Marcel Proust's 'In Search of Lost Time' (1913–1927) is one of the longest novels ever written — 4,000 pages.

The gamelan orchestra of Indonesia uses percussion instruments tuned to local scales that differ from Western temperament.

Elvis Presley never wrote any of his own songs.

The word 'nerd' was first coined by Dr. Seuss in 'If I Ran the Zoo' in 1950.

Hip-hop is now the most-consumed music genre in the United States by streaming volume.

About 65% of people prefer texting over talking on the phone.

The tradition of storytelling predates writing — oral narratives from 10,000+ years ago have been identified by anthropologists.

Olympic weightlifters follow a precise diet and weigh in the day before competition to make their weight category.

Spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves were once more valuable than gold by weight.