae goes wild, toilets inspire poetry, and we attempt to correct the internet. What Is Blue and How Do We See Color? Did Ancient People Really Not See The Color Blue? Himba people - Wikipedia Himba people color chart on Wikipedia Giant kelp Why is a Toilet Called a “John”? Why the Toilet is Sometimes Called a “John”

    A Heaving Mass of People

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2022 42:24


    Arik makes an important call, Allen explains flavour, Arik invents football, Allen counts smiths, and we discover Ethiopian Time. Bon Appetite on blue raspberry Serious Eats on banana flavour History of American football William Webb Ellis Association football Blacksmith, whitesmith, greensmith, and brownsmith Fun Fact 36 – Joey Two-Lies Travel Tips for Ethiopia If you have a meeting in Ethiopia, you'd better double check the time

    Sounds Made Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2022 46:10


    We talk about how rice is grown, how eyes are colored, how time is told, and, of course, a scheme. The System of Rice Intensification Eye color percentages around the world and what causes eye color Eye Color Percentage for Across the Globe The World's Population By Eye Color - WorldAtlas World's littlest skyscraper - Wikipedia The Thai six-hour clock The World's littlest skyscraper

    Sorry, Scientists

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2022 40:19


    We consider too much rain, too many dinosaurs, too much bad stuff happening, and too many MIDI notes. Carnian pluvial episode - Wikipedia Ornithosuchus - Wikipedia The Worst Time in History to Be Alive, According to Science Why 536 was ‘the worst year to be alive' Volcanic winter of 536 - Wikipedia The Nocturnal bottleneck Photolyase 2013 nocturnal bottleneck study Black MIDI examples Wrecking Ball Bad Apple going wrong Rush E

    It's All Colonialism

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2022 38:55


    A new border appears, and an old new fish appears; we measure stars, and measure aging. Bonus: a special frog fact. Hans Island Holland vs the Netherlands Extinct Fish Species That Predates Dinosaurs Found in Indian Ocean Stellar parallax Huge Fish, Once Believed Extinct, Isn't the ‘Living Fossil' Scientists Thought Study “confirms” some people age more slowly

    Paid for with Pee

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2022 43:58


    Vespasian pays for a colosseum, the bible describes angels, frogs jump into the air, and cities tell us how to compost. Was the Colosseum Paid for with Pee? Vespasian: The Emperor Who Gave His Name to a Public Toilet Emperor Vespasian and the Urine Tax - Lessons from History Ezekiel 1:15-21, which describes ophanim Biblically accurate cherubim Attempts to depict ophanim My girlfriend is a (biblically accurate) angel Why Is This Tiny Frog So Awful At Jumping? - Defector Belly-flopping frogs, and fattening marmots - Discover Magazine Toad vs. Frog: What's the Differences and Similarities?

    A Little Round Blob

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 25, 2022 51:55


    Allen reveals why pills are the way they are, Arik reveals why trucks are the way they are, and we catch up on followup. Episode now fixed: Episode 57, Butt-Water Air Adventure Tourism Discussion of cold meds on Ep. 29, This is Not Medical Advice The Capsule The Colorful History of Pills Can Fill Many a Tablet How CAFE Killed Compact Trucks And Station Wagons - The Truth About Cars How do they determine wheel base and wheel track of a vehicle? - Quora Allen's article on How to Buy a Family EV Thowing stuff into a lava lake Wikihow: How to Clean a Razor Blade

    Butt-Water Air Adventure Tourism

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2022 66:07


    Turtles breathe in a very peculiar way, nut butter makes a mess, bacteria get crushed, and Arik goes on a quest for carbonation. Turtles breathing through their butts The potential future of butt-breathing Some specific examples of High Pressure Processing on YouTube Fun Fact ep. 1 on the dairy cartel Ripple brand pea milk

    Butt-Water Air Adventure Tourism

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2022 66:07


    Turtles breathe in a very peculiar way, nut butter makes a mess, bacteria get crushed, and Arik goes on a quest for carbonation. Turtles breathing through their butts The potential future of butt-breathing Some specific examples of High Pressure Processing on YouTube Fun Fact ep. 1 on the dairy cartel Ripple brand pea milk

    A Hippo Astronaut

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2022 39:48


    Allen attempts to throw things into a volcano, Arik attempts to clean his dishes, and hippos attempt to get around. The volcanoes Kīlauea and Nyiragongo A GoPro in a dishwasher A GoPro that falls from a plane and gets blanked by a blank Hippos walking – not swimming – under water

    A Hippo Astronaut

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2022 39:48


    Allen attempts to throw things into a volcano, Arik attempts to clean his dishes, and hippos attempt to get around. The volcanoes Kīlauea and Nyiragongo A GoPro in a dishwasher A GoPro that falls from a plane and gets blanked by a blank Hippos walking – not swimming – under water

    A Quadrillion of Yourself

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2022 64:25


    We have a bridge to sell you, as do renaissance philosophers, before we discuss some life forms that earth has an unreasonable number of. In the post show, Allen finally gets an EV. For You, Half Price – the NYT on George C. Parker's schemes Kurzgesagt on the world war of ants Preformationism The messed up drawing of tiny grown adults in a sperm, as drawn in 1695 ) A nice example of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review

    A Quadrillion of Yourself

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2022 64:25


    We have a bridge to sell you, as do renaissance philosophers, before we discuss some life forms that earth has an unreasonable number of. In the post show, Allen finally gets an EV. For You, Half Price – the NYT on George C. Parker's schemes Kurzgesagt on the world war of ants Preformationism The messed up drawing of tiny grown adults in a sperm, as drawn in 1695 ) A nice example of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 Review

    Unicorn Blaster

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2022 37:18


    Allen lays out a wine scheme, Christa Mrgan explains the wonders of temporal resolution, Allen checks in on creatures' dangerousness, and we learn a couple things about George Orwell. How Wine Bricks Saved The U.S. Wine Industry Vine-Glo The Flicker fusion threshold Spider deaths in Australia George Orwell The Emperor's New Groove

    Unicorn Blaster

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2022 37:18


    Allen lays out a wine scheme, Christa Mrgan explains the wonders of temporal resolution, Allen checks in on creatures' dangerousness, and we learn a couple things about George Orwell. How Wine Bricks Saved The U.S. Wine Industry Vine-Glo The Flicker fusion threshold Spider deaths in Australia George Orwell The Emperor's New Groove

    They All Have Goats

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2022 52:34


    Allen shares some puzzling genetics, Arik shares some puzzling puzzles, we go back to the '90s, and forward to the '30s. There is no such thing as a tree (phylogenetically) The fascinating graph of plant evolution The Time Everyone “Corrected” the World's Smartest Woman The Potato paradox ATP 464, featuring a post-show on reducing our consumption of animal products Fun Fact 20: Lil Nas 10 Y2K22 bug in Microsoft Exchange Exchange 2019 Anti-Malware - Bad Update?

    They All Have Goats

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2022 52:34


    Allen shares some puzzling genetics, Arik shares some puzzling puzzles, we go back to the '90s, and forward to the '30s. There is no such thing as a tree (phylogenetically) The fascinating graph of plant evolution The Time Everyone “Corrected” the World's Smartest Woman The Potato paradox ATP 464, featuring a post-show on reducing our consumption of animal products Fun Fact 20: Lil Nas 10 Y2K22 bug in Microsoft Exchange Exchange 2019 Anti-Malware - Bad Update?

    We're Off Track

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2021 59:15


    Romans hunt for spies, retailers participate in a scheme, Arik and Allen get a bit off track. Okay, a lot off track. Two Spies on iOS The Byzantine Empire Minimum Advertised Price Industry Baby

    We're Off Track

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2021 59:15


    Romans hunt for spies, retailers participate in a scheme, Arik and Allen get a bit off track. Okay, a lot off track. Two Spies on iOS The Byzantine Empire Minimum Advertised Price Industry Baby

    This Is Non-Delicious

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2021 59:15


    Allen explains a special thread, Arik brings us to the French Revolution, Allen dishes on spamming tools, and we continue to not work at Facebook. Two examples of vented bottle threads A post explaining the threads The Surprising Origins of Left and Right in Politics Bill Murray's Genius Champagne in Ice Hack (supposedly) Prevents Hangovers Some Bundestag drama on Instagram Facebook's infamous “connecting more people is inherently good” memo John Carmack's Oculus Connect 2021 keynote

    This Is Non-Delicious

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2021 59:15


    Allen explains a special thread, Arik brings us to the French Revolution, Allen dishes on spamming tools, and we continue to not work at Facebook. Two examples of vented bottle threads A post explaining the threads The Surprising Origins of Left and Right in Politics Bill Murray's Genius Champagne in Ice Hack (supposedly) Prevents Hangovers Some Bundestag drama on Instagram Facebook's infamous “connecting more people is inherently good” memo John Carmack's Oculus Connect 2021 keynote

    The Secret Life of Facts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2021 51:01


    Arik and Allen go back to some some choice facts, after having a vegan experience. Lil Nas is still on top, chickens are still spreading germs, and the ultimate nutrition label is still to be realized. Ep. 13: 40 Cans of Fake Pea Mayo, featuring the Impossible Burger's ingredients All Consuming's 100-point scale Ep. 20: Lil Nas 10, featuring newcomer Lil Nas X Ep. 48: Little Flame Throwers, featuring salmonella Why salmonella is a food poisoning killer that won't go away in the US NUGGS — All Consuming Ep. 6: Nobody's Getting Scurvy, featuring nutrition labelling changes The very serious Mexican front of package nutrition warnings

    The Secret Life of Facts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2021 51:01


    Arik and Allen go back to some some choice facts, after having a vegan experience. Lil Nas is still on top, chickens are still spreading germs, and the ultimate nutrition label is still to be realized. Ep. 13: 40 Cans of Fake Pea Mayo, featuring the Impossible Burger's ingredients All Consuming's 100-point scale Ep. 20: Lil Nas 10, featuring newcomer Lil Nas X Ep. 48: Little Flame Throwers, featuring salmonella Why salmonella is a food poisoning killer that won't go away in the US NUGGS — All Consuming Ep. 6: Nobody's Getting Scurvy, featuring nutrition labelling changes The very serious Mexican front of package nutrition warnings

    People Were Angry

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2021 56:23


    Allen drops the bass, Arik forecasts the weather, Allen is a bodybuilder, and Tesla concocts a scheme. After the Fact: trying not to pre-order a car. That bass Probability of precipitation - Wikipedia What Does Probability of Precipitation Mean? Weather 101: What does a 30% chance of rain really mean? What Does Probability of Precipitation Mean? The VW ID.4 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Motor Trend: The 2022 Rivian R1T Is the Most Remarkable Pickup We've Ever Driven IIHS on the contribution of SUVs to increasing pedestrian deaths in the US

    People Were Angry

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2021 56:23


    Allen drops the bass, Arik forecasts the weather, Allen is a bodybuilder, and Tesla concocts a scheme. After the Fact: trying not to pre-order a car. That bass Probability of precipitation - Wikipedia What Does Probability of Precipitation Mean? Weather 101: What does a 30% chance of rain really mean? What Does Probability of Precipitation Mean? The VW ID.4 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 Motor Trend: The 2022 Rivian R1T Is the Most Remarkable Pickup We've Ever Driven IIHS on the contribution of SUVs to increasing pedestrian deaths in the US

    Little Flame Throwers

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2021 45:57


    Arik and Allen wash cars, wash eggs, microwave lasagna, and anger math teachers. The jpoc guide to washing your car in Germany German laws: 6 surprising things that are forbidden in Germany Engineerguy's explainer: How a Microwave Works Why Europeans Don't Refrigerate Eggs New Scientist: US should vaccinate poultry to stop killer salmonella 101 English Stack Exchange: How do you correctly say large numbers? A nonscientific survey on the topic of 101 from 2001

    Little Flame Throwers

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2021 45:57


    Arik and Allen wash cars, wash eggs, microwave lasagna, and anger math teachers. The jpoc guide to washing your car in Germany German laws: 6 surprising things that are forbidden in Germany Engineerguy's explainer: How a Microwave Works Why Europeans Don't Refrigerate Eggs New Scientist: US should vaccinate poultry to stop killer salmonella 101 English Stack Exchange: How do you correctly say large numbers? A nonscientific survey on the topic of 101 from 2001

    They're Terrible Pets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2021 53:17


    Arik gets paradoxical, Allen goes deeper on runways, Arik considers raccoons, and Allen struggles with Instagram. Polar drift Coastline paradox Planck length Lewis Fry Richardson Fractal GIFs How pilots land Why Raccoons Didn't Cut It as Lab Rats Raccoon Rascal the Raccoon The Thanksgiving Raccoon That Became a Presidential Pet

    They're Terrible Pets

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2021 53:17


    Arik gets paradoxical, Allen goes deeper on runways, Arik considers raccoons, and Allen struggles with Instagram. Polar drift Coastline paradox Planck length Lewis Fry Richardson Fractal GIFs How pilots land Why Raccoons Didn't Cut It as Lab Rats Raccoon Rascal the Raccoon The Thanksgiving Raccoon That Became a Presidential Pet

    To Milk a Pig

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2021 35:40


    Allen teaches Arik how to land a plane, Arik recaps the legal battle of the century, and we consider some alternative milk. Runway numbering SFO runway map Iceland is suing Iceland Iceland (supermarket) - Wikipedia The All Consuming show Pig milk Pule cheese Why don't we drink other animals' milk? The Impossible Burger episode of Fun Fact

    To Milk a Pig

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2021 35:40


    Allen teaches Arik how to land a plane, Arik recaps the legal battle of the century, and we consider some alternative milk. Runway numbering SFO runway map Iceland is suing Iceland Iceland (supermarket) - Wikipedia The All Consuming show Pig milk Pule cheese Why don't we drink other animals' milk? The Impossible Burger episode of Fun Fact

    Tilty Rotunda

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2021 40:12


    Arik is whelmed, Allen highlights some classic cars, and centuries of engineers almost whelm a classic. The History of English ep 145 Whelmed Classic car rules by state The 1997 Toyota Prius The 2007 CRV's weird back window The Concept Car-like Ioniq 5 The Leaning Tower of Pisa Italian government asks for suggestions for how to fix Leaning Tower of Pisa

    Tilty Rotunda

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2021 40:12


    Arik is whelmed, Allen highlights some classic cars, and centuries of engineers almost whelm a classic. The History of English ep 145 Whelmed Classic car rules by state The 1997 Toyota Prius The 2007 CRV’s weird back window The Concept Car-like Ioniq 5 The Leaning Tower of Pisa Italian government asks for suggestions for how to fix Leaning Tower of Pisa

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