School is out, but it's never a good time to stop learning. Open and expand your mind with these unbelievable facts that will genuinely leave you questioning whether what you know is real...
Just Two Turtles
In 2006, two colossal old tortoises both passed away. One of them was formerly owned by Charles Darwin and died under the care of Steve Irwin. The other was hatched before America declared its independence from Europe. So, two tortoises lived the span of years between Charles Darwin and Steve Irwin. That turtle died at 175 years of age.
My Brain Cannot Handle This
Buckle up, because you're about to get your mind blown. Strawberries aren't actually berries, and by the definition of what a berry is, bananas technically fall into the berry family. We didn't ask for this information, but we have it now.
Some Folks Don't Have It
Did you know that it has been proven that some individuals do not have a voice inside their head? Right now there is no official medical term to explain what this phenomenon should be called, but we like to call it "non-monologous." These individuals aren't sick or even much different from those who do have internal monologues, they just tend to think in broad concepts and visual stimuli.
Tons of Termites
There is a termite colony that spans thousands of miles. It's literally the size of Great Britain, and it spans a multitude of different elevations. This colony is roughly 4,000 years old, and it's host to literally hundreds of millions of termite mounds.
Krakato-AAAAA!!!!
The sound of the Krakatoa eruption in 1883 was so loud that it ruptured the eardrums of people that were living just 40 miles away. The sound traveled around the world four times. People that were more than 3000 miles away from the eruption heard it clearly.
Pig Facts Incoming
Did you ever hear the urban legend that "a pig will eat anything you put in front of it?" Well, that is partially true, Pigs have a uniquely developed digestive system and a voracious appetite because of their evolutionary difficulties. Pigs will eat an entire human being if they could, but for some reason, they leave the teeth.
Simply Scattered Shocks
Believe it or not, the human brain is basically just one big, complex, wet battery. The brain is powered by the transmission and conduction of tiny jolts of electricity that the tiny cells in your brain use to communicate with one another. These jolts of electricity become senses, empathies, reactions, and memories. Your brain is truly magnificent.
Reel It In
Roller coasters were originally an invention that was intended to distract Americans from hedonistic temptation. LaMarcus Thompson was so disgusted by the sheer number of pure, Christian Americans that frequented brothels and saloons that he felt the need to make the roller coaster. The ride was supposed to shake the urges out of a person. Needless to say, that didn't work.
The Great Unknown
Biologists have yet to determine the maximum lifespan of an ant queen. They live an extremely long time, do not sit in captivity (they, and the colony, will die), and they are difficult to monitor because they are constantly getting relocated. The oldest queen ant ever captured was roughly 30 years old.
The Mitochondrial Mother
Mitochondria are only passed down to you from your mother, so in theory, there was once a master mitochondria mother. We cannot know this for absolute certain, but scientists have been able to trace the mitochondria back to Eastern Africa.
Anne Frank, Martin Luther King Jr.
Anne Frank and MLK were both born the same year. By that time, Betty White was just 7 years old. Doesn't that put how far the world has come since then into perspective?
Marty, We're Going Back in Time...
If a scientist were to ever invent a time-travel device, it would need to be a time-and-space travel device in order to be effective. If you were simply traveling through time, and not space, when you activate the device, you would emerge in space, precisely where the Earth was before you traveled in time. Since the Earth rotates and moves at an unbelievably fast rate, you would likely end up dying in the vacuum of space.
Bubbling Up
If an underwater bubble is ruptured by a loud sound, light is produced. There is no scientist on Earth that can determine the reason why this happens. This is a weird mystery of physics.
Check the Map
Did you know that the international space station is closer to the Earth than San Francisco is to L.A.? For reference, L.A. to San Francisco is roughly a 382-mile drive. The international space station is roughly 254 miles from the Earth.
Take a Peek at That Ankle
Flamingos actually bend at the ankle and not the knee. Flamingo's knees are higher up on their body closer to their torso. They are also usually completely covered with feathers.
This Might Be a No-Brainer
It has been proven more than once that there are some human beings out there that do not enjoy listening to music. Seriously, there are tons of people who can't stand what the majority of humanity loves. Scientists haven't been able to piece together the method of thinking behind an individual's disdain for music, but it's actually against human biology to feel that way.
That's Cold Bro
Arctic foxes can survive temperatures as low as -70 degrees celsius. For those westerners out there, that's -94 degrees Fahrenheit. They can do this because evolution has allowed their bodies to morph into rounder, tougher shapes that hold heat better than any other small arctic mammal.
Please... Dear God... Please, No...
Before toilet paper was invented, Americans had to get a little creative. Despite the fact that other, more "primitive," cultures used water to clean themselves, Americans wanted to forge their own path. So, they chose to use corn cobs. You really cannot make this stuff up.
Jeanette Rankin
Before the woman's suffrage movement was publicized and enacted, there was a female congresswoman. In 1916, Jeanette Rankin became the first woman to hold federal office in the Us. Four years later, women were granted the right to vote.
Here's a Tree Fact for Ya
Did you know that there are more trees on Earth than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy? Don't you think that humans should stop deforesting areas for fossil fuels because we have enough fuel harvested to last us the rest of the century? Both of these things should no longer suprise you.
The Covert History of British Royalty
The Windsor family isn't actually the Windsor family after all. The original royal family changed their name from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor in 1917. They chose the name Windsor because they loved the town that was named that name.
NASA Countdowns Aren't Really Necessary
The NASA countdown actually came from a sci0fi movie that was released in 1929. In the movie "Frau I'm Mond," director Fritz Lang uses a countdown to build suspense before a spaceship launches. Since the first space launch was televised, NASA decided to build some suspense by counting down.
Chew on This for a Bit
If you added up the timeline of the universe to be compressed into an entire year's worth of Earth time, you're going to end up feeling extremely insignificant. Human beings wouldn't have shown up until 11:54 on December 31st. We are practically one of the newest things the universe has spit out.
Watch It! I'm Colonizing Here!
There is a species of ant that is native to New York City and doesn't live anywhere else. This ant is called the ManhattAnt. Biologists found them only within a specific 14-block stretch of the city.
The Fermi Parazox
Don't you think that since there are unbelievably large numbers of habitable planets within our galaxy that we should have received some sort of transmission from an alien lifeform? Well, the Fermi paradox suggests that there is a concept that exists called the Great Silent Forest within space. Basically, the Great Silent Forest is a theory that every alien planet in our galaxy is aware of some danger that we are not aware of, therefore they are not reaching out for fear of being detected by said danger.
No Funny Business, Okay?
"Fancy Riding" of bicycles is illegal in Illinois. That means you are not allowed to remove your feet from the pedals, your hands from the handlebars, or your butt from the seat under any circumstances while you're riding on the road. Yes, this is a stupid law.
Neutrino Coming Through!
There are objects that are smaller than neutrons that are called neutrinos. Neutrinos have a rumored mass of zero (we're genuinely not qualified to explain quantum physics, we wish we could elaborate more on this one), and float freely between atoms. Neutrinos are so small and so plentiful that literally, every millisecond of your life, trillions of neutrinos pass through your body around the atoms that make up the molecules of your cells.
The Tiniest Demon
The world's smallest wasp is microscopic. In fact, it's so small that it's even smaller than the amoeba. The Megaphragma mymaripenne wasp has all the charactaristics of a wasp, but it is just a fifth of a millimeter long, making it smaller than some single-celled organisms.
Binary is Wild, But Computers are Wilder
Binary code literally makes up all of the information that you've ever seen on a computer. These letters, this website, your cursor, even your phone's user interface are created using a system of computer language that literally computes faster than the speed of light. Computers nowadays are absurdly strong, even stronger than you can fathom.
History Is Wild
The Eiffel Tower was actually originally intended to stand in Barcelona. Unfortunately, Gustave Eiffel (the artist behind the Eiffel tower) decided that Barcelona was too "ugly" to put the Eiffel tower, so he sold it to Paris instead. French critics don't much like the Eiffel tower either.
Teddy the Legend
Nowadays, American presidents are soft businessmen who have never had to struggle much in their lives whatsoever. Theodore Roosevelt was the opposite of that. He lived a difficult, strenuous life. Because of that, he was well suited to receive a bullet wound while standing on a podium, hide until his assailant was caught, and then return to continue speaking for three hours.
On the Count of Three...
If there was ever a breath-holding competition between a dolphin and a sloth, the sloth would win. Sloths can hold their breath up to 40 minutes, where dolphins can only hold their breath for 10. This says a lot about a creature that is famous for being lazy. It can actually be so lazy it doesn't have to breathe!
Dream, Dream, Dream...
So, when you dream, half of your brain projects itself onto the other. Technically speaking, one part of your brain tells a story in a language that is extremely difficult for the other side to interpret. That's why dreams can feel so outlandish and emotional. Your brain reacts to it like it would if you were watching a movie.
People in the Sky
November 2, 2000, was the last time that every single human being alive was on the Earth. Since then, there has been at least one person on the international space station. Maybe one day, there will only be people in space!
The True Story Behind the Popsicle
The ice pop was invented by an 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson in 1905. He left soda powder and water outside overnight with the wooden stirrer still inside of it. THe treat froze overnight, and Frank was able to pop the cube out and lick the "beverage" just like that. He called it the "Epsicle" but eventually he started calling it a Popsicle.
Thank God He Didn't Get It
During the heat of WWII, a Swedish politician sent a letter of nomination into the Nobel foundation to attempt to award Adolph Hitler with a Nobel Peace Prize. The man retracted his nomination and later said it was just a joke. He did it because Hitler banned Germans from accepting any foreign awards four years before the Nobel Peace Prize was to be awarded.
Foreign McDonald's Hacks
If you ever find yourself searching for fast food in the Philippines (eat the local food first you cowards), make sure you try the McDonald's spaghetti. It's literally called "McSpaghetti" and it comes as a side with the "Chicken McDo" meal. The spaghetti is a sweet, beefy tomato sauce. Honestly, you're better off just eating at Jollibee.
Nobody Knows...
You've probably thought about this in passing over the course of your life, but it is a proven fact that nobody knows how other individuals see color. Scientists have been able to make general assumptions due to the cone and rod structure that is in human's eyes that it is more likely that everyone sees the same colors. However, nobody will ever truly know.
A Second Chance
In 1979, Elvita Adams decided to jump off the Empire State Building. Despite the fact that she jumped off the 86th floor, she survived by landing on the 85th-floor balcony. She said that she committed suicide because she was extremely impoverished, but her jump helped raise funds for Elvita's family.
Big Boy Bacteria
The world's largest bacterium is actually visible to the human eye. The Thiomargarita namibiensis can have a diameter of .07 millimeters. For comparison, your average run of the mill bacterium has a diameter of 0.001 millimeters.
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When photographs were just beginning to emerge in the 1800s, it was considered improper to show off your big goofy grin. So, camera operators asked participants to say "prunes" in order to pucker their mouths and make them look taut. This predated the duck-lip selfie by roughly 200 years.
How Could This Possibly Be?
Oxford University is significantly older than the Aztec Empire. Oxford University was founded in 1096, and the alliance of the three city-states bordering the Aztec Empire occurred in 1428.
Do You Know What This Is?
Neutron stars are really cool. They're collections of highly condensed neutrons that collect after a supernova or any other cataclysmic event. These stars are so unbelievably dense that just one teaspoon of this neutron soup would weigh roughly 10 million tons.
Buckle Up, Bucko...
We are sorry to report that, if you're hearing this for the first time, apples may be a bit older than you previously thought. Supermarket apples are usually never "fresh." They get picked between August and November, they get covered in wax, air-dried, and sent to cold storage. They are then sold six to 12 months after they are picked.
Watch Where You Step
Lobsters have taste sensors on their feet. They also pee out of their noses. Also, their teeth are in one of their three stomachs. Lobsters are really strange.
Give It a Try
It is physically impossible to hum while holding your nose. Humming is the sound your vocal cords make when you run air through them without opening your mouth. If there is no outlet, there will be no sound.
Great Big Tongue
A blue whale's tongue weighs roughly as much as an elephant weighs. Its heart weighs nearly one ton, and it only needs to beat once every ten seconds or so. Can you imagine how much the actual thing weighs? They can grow from 110,000 to 330,000 lbs.
Traveling Down Memory Lane
So, the Statue of Liberty actually used to be a lighthouse. In 1886, roughly one month after the statue was dedicated, it functioned as a lighthouse for 16 years. Lady Liberty's torch was visible up to 24 miles away. Now, she's just a hunk of copper.
The Benefit of Being the Queen
Queen Elizabeth II actually hired a stand-in to make sure that the sun doesn't get in her eyes. The woman is named Ella Slack, she is roughly the same size and stature as the queen, and she gets paid extra on particularly sunny days. Slack is not allowed to sit on the throne, but she has made a ton of money just pretending to be someone else in the sunshine.
The Dunce Cap Used to Be a Compliment
In the 13th century, a philosopher named John Duns Scotus believed that wearing a pointed cap would help spread knowledge that fell to the bottom of the brain back to the top. Since there was no way to disprove him, scholars that called themselves the "Dunsmen" would wear them while they studied. After the idea was toppled by modern science, "Duns" was changed to "dunce," and the cap signified someone was gullible enough to believe something so preposterous.
Just Green Horseradish
Real wasabi is a waxy root that you grind down and serve fresh as a paste to add a sweet and pungent flavor to delicate foods like sushi and tataki. Supermarket wasabi (and probably most of the wasabi you've had throughout your life) is just dyed horseradish. That's why people can't stand the green stuff, horseradish is extremely pungent in comparison to the real deal wasabi.
We Have a What?
The US government has an official plan in the event that there is a zombie apocalypse in the country. The program is called CONPLAN 8888 (aka Counter-Zombie Dominance) and was first written in 2011. Now, if they only put that time and effort into solving the poverty crisis, we might be in a better place.
The Oldest Tree
The oldest tree in the world is the methuselah tree. This piece of growing, changing, morphing carbon is 4851 years old. This tree is quite possibly the oldest living thing on Earth, period.
Mikey Actually Hated His Job
Michelangelo wrote a poem about how much he hated painting the Sistine Chapel once it was finished. The poem reads "I’ve already grown a goiter from this torture, hunched up here like a cat in Lombardy (or anywhere else where the stagnant water’s poison)."
An Unkind Conspiracy
A flock of crows is called a "murder," everyone who read Edgar Allen Poe in high school knows that. But, you might have not known that a flock of ravens is called an "unkindness." In some circles, a flock of ravens is called a "conspiracy" which is equally as ominous,.
There Used to Actually Be Three
The "3 Muskateers" candy bars actually used to come in three flavors. They formerly came with three per package, one was vanilla, the other chocolate, and the final was strawberry. WWII rations made producing the bar too expensive, so they settled on just doing chocolate instead.
The Empire State Area Code
Zip codes were originally invented to help the postal service determine where your mail needed to go. Larger cities had more inhabitants than smaller cities (duh), so the USPS separated neighborhoods by postal codes. When this happened, so much mail was going to the Empire State Building that it needed its own zip code. It still uses it by the way, so if you want to mail something to the Empire State Building, you have to use the 10118 zip code.
The Shortest War of All Time
The shortest war in history lasted just 38 minutes. When the sultan of British-protected Zanzibar died, a new sultan took over without British approval in 1896. The Brits were pissed about this, so they declared war on Zanzibar if Sultan Khalid bin Barghash didn't step down from his position. The sultan refused, and the British army spent less than 40 minutes mercilessly barraging Zanzibar with cannon fire until the sultan fled.
Three Times the Love
Octopuses don't just have eight tentacles, they also have three hearts. Two of their hearts are dedicated to pumping oxygen collected directly from the gills of the octopus into the openings of its circulatory system. The other heart keeps the blood flowing to its brain.
The Placebo Effect
Although you may swear that the blue tastes different from the yellow, it has been proven time and time again that Froot Loops are actually all the same flavor. When asked about what flavor Froot Loops are actually based off of, Kellogs simply replied: "Froot."
The Falls Within the Fall
The world's largest waterfall is actually underwater. At the Denmark Strait, the cold water from the Nordic Sea is denser where it meets the Irminger Sea's warmer water. When the water merges, the more dense water falls about two miles below the ocean's surface at roughly 123 million cubic feet per second.
Houston, I Can See my Shadow
Shadows are much, much darker and longer on the moon than they are on Earth. That's not exclusively reserved for your own personal shadow. Structures on the moon cast shadows that impede astronaut's abilities to function properly on the moon's surface. That's why astronauts have built-in flashlights in their helmets (you know, among other reasons).
Fighting With Your Guts
When threatened, sea cucumbers expel their internal organs. Their digestive systems contain poisonous acids and enzymes that repel predators, and even sometimes kill them. Sea cucumbers occasionally lose their entire digestive systems to this gut-expulsion, but the organs grow back quickly.
We All Make Mistakes
Tim Berners-Lee, the man who invented the main software for the World Wide Web, doesn't love his creation. He doesn't think that adding "//" after "https:" was necessary. It was standard for coding at the time, but it never really served a purpose. He believes that leaving it out would have made the internet a simpler place.
But Wait, There's More
The US Treasury began printing $100,000 bills in 1935. These bills were never distributed to the public, which is definitely for the best. Everyone has lost a $20 bill at some point, can you imagine how it would feel losing a $100,000 bill?