50 Interesting Facts And Stories That You Might Not Have Heard Of Before

Chess Grandmaster Anna Muzychuk refuses to play in Saudi Arabia and says: "In a few days, I will lose two world titles, back to back." Because I decided not to go to Saudi Arabia. I refuse to play by special rules, to wear abaya, to be accompanied by a man so I can leave the hotel, so I don't feel like a second class person. "I will follow my principles and not compete in the World Fast Chess and Blitz Championship where in just 5 days I could have won more money than dozens of other tournaments combined." This is all very nasty but the sad part is no one seems to care. Bitter feelings but can't go back. "
—Anna Muzychuk

A Chicago teenager named Dorothy Jean Tillman has just become the youngest person in the world to obtain a PHD doctorate at the age of 17. - She took her first university course at the age of 10. - At the age of 14, Dorothy Jean Tillman had obtained an associate diploma, a bachelor''s degree and a master''s degree. Respect This is the kind of image that should be made viral on social networks

Judy was a special pointer dog who lived on navy ships in the Pacific Ocean. In 1942, the Japanese captured her and put her in a prison camp. There she met a man named Frank Williams, who shared his small bit of rice with her even though he was very hungry too.
Judy made the prisoners feel happier during the tough times. She would bark loudly when dangerous snakes, crocodiles, or even tigers came near the prisoners. When the prisoners had to go on a ship back to Singapore, Frank hid Judy in a rice sack. She stayed super quiet and didn't make a sound, so the guards never knew she was there.
The very next day, their ship was hit by a torpedo! Frank pushed Judy out of a small window to try to save her. There was a big 15-foot drop to the ocean below. Frank escaped too, but was caught again and sent to a new prison camp.
Frank didn't know if Judy survived. But then he heard stories about a dog helping people who were drowning after the ship sank. When Frank got to the new camp, something amazing happened. "I couldn't believe my eyes! As I walked through the gate, a scraggly dog hit me square between the shoulders and knocked me over. I'd never been so glad to see the old girl!"
They spent a whole year together at the camp in Sumatra. "Judy saved my life in so many ways," said Frank. "But the greatest of all was giving me a reason to live. All I had to do was look into those weary, bloodshot eyes and ask myself: 'What would happen to her if I died?' I had to keep going."
When the war ended, Frank smuggled Judy onto a ship going to Liverpool, England. In England, Judy got a special medal called the Dickin Medal, which is like a medal of honor for animals. She got it for being brave and helping prisoners stay hopeful.
Frank also got an award for taking such good care of Judy. For a year after the war, Frank and Judy visited families of prisoners who had died. Frank said that Judy "always provided a comforting presence to the families."
When Judy died at 13 years old, Frank spent two whole months building a beautiful stone memorial for her. It had a special plaque that told Judy's amazing life story.

Robin Williams once brought laughter back to a grieving gorilla who had been mourning the loss of his friend for six months. This remarkable story began when American ethologists taught a gorilla named Koko to communicate with humans using sign language. Koko was exceptionally intelligent, but he was going through a deeply difficult period, to the point where biologists feared he might be suffering from severe melancholy.

The researchers wanted to help Koko by finding him a new companion while also studying how he interacted with humans. Since Koko had learned sign language and could communicate with our species, he was the perfect subject to explore whether there were true cognitive boundaries between humans and gorillas. To assist, they reached out to Robin Williams, the renowned comedian, and asked if he would spend time with Koko, interacting with him naturally, as if he were simply a person in need of comfort.

Williams agreed, though he had reservations. He wasn’t an expert on primates and worried he might be too awkward to connect with the gorilla. However, when he met Koko, Williams had an unexpected revelation. By letting the gorilla approach him at his own pace, Williams realized that interacting with Koko felt like engaging with a curious child. Gradually, Koko grew more interested in his visitor, even becoming fascinated by Williams’ glasses, which he referred to as "strange glass eyes."

Soon, Koko began communicating with Williams through sign language, suggesting games and asking surprisingly insightful questions that left the actor stunned. Within minutes, the two were joking, tickling each other, playing, and sharing stories from their lives. The researchers were amazed and asked Koko to describe Williams in one word. The gorilla chose the term "friend." Williams was deeply moved by the encounter, especially when he learned that he had managed to make a gorilla laugh who was on the brink of depression due to loneliness.

The little girl in this photograph is Ruby Crane. From the young age of 3 years old, she spent her days at St Dunstan’s Rehabilitation Centre in Brighton, Sussex—helping blinded soldiers returning from World War I. Ruby’s father was the head gardener, and as she wandered the grounds, she would take the soldiers by the hand and guide them to their workshops, asking where they wanted to go. She knew they couldn’t see and just wanted to help. Her kindness deeply moved those around her. People sent dolls and toys to thank her for the support she gave to the men and women who had lost their sight. Ruby was so beloved that she was featured on the front page of St Dunstan’s first Annual Report (1915/1916), and later, Flag Day emblems were designed in her honor.

Years later, Ruby recalled:
"I always remember how my little hand seemed so small in their big hands… They were so pleased to have a child come and talk to them. It was something different—away from the monotonous grind of not being able to see things, I think."

Ruby was rewarded with a long life, passing away in 2011 in her late nineties. But her legacy of kindness lives on. ❤️

This is the final photo of Saman Kunan, a 38-year-old former Thai Navy SEAL who gave his life during the daring rescue of twelve boys trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand.
When he learned the boys were running low on oxygen, he made the ultimate choice—leaving his own supply behind to give them a better chance at survival, and setting out to bring more. Tragically, he never made it back.
His bravery and sacrifice helped pave the way for the boys’ eventual rescue—and he is remembered as a true hero.
Our salute to him

Veterinarians crafted miniature snow shoes for a small mockingbird with deformed feet, recently rescued by the California Wildlife Center. The customized shoes aided in realigning its feet, restoring them to a normal bird's foot shape. Within a week, the bird's feet were successfully corrected, allowing it to walk independently.

Tucked quietly along a street in Barcelona, there stands a sculpture that stops people in their tracks.
It’s called The Abandoned Dog, created by Catalan artist Artur Aldomà Puig.
No pedestal. No glory. Just a dog—sculpted in stone, sitting alone, waiting.
Its eyes are what pull you in.
Wide. Hopeful. Full of quiet sorrow.
It’s not just a statue—it’s a message.
This sculpture is a tribute to every dog who gave their love, only to be left behind. It speaks for the voiceless. The loyal. The forgotten.
Next to the figure is a poem by the artist himself, etched in metal.
It reads:
“Your race doesn’t matter.
Your name doesn’t matter.
You came into the world
to be my friend.”
It’s not just about dogs. It’s about what we owe to love—the love that comes without judgment, without condition, without limit.
Locals leave flowers by its paws. Children stop to pet it. Visitors kneel to take photos and wipe away tears. It has become a place of memory, and mourning, and quiet promises.
A reminder that loyalty like this should never go unnoticed.
Artur Aldomà Puig didn’t just sculpt a dog.
He sculpted a responsibility.