There are so many fascinating things in the world that most people don’t know about. From awe-inspiring science discoveries to unbelievable historical events, our world is filled with incredible facts just waiting to be uncovered. Keep reading to learn 10 amazing facts you likely never knew before!
Amazing Science Facts
The hottest temperature on Earth was created in a lab
In 2018, scientists at the Joint Quantum Institute at the University of Maryland created a temperature over 1 trillion degrees Celsius in their lab – that’s about 100,000 times hotter than the center of the Sun! They used lasers to heat up electrons in a tiny diamond over just a fraction of a second. Understanding matter at such extreme temperatures could provide insights into astrophysics, nuclear power, and more.
Diamonds can be made from peanut butter
Believe it or not, peanut butter can be transformed into shiny diamonds through a chemical process. The key is the peanut butter’s high carbon content. Under intense heat and pressure, the carbon atoms rearrange themselves into the characteristic crystalline structure of diamonds. Of course, you’d need a huge amount of peanut butter and specialized equipment to make even a tiny diamond, but the science works!
Bananas glow under blacklight
If you shine an ultraviolet blacklight on a banana, it will glow a bright blue! This is because bananas contain a chemical called chlorophyll, which is normally used by plants for photosynthesis. The chlorophyll molecules absorb the UV light and then re-emit it as blue. The brighter the glow, the more ripe the banana is. Next time you’re at a party with a blacklight, grab a banana and see it light up!
Amazing Animal Facts
Sharks existed before trees
Sharks have been around for a very, very long time. The earliest ancestors of modern sharks date back 420 million years, long before the first trees came onto land. That means sharks were swimming the oceans a full 200 million years before the first dinosaurs! Even though many prehistoric shark species are now extinct, their basic torpedo-shaped, carnivorous form has survived largely unchanged to today.
Flamingos can only eat with their heads upside down
Have you ever wondered why flamingos always stand on one leg, with their head upside down in the water? It’s because their unique beak only allows them to eat this way! A flamingo’s beak has a special curved shape with lamellae – thin ridges along the edges that act like a filter. As the flamingo moves its head from side to side in the water, it traps small plants, shrimp, and algae in the lamellae. The upside-down feeding position allows the food to fall conveniently into the flamingo’s mouth.
Dragonflies have a 95% hunt success rate
Dragonflies are extremely effective hunters, with a 95% success rate in catching their prey! Their key advantages are speed and supremely accurate vision. Dragonflies can fly forward, backward, up, down, and sideways, even able to hover in place. Combined with precise eyesight that detects the slightest movement, dragonflies are almost unstoppable in their aerial pursuits. And if one attempt fails, they simply adjust their tactics and try again within 30 seconds.
Amazing History Facts
Two nuclear bombs were accidentally dropped on North Carolina
In 1961, two Mark 39 hydrogen bombs were accidentally dropped over Goldsboro, North Carolina after a B-52 bomber broke up in midair. The bombs each carried a payload of 4 megatons – equivalent to 4 million tons of TNT. Fortunately, only one bomb activated, but a single safety switch prevented a nuclear detonation. The second bomb was never found after plummeting into a muddy field. If it had gone off, North Carolina would have been obliterated.
The Pyramids used to shine white and vividly colored
We’re used to seeing the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt as sandy, roughly textured monuments today. But when they were newly built over 4,500 years ago, they were smooth, angled, and covered in polished white limestone. Some were also decorated with brilliant reds, blues, and golds. Over time, the limestone eroded away or was intentionally removed for use in other building projects, revealing the stepped inner cores we now recognize.
Harvard University was founded before calculus was discovered
Harvard is one of the oldest universities in the world, established in 1636. However, calculus – one of the core subjects of mathematics education today – was not invented until later in the 17th century by Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz. Harvard’s original curriculum consisted of basic arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and classical languages. It wasn’t until the 1800s that calculus became a standard course at the university and other institutions of higher learning.
Amazing Geography Facts
| Highest Mountain | Lowest Point | Driest Place |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Everest | Mariana Trench | Atacama Desert |
| 8848 m (29029 ft) | 10,916 m (35,853 ft) below sea level | 15 mm (0.6 in) of rain per year |
| Nepal/China | Western Pacific Ocean | South America |
There are underwater lakes and rivers
Did you know massive underwater lakes and rivers exist deep below the ocean’s surface? Caused by differences in salinity and temperature, many span for hundreds of miles and are located up to 3000m under the sea. The most voluminous lake, the Caspian Sea, is nearly 4 miles deep at some points. These subaquatic water systems contain unique ecologies and hydrological cycles separate from the oceans.
A spot in Africa is the furthest point from Earth’s center
Due to the equatorial bulge caused by Earth’s rotation, the point furthest from the planet’s center is actually in Africa. Located around 10,000 km from the center point, it’s on a highland plateau in Chad called the Djourab Desert. This area has the distinction of being both the most distant place from the Earth’s core as well as the least gravity on Earth. Here you would weigh the lightest!
The Maldives could disappear under rising seas in 30 years
The Maldives is a tropical island nation in the Indian ocean, with an average elevation of just 5 feet above sea level. As global warming causes polar ice caps to melt, scientists predict that rising sea levels could submerge the Maldives completely by 2045. Efforts are underway to build protective seawalls and floating cities, but the fate of the country remains precarious. The disappearance of the Maldives would make hundreds of thousands of locals climate change refugees.
