Why this page exists
A site full of surprising claims is only useful if you can tell how much trust to place in it. This page describes exactly how a fact gets onto ONAURE, and what happens when we get one wrong.
How a fact is selected
We look for claims that are counter-intuitive but documented. A fact is rejected if it is:
- impossible to trace to a field of research, a measurement or a primary record;
- true only under conditions the popular version leaves out;
- a statistic with no stated date, place or method;
- widely repeated online but absent from any reference work — the category most internet "facts" fall into.
How a fact is verified
Every entry is checked against at least one reference outside the place we first saw it. In practice that means peer-reviewed literature, a scientific or governmental body, a standard reference work, or a primary historical record. Where a figure is disputed, we publish the range instead of picking the most dramatic number.
Each published fact carries the field or body it draws on — astronomy, marine biology, NASA, food history, and so on — shown on the fact page under "Source". That label tells you where to start if you want to go further; it is not a claim that the organisation endorses this site.
Rounded numbers and simplification
These are short entries, and short entries simplify. When we round a figure, we round in the direction that keeps the claim safely true, and the explanation below the fact states what was simplified. If a fact cannot survive being shortened, we do not publish it.
Dates
Every fact page shows the date it was last reviewed. Facts about records, populations, technology and prices are re-checked periodically, because they go out of date in a way that facts about anatomy or ancient history do not.
Corrections
If you find an error, write to hello@onaure.com with the page address and, if you have it, the source that contradicts us.
- Claims we cannot re-verify are unpublished the same day the doubt is raised, not after the discussion ends.
- Corrected entries get a new review date.
- We answer correction emails before any other kind.
Independence from advertising
The site carries advertising. Advertisers have no access to the library, no advance sight of entries and no ability to request changes. No fact is written, kept or removed because of its commercial value. Advertising slots are labelled and kept visually separate from editorial text.
What this site is not
ONAURE publishes general-interest knowledge. It is not a source of medical, legal, financial or safety advice, and entries about the human body, food or chemistry must not be read as guidance for any personal decision. See our terms of use.