About

Ottoddities is odd facts, told with a straight face. True stories from science, engineering, nature and the human body that sound made up and aren't: the bridge that closed because people walked on it, the bat bite you never feel, the planet made of lava.

Each one starts as a short video, and each video gets a post here with the longer version and the sources. Otto, the man in the glasses, turns up in the videos. He's usually the one it happens to. The things from each video are listed here too.

How we work

• Every fact has a source. What we read is listed at the bottom of each post, so you can check our work. Where we couldn't confirm something, we say so, or leave it out.
• We say what's illustration. The videos and drawings are illustrations, not footage. When a post goes with a video, it says what in the video is a joke or a reconstruction.
• We use AI tools. Posts are written with AI assistance from that research and reviewed by a person, and the drawings and videos are made with AI tools too. The site's owner is responsible for what gets published, and we correct mistakes as soon as we find them.

Who it's for

Adults who like a good odd fact. The site isn't aimed at children, and nothing here is medical or professional advice.

Products and money

We don't run adverts or affiliate links at the moment. The affiliate disclosure explains how we'd label them if that changed.

Corrections

If we've got something wrong, we want to know. Write to hello@ottoddities.com and we'll check it and put it right.