What is pop culture? Some might say it is simply ‘culture’ the way we understand it today, but it’s more than that. Its history of the recent decades, shaped by technology and commercial trends; It’s everything that defines our personalities. And, as you know, it isn’t something we’re taught about growing up.Yet it is an intrinsic part of our lives. Exploring pop culture is exploring our past, present and future. But mostly past, as we delve in a few facts you likely didn’t know about: from gaming icons to music superstars, these are just a few tidbits of information you might not have known before.cnx.cmd.push(function() {cnx({playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530",}).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796");});IMDbPac-Man Was Inspired by PizzaAccording to creator Toru Iwatani, the idea for Pac-Man came from looking at a pizza with a slice removed. That simple shape became one of the most recognizable video game characters in history.IMDbSuper Mario Was Originally a LandlordMario first appeared in Donkey Kong as a carpenter called Jumpman. Nintendo later renamed him after Mario Segale, a real estate developer whose appearance reportedly reminded employees of the character.IMDbThe Beatles Turned Down The Lord of the RingsThe Beatles once explored starring in a film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. The project never happened, partly because Tolkien himself reportedly disliked the idea.PixabayThe Hollywood Sign Wasn’t Meant to LastThe famous Hollywood Sign originally read “Hollywoodland” and was built as a temporary real estate advertisement in 1923. It was only supposed to stand for about a year and a half.IMDbScooby-Doo Was Almost Named Too MuchBefore becoming Scooby-Doo, the famous cartoon dog went through several proposed names, including “Too Much.” Executives eventually settled on Scooby-Doo after inspiration from Frank Sinatra’s rendition of “Strangers in the Night.”IMDbThe Simpsons Predicted Their Own Network PurchaseYears before it happened, The Simpsons joked that Disney would one day own Fox. When Disney acquired major Fox assets in 2019, the gag became one of the show’s most famous accidental predictions.IMDbMickey Mouse Wasn’t Disney’s First StarBefore Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney’s studio found success with a character named Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Disney lost the rights to Oswald, a setback that directly led to Mickey’s creation.IMDbThe First MTV Video Was Fittingly About VideoWhen MTV launched on August 1, 1981, the first music video it aired was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles, a choice that perfectly matched the channel’s mission.IMDbSherlock Holmes Appeared in More Films Than DraculaWhile Dracula is often considered cinema’s most adapted character, Sherlock Holmes has appeared in hundreds of film and television productions, making him one of the most portrayed fictional characters ever created.IMDbNintendo Started Long Before Video GamesMany people associate Nintendo exclusively with gaming, but Nintendo was founded in 1889 as a company that produced handmade playing cards decades before electronic entertainment existed.IMDbThe Moon Landing Was Watched by a Huge AudienceWhen Apollo 11 Moon Landing put humans on the Moon, an estimated 600 million people watched the event on television, making it one of the largest shared media moments ever.IMDbBatman Didn’t Always Refuse to KillModern audiences often think of Batman’s no-kill rule as essential. However, some of his earliest comic appearances in the late 1930s and early 1940s showed him using lethal force against criminals.IMDbThe Wizard of Oz Changed Movie HistoryReleased in 1939, The Wizard of Oz helped popularize Technicolor through its famous transition from sepia-toned Kansas to the vibrant world of Oz, creating one of cinema’s most iconic visual moments.IMDbThe First Comic-Con Was TinyToday, San Diego Comic-Con attracts massive crowds and major studios. The first event in 1970 drew only a few hundred attendees interested primarily in comic books and science fiction.IMDbThe Rubik’s Cube Wasn’t Designed as a ToyInventor Ernő Rubik originally created the Rubik’s Cube in 1974 as a teaching tool to help students understand three-dimensional movement. It only later became a worldwide puzzle phenomenon.The post 15 Fun Pop Culture Facts You Didn’t Learn in School appeared first on Den of Geek.