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Contrary to popular belief, Henry Ford did not invent the assembly line. Ransom Olds was the first Automobile Manufacturer to use an assembly line. Ford merely refined the idea.

35mm color photography film was invented by German researchers during the Nazi regime. Naturally one of the first photos taken was of Der Furer. Upon being presented with his color photo, he remarked "The future belongs to color photography." Who says he wasn't a mad genius?

Beer is probably the oldest alcoholic beverage invented. A recipe for beer was found in an Egyptian tomb. Go Beer!! !

Herman Melville died in obscurity. "Mody Dick" was not considered a great novel during his lifetime. He was so forgotten that when he died at the age of 72 The New York Times mis-printed his name as "Henry Melville."

George Melies, the stage magician who invented motion picture special effects, died in obscurity. He was found by a fan of his movies, selling toys on the streets of Paris. He died penniless.

Rod Serling smoked up to five packs of cigarettes a day. The cigarette in his hand at the beginning of episodes of "The Twilight Zone" was not a prop. He literally smoked until ready to shoot the set-up, and resumed as soon as he was done.

Betty and Barney Hill are possibly the most famous of all people who claim to have been abducted by aliens. But Barney later admitted that his description of the aliens was possibly the memory of a creature in an episode of "The Outer Limits."

Harlan Ellison (the famous science fiction writer) was once hired by Disney, but got fired his first day on the job. He was unaware that Roy Disney liked to sit next to the writers table as they ate lunch, to overhear their ideas. Harlan talked about his idea of a pornograhic movie involving animated Disney characters. He found a carboard box on his desk when he came back from lunch, and was told to pack his personal belongings and leave.

Charles Fort is considered the patron saint of "cranks". He collected accounts of incidents which could only be considered anomalous. His books detail these incidents in a mocking tone against scientists. He left 60,000 notes at the time of his death.

Henry Ford did not start out building the Model T. His first automobiles were expensive, and intended for the rich. Ford decided there wasn't enough profit in this, and set about designing the cheapest, and simplest automobile he could. The Model T engine had no water pump, no oil pump, and no fuel pump. The water was thermo-siphoned, which is why they over-heated so often. The oil splashed around inside the engine. The fuel was by gravity feed, the fuel tank was mounted higher than the engine and when going up a steep hill would fail. The preferred method was to put it in reverse, and back up steep hills.

German aircraft engineers built the first jet fighter during WWII. The ME-262 flew late in the war, and was hindered by the lack of metals that could withstand the temperatures generated. It was also hindered by the fact that Hitler wanted it re-designed as a bomber.

The people executed for being witches during the infamous Salem Witch Trials were in fact professing Christians. They would have been set free if they only confessed to be a witch. But they were good Protestants, and refused to cop a plea.

People executed during the Middle Ages for being a witch were routinely hung. Being burned at the stake was reserved for heretics such as Joan of Arc.

The largest diamond that was ever found was 3,106 carats.

As a child, Casanova suffered from frequent nosebleeds. The condition was cured by a witch.

Just one mourner walked with Mozart's coffin before it was buried in a pauper's grave.