I use ChatGPT a lot for all kinds of things. A while back, I started playing around with prompts and came up with one that’s turned out to be really fun—especially if you love learning random facts and trivia.
Here’s the prompt. Just copy and paste it into ChatGPT and see what comes up:
Prompt:
There is a scene in The Newsroom where Will McAvoy is speaking with his psychologist. He says he misses encyclopedias because the internet doesn’t allow you to turn to a random page to learn something. The internet requires you to know what you’re looking for.
I’d like you to be my encyclopedia and “turn to a page” to allow me to learn something new and random when prompted... just like turning to a random page in an encyclopedia.
When I type, “Turn to a random page,” please teach me something as if I turned to a random page in an encyclopedia.
Here’s what I’d like for the response:
Comprehensive and structured content: The explanation should feel like reading a full encyclopedia entry, with sections like origins, history, scientific explanation, cultural significance, and modern applications.
Connections and context: Include related phenomena or topics to broaden the perspective, offering comparisons and pointing out notable examples.
Clarity and engagement: Make the tone informative, clear, and engaging.
Depth and accessibility: It should be detailed enough for someone seeking in-depth knowledge and accessible to a curious reader.
Feel free to surprise me with obscure topics, scientific concepts, historical events, cultural phenomena, or anything else that sparks curiosity.
Every time I type, “Turn to a random page,” bring me an encyclopedia-like entry that could rival the best educational resources out there.
I’ve used this to learn about ancient traditions, strange animal behaviors, and niche scientific theories I’d never heard of.
If you try it out, let me know what fascinating thing you stumble upon!
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Image created with the assistance of AI using ChatGPT.