Famous Figures
5 Famous Figures Who Nearly Made the Olympics
0
Article
In 67 CE, the Roman Emperor Nero decided to take part in the Olympic Games. He competed in a number of events, including chariot racing, singing, poetry, and lyre playing. Needless to say, the eccentric emperor made sure he was declared the winner in each discipline — including the chariot race, despite him falling out of his chariot and never finishing the event. Other famous figures have made far more dignified appearances in the modern Olympics. George S. Patton, one of the United States’ most famous military generals, competed in the modern pentathlon at the ...Read More
-
Famous FiguresFact14Isaac Newton stuck a needle in his own eye as part of an experiment.
If you’re brave enough, there is no more convenient scientific subject than your own body: You’re intimately familiar with it, you get near-instant feedback, and you always have it with…
-
Famous FiguresFact3Ferdinand Magellan did not actually circumnavigate the globe.
For more than 500 years, Ferdinand Magellan has been famous for being the first person to circumnavigate the globe — which is a bit odd, given that he didn’t actually…
-
Famous FiguresFact10Ben Franklin proposed something like daylight saving time as a joke.
In most U.S. states, the clocks get set forward an hour on the second Sunday in March, making Monday morning arrive just a little too soon. While daylight saving time…
-
Famous FiguresFact2Benjamin Franklin had 16 siblings.
For one of the most famous statesmen of all time, Benjamin Franklin had some relatively humble beginnings. His father, Josiah Franklin, made soap and candles. It wasn’t considered a prestigious…
