The infinite monkey theorem revolves around the idea that a monkey hitting random keys on a typewriter (or in today's context, a keyboard) for an infinite amount of time will almost surely type a given text, usually defined as the complete works of William Shakespeare. Typing monkeys have made numerous appearances in media, from The Simpsons to A Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, to a Bob Newhart stand up routine, giving them a notable position in pop culture.

The Song Dynasty was the ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279 CE. Notable advances in civil engineering, nautics, and metallurgy were made in Song China. These advances, along with the introduction of paper-printed money, helped revolutionize and sustain the economy of the Song Dynasty. Intellectuals such as Shen Kuo (1031-1095) and Su Song (1020-1101) are responsible for many of the advances during this time.

The beginning of the handshake predates written history, making a definite explanation impossible. Many stories exist to explain the origin, ranging from comedic to spiritual. The most plausible explanation comes from the Medieval times, where the open right hand indicated you were not carrying a weapon. If two men met and displayed empty right hands, they could assume they would not be attacked by the other.

In 1954 Chemist Joseph McVicker was working for his mothers company, Kutol Products, who were in the business of manufacturing soap and cleaning products. Joseph had learned from a teacher that many of the younger children found typical classroom modeling clay too stiff to manipulate. He remembered that a non-toxic composition he had created as wallpaper cleaner was easily pliable and could take the place of typical modeling clay used in schools.