Editorial policy

What we publish. Records, trivia and history stories that a curious adult reader would find interesting, each with a clear figure or fact and a reason it matters.

How entries are written. Every entry is written in our own words from at least two independent, reliable sources, which are listed on the page. Primary sources such as agencies, museums, universities and official record bodies come first.

Labels. Confirmed means sources agree. Estimated means a range or hard-to-measure figure. Disputed means credible sources disagree, and we say so.

Updates. Each entry shows the date it was last verified. Records that change quickly, such as sports marks, company and technology rankings and living people, are re-checked on a regular schedule, and the date is updated when we do.

Corrections. If you find an error, tell us. We fix confirmed errors promptly and update the verified date.

Advertising and independence. Ads never decide what we publish or how an entry is worded. We do not accept payment for entries. See How we verify for more.