Fun facts and fascinating trivia about historical, bygone, and modern foods for people who love eating food.

Chew on This

Old Stuff

Every <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/each-state-essential-food/melissa-sartore">state has a food</a> it is known for, and we often take pride in claiming that our home makes some of the best barbecue, seafood, or pies in the nation. Still, when Ranker asked readers which food they could eat for the rest of their lives, Chinese food, spaghetti, burritos, and sushi were some of the dishes that ranked at the very top of the list. Part of what makes these foods so appealing is that they seem special, helping us feel like we are experiencing ethnic foods without having to leave home. Are we really, though?&nbsp;It turns out that some of our very favorite “ethnic” foods actually originated right here in our own country. While a few resemble dishes from their supposed countries, others were conceptualized entirely in the United States. This list exposes the fascinating, real, and very American origins of some of our very favorite “ethnic” dishes.

Foods Americans Think Are Ethnic But Were Actually Invented In The States

Food

Lauren Glen

Fast Food

Snacks and fast food can make up a considerable amount of what we eat in a day. If we're in need of a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-popular-junk-food-kids-every-decade/oliver-pretl-drummond">quick bite</a> between meals, nothing is more satisfying and delicious than some chips, candy, or a similar treat. Fast food is - well, fast and convenient - making it a tasty option when we're in a hurry or just too lazy to cook.Many good eats passed our lips this year - and many facts about those foods crossed our paths, too. We learned about some of our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/fast-food-to-eat-every-day-big-mac-taco-bell/dave-schilling">favorite fast-food restaurants</a>, individual ingredients, and even how we might actually be <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/food-you-have-been-eating-wrong/donn-saylor">eating food wrong</a>.&nbsp;We can't wait to see what we learn next year! In the meantime, take a look at some of the most fascinating food facts we learned in 2022 and vote up the ones that definitely leave you hungry for more.

17 Facts About Snacks And Fast Food We Learned In 2022 That We're Still Nibbling On

General

Melissa Sartore

Whoa Facts

History is filled with stories, weird happenings, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historic-mysteries-obsession-/will-morgan-1">strange mysteries</a>, and historical events that don't quite seem to be true. Unsurprisingly, this means that there are hundreds (if not thousands) of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/history-facts-no-one-talks-about/setareh-janda">events of historical significance</a> that most people don't know.&nbsp;For example, in 2022, we learned that the deadliest conflict to have happened since WWII occurred in Congo and that we still need to find out how the world-famous poet Edgar Allen Poe died. Thus, you'll find our list interesting if you want to learn more about the historical events that might have gone under your radar or slipped through the cracks of your knowledge.&nbsp;So without further ado, let's dive into the enthralling details of the past that you need to learn before 2022 is over.&nbsp;

Things We Just Learned In 2022 About Historical Events

Jason F. Collins

History

Don&#39;t you love it when you find out a new history nugget - a gem <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/historic-moments-that-sound-made-up-but-aren_t/will-morgan-1" target="_blank">you&#39;ve&nbsp;never heard before</a>? There&#39;s so much interesting history in the world that it&#39;s impossible to know it all - and we&#39;re learning more every day.&nbsp;

When we come across <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-sound-made-up-but-are-true/christina-chilin" target="_blank">surprising&nbsp;facts</a>, it&#39;s hard not to share them with our fellow history buffs. Who wouldn&#39;t want to know that renowned sex therapist Dr. Ruth used to be a military sniper? Or that one of the top politicians in the US has been making appearances in Batman movies for decades? Or that the metal detector was invented to try to save a president&#39;s life?

Here&#39;s to encountering many more historical stories we didn&#39;t know - and learning more interesting tidbits every day. Read on to get your daily dose of surprising history facts!

12 Facts About History We Were Genuinely Surprised We'd Never Heard Before

Emily Mast

Sometimes, learning is fun. Other times, not so much. It&#39;s not that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/disturbing-gross-facts-2021/elle-tharp" target="_blank">disturbing facts</a>&nbsp;aren&#39;t interesting - what&#39;s more fascinating than a whale who communicates on a different frequency than any other whale known to man? Maybe the time the CIA shut down a rebellion&nbsp;by faking evidence of vampires?&nbsp;Or that your body has a sixth sense when it receives the wrong blood type? These <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/very-creepy-facts/erin-maxwell" target="_blank">creepy facts</a>&nbsp;will definitely captivate anyone with a morbid curiosity -&nbsp;we just kind of wish they weren&#39;t actually true.

From Bayer knowingly selling a medication containing HIV-infected human blood&nbsp;to bees ganging up on hornets and burning them alive, read on for&nbsp;facts that are likely to shock, perplex, and disturb you while making you question if you have ever really known this weird, wonderful, and oftentimes scary world. Don&#39;t say we didn&#39;t warn you.

12 Deeply Disturbing Facts We Really Wish Weren’t True

Person

Disturbing Facts We Really Wish Weren’t True

Graveyard Shift

Ignorance is bliss, especially when it comes to these<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/creepy-history-facts-2021/will-morgan-1"> creepy, horrifying facts</a>. Each little nugget of knowledge is disturbing in its own way, but we still yearn to learn as much as we can.&nbsp;Whether it's for a more successful trivia night or just to impress our friends, we love to have as many trivia tidbits at our disposal as possible - and being armed with a few that make people recoil is even better. These are some of the horrifying facts we learned in 2002.

Horrifying Facts We Learned In 2022

Will Morgan

These days it's easy to have an obsession with trivia. Facts and tidbits of info float along the internet for us to pick up throughout our day. Trivia nights proliferate at bars and restaurants where we can show off to our friends the eclectic knowledge we have somehow impressively acquired.&nbsp;Some of our favorite facts to learn and share are about animals. The world around us and its inhabitants are a <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/stories-of-pets-who-turned-on-their-owners/mike-rothschild">never-ending supply of wonder</a> when it comes to mind-blowing information. These are realities about animals we learned this year.

Facts About Animals We Learned In 2022

Lists about the fascinating culture and practices of the civilization that occupied Northeastern Africa from 3000 to 300 BC. 

Walk Like an Egyptian

Looking closer at the who, what, where, why, and how of mummies and human preservation around the world and throughout history.

Forever Young

<a href="/list/chinas-lady-dai-mummy-mystery/jessika-gilbert" target="_blank">Everyone loves a good mummy</a>, but one of the most fascinating stories about these wrapped legends doesn&#39;t have anything to do with the likes of King Tutankhamun&nbsp;or <a href="/list/facts-about-inca-ice-woman-juanita/lisa-a-flowers" target="_blank">Juanita</a>. One of history&#39;s <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-famous-mummies-really-looked-like/christy-box?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most famous mummies</a> is &quot;Unknown Man E,&quot; found at the ancient Egyptian site of Deir el-Bahri. But this, one of the most scary mummies ever found, is better known to the world as the &quot;Screaming Mummy.&quot;

This bizarre mummy features a thrown-back head and an open jaw in what looks like a blood-curdling scream. But what&nbsp;happened to Egypt&#39;s Screaming Mummy, and why is he yelling? Archaeologists analyzed the mummy and his wrappings and have reasoned he might have been a disgraced prince named Pentawere. This&nbsp;ancient conspiracy involved a minor queen trying to put her&nbsp;son, Pentawere, on the throne, while overthrowing his dad, Ramesses III, in the process. The plot was eventually discovered and Pentawere forced to commit take his own life... but what happened to him?&nbsp;Perhaps archaeologists discovered his body when they uncovered&nbsp;the Screaming Mummy!

The Horrifying Story Behind 'The Screaming Mummy'

The Horrifying Story Behind "The Screaming Mummy"

Carly Silver

Mysteries

We fall into a certain order in our lives, completing the same tasks day to day, assuming we know what's coming and having the peace of mind that we know what to expect.&nbsp;When <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/creepy-unsolved-mysteries/olivia-pasquarelli">the unexplainable happens</a>, it can become a point of obsession. We must know all the pieces of the puzzle, and why. Over the last year, we've discovered many unexplainable mysteries - some with the pieces revealed, while others remain hidden.&nbsp;These are the most compelling mysteries we saw in 2022.

Mysteries We Just Learned About In 2022

Weird History

We all have movies&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-we-love-but-everyone-else-forgot/will-morgan-1">we loved to watch</a>&nbsp;over and over while growing up. Or maybe it wasn't a film we watched repeatedly, but one with an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/wh-fans-forgotten-animated-movies/dave-rubinstein">image or scene </a>that burned into our developing brains, and we knew we'd never forget it. At some point later on, we discussed this cinematic marvel with our friends - except for some reason, our friends had never heard of this movie.When you tell people these films are your favorites, perhaps they give you puzzled looks. But surely you aren't the only one&nbsp;who considers them classics.&nbsp;These are some movies we forgot about until 2022.

Movies We Just Realized We'd Forgotten Until 2022

We learned a lot this year - new information, reminders of things we uncovered long ago, and tidbits that confirm what we already know. And much it had to do with medieval history.In 2022, we <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/whoa-medieval-facts-2021/melissa-sartore">discovered things</a> about the Middle Ages that blew our minds. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/brutal-medieval-deaths/melissa-sartore">Deaths</a>, dragons, and massive Mongol broods are among our favorites, but they're only the beginning.From details about medieval weaponry to stories about some of the most powerful <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-important-leaders-in-world-history">individuals who ever lived</a>, these facts about the Middle Ages left us saying “good knight!” - mouths agape and all.&nbsp;

12 Things We Learned About The Middle Ages In 2022 That Made Us Say 'Good Knight!'

Historical Figures

There's a lot to cover in history class, fair enough. But it seems like certain figures take the curriculum cake, while many names are lost to history despite their brave, bold, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/history-stories-jaw-dropping/melissa-sartore">bizarre accomplishments</a>.&nbsp;Historical films are also guilty of focusing on the same tired subjects over and over, when there are plenty of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unknown-historical-figures-who-deserve-biopic/setareh-janda">lesser-known historical figures</a> who are more than worthy of their own biopics.Luckily, the age of the internet has brought much new information about these historical figures to light. Read on for the ones we learned about in 2022 - though we can't believe it took that long.

Historical Figures We Can't Believe We Just Learned About In 2022

Elle Tharp

Lists about the true stories that inspired books, films, TV, and other stories you think you know. 

What Really Happened

Historical Entertainment

Historical movies aren&#39;t history. It&#39;s common knowledge that movies based on historical events routinely omit facts, distort narratives, and sometimes just make stuff up. There are all kinds of reasons why filmmakers do or don&#39;t include a particular historical detail, but today we&#39;re focusing on one specific case: stories that are true&nbsp;but still too weird to include.&nbsp;

Sometimes, these stories are omitted because they strike the wrong tone for the movie. A serious drama about the final days of WWII probably doesn&#39;t need a realistic depiction of a certain chancellor&#39;s flatulence. But it still would have been historically accurate. On the other hand, some details just sound so far-fetched that most audience members would assume the filmmakers were making them up for dramatic effect, which could undermine the serious movie. But the saying &quot;truth is stranger than fiction&quot; is a cliche for a reason.&nbsp;

Today, we&#39;re going to cover the weird details that filmmakers ignored. And for some of these movies, including the strange stuff might have made them even better.&nbsp;

True Stories That Were Too Ridiculous For Historical Movies To Include

Film

Weird True Stories Left Out Of Historical Movies

Jim Rowley

We know the big moments of history from our formal educations; the &quot;who, what, and when&quot; of how we got to where we are. There&#39;s only so much time to cover the important stuff in the curriculum. So, some of the things that don&#39;t play a larger role may get left by the wayside, even if they are ridiculously entertaining. Also, there would probably be too much class time eaten up convincing everyone these events actually happened.

When we see films or television our disbelief can only be stretched so far. After a certain point, we say that a coincidence is too convenient, a story too unbelievable, or a character too extremely over the top. But sometimes those stories, coincidences, and characters happen in reality. The truth, and history, really is stranger than fiction.

Historic Moments We Just Learned About That Sound Made Up - But Aren't

The world of science can be a weird and wonderful place. At the same time, it can often be <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/disturbing-science-facts/christina-chilin">downright disturbing</a> to learn more about how life works. For instance, was it necessary to know that oysters are alive and possibly spawning as we eat them? Or to know that microscopic mites are mating on our faces?These <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/disturbing-gross-facts-2021/elle-tharp">icky and creepy science facts</a> probably won't help you sleep better at night, but they will make you a little bit wiser to the world around you. And give you some good bits of trivia you can use to gross people out.Vote up the science facts that will creep you out all the way into 2023.

23 Science Facts That Creeped Us Out In 2022

Psst! Hey, kid: wanna see something cool? Check out these lists of neato facts, pics, and vids of science working around you, all day in every way.

That's Just Science

Science has done a great deal to demystify the world. Things that would once have been ascribed to the supernatural or to gods have, thanks to the scientific method, been explained rationally (even if, all too often, some&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-widely-misunderstood-scientific-concepts/bruce-maisy">scientific concepts remain poorly understood</a>).Numerous <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/unsolved-ancient-mysteries-from-around-the-world/jeffrichard?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">ancient mysteries of the world</a> have been solved through experimentation - and there have been&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weirdest-scientific-experiments-that-received-funding/zack-howe">many strange and unusual examples of these</a>. However, while science has managed to discover some fascinating things about both earth and space, there are a number of surprisingly common things it has yet to fully understand.&nbsp;These aren't the “big think” mysteries like reconciling quantum physics and relativity, or understanding the fundamental nature of time itself. These are things you'd expect scientists to have a handle on - like how bicycles work, or why sand is soft. Vote up the concepts you were sure humans had figured out by now.

Ordinary Things Scientists Don't Actually Understand

Thomas West

Weird History lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for lists and rankings in all categories

Weird History lists on Ranker

Weird History lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for hundreds of Weird History lists and rankings.

Weird, spooky, and tragic stories of people who passed in odd ways or on strange days.

Unusual Demises

There were some strange deaths that have occurred during the 20th century and these are the most bizarre ways that people passed in the 1900s. The following list includes some the most unusual ways of passing imaginable. There are plenty of strange ways to perish, but these might be the strangest&nbsp;of all&nbsp;&mdash;&nbsp;unique and extremely rare circumstances that you can think of.

What are the most bizarre ways famous people have died in the last century? Do you know someone who swallowed a toothpick at a party and then perished because of peritonitis? Did you know about an actress who passed when she fell down a chimney, thinking it was a balcony? If not, read this list of all the unusual deaths of 20th century people who died in strange ways.

Unusual Deaths: Bizarre Deaths Of The 20th Century

Bizarre Deaths | List of Unusual Ways To Die

Notable Famous Deaths

Before tickets even went on sale, every major motion picture employed dozens of people and cost thousands, if not millions, of dollars. Here is how some of them screwed it all up.

Famous Film Fails

Death

Real accidents happen on the sets of big budget movies, but most of them don&#39;t cost the cast or crew their lives. Film productions follow a number of regulations to keep performers and crew members safe, but while shooting scenes of manufactured peril, performers sometimes put themselves in situations where the slightest miscalculation can quickly become deadly. Some occurred on <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-nausea-inducing-great-films/randolph" target="_blank">nausea-inducing sets</a>; others happened in seemingly commonplace situations.

What are some examples of people dying on movie sets? People have lost their lives on films as early as 1928&#39;s Noah&#39;s Ark. Here are some of the worst cases where mistakes and misfortune have collided to produce fatal consequences.

12 Film Sets On Which People Were Actually Killed

Deaths on Movie Sets | List of Fatal Accidents During Film Productions

Matt Blackwood

Looking closer at the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe, a period during which artists, architects, politicians, scientists, and writers embraced humanism, bringing their society from the Middle Ages to the modern era.

The Renaissance

List of odd deaths that happened during the Renaissance, including some of the rumors and legends behind them. This list includes stories of people dying from laughter, a ruler who died due to shyness about using the restroom, and a man who was beaten to death with his own artificial limb. "The Renaissance" is a term used to refer to a broad cultural movement that swept across Europe from the 14th through the 17th century, as well as the period in European History that divides the Late Middle Ages from the beginnings of the modern era. Through the term is most typically used to refer to the Renaissance in Italy - which includes a number of the most famous writers, thinkers, and artists of the period - the Renaissance itself spread to a number of European nations, including Scandinavia, The Netherlands, England, France, Hungary, and Russia.Need more? Check out the most unusual murders of other eras such as the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/unusual-deaths-bizarre-deaths-during-the-middle-ages/notable-famous-deaths">odd deaths during the Middle Ages</a> and the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/unusual-deaths-bizarre-deaths-of-the-21st-century/notable-famous-deaths">bizarre deaths from the 21st century.</a>

The 9 Strangest Deaths of the Renaissance And Early Modern Eras

Renaissance Deaths | List of Strange Renaissance Era Killings

A look at major events that happened a long time ago and the people who played the biggest roles in shaping the world as we know it.

Historical Facts & Figures

Some of the most prolific&nbsp;figures in history got off in ways that would have been considered untoward in their time.&nbsp;

Nowadays, many&nbsp;of the&nbsp;behaviors described here are seen as normal, or at least, somewhat so. But back in the day, some of these writers, revolutionaries, philosophers, and the like kept their sexuality&nbsp;and kinks a secret, only to be discovered decades after their passing by scholars and curious readers.

Perhaps if these legends were alive now, they would wave their flags proudly and let the world know what turns them on. Or not, and that&#39;s fine too; after all, it&#39;s nobody&#39;s business what you&#39;re into.

10 Historically Important Figures With Extra Colorful Personal Lives

The Most Historically Important Perverts Of All Time

Beau Iverson

Bill Gates

Steve Jobs

Ronald Reagan

Pop Culture

A list of the Americans who have had the most central influence on, or importance to, the modern era. This would include Americans who have most significantly altered the course of events from roughly the 1980s onward. So while someone like Ronald Reagan or Steve Jobs might very well apply, figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt or even Martin Luther King Jr. would probably not be considered contemporary enough to qualify.Americans from every walk of life and every industry have managed to profoundly influence the country. This can include efforts to alter the culture or perspective of Americans, technological or scientific innovations that forever <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/ways-internet-changes-how-we-think/hannah-collins?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">changed the way</a> we live, business achievements which altered the course of one or multiple industries, or political decisions that permanently shifted later events in America and the world.Vote for the important Americans below you think had the greatest impact on the way we live today. Or if you don't see your selection, add it by making your own list.