Welcome, trivia enthusiasts and random facts collectors alike! We’ve scoured the internet, dove into the depths of obscure forums, and sifted through the sands of social media to assemble a collection that will tickle your curiosity.
20 Random Facts People Are Sharing Online
Prepare yourself for a wild ride through 20 random facts. You might wonder, “How on earth do people know these things?” Well, don’t ask us. So sit back, relax, and get ready to have your mind lightly blown. You never know when these tidbits might be useful during your next trivia night or social gathering!
The Eiffel Tower Grows During the Summer
According to the science of thermal expansion, when heat is applied to a material, its particles move and need more space. Hence, the tower can grow up to 15 cm in the summer heat.
“Dreamt” Is the Only Word in the English Language That Ends With “MT”
Did you know that ‘dreamt’ is the lone English word that ends with ‘mt’? And it doesn’t stop there! Its derivatives, like undreamt, daydreamt, and redreamt, are the only words with this unique ending. Fascinating, isn’t it? You can check various dictionaries for this interesting tidbit!
Bananas Are Technically Berries, While Strawberries Are Not, According To Botanical Definitions
The botanical definition of berries encompasses some surprising fruits we may not typically associate with the term.
Think grapes, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants, bananas, and even chili peppers! On the flip side, some fruits we commonly consider berries, like strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are excluded by the botanical definition. The world of plants and fruits has its own rules, it appears.
An Octopus Has Three Hearts
Yes, you read that right! Natural History Museum states that an octopus is equipped with not just one but three hearts. Each of these remarkable hearts has its unique role.
One heart tirelessly pumps blood throughout the body, while the other two transport it past the gills, ensuring the octopus gets the oxygen it needs to thrive. Truly fascinating!
The Number of Bacteria in a Person’s Mouth Is Comparable To, or Even Greater Than, the Number of People Living on Earth
A little creepy, but true! Kitchener Dentist Fairway states that your mouth is a bustling metropolis for bacteria. It’s true! The number of bacteria in your mouth is nearly equivalent to the entire human population on Earth.
But here’s the catch: not all of them are bad! Your oral microbiome is home to both good and bad bacteria, creating a fascinating ecosystem within your mouth.
It Is Impossible To Hum While Holding Your Nose
According to Diamond Wellness, when you hum, you’re exhaling, which means the air can’t escape if you close your mouth and nose.
So, even though you can hum briefly, you’ll eventually be compelled to open your mouth and catch your breath. It’s like a musical game of hide-and-seek with oxygen. Go ahead, give it a try!
Alaska Is the Only State in America That Can Be Typed on One Row of a Traditional English QWERTY Keyboard
If you try typing out the names of other states, you will quickly realize that Alaska is the only one with this specific characteristic. It’s a fascinating observation that highlights the uniqueness of this particular state!
The Average Person Will Spend Six Months of Their Life Waiting for Red Lights To Turn Green
A study by European satellite navigation company TomTom revealed that the average person spends 20 minutes daily waiting at those dreaded red lights.
Can you believe it? That’s a staggering 180 days or six months of our lives wasted on traffic signals! It’s one of the reasons why self-driving cars are being developed: to optimize these waiting times. Time to find some shortcuts, don’t you think? 🚦💨
A Sneeze Travels About 100 Miles per Hour, Faster Than Some of the Fastest Cars in the World
According to Wonderopolis, a sneeze can blast air at speeds of up to 93 miles per hour. That’s faster than a cheetah running! 🌬️💨 And guess what? Those tiny germs hitching a ride on that speedy sneeze can travel quite a distance, too.
So, if you’ve ever found yourself just a few feet away from someone’s explosive sneeze, you might have experienced a few droplets landing on your arm. Stay safe out there! 😷🤧
A Jiffy Is an Actual Unit of Time
In the fascinating realms of astrophysics and quantum physics, there exists a captivating concept known as a “jiffy.” As eloquently defined by Edward R. Harrison, a jiffy represents the remarkable time it takes for light to gracefully traverse a fermi—a scale comparable to the size of a nucleon.
To put it into perspective, a fermi measures a mere 10^-15 meters, meaning a jiffy amounts to a mind-boggling 3 × 10^-24 seconds. It’s 1/100th of a second!
The Shortest War in History Was Between Britain and Zanzibar on August 27, 1896
Wikipedia states that the Anglo-Zanzibar War, a military clash between the United Kingdom and the Zanzibar Sultanate on August 27, 1896, holds an extraordinary record—it lasted a mere 38 to 45 minutes, making it the shortest documented war in history. Can you imagine? Blink, and you might have missed it!
The Total Weight of Ants on Earth Once Equaled the Total Weight of People
Did you know that the combined weight of the world’s ants exceeds the mass of all wild birds and mammals?
Astonishingly, these incredible insects account for approximately 12 million tonnes of dry carbon, equivalent to roughly one-fifth of the weight of humans. Nature never ceases to amaze!
The Average Person Walks the Equivalent of Five Times Around the World in Their Lifetime
Just doing the math here: did you know that the average person with an average stride, living until 80, will walk a distance of approximately 110,000 miles?
That’s like walking about 5 times around our beautiful planet, right on the equator. That’s a lot of steps! Pretty incredible, huh?
The World’s Oldest Piece of Chewing Gum Is Over 9,000 Years Old
According to the History Channel, 9,000 years ago, some northern Europeans discovered a fascinating secret.
They started chewing on birch bark tar, not just for medicinal purposes like relieving toothaches but perhaps even for pure enjoyment. It’s incredible how our ancestors found unique ways to explore the world around them!
Humans and Giraffes Have the Same Number of Neck Vertebrae
Did you know that a giraffe’s neck has the same number of vertebrae as a human? But here’s the mind-blowing part: while a human neck is just a measly 4.3 inches long, a giraffe’s neck stretches a whopping 6 feet!
With vertebrae that can measure over 10 inches each, these majestic creatures truly have necks that defy expectations.
Butterflies Taste With Their Feet
It’s a strange concept, but butterflies have taste sensors on their feet which help them find their next meal.
According to World Strides, butterflies have a unique way of tasting their food – through the sensors on the back of their legs. They cleverly step on their food to sense dissolving sugars, and female butterflies even use their feet to “taste” delicious plant juices. Fascinating!
The “Hashtag” Symbol Is Technically Called an Octothorpe
Did you know that according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the “octo-” prefix is all about those eight points on the intriguing symbol? But as for the “thorpe,” it’s still shrouded in mystery!
On Average, a 4-Year-Old Child Asks 437 Questions a Day
Young children possess an innate curiosity, constantly bubbling with questions. However, the number of queries they pose can vary greatly, influenced by their temperament and environment. Quite a workout for the brain!
Birds Don’t Urinate
They eliminate waste in one solid and/or liquid excretion. Birds, being clever creatures, have a nifty trick up their wings: they convert nitrogen to uric acid instead.
It may seem like a metabolic splurge, but this ingenious adaptation saves both water and weight. By opting for a less toxic alternative, birds avoid the need for excessive dilution. Talk about smart avian chemistry!
A Crocodile Cannot Stick Its Tongue Out
Crocodiles have a membrane that holds their tongue in place on the roof of their mouth so it doesn’t move. According to the BBC, sticking it outside their tiny mouths is impossible. How fascinating!
15 Crazy Facts About Earth You Never Learned in School
Welcome, dear Earthlings! Before you ask, this isn’t a quiz show, and there won’t be a pop quiz at the end. But buckle up because what we’re about to look at is far more intriguing. Who said the school had a monopoly on fascinating facts?
15 Crazy Facts About Earth You Never Learned in School
