Interesting Facts 101

Sep 16

The world we live in is full of fascinating information that you may not be aware of. Some of these facts are well-known, while others are less well-known. Let’s test your knowledge and see if there’s anything you can learn more from this series of interesting facts! Today, we bring these previously undisclosed facts to light!

Fact #1:

Pluto has a smaller surface area than the entire country of Russia. Russia stands at 6,601,668 square miles of land whereas Pluto has a bit less at 6,427,805 square miles. To give you a bit of perspective, the second-largest country in Canada with 3,855,103 square miles of land.

Fact #2

Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen of England, communicates with her staff merely by the position of her handbag. For example, after she is through chatting with a visitor, she will transfer her bag from one arm to the other, and her assistants will gracefully terminate the conversation, or she will lay her bag on the ground to suddenly conclude a conversation.

Fact #3

Did you know broccoli is a man-made vegetable? Well, it kind of is…broccoli originated during the 6th century BC after years of selectively breeding different species of wild cabbage plants. The word “broccoli” itself derives from the Italian word that translates to “the flowering crest of a cabbage.”

Fact #4

We’ve been fooled all our lives, there’s a list of “nuts” that we consume daily that arent really classified as nuts! Peanuts. Walnuts, cashews, pistachios, and almonds are not identified as nuts but as seeds. The reason being is that nuts are defined as, “a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel.”

Fact #5

Antarctica is the world’s biggest desert! Not the desert you would automatically think of with sand, heat, and camels. The Antarctic Polar Desert covers over 5.5 million square miles and is the coldest place on earth with temperatures around -20 degrees Fahrenheit that can drop as low as -90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fact #6

Koalas have unique individual fingerprints similar to primates like gorillas and chimpanzees. They are so similar to a human fingerprint that even the most experienced forensic scientist could have trouble identifying which fingerprint belongs to which species.

Fact #7

Have you ever heard of a ghost marriage? We haven’t either, but apparently, they are illegal in China. It’s when recently departed ladies and men are paired and ritually wedded by their relatives to ensure they won’t be lonely in the afterlife.

Fact #8

Everyone knows the famous Jackie Chan, but what you probably didn’t know was that he has sung every single theme song in each of his films in the 80s. He also received the Japanese Best Foreign Singer Award in 1984, has performed over 100 songs in over five languages, and sang in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony!

Fact #9

It’s time to debunk the myth that camels carry water in their humps! Well surprise, surprise, they actually don’t. Camel humps actually store fat not water, though we definitely heard that growing up in school.

Hope you enjoyed this random list of fun facts, stay tuned for more next month!