FactLab

Directions Website

FactLab Short facts that make you think twice. Learn something new in under 3 minutes.

05/21/2026

On This Day: Dunkirk Evacuation & The Opening of the Golden Gate Bridge.

ON THIS DAY — MAY 19, 1999Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace premiered in theaters worldwide, marking the long-aw...
05/19/2026

ON THIS DAY — MAY 19, 1999

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace premiered in theaters worldwide, marking the long-awaited return of the Star Wars franchise after more than 15 years.

Directed by George Lucas, the film served as a prequel to the original trilogy and introduced audiences to new characters such as Qui-Gon Jinn, Padmé Amidala, and Darth Maul.

The release became a major global event, with fans lining up outside theaters days before opening night. The film went on to earn more than $1 billion worldwide and became one of the highest-grossing movies of 1999.

Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, The Phantom Menace played a major role in expanding the Star Wars universe for a new generation of viewers.

05/18/2026

Bulova 1941: History’s First TV Commercial

📰 ON THIS DAY — JULY 1, 1941The world’s first official television commercial aired in the United States before a basebal...
05/18/2026

📰 ON THIS DAY — JULY 1, 1941

The world’s first official television commercial aired in the United States before a baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies.

The advertisement was created by Bulova and lasted just 10 seconds. It featured a simple image of a clock placed over a map of the United States, accompanied by the phrase:

“America runs on Bulova time.”

The commercial aired on WNBT-TV in New York, a station that would later become NBC. At the time, television was still a new technology, and only a small number of households owned TV sets.

Bulova reportedly paid just $9 for the broadcast.

What seemed like a small experiment in 1941 would eventually become the foundation of the modern television advertising industry, now worth billions of dollars worldwide.

Sources: Smithsonian Magazine, NBC Archives

ON THIS DAY — MAY 17, 1792Twenty-four stockbrokers gathered under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street in New York City and ...
05/17/2026

ON THIS DAY — MAY 17, 1792

Twenty-four stockbrokers gathered under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street in New York City and signed what became known as the Buttonwood Agreement.

The agreement established basic rules for buying and selling securities and is widely considered the foundation of the modern New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

At the time, the United States was still a young nation, and financial markets were largely unregulated. The Buttonwood Agreement helped create a more organized trading system and strengthened trust between brokers.

Over the next two centuries, the NYSE would grow into one of the largest and most influential financial markets in the world.

05/07/2026

May 8, 1945 — Europe Celebrates the End of WWII

Deep in the forests of Canada, there are two neighboring lakes with surprisingly literal names: one is called “Another L...
05/06/2026

Deep in the forests of Canada, there are two neighboring lakes with surprisingly literal names: one is called “Another Lake,” and right beside it is “And Another Lake.”

These names actually appear on mapping services like Google Maps, which makes the whole thing even more amusing. It’s a great example of how informal or placeholder names—often used during early surveying or by locals—can sometimes stick around and become official over time.

In remote areas with thousands of unnamed lakes, mapmakers and explorers occasionally chose simple, descriptive names just to keep track of locations. And sometimes… they didn’t overthink it at all.

On This Day — May 5, 1821Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on the island of Saint Helena at the age of 51.Once Emperor of...
05/05/2026

On This Day — May 5, 1821

Napoleon Bonaparte died in exile on the island of Saint Helena at the age of 51.

Once Emperor of France, Napoleon rose to power during the French Revolution and led a series of military campaigns that reshaped Europe. After his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, he was exiled to Saint Helena, where he spent the final years of his life.

Despite popular belief, Napoleon was not unusually short. Historical records suggest he stood around 1.68–1.70 meters (about 5 feet 6–7 inches), which was close to the average height for French men of his time. The misconception likely came from differences between French and British measurement systems, as well as political propaganda.

05/04/2026

The Chaotic Birth of the World Cup | 1930 Final Story

Address

3209NW 62ND
Oklahoma City, OK
73112

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when FactLab posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category