100 Fascinating Facts You Probably Didnt Know

The Microraptor, measuring only 16 inches in length, is the smallest dinosaur ever discovered.

Our world is brimming with intriguing facts that you may not be aware of.

While some of these facts are widely known, such as the rule of never eating yellow snow, others are relatively obscure, such as cheetahs’ love for Calvin Klein fragrances.

Today, we’re here to enlighten you with these less-known facts! So, get ready to learn because we’ve got an exciting treat in store for you!

Without further ado, here are 100 fascinating facts that you may not have known!

Oranges were Green in the Beginning.

The first oranges to arrive in the West were green-colored tangerine-pomelo hybrids from Southeast Asia.

In reality, oranges grown in warmer regions like Vietnam and Thailand remain green throughout their life.

Going to Work is More Perilous than Going to War.

As per statistics, you’re three times more likely to die while traveling to or from work than you are while being shipped off to war these days.

Russia’s Surface Area is Larger than Pluto’s.

With a landmass of 6,601,668 square miles, Russia surpasses Pluto’s 6,427,805 square miles of surface area and dwarfs Canada’s, the world’s second-largest country, landmass of 3,855,103 square miles.

You Can Shoot an Arrow Around an Object to Hit a Target.

Archers who were proficient in curving arrows around objects were mentioned in both English and Arabic historical sources.

Some modern-day archers have adopted this approach and have demonstrated the feasibility of this technique.

In fact, an arrow can be fired with a 180-degree arc to hit an object on the other side of a wall – astonishing, isn’t it?!

There is No Specific Time Zone at the South Pole.

This is due to the fact that all of the longitude lines on the planet intersect there (because the planet isn’t flat, you know).

Stations at the South Pole use the time zone of the country that owns them, which means that two nearby stations may be using different time zones.

The First-Ever 3D Film was Released in Cinemas in 1922.

In September of that year, a silent film called “The Power of Love” was released in theaters worldwide.

It even came with an alternate ending that could be determined by closing one eye or the other!

Unfortunately, the film has been lost and hasn’t been seen for decades!

Sandra Bullock Nearly Played “Neo” in “The Matrix.”

The film’s producers had difficulty finding the right actor for the role before discovering Keanu Reeves, and they even considered changing Neo to a female character.

Surfer Slang “Hang Ten” Means Having All Ten Toes Over the Edge of Your Board While Riding a Wave.

This maneuver is typically only possible on a heavy longboard.

A Pterodactyl with a Larger Wingspan than a Fighter Jet

In Romania, the remains of a remarkable Pterodactyl were discovered. The flying reptile would have weighed around half a ton and stood as tall as a giraffe. With a wingspan of 39 feet, it would have been bigger than an F16 fighter jet, which has a wingspan of approximately 33 feet.

Genetically Modified Goats Produce Spider Silk

Professor Randy Lewis from the United States transplanted a gene from a spider into goats, which allowed them to produce an extra protein in their milk. The protein is then extracted and spun into spider silk thread.

Two Sunsets Visible from the Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is so tall that two sunsets can be seen in one day. The first sunset can be seen from ground level, and the second can be seen from the top of the building if you take the elevator all the way up.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Handbag as a Communication Device

Queen Elizabeth II used her handbag as a way to communicate secretly and silently with her staff. If she wanted to end a conversation politely, she would move her bag from one arm to another. If she wanted to end a conversation abruptly, she would put her bag on the ground.

The Spacecraft Graveyard in the South Pacific Ocean

“Point Nemo” is the furthest place on Earth from land and is known as the spacecraft graveyard. Over 300 spacecraft and associated space debris, including the MIR space station, can be found there.

Broccoli is a Result of Selective Breeding

Broccoli, a “man-made” food, is the result of years of selective breeding between wild cabbage plants. The word “broccoli” comes from the Italian for “the flowering crest of a cabbage.”

High Heels Were Originally Worn by Men

High heels were initially worn by Persian Cavalry men to help their boots stay in the stirrups while riding horses.

Bowler Hats Were Created as Safety Hats

Bowler Hats were invented by London hatters Thomas and William Bowler to protect horse riders’ heads from obstacles like branches.

“OMG” Was First Used in Writing in 1917

Although people may have said “OMG” before, it was first used in writing in a letter to Winston Churchill in 1917. Retired British Navy Admiral John Arbuthnot Fisher used the acronym in his letter discussing a new order of Knighthood.

A smoke alarm for deaf individuals exists.

Developed by a team of Japanese scientists and engineers, this life-saving device operates by releasing vaporized wasabi into the air, which alerts deaf individuals of a fire – it can even rouse them from sleep!

In 2011, this invention received an IG Nobel Prize, a parody of the Nobel Prizes, for inventions that “first make people laugh, and then make them think.”

Peanuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, and pistachios are not nuts.

They are classified as seeds because a nut is defined as “a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel.”

Armadillos have shells so durable they can deflect a bullet.

One unlucky Texan man learned this the hard way when his bullet ricocheted off the indestructible beast and hit him in the jaw! The man was transported to the hospital by air.

Surprisingly, the armadillo walked away unscathed.

Only 25% of the Sahara Desert is sandy.

The majority of this massive desert is covered in gravel, although it does boast its own mountain ranges and oases.

Additionally, it is not the world’s largest desert because…

Antarctica is the world’s largest desert.

The Antarctic Polar Desert blankets the continent of Antarctica and spans approximately 5.5 million square miles.

The Sahara Desert spans roughly 3.6 million square miles.

In 1960, a U.S. satellite chunk struck a cow in Cuba.

This occurred during a period of heightened tensions between Havana and Washington.

Thus, the Cubans made the best of a bad situation and mocked their American neighbors.

They paraded a cow through the streets of Cuba with a sign reading, “Eisenhower, you murdered one of my sisters!”

Your nose and ears never stop growing.

These are the only two parts of your body that continue to grow when all other features have reached their full size.

In the 1990s, half of the world’s CDs were produced for AOL sign-up discs.

For younger individuals, this fact may be mind-blowing – you needed a disc to sign up for internet service!

The world was not always filled with 5G technology floating about in the atmosphere – back then, even 3G would have been impressive, not to mention not requiring a disc to sign up for internet service!

The Eiffel Tower expands during the summer.

Due to the heat expansion of the tower’s iron under the summer sun, the Eiffel Tower can increase in height by up to 6 inches!

Bees can fly higher than Mount Everest!

Bees can fly at altitudes up to 29,525 feet above sea level – higher than the planet’s tallest mountain!

Dancing after midnight was illegal in Japan until 2015

In 1948, a law was introduced in Japan to crackdown on dance halls that were being used as a front for illegal activities. This law was revoked in 2015.

Cargo ship lost millions of Lego pieces in 1997

In 1997, the container ship Tokio Express lost 4.8 million Lego pieces during a storm. These Legos, including octopuses, dragons, flippers, and flowers, are still being found on the beaches of Cornwall whenever there is a particularly bad storm.

Hedgehog cafe in Tokyo, Japan

In Tokyo, there is a cafe where you can pay 1,000 Yen to play with some adorable hedgehogs while enjoying a cappuccino. But be careful, these hedgehogs are not exactly soft and fluffy!

The Microraptor is the smallest dinosaur ever discovered

The Microraptor, discovered in China, is the smallest dinosaur ever found. Most of the specimens found have been fully grown, but the baby Microraptors would have been even smaller.

Pigeon poop is the property of the Crown in England

Pigeon poop was used to make gunpowder, so King George I declared all pigeon poop to be the property of the Crown in the 18th Century.

The letter ‘E’ is the most common letter in the English language

The letter ‘E’ appears in around 11% of all words used in the English language and even appears 12 times in this very sentence!

New Zealand is part of a sunken landmass called Zealandia

Zealandia was only discovered after humans traveled to space and saw it from above. Some scientists believe it should be recognized as the world’s 8th continent.

Female gladiators were called Gladiatrices

Gladiatrices fought each other for the entertainment of the crowds, but little history or knowledge of them has survived except for a few accounts written by members of Rome’s elite.

Koalas have unique fingerprints

Koalas, chimpanzees, and gorillas all have unique fingerprints. Koala fingerprints are so similar to human fingerprints that even forensic scientists would have a hard time telling them apart.

Police in China use geese as sentries

In rural parts of China, geese are used as police animals because they are highly alert and capable of making lots of noise.

Additionally, “police geese” has a more impressive ring to it than “police dogs.”

Greenland Sharks have the longest lifespan of any vertebrate, with some living up to 500 years.

It’s also worth noting that these sharks don’t reach sexual maturity until they’re around 150 years old.

A man survived being hit by a car and thrown 118 feet.

Matthew McKnight, an off-duty paramedic, was hit by a car traveling 70 miles per hour and was thrown 118 feet. Despite suffering serious injuries, he made a full recovery and now holds the Guinness World Record for the furthest distance thrown by a car.

The bananas we eat have been selectively bred over generations to be seedless.

Unlike natural bananas, the Cavendish bananas we buy in stores don’t have mature seeds. This is because they’ve been selectively bred since 1834 to be soft, sweet, and seedless.

In Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro, employed individuals can vote at 16.

However, if you’re unemployed, you’ll have to wait until you’re 18 to vote, like most other countries.

All ISS astronauts must learn Russian.

Russian cosmonauts are responsible for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station, and the controls of their Soyuz spacecraft are in Russian. Commander Tim Peake, the first British astronaut to visit the ISS, said that learning Russian was the most difficult part of his training.

Sharks are older than trees.

Sharks have been around for about 400 million years, which is 50 million years longer than trees have existed.

Belgium once attempted to use cats to deliver mail.

In the 1870s, the town of Liège tried using cats to deliver mail. However, the idea was quickly scrapped as the cats proved to be slower and less reliable than human mail carriers.

Ghost marriages are illegal in China.

Ghosts marriages involve posthumously marrying a recently deceased woman and man to prevent them from being lonely in the afterlife. Though a fascinating concept, it’s illegal in China.

There is a fictional Athlete Hall of Fame that includes characters like Rocky Balboa and Happy Gilmore.

The Athlete Hall of Fame was created in 2013 and inducts fictional characters like Rocky Balboa and Happy Gilmore.

Scientists in California created a machine that generates power from snowfall.

The machine functioned by using negatively charged silicone to trap positively charged snowflakes, resulting in a static electric effect that could then be collected.

While impressive, it’s not very useful in California, is it?

An ant cannot be killed by falling.

Due to their incredibly light weight and tough exoskeleton, an ant’s terminal velocity is not sufficient to harm it upon impact.

Simply put, they could survive being dropped from heights like the Empire State Building and walk away unharmed.

People spend around 13% of their lives daydreaming.

It happens to all of us, according to a 2005 study.

One minute you’re on top of things, living life, and the next moment…wait, what was I doing? Oh well, never mind. I’ll just read some fascinating facts instead…

According to the same study, this figure can increase to 26% when you’re drunk!

Earth was once covered in giant white mushrooms before trees existed.

These enormous fungi were 24 feet tall and three feet wide, covering most of the Earth’s surface before trees came into existence.

Snakes can breathe out fire.

For this to occur, a decomposing animal that a snake has eaten must burst while being digested, releasing methane and hydrogen into the snake’s stomach.

All that’s necessary for the snake to ignite is a spark.

Soviet Cosmonauts carried shotguns with them into space.

This wasn’t to fight any capitalist aliens they might come across in space…

It was in case they landed in Siberia and had to defend themselves against hungry bears.

Jackie Chan sang the theme songs for all his films in the 1980s.

Nope, it’s not a different Jackie Chan; it’s the martial arts and comedy star you all know and love.

However, Jackie Chan is also a talented singer as well as a fighter.

In 1984, he won the Japanese Best Foreign Singer Award. He has sung in over 5 languages on over 100 songs and even performed at the Beijing Summer Olympics opening ceremony in 2008!

You are more likely to be bitten by a person than a shark.

Especially in New York City, where the annual number of human bites is 10 times higher than the annual number of shark bites worldwide!

Bryan Cranston learned to roller skate for an episode of Malcolm in the Middle.

Bryan Cranston is one dedicated actor if you ask me.

He spent hundreds of hours learning how to roller skate like a boss!

All for his “last dance” in the episode where he teaches his son, Malcolm, how to skate.

Dogs can learn up to 250 words and gestures.

The average intelligence of a dog is comparable to that of a two-year-old child.

You might also enjoy these 100 amazing facts about dogs and puppies!

The Origin of Fried Chicken in Scotland

During the Middle Ages, it was a tradition in Scotland to deep fry chicken, which eventually became a staple of American cuisine when Scottish immigrants brought it to the Southern United States.

Avocado Trees are Not the Place for Ripening

Avocado trees are commonly used by farmers as a storage place to keep the fruit fresh until they are ready to sell them since avocados do not ripen on trees.

The Origin of the Slang Term “Bucks”

The slang term “bucks” for dollars originated from deer skins of male deer, which were used as an informal currency in the early 1700s.

In fact, a diplomat in 1948 noted that 5 Bucks would buy you a cask of whiskey.

Gigantic Penguins Existed 40 Million Years Ago

Bones found at Seymour Island dating back to 37-40 million years ago showed that penguins were 6 feet tall and weighed up to 250 pounds.

Beer was a Soft Drink in Russia Until 2011

Anything with less than 10% alcohol was classified as a soft drink in Russia before 2011.

Bats: 25% of All Mammal Species on Earth

There are 1,200 different types of bats, ranging in size from the world’s smallest mammal, the Bumblebee Bat, to the Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Bat, which has a wingspan of almost 6 feet.

Jellyfish Consist of 95% Water

Jellyfish have no brain, no blood, and no heart, which explains why they consist of mostly water (95%).

The American Invention of Fortune Cookies

Fortune cookies were invented by Makoto Hagiwara of San Francisco in the 1890s and sold at the Golden Gate Park’s Japanese Tea Garden.

Nintendo and the 38 US States

Nintendo was formed in September 1889 when there were only 38 US states in the Union. By the end of that year, the number had increased to 42.

What a Statue’s Horse Legs Tell You

The position of a horse’s legs on a statue can reveal how the figure died. If both front legs are in the air, the person died in battle. If one front leg is in the air, they died from wounds received in battle. And if both front legs are on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Japan’s Roaming Deer Infestation

The Japanese government set up the National Wolf Association to reintroduce wolves to Japan to reduce the number of wild deer due to the country’s roaming deer infestation.

The Invention of the pH Scale by the Carlsberg Brewery

The pH scale was invented by the Carlsberg brewery.

The invention of Carlsberg laboratory dates back to 1909, when Søren Sørensen created it to research the best proteins, amino acids, and enzymes for the brewery.

Ambergris, a secretion from Sperm Whales, is a key ingredient in most perfumes.

This waxy secretion is known for its pleasant smell and can be found floating in tropical seas.

In California, there are trees that are older than recorded history.

Pinus longaeva is a species of trees that have been aged up to 5,060+ years old. It is believed that the written history began roughly 5,000 years ago, making these trees much older than history.

Mountain Dew was initially a slang term for moonshine.

Mountain Dew was first used as slang for mountain-brewed moonshine. The sugary drink we know today was originally marketed as a whiskey chaser.

The illegal skin trade is a black market that exists today.

In India, women from poor backgrounds are being trafficked and tricked into selling their skin for use in cosmetic surgeries like penis enlargement and breast enhancement.

Almost half of the human body is made up of red blood cells.

Our bodies contain roughly 50-75 trillion cells, and almost half of these are red blood cells. Each red blood cell takes only 20 seconds to travel around the entire body.

Drinking ten gallons of carrot juice is fatal.

The high Vitamin A content in 10 gallons of carrot juice can cause the brain to swell and lead to death. Overdosing on Vitamin A is also possible by consuming 1 pound of polar bear liver.

NASA scientists studied falling cats to train astronauts in zero gravity.

The movement of cats attempting to correct themselves while falling was studied and analyzed by NASA scientists. The findings were then used to teach astronauts how to correct their movements in zero gravity.

The Sims was created by Will Wight, who lost everything in a house fire.

After the tragic house fire in 1991, Will Wight had a vision of rebuilding his house, which led him to create a game where one could create a “virtual dollhouse.” This led to the creation of The Sims.

Australian birds intentionally spread wildfires to catch their prey.

Black kites, whistling kites, and brown falcons are known to aid in the spread of wildfires by picking up and dropping flaming sticks, flushing out prey and making it easier to catch.

An Italian punk band once ate spaghetti on stage instead of performing.

In 1979, during the punk era, Skiantos, an Italian comedy punk band, brought a kitchen, a fridge, a table, and a TV onto their stage and began boiling spaghetti. They then sat down and ate it, much to the audience’s displeasure.

Woodpeckers feed on brains when they become too hungry.

Despite not being zombie woodpeckers, normal woodpeckers resort to this. They pin down other birds and peck at the back of their heads when they haven’t eaten in a long time until they crack open their skulls and eat their brains. It’s a bit terrifying.

There are 34 indigenous languages spoken in Italy today.

Most of these languages are not Italian dialects, surprisingly. Instead, they progressed independently from common Latin.

Amsterdam’s Royal Palace is supported by 13,659 wooden poles.

All buildings in the Netherlands are constructed on wooden poles due to the thick layer of fen and clay in Dutch soil. These wooden poles are fixed into a sandy layer over 35 feet below the surface!

There’s a gargoyle with Darth Vader’s head on it on the Washington Cathedral.

It was put there after a child’s “design a carving” contest was held to determine which character should adorn the Cathedral in the 80s.

Dolph Lundgren has an IQ of 160.

The “If he dies, he dies” guy from Rocky IV is a real genius! He holds a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Sydney and the Royal Institute of Technology, as well as a Fulbright scholarship to MIT. In 1981, he was also the European Karate Champion.

Two stealth nuclear submarines once accidentally collided.

In the Atlantic Ocean in 2009, two stealth-cloaked nuclear submarines, one from France and one from Britain, collided by chance. They were so well cloaked from each other that neither could detect the other, even when they were only a few feet apart.

The Hawaiian flag was designed to resemble a combination of the British and American flags intentionally.

Then-King Kamehameha I created it in 1812 and wanted a flag that would appeal to both Americans and the British.

NASA’s internet speed is 91 GB per second!

This implies that you could download a high-quality 1080p movie in milliseconds on NASA’s internet! Normal household internet speeds are around 25 MB per second, which is dwarfed by NASA’s significantly superior internet speeds.

Babies can only see black and white for their first month of life.

They can also only see silhouettes and are unable to focus on objects soon after delivery.

Newborn babies are unable to process visual information due to their underdeveloped retinal nerve cells.

In 1783, a volcanic eruption in Iceland caused the death of 80% of the Earth’s sheep population.

The Laki volcanic fissure released toxic hydrogen fluoride into the atmosphere, leading to the death of around a quarter of the world’s human population.

However, the sheep population was hit much harder, with 80% of the population being wiped out.

Malta is the only European country to have never experienced temperatures below freezing point.

Despite being a popular summer tourist destination, Malta has never had temperatures drop below 32°F.

The Pentagon owns a private island off New York for running war games in case of a cyber-attack.

Access to the island is completely forbidden, and it is used to simulate the possibility of a massive loss of power due to a cyber-attack.

Cheetahs are attracted to the scent of Calvin Klein’s “Obsession for Men.”

Wildlife crews found that cheetahs were drawn in closer for filming by the scent of this particular fragrance.

Perhaps an advertising campaign is in order?

The Big Mac Museum in Pennsylvania celebrates the 40th anniversary of the iconic burger.

Opened by McDonald’s in 2007, the museum features exhibits such as a 14-foot tall Big Mac.

The US has more millionaires than Sweden has citizens.

With over 10 million millionaires, the US surpasses the population of Sweden which stands at less than 10 million people.

The letter “A” doesn’t appear in a written number until the number “One Thousand.”

With the exception of numbers that include “and,” such as “four hundred and twenty,” the letter “A” doesn’t appear until the number “One Thousand.” Similarly, the letter “M” doesn’t appear until the number “One Million.”

“Sombrero” is simply the Spanish word for “hat.”

The word doesn’t specifically refer to the stereotypical Mexican hat, but rather to any type of hat. The word “sombrero” is derived from the Spanish word “sombra,” meaning “shade.”

Ireland’s population has yet to recover from the Great Potato Famine in 1845.

The population of Ireland was between 8.5 million and 9 million prior to the famine, but has since dropped to approximately 4.85 million people.

Contrary to popular belief, camels do not store water in their humps.

This common misconception is not true. Camels store fat in their humps, which provides energy when food and water are scarce.

Camels have humps which are used to store fat, but there are other reasons for their existence.

Here are some more interesting facts about camels!

A man died after tripping over his own beard during a fire evacuation.

In 1567, Hans Steininger, the then-mayor of Braunau am Inn, had the world’s longest beard measuring four feet. During a fire evacuation, he tripped over his beard and fell down a flight of stairs, breaking his neck and dying.

The first toilet flush was shown in the movie Psycho (1960).

Alfred Hitchcock’s horror movie Psycho (1960) was the first film to show a toilet flushing. It was a groundbreaking movie in many ways and is considered the pioneer of the slasher genre.

The largest snowflake ever recorded was 15 inches wide.

Snowflakes are usually tiny and delicate, but the largest snowflake ever seen was the size of a Frisbee. It fell during a snowstorm in Montana in 1887.

That’s all for these amazing facts! Did you know any of them? Were you surprised? Do you have any interesting facts to share? Let us know in the comments below!

FAQ

1. What is the most venomous animal in the world?

The box jellyfish is considered the most venomous animal on the planet, with venom that can cause heart failure, paralysis, and death in just a few minutes.

2. How many muscles are in the human body?

There are over 600 muscles in the human body, responsible for movement, stability, and maintaining posture.

3. What is the largest organ in the human body?

The skin is the largest organ, weighing an average of 8 pounds and covering an area of about 22 square feet.

4. How long can a cockroach live without its head?

A cockroach can live for up to a week without its head, because it doesn’t require its head to breathe or drink.

5. What is the smallest mammal in the world?

The bumblebee bat, also known as Kitti’s hog-nosed bat, is the smallest mammal in the world, weighing only 2 grams and measuring about 1.5 inches in length.

6. What is the highest mountain in our solar system?

Olympus Mons on Mars is the highest mountain in our solar system, reaching a height of 22 kilometers (13.6 miles).

7. How many languages are spoken in the world?

There are an estimated 7,117 languages spoken in the world, with Mandarin Chinese being the most widely spoken language.

8. How many taste buds do humans have?

Humans have around 10,000 taste buds, located on the tongue, roof of the mouth, and throat, which help us distinguish between sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami flavors.