Brace yourself, for the line between fact and fiction is about to get incredibly blurry. But rest assured, these 16 perplexing knowledge nuggets have been checked, double-checked, and are absolutely true. So, sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and get ready to say, “No way! That can’t be true!”
Grapes Have More Genes Than Humans
Can you believe it? In the genetic race, we are packing around 20,000 to 25,000 genes. The humble grape? A whopping 30,000 genes!
Mushrooms Are Closely Related to Humans Than Plants
Crazy, right? Both humans and fungi, the kingdom that includes mushrooms, belong to the organisms known as opisthokonts. For instance, just like us, fungi ‘inhale’ oxygen and ‘exhale’ carbon dioxide, unlike plants that do the reverse.
A Human Could Swim Through the Arteries of a Blue Whale
A blue whale, the largest animal known to have ever existed, has enormous arteries that an average-sized human could shimmy right through. I’m not saying you should try it, but it’s a remarkable testament to the sheer size of these magnificent marine creatures.
It Rains Diamonds on Both Saturn and Jupiter
Now, don’t pack your spaceship just yet. According to scientists, lightning storms turn methane into soot (carbon), which, as it falls, hardens into chunks of graphite and then diamond. These diamonds continue falling and melting into a liquid sea in the planet’s hot cores.
The Youngest Known Mother Was 5 Years Old
This eyebrow-raising fact pertains to a Peruvian girl named Lina Medina. Born in 1933, Lina was brought to a hospital by her parents, who thought she had a huge abdominal tumor. Much to everyone’s surprise and shock, she was seven months pregnant. Lina gave birth to a healthy boy in 1939.
The Lighter Came Before the Match
The first lighter, known as a “Döbereiner’s lamp,” was invented by the German chemist Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner in 1823. This was three years before John Walker, an English chemist and druggist, stirred things up in 1826 with his invention of friction matches.
Mammoths Existed When the Great Pyramid Was Being Built
Mammoths were still roaming the Earth when the Great Pyramid of Giza was built around 4,500 years ago. The last woolly mammoths lived on Wrangel Island, a remote Arctic refuge, and didn’t go extinct until 4,000 years ago.
We Went To The Moon Before Wheels On Suitcases Were Invented
The Apollo 11 moon landing occurred in 1969, a monumental moment of human achievement. Yet, it took us until 1970, almost a year later, for Bernard Sadow to patent a suitcase that rolled.
Sharks Have Existed Longer Than Trees Have
Sharks have been swimming around our oceans for over 400 million years, dating back to the Devonian era, often called the “Age of Fish.” On the other hand, trees started popping up about 350 million years ago during the late Devonian to early Carboniferous period.
Cats Cannot Taste Sweet Things
While humans have about 9,000 taste buds, cats only have around 470. But the real kicker? Cats lack the genetic ability to taste sweetness. This is due to a mutation in a key taste receptor.
Saudi Arabia Imports Camels From Australia
I kid you not! Australia, known more for its kangaroos and koalas, is, in fact, the world’s largest exporter of camels, and Saudi Arabia is one of their biggest customers.
Coconuts Kill More People Than Sharks Yearly
According to research, falling coconuts kill 150 people yearly, 15 times the number of fatalities attributable to sharks.
Armadillos Nearly Always Give Birth To Identical Quadruplets
Imagine having four mini-me’s running around every time you reproduce – talk about a full house! Science explains this unusual phenomenon through polyembryony, where one fertilized egg splits into four identical embryos.
A Strawberry Isn’t a Berry; A Banana Is
Botanically speaking, a berry is a fruit that develops from the ovary of a single flower and has seeds on the inside. Contrary to this definition, strawberries wear their seeds on the outside with pride (about 200 of them per fruit, to be exact!) and are classified as ‘aggregate fruits’. On the other hand, bananas, with their seeds hardly noticeable to the naked eye, conform perfectly to the botanical berry criteria.
Goats Have Accents
A group of researchers from Queen Mary University in London conducted a study and found that not all goat “baaas” are created equal. The goats’ calls were found to develop and shift as they grew older and integrated with different social groups, much like how our accents change depending on our social surroundings.
Cambridge University Is Older Than the Aztec Empire
This illustrious institution opened its doors in 1209, becoming a beacon of knowledge and enlightenment. On the other hand, the Aztec civilization, known for its architectural marvels and advanced agricultural practices, started to coalesce in the early 13th century, around 1325.
Every Odd Number Has an “E”
Every odd number from one (one), three (three), five (five), seven (seven), to nine (nine) and beyond (eleven, thirteen, fifteen… you get the idea), every single one has an “e” in its English spelling.
Peanuts aren’t true nuts
They’re legumes! These little protein-packed munchies share a family with lentils, peas, and beans. While true nuts, like almonds or walnuts, grow on trees, peanuts grow underground in pods, much like their legume kin.
Octopuses Have Three Hearts
Two of these hearts work exclusively to move blood beyond the animal’s gills, while the third keeps circulation flowing for the organs. And here’s the kicker – when an octopus swims, the heart that delivers blood to the organs stops beating, which is why these creatures prefer to crawl rather than swim. It’s less tiring!
Humans Glow
Keep in mind that this light is 1,000 times weaker than the naked eye can detect. A team of researchers in Japan stumbled upon this bit of trivia, using ultra-sensitive cameras to spot the glow. The intensity of this glow fluctuates throughout the day, peaking late in the afternoon, around 4 p.m., and hitting a low point in the early morning.
The Lighter the Roast of Coffee, the More Caffeine It Has
Oh, contraire, my caffeinated friend! The longer coffee beans are roasted, the more caffeine gets cooked out of them. Lighter roasts for the win… or at least for the wake-up!
Wells Fargo Has an ATM Machine in Antarctica
If you’re ever in Antarctica and short on cash, don’t worry; Wells Fargo has you covered. This isn’t some banking fever dream; it’s a fact! Wells Fargo operates two ATMs at McMurdo Station, a U.S. Antarctic research center.
Carrots Used To Be Purple
The vibrant orange carrots we know and love today are a result of selective breeding by Dutch growers in the 17th century, who cultivated them as a tribute to William of Orange. Before this, carrots were predominantly purple, with variants of white and yellow.
You Can’t Hum While Holding Your Nose
You may be skeptical, perhaps even trying it out as you read this, but it’s a fact! The reason behind this quirky phenomenon is all down to basic science. Humming is produced by air passage, and when you hold your nose, you block the air passage, hence no humming.
Rats Laugh When Tickled
It’s not exactly a belly laugh you’d hear at a stand-up comedy show, but rather a series of ultrasonic chirps that are beyond the range of human hearing. In a study conducted by neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp, it was found that rats emit these chirps when they’re playing or when they’re anticipating a reward.
15 Bizarre Historical Facts That Leave Us Speechless
Throughout history, humans have done some strange and unbelievable things. Superstitions and beliefs drove some actions, while others were simply products of their time. These bizarre historical facts often challenge our understanding of the world and how it has evolved.
15 Bizarre Historical Facts That Leave Us Speechless
17 Weird Facts That Challenge Our Perception of Reality
We’re about to embark on a voyage of discovery, where truths might feel like fiction and conventional wisdom may be turned on its head.
17 Weird Facts That Challenge Our Perception of Reality
12 Science Facts That Sound Like BS – But Aren’t
Welcome to the land of peculiar paradoxes and mysteriously mind-boggling science facts. These are not your average, run-of-the-mill trivia tidbits. Oh no, these facts will make you squint your eyes, scratch your head, and shout, “That’s got to be BS!”
12 Science Facts That Sound Like BS – But Aren’t
12 Animal Facts That Sound Fake, But Are 100% Legit
Mother Nature has a flair for the dramatic, the spectacular, and the downright odd. We are not talking about your everyday trivia, like how dogs wag their tails when they are happy, or cats have nine lives (really, they don’t!). No, we are venturing into the realm of the unbelievable that will leave you exclaiming, “No way, that can’t be true!”
12 Animal Facts That Sound Fake, But Are 100% Legit
15 Animals With Superpowers You’ve Never Heard Of
This isn’t your typical “Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!” — we’re taking a whimsical safari to discover Mother Nature’s fabulous beasts with abilities that will leave you saying, “No way, nature!”
15 Animals With Superpowers You’ve Never Heard Of
