Everyone loves hearing interesting facts that will make them scratch their heads in disbelief or awaken their sense of wonder and amazement. From wild and bizarre animal behaviours to fascinating secrets of the natural world and even shocking records, here are some astonishing facts that are guaranteed to astound everyone you know.
Astounding Animal Behaviour Facts
Animals can provide us with some fascinating facts that will make everyone’s jaw drop. Here are a few to start with:
• A bat is the only mammal capable of flying.
• Sharks can live up to 100 years on average.
• Beetles can lift 850 times their own weight.
• A Catfish’s taste buds are located on its antennae.
• A Tarantula’s mating ritual lasts six hours.
• Penguins can dive up to 300 meters under water.
• Bees can fly at a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour.
• The lifespan of a Dragonfly is 24 hours.
• The tongue of a chameleon can be one and a half times the length of its body.
Spectacular Space Facts
Exploring the stars and the wonders of space is always amazing and rewarding, but these facts about space might be even more astonishing:
• On the surface of Mars, the sky is a dull orange-red colour due to the dust particles in the atmosphere.
• It would take approximately one year to drive a car to the moon non-stop at 50 mph.
• The sun could fit 1,300,000 Earths inside it.
• It takes sunlight eight minutes to reach Earth.
• The nearest star outside the solar system is 4 light years away.
• The force of gravity on the moon is one-sixth of what it is on Earth.
• There are enough stars in space to form a trillion galaxies.
• The Milky Way galaxy is so large, it takes more than 200 million years to make one complete rotation.
• The Moon orbits the Earth at an average speed of 2,300 mph.
Remarkable Human History Facts
Humans have been around for a long time, and there are some insightful facts about our history that will leave everyone gobsmacked:
• The Pyramids of Giza have been around for more than 4,500 years.
• The oldest known document in the world is the Epic of Gilgamesh, which dates back to 1700 BCE.
• The first paper money was issued in China during the 11th Century.
• The oldest known surviving musical instrument is a bone flute from 40,000 years ago.
• The Egyptians used onions to cool rooms by placing them near fans.
• The first alarm clock was invented in 225 BC by Brazen, a Greek philosopher.
• The first parachute jump was attempted in 1783 by Louis-Sebastien Lenormand.
• Humans domesticated animals 9,000 years ago.
• The first socks were invented in the 9th Century.
Astonishing Records
People have accomplished a range of amazing records, defying nature and pushing the boundaries of human achievement. Here are some that will leave everyone stunned:
• The longest skydive was done by Felix Baumgartner at 39,000 meters.
• The longest journey ever made in space was by Valeri Polyakov at 878 days.
• The fastest ascension to the top of Mount Everest was done by Pemba Dorje in 8 hours 10 minutes.
• The highest bungee jump was done by Alan Eustace in 2014 from a height of 135,889 feet.
• The longest distance run underwater was done by Stig Severinsen in 2 hours 10 minutes.
• The longest wingsuit flight was done by Sascha Chavez in Brazil at 17,263 feet.
• The fastest vehicle on land is the Thrust SSC jet-propelled car at 763 mph.
• The record for the longest freedive is held by Stig Severinsen and is estimated at 244 meters.
• The longest moonwalk in history is 4 hours and 56 minutes by Eugene Cernan.
• The fastest tractor record was set by Don Garlits with a top speed of 279.25 mph.
Tremendous Nature Facts
Nature has a lot of secrets and amazing things to offer. Here are some interesting facts about the natural world that will surely be impressive to everyone:
• Human eyes can distinguish between 10 million different colours.
• A single hurricane produces the same amount of energy as 10,000 nuclear bombs.
• Lightning heats the air up to 27 times hotter than the sun.
• The hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth is 134 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley.
• The loudest sound in the ocean is 211 decibels made by the sperm whale.
• The strongest earthquake ever recorded was magnitude 9.5 in 1960 in Chile.
• Each year, 3,000 to 5,000 tons of meteors burn up in Earth’s atmosphere.
• A single bolt of lightning contains enough energy to toast 100,000 slices of bread.
• The Earth is estimated to be around 4.5 billion years old.
• Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system with an average surface temperature of 863 Fahrenheit.
These are just some of the fascinating facts that will leave everyone you know in amazement. From incredible records, animal behaviour, historic trivia, to nature’s secrets – there is no shortage of amazing facts to learn about. So go ahead, don’t be shy! Impress your family and friends with these wonderful facts and leave them awestruck.