Howard Hughes: Facts And Stories You Didn't Know (All The Weird Stuff)

Howard Hughes in the cockpit of an airplane in a leather flight helmet and goggles. (Getty Images)

Long before the term "social distancing" entered our everyday vocabulary, there have been people who chose to self-isolate. We called them recluses or—if they're very rich—eccentrics. Marlene Dietrich, J.D. Salinger, and Harper Lee are just a few of the celebrities who eventually told the world they were done with varying degrees of civility. Perhaps the most famous self-isolator was billionaire businessman and aviator Howard Hughes, as famous for his unusual lifestyle as his brilliant inventions. Here are some of the facts you didn't know about Howard Hughes, mostly because no one was around to know them.