These Weird Historical Trends Probably Wouldn't Catch On Today

Phrenology

During the 1800s, phrenology was the talk of the medical field. This now-defunct pseudoscience sought to prove that the personality traits of a person were determined by specific parts of the brain. It asserted that doctors or scientists could determine someone's strengths, weaknesses, vices, and more all based on how big different parts of your brain were.

Pedestrianism

Before there was Olympic speed-walking, there was...pedestrianism. Popularized in 19th-century Britain, pedestrian speed walking quickly became one of the most beloved sports in the nation. There were bets placed on the racers and crowds gathering to watch walkers. Times have truly changed...

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The More You Know

  • The Japanese created a smoke alarm for those who can't hear, which pumps super-spicy wasabi mist into the air to alert them.
  • Fleas can jump up to 100 times their body length.
  • J.K. Rowling became the first person to become a billionaire by writing books. However, she also lost her billionaire status because she donated so much money to charity!
  • A U.S. park ranger named Roy C. Sullivan held the record for being struck by lightning the most times, having been struck — and surviving — seven times between 1942 and 1977.
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Post originally appeared on Upbeat News.