40 Times People Stumbled Upon Something Hilarious On Wikipedia And It Ended Up Being Shared In This Online Group
Wikipedia is huge. As of 19 May 2022, there are 6,500,765 articles in its English version, containing over 4 billion words and 55,804,737 pages. It's so big that no person can possibly expect to scroll through everything on their own. We need help. Someone who can sort out the good stuff and present it in byte-size tidbits. Someoone like Annie Rauwerda.
In April 2020, then-sophomore at the University of Michigan, Rauwerda got bored being stuck at home and ended up spending countless hours on the internet.
Passing the time, she came up with an idea for a spontaneous quarantine project and created a new Instagram account, called 'depths of wikipedia.' Flash forward to now, and her online baby has upwards of 800,000 followers, spread across multiple social media platforms.
But its core concept remains the same: Rauwerda curates funny, silly, and weird snippets from Wikipedia and shares them with the world.
More info: depthsofwikipedia.com | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok
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Actually "Cunningham's Law" is anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
As cunningham as a fox who's just been appointed Professor of Cunningham at Oxford University?
Load More Replies...I have field-tested this concept and I can say it been demonstrated true.
Look at the responses to my comment. It is most definitely true.
Load More Replies...This is also the way to get an Answer out of one of my family members
I read it as "Cunnillingus' Law" at first and was *very* confused for a moment 😅
Some of y'all are also proving that no one reads past the headlines.. lol (Hint, hint)
For Rauwerda, Wikipedia has always been more about entertainment rather than academic work: spending hours clicking on one link after another, getting lost in rabbit holes.
“Wikipedia is the best thing on the internet," she told The New York Times. "It's what the internet was supposed to be. It has this hacker ethos of working together and making something.”
At first, only her friends were following her account but it received a lot of attention when she posted about the influencer Caroline Calloway, who was upset that the post featured an old version of her Wikipedia page that said her occupation was "nothing." Rauwerda apologized, and Ms. Calloway later boosted the account on her own Instagram.
what and how are the things sticking to the cat? do u have to brushie the cat before sticking things? asking for (practical) research purposes.
Those are polystyrene packing beans, like you get in a package. They usually have a bit of a charge just from being shaken around in the box so they stick to things pretty easily.
Load More Replies...Ha! Cattery is a real thing! It refers to a room or space where multiple cats are housed. Usually in a kennel or shelter.
Load More Replies...It took me way too long to figure out what was odd about this 😂
*and she pondered the amazing memories she had playing Goat Simulator and getting the Goat Queen mut from the top*
Once it was all over (we ended up staying with our original flag, after spending millions of dollars to run the campaign) this design was put onto t-shirts from a company here called Mister Vintage. My husband has one :)
"I believe my design is so powerful it does not need to be discussed." Admit it, you agree.
As mentioned, Rauwerda has since expanded her project and now she also sells merchandise (such as a coffee mug emblazoned with an image from the Wikipedia entry for "bisexual lighting") and hosts live shows.
Her followers often suggest her Wikipedia pages to feature, but she's become hard to impress. "If it's a fun fact that's been on the Reddit home page, I'm definitely not going to repost it," she said.
"For example, there are only 25 blimps in the world. I've known about that for a long time, and it went around Twitter a couple of days ago. I was shocked. I was like, 'Everyone knows this.'"
Neither is wearing pants, but here we are.
Load More Replies...bro i just saw a chipmunk on the list! Gay chipmunks! My heart is alive!
My brain flips to "Chip n' Dale: Park Life" after seeing that.
Load More Replies...Actually this is completely true. Zoologists have proven it to be a fact. But there is only one mammal with homophobia. Can anyone guess what that animal is?????
Hmmmmmm let me ponder this for a while.....LOL. Yes I know what mammal it is :)
Load More Replies...Showed this to my grandma and she said: “that’s not true! Homosexuality isn’t natural and none of the animals know anything about that sin! It’s just horrible, disgusting humans trying to make something evil right by bringing animals into!” Wonder if she’ll ever find out I’m bisexual
Does Grandma know that almost none of these species mate for life? And that all of them have premarital sex? 🤣
Load More Replies...I actually saw this page, and woah, #pride. But some of the stuff is for dominance, showing who's in charge. But still, #pride.
I just asked my guinea pigs if they were homosexual and they didn’t say anything! So wEiRd!
I asked my rabbit if she was a lesbian. Still no answer...
Load More Replies...Didn't knew hyneas were in..that explains why they laugh all night.
Well even the females look like they have a d**k so...
Load More Replies...Homophobes can suck a d¡ck for being homophobic
Load More Replies...I wonder if the same thing with the sign for Intercourse (Pennsylvania).
I don't know how they resisted the temptation. Also, does it in fact weigh a ton
Load More Replies...That Elizabethan collar looks a lot like the cone of shame to me ( don't come for me im referencing the movie "up")
Sometimes, if an animal won't tolerate the Cone of Shame, you can have them wear the Onesie of Embarrassment instead.
Load More Replies...I was hoping it might show up on the list but it didn't so I'll drop this here because it's the same time period. Years back, the Wikipedia page for Stratford-upon-Avon had a line in it that said this: "...the birthplace of William Shakespeare, who had a huge penis." It's not there anymore 🤣
The figs had fermented so the donkey was drunk, that's why he was laughing.
Thank you. I'm not a native speaker and was wondering if "fig" could mean something else than fig :-D
Load More Replies...My dog has no nose. How does he smell? Awful!
Load More Replies...Some historical figures you just know would've totally embraced meme culture. Benjamin Franklin and this guy for sure
She has to be this choosy because many of her followers expect 'depths of wikipedia' to give them something they haven't seen before.
"I just love to learn stuff, especially these strange photos and things I could never find on my own,” 15-year-old high school student Gabe Hockett told The New York Times. He said his favorite posts from the account include 'The Most Unwanted Song' and the 'Dave Matthews Band Chicago River incident.'
dad, how did you and mum get married? Once upon a time, son, me and mum did a high five...
Dunno, but presumably they have a wiki page to promote themselves.
Load More Replies...https://www.inputmag.com/culture/wikipedia-high-five-too-slow-photos-mystery-couple-solved
Fun fact in “olden” times the letter ‘y’ was used to make the ‘th’ sound so “ye olde” is pronounced “The old”
Load More Replies...The guy getting beaten was Senator Charles Sumner, an abolitionist. He talked trash about pro-slavery Southern Senator Andrew Butler, who was infirm. His cousin, a congressman, took offense at his family’s dishonor, and decided to show up and beat the hell out of him on the Senate floor. Can you imagine the ratings CSPAN would get if we had regular smack downs like this? (For non Americans, CSPAN is basically a live camera recording the Senate or House of Representatives floor. Just one camera, and It’s like watching paint dry, but paint drying is more interesting)
Ah yes, the good ol' "cave your face in with my walking cane" argument !
And then Charles broke his whacking stick beating Preston!
Load More Replies...I found some tiny frying pans, I think they were meant to be spoon rest, since they are only 2 inches (5.08cm) across, and wrote "wisdom" on them with markers and gave them to my children for Christmas - "The Frying Pan of Wisdom" - apply as needed... Best dad moment ever...
You know when you laugh so hard that the laughing part doesn't come out right away and you're just doing that wheezy exhale thing waiting for the actual laughter to hit you, sort of like a warm up before you collapse into the real thing? That was me when I read this comment 🤣🤣🤣
Load More Replies...Kind of like curling? A broom to the ice is reminiscent of the extreme outdoors with the satisfaction of a well-swept floor.
Seriously, someone was inspired by Monty Python to create this sport. It should run after the elimination finals for Upperclass Twit of the Year.
In the tabloids years ago when it was a thing for a few weeks and now largely forgotten
Load More Replies...Dad "Family!!! We are going to Hawaii.." Everyone in family, "YAYAYAYAY" Dad, " 2" Family "ohhhh :("
I own 1 square foot on that land too!!! Lol BEST Cards Against Humanity gift ever!
Load More Replies...I actually own a piece of Hawaii 2 from Cards Against Humanity. I don't remember if it is a foot by a foot or an inch by an inch. I would have to dig up my deed.
There's a handful of Londons, Parises or Warsaws in the US... I'm not sure why Hawaii 2 would get a mention specifically.
Jen Fox, 22, said that trading posts from the account with her boyfriend has become their "special, nerdy love language" as well as a litmus test for friendships.
When Ms. Fox, a copywriter, moved to San Francisco in February, she would mention the account to new people she met, and if they were familiar with it, they would start DM-ing each other and sharing their favorite posts, which felt like they were really solidifying a concrete friendship.
One man and his dog had to go all the way to the moon to get some cheese.
I once said to my sister, "Cheese, [Name], Cheese!" and did the hand motion, and she replied in the same way "You're weird, [Name], Weird!"
Load More Replies...I worked in a deli when I was young. As i was packing avay the blocks of cheese one slippes out of my hands and landed on my foot. I ended up in the ER with a ruptured blood vessel in my wrist, and my whole foot swelled and turned blue, red and yellow.
No good for growing witches on, chalk. Except for one who's favorite word is sussurus or course
Unlike the 2015 German potato controversy: The Kartoffel Kerfuffle
Load More Replies...He could, but there was always someone in front of him with a much bigger flag that the bearer knew how to 'work it' properly.
Load More Replies...Come ye and have a go if thou dost think thou art hard enough and verily thou art going home in ye sucking ambvlance
Everybody knew, it was the worst kept secret.
Load More Replies...Trying to look innocent and non suspicious before they hijack the plane.
Guys? Are you sure the page is legit and honest-to-god? Because, I found something completely different... Screenshot...870ef8.png
Talking to The Michigan Daily, Rauwerda said that she started receiving so many DMs that she can't even read them all.
"When I post a lot of stories and I start getting story responses, then it gets to be a lot. It's so nice because all these people are usually sending really sweet and thoughtful things. I definitely try to acknowledge them, maybe like the message, but unfortunately, I just don’t have enough time and diligence to send something heartfelt back to everyone."
how could you eat my brothers, sisters and siblings?!
Load More Replies...I miss these so much! I grew up in Adelaide, South Australia where they are iconic. Very, very sweet sugar cream, with a small square sponge cake at the bottom with jam, covered in icing. So good!
Search for Fondant Fancies, thats what these are with the top icing and cream cut and opened to look like a critter with its mouth open, it really is that simple.
They had difficulty finding supplies of angels in the modern world.
Load More Replies...For your viewing pleasure: https://www.google.com/search?q=puppy+wearing+a+hat&client=firefox-b-1-d&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjt096pp-73AhWpqo4IHb4OASgQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1920&bih=909&dpr=1
Don't dress your dog up. If it's a working dog that needs protective gear then fine, otherwise no, let your dog be a dog..
Folding TP isn't as bad as it sounds - especially the hotel TP, that stuff is practically origami paper. Just don't have sweaty hands, sneeze, or even think about any liquid or it'll dissolve. If you mess up just rip it off and start over.
I'd probably end up with a roll with only 7 squares left on it by the time I got it right.
Load More Replies...It's an art. Cleaning hotel rooms is repetitive and low wage work. But sometimes it is the best or only option. Why not have a little fun? Also, maybe the guests will like it and leave a dollar or two to thank the hard working maid. Also it can be a non aggressive way to assert your humanity.
Why? It's not like it's already been on someone's bum? Besides, the hotel staff is most likely wearing gloves.
Load More Replies...The majority of DMs she receives are people saying things like, "Oh, you should definitely post about this," and we would not believe how many repeats there are if she told us.
"At this point, I’ve posted something like 700 different things, and so many of the things people submit are things that I’ve already posted. But then other times people will send things that are really interesting, and sometimes I’ll be like 'Oh, I gotta save that for later.'"
I've found that I get described as "staring into empty space", though in school that often meant it looked like I was staring intensively at people's heads (crowded school). Hm, now I think about it, don't think there was much of a difference (/bad joke)
Load More Replies...On Brazil the phrase is "Pensando na morte da Bezerra" which means "Thinking about the Heifer's death "
I tell people that I'm in "screensaver mode." Probably no one under the age of 40 knows what that means.
*mindlessly watches trapezoids bouncing around in Demongrrrrl's eyes*
Load More Replies...Interesting. In Czech we have almost the same thing, except with... Wait, that can't be right... English term is "cockchafer"?
My mom tells me this one quite often when I get distracted, my dad just says (not to me, usually to his college students) "están pensando en los huevos del gallo" -they're thinking about the rooster's eggs/balls-
We must pass a law against these Crab being so Immoral. If we don't act now what's next Sea Bass playing the drums?
Only way I knew this. I don’t think Aussies get a soundtrack for CPR
Load More Replies...It used to be Nellie the Elephant but it was changed to Stayin'Alive.
Doesn't that seem inappropriate while you're operating on a dying person
Load More Replies...Apparently Baby Shark is in vogue now according to my last CPR training. Which is nice.
And here I am, thinking that Rick Astley Never gonna give you up is quite an appropriate song for CPR.
But Rauwerda isn't just "borrowing" stuff from Wikipedia. She's also contributing to it by editing articles.
"Overall, the process is very easy," she said. "First, you would make an account, and then press the little pencil icon on an article. There are some pages for more controversial issues, like the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine or abortion, that are often vandalized. For those pages, you would have to have an account for a certain amount of time and have made a certain number of good edits before you’re allowed to edit them."
Thank you for noticing this notice. Your noticing this notice has been noted (and reported to the authorities).
The one I know is 'If you've noticed this notice you've noticed this notice is not worth noticing' 😃
Load More Replies...One day I wondered if there was one with a snake in bondage gear saying Please Tread on Me. Turns out the proper term is Tread On Me, Daddy!
My favorite version of this is just a black squiggle on a yellow field that just says "Treadn't"
Or else it it gets the hose again!
Load More Replies...However, she said that even many new editors might feel unsure of what to fix. At least that's what she was going through in the beginning. But as you dig deeper, opportunities start to present themselves.
"There are so many pages that are just kind of 'meh.' Right now, a lot of obscure pages are just really poorly written or have outdated sources, and there's a lot of maintenance that is required to have an encyclopedia so big. There are topics within so many subfields that I feel like people with so many diverse interests could find a really nice niche if they wanted to."
Being pedantic - I'm not sure this is correct. The question mark on the end suggests the author is questioning whether the observer (or possibly themselves) are sorry about the wall.
Being even more pedantic - that's not a question mark on the end, but an elipses and a crossed-out blue Z. I don't know how to interpret this.
Load More Replies...I rather think the artist feels sorry for someone having such horrible gray walls... as would I
So they've decided to make them 10 times uglier by vandalizing them? I like graffitti when it's done properly, but I don't believe anyone over the age of 14 can think that the above is a pleasant upgrade to the city.
Load More Replies...This was a penguin from a Japanese zoo... And you probably guessed it now - it was one of those birds that fell in love with a stylized depiction of their species... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grape-kun
How did you ever know that? I checked and you’re right!
Load More Replies...See Dunedin’s response below. They’re right, it’s about a languid named grape kun
Load More Replies...I prefer mushroom popcorn because since there's no kernels I can press it to the roof of my mouth and make it disintegrate
I like Butterfly best but it tends to have kernel bits to stab my tender gums so Mushroom is safer.
"There’s a lot of rules, though," Rauwerda added. "I try so hard to follow the rules, but even now sometimes I'll blatantly violate something by accident. If you're not sure about an edit you can go to the 'Talk' page of the article, which is the 'behind the scenes' where editors talk about what the page should be like, and then ask."
But if that sounds too much of a hassle, you can thank Wikipedia for everything it has done by donating to it. Every dollar helps!
Doesn't sound like a bad option for a coworker, he probably doesn't complain much.
Yellowman! Jamaican musician. zungguzungguguzungguzeng is a great song.
Load More Replies...Isn't that the ending to the Spice Girls song, "if u wanna be my lover"?
A small coastal village in the North of England; call; "Bovine by the sea"
But the moon is a holographic projection and a hoax by the secret Lizard Overlords so I have heard.
But I heard the moon is an egg and there's a giant space bird inside waiting to be born
Without the moon life and earth will be f****d up. I agree with this dude
*USAmerican conservatives. This is an international platform and other countries define conservatives differently than you.
Load More Replies...It's a start. I mean, blowing things up till we find the right thing might be a valid strategy
The "unknot?" I like the "not knot" better. If I had none of them, I would have "naught not knots."
So.............an unknot is still technically a knot, but just barely.
It's an untangled tangle. The cat will be along shortly to correct the problem.
Load More Replies...If they are not aught to be knotty knots then aught they not to have fought for naughty daughters?
Load More Replies...Sadly, the transmission mysteriously went out on the way home.
Exactly, this is not funny. Quite a few farmers have died that way.
My dad is a firefighter and every year they put a reminder on Facebook for all farmers to keep their cell phones on them. If you've sunk up to your knees it's pretty much too late, call 911 the second you realize you're having trouble
Load More Replies...Right? This makes me think of all those mames saying how quicksands aren't as much of a life problem as we expected when we were kids... Well clearly those memes are wrong!
Load More Replies...My dad is a farmer and they take refresher courses annually so they know what to do if they become trapped. It's not uncommon to hear of at least one farmer dying from this every year in my area.
In "Witness", Harrison Ford's character gets rid of a pesky hitman this way.
Load More Replies...Quicksand is less dangerous than voids in grain and other dry granular goods. The water content in quicksand gives buoyancy. If you are careful & lucky, you can use the buoyancy to counter the suction. Buoyancy does not exist in dry goods, making them much more difficult to get on top of.
Load More Replies...If you like to fall asleep to weird old documentaries like me, you might enjoy this video I found the other day about dry material flow in hoppers! Oddly fascinating. I believe it mentions this problem, but it's mostly about science, so you don't actually see anyone get hurt: https://youtu.be/SjDXV2NwMxo
Here's a case from Illinois that I can not forget... This ain't no joke .. https://ehssafetynewsamerica.com/2011/03/10/drowned-in-corn-grain-bin-deaths-hit-record-feds-step-up-inspections-after-accident-that-killed-2-illinois-teens/
Don't usually see my back in the mirror...soooo i Guess i would say no, i did not know that🤭
Load More Replies...At last - I worked with an old Greek guy, in a programming office, whose name was 'Odysseus'. After coming to Canada, he had problems with pronunciation of Greek names - not his problem; other people's problems. His name was: Ody-see-us. He also pointed out that this planet was 'Our-an-us', not 'Urinous' or 'Your-a**s'. Also the king of the Gods was 'Zay-us', not 'Zoos'.
Load More Replies...did you just. validate trans ppl, and invalidate all other genders. how the f**k do you manage to do that.
Load More Replies...Apparently many people have nightmares about this particular face, if i remember the origin correctly.
It's a debunked hoax. A gorilla marketing stunt.
Load More Replies...Thought this was a drawing of Mark Charles, who I first heard of whilst scrolling through FB before heading over here to BP! https://sojo.net/biography/mark-charles
Don't they mean 18.5 to 25 million? Not 25 to 18.5? Or does it matter when referring to past years going backwards? Serious question..don't hate me, please.
25-18.5 is correct. So, yes, anything BC "goes backwards;" think of the direction of time's arrow.
Load More Replies..."After 62 moves played over four months, Kasparov won the game."
Load More Replies...Damn, sounds like a stand up dude. I'm surprised they haven't killed him yet.
Kim Jong-chul lives in Pyongyang and plays guitar in a band. He's been spotted at a bunch of Eric Clapton concerts. A memoir from Kim Jong-il's (Jong-chul's father, if you aren't familiar) sushi chef states that Jong-il believed Jong-chul to be too much like a little girl to be in charge.
When you have a brother who's known for killing relatives in various unique and messy ways, perhaps it's best to not show too much ambition.
reminds me of that guy whos colleagues put grass in his keyboard after he was gone for 2 weeks
I usually use that when I’m skeptically aggravated
Load More Replies...In this context does "Trombone solo" sound dirty, or is it just me? :)
That depends. The existence of a Trombone does imply the existence of a tromboner.
Load More Replies...Did we ever figure out why we were so obsessed with drawing these?
Load More Replies...When I was teaching in the 90's, we were instructed to not allow the students to draw them because the symbol was associated with gangs and referred to as "the gangster S".
Interesting. They were popular here in Australia and I don’t think we really had any gangs.
Load More Replies...Flatulence would be the least of their worries if that was the case
Load More Replies...Many people don't know about Stephen Hawking's extensive work on natural gas.
It might not be sad. Maybe the sender was stalking the recipient and have already been told that there’s no interest there. Could be an ex or something. Very few people would discard the gift unopened unless it was in that kind of circumstance.
Load More Replies...So what was in it? If the photographer didn't at least see what it was then it was totally for nothing.
For some reason, I think this would be a screenshot of some video game.
It's easier that way but you do tend to end up with a little bit of banana splodge on your fingers.
They also throw sh*t at each other so maybe they're not the best examples of doing things properly.
It makes perfect sense when you are fifty feet up a tree and need a little more to grip on so you don’t drop it. For the rest of us, the other way around is more efficient.
I've peeled literally thousands of bananas (don't ask), and the human way is faster if you know how to do it. It takes me about 2 seconds to completely peel a banana.
Nah, it's called kalsarikännit which literally means that you have your long johns or boxers on.
Load More Replies...In some countries "pants" means underpants, not trousers.
Load More Replies...This relates to the Higgs Boson and "spontaneous symmetry breaking," often referred to as the Mexican hat model.
The analogy is the Higgs field is like a ball balanced at the top of the hat... Then the ball rolled down into the hat and now particles have mass. Math Hat!
Load More Replies...I tried to find the poster of developmental stages of drawing I've used for work, but can't find it. Anyway, this is a common stage of drawing for preschoolers.
this is what happens when you put your ponytail on my desk. it becomes a nonytail.
im concerned about the lady on the right. and the guy on the left. and the lady in the middle. and the animals. and
Why am I being downvoted? Do you not think she's displaying a lot of trust in those dogs not to hurt her? Please explain. If I said something wrong, I'll delete my comment, but I'd like to know why.
Load More Replies...Man walks into a bar, says "ouch". It was a metal bar.
Load More Replies...I thought “this one” referred to the dogs’ eye? That would at least start to make sense
a cat walks into a bar, orders a beer, and knocks it onto the floor
Wait, 4500-1900 BC! You're telling me there's a possible 2600 year span in the origins of this joke?
Today I learned about martabak manis. Looks delicious, now I just got to find some.
Load More Replies...You can't divide by 0 (unless you want the universe to collapse).
Load More Replies...The fact that a citation is necessary for such an obvious equation? My guess, anyway.
I'm not sure, but I think it's because it says "citation needed". You don't need a citation, you can just calculate it.
Load More Replies...And the page in question is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Tet_discography
there's a rival account on instagram called "surface of wikipedia" that posts the opposite of these, such as "object" and "beige": https://instagram.com/surfaceofwikipedia?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Just a few days ago, I search Wikipedia about Twitter and I almost die laughing at Elon Musk’s side. 😂 Wish could have screenshot it 😂
Found this description of a fatal snakebite on Wikipedia once: “Bayou, Louisiana: Gambhir was found dead in the swamps north of New Orleans after having suffered a rattlesnake bite to his penis. His genitals were believed to have shrunk as a result of the snakebite, but this is debated by experts.”
there's a rival account on instagram called "surface of wikipedia" that posts the opposite of these, such as "object" and "beige": https://instagram.com/surfaceofwikipedia?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Just a few days ago, I search Wikipedia about Twitter and I almost die laughing at Elon Musk’s side. 😂 Wish could have screenshot it 😂
Found this description of a fatal snakebite on Wikipedia once: “Bayou, Louisiana: Gambhir was found dead in the swamps north of New Orleans after having suffered a rattlesnake bite to his penis. His genitals were believed to have shrunk as a result of the snakebite, but this is debated by experts.”
