Fascinating Popcorn Facts and Historical Oddities (A Skottle Popcorn Supplement)

(As a supplement to our 'How To Make Skottle Popcorn video' we've also compiled a hilarious and fascinating list of popcorn facts and historical oddities. Read on!)

Here are some fun things about popcorn that you may not know. Starting with the universal truth that it's impossible to write (or read) an article about popcorn without making some for yourself! So grab your favorite crunchy, buttery snack. Please enjoy this list of random popcorn facts we've gathered from across the vast interwebs!

1.) Americans typically eat around 17 billion quarts of popcorn every year. This amount would fill the Empire State Building 18 times. That's a lot of snacking. We may need more salt!

2.) There are about 1,600 popcorn kernels in 1 cup. If you're feeling extra bored during quarantine, we challenge you to verify this fact for yourself. It could give your kids something to do while you steal a nap! Win-win!

3.) Kernels of popcorn can pop up to 3 feet high. Wonder how they measured that? A couple of guys around a campfire saying "Hey! Hold my beer! I'm going for a tape measure!"

4.) Native Americans not only ate popcorn, but they made beer and soup out of it too. Beer made from popcorn?! Not sure how we feel about this. So many conflicting feels.

5.) There are two types of people in this world; those who appreciate a good popcorn ball, and those who are WRONG! The world’s largest popcorn ball was 12 feet in diameter. It weighed over 5,000 pounds. This monster of a snack required 2,000 pounds of corn, 4,900 pounds of sugar, 280 gallons of corn syrup, and 400 gallons of water.

6.) In ancient times, people would make popcorn by heating sand in a fire and then stirring kernels of popcorn in the hot sand. (Unless you like your popcorn with a little extra grit and the possibility of a dental injury, we don't recommend this method!)

7.) Popcorn kernels come in three shapes: rice, pearl, and South American. Most commercial popcorn is the pearl type. The major trait shared by all types of popcorn kernels is their ability to explode and create a flake when kernels are exposed to heat. At BROG, we are an equal opportunity popcorn eating facility. We do not discriminate on the basis of popcorn type.

8.) Terms for unpopped popcorn include "spinsters" and "old maids." Again, we're not exactly sure how we feel about this. I mean, labeling single kernels of a certain age who may have an alarming number of cats ...

9.) American Indians used to believe that spirits peacefully lived inside each popcorn kernel. When the kernels were heated, the spirits would get so angry that their “houses” would start to shake. When it got too hot, the spirits broke out of their houses in a very angry burst of steam. Which leads one to wonder; how do you enjoy a snack if it scares the bejesus out of you while it's popping?! Popcorn that needs an exorcism. Yep. Sounds like a fun time!

10.) Grains of popcorn around 1,000 years old have been found in tombs in Peru. The kernels are so well preserved that they can still be popped. Clearly, ancient Peruvians had excellent taste in snacks!