The Inventor of the Pringles Can Is Buried in One

By Darío Velázquez··4 min read

Fredric Baur insisted on it. It sounds like the punchline of a story made up at a bar — but baur designed the pringles tube in 1966, and the rest of this article walks through why. Random Trivia is full of moments like this, and this one is a particularly satisfying example. By the end you'll have a fresh, slightly cursed piece of trivia to spring on anyone who underestimates the weirdness of the world.

A Little Background

Before we get to the strange part, a small bit of context: the inventor of the pringles can is buried in one is one of those subjects that sounds simple from the outside, but only because most of us never bother to look closely. The truth, as is so often the case in random trivia, is a great deal more interesting than the headline.

Researchers, historians, and assorted obsessives have spent decades chasing the underlying story. What follows is a synthesis of widely reported sources, museum archives, peer-reviewed papers, and the occasional incredulous quote from an expert who didn't expect to spend their Tuesday explaining this.

If you're new to Random Trivia, treat this as a friendly invitation down the rabbit hole. If you're a returning reader, well — buckle in.

The Strange Truth, in Detail

First and most importantly: Baur designed the Pringles tube in 1966. It is the kind of claim that immediately makes you reach for a search bar, and the deeper you dig the more it holds up.

Then there's this — he died in 2008. That detail tends to surprise people more than the headline itself.

It gets stranger. His family placed part of his ashes inside a Pringles can. Most popular write-ups skip past this, which is a shame because it's where the story actually clicks.

And one more piece worth mentioning: they split the rest between traditional urns. Take a moment with that before you scroll past.

Finally, and perhaps most underappreciated: his family had to choose between original and sour cream & onion. It's the kind of footnote that makes the whole topic feel three-dimensional.

Why It Matters

Some people commit to the bit for their entire lives. That is the part that tends to stick with readers after the trivia value wears off.

In a broader sense, stories like this remind us that the world isn't tidy. Categories blur. Defaults are arbitrary. Common sense, more often than not, is the last assumption to be checked.

If you find that idea genuinely fun, you are in the right neighborhood. The rest of dumb.today is built around exactly this feeling — the small, electric jolt of realizing the world is weirder than advertised.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this really true?

Short answer: yes, with the usual caveats. The core claim — baur designed the pringles tube in 1966. — is supported by multiple independent sources. Like most great trivia, it sometimes gets exaggerated when retold, but the heart of the story holds up.

Where can I read more about random trivia?

dumb.today maintains a full Random Trivia section with dozens of related stories. The category page is the easiest place to keep going.

Can I share this with my group chat?

Please do. Articles on dumb.today are designed to be screenshot, paraphrased, and used to win arguments. Just don't paste the URL as 'no context just trust me'.

DV
About the author
Darío Velázquez

Darío has personally fact-checked thirty-two world records, three of which he refuses to discuss in polite company.

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