If you’ve ever been in a situation where you’re trying to make conversation, but you’re coming up empty, knowing some interesting facts is a great way to fill the gaps and impress the people in the room. To help you do that, here are 10 interesting facts that will be sure to make you the life of the party.
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Life expectancy varies drastically in different countries
Life expectancy for humans varies significantly depending on where you are in the world. For example, in Japan, people expect to live well into their eighties and nineties, whereas in countries like Iraq and Somalia, the life expectancy is below 50. It really shines a light on how the quality of life in different places affects our lifespans. -
Flying fish can actually fly
Yes, you read that right. Flying fish are skimming across the sea, sometimes at speeds up to 45 mph, occasionally jumping into the air and using their extended fins to (literally) fly across the sky. Incredibly, they can maintain their flying state for up to 45 seconds and travel distances of up to a quarter of a mile. -
The Titanic was the most expensive cruise liner to ever be built
The Titanic was the largest, most luxurious, and most expensive passenger liner ever built when it first set sail in 1912. At the time, it cost an estimated $7.5 million dollars to build and was touted as being “unsinkable”. Unfortunately, we all know the fateful end of this storied ship, making it one of the most famous historical events in modern history. -
Owls can’t move their eyes
Unlike humans who can move their eyes in all directions, owls are unable to move their eyes at all. They can, however, rotate their necks up to 270 degrees in either direction and see in the dark due to a particularly powerful set of tubular eyes. -
A jellyfish that never dies
Turritopsis dohrnii, or “immortal jellyfish”, is a species of jellyfish that has managed to cheat death itself. Unlike other jellyfish, Turritopsis dohrnii has a unique life cycle – after it has reached a mature state, it can revert back to its polyp stage, essentially restarting its life cycle. Whether in its polyp or medusa stage, this jellyfish is apparently unstoppable! -
The world’s oldest known tree
The world’s oldest known tree is a 9,550-year-old Norway spruce located in Sweden. Known as “Old Tjikko”, this ancient tree wasn’t actually discovered until 2004, when a professor of physical geography at Umeå University stumbled upon it in the mountains of Dalarna. -
The world’s deepest lake
The world’s deepest lake, Baikal Lake, is located in southern Siberia and holds 20% of the world’s unfrozen freshwater. It’s so deep that its bottom is more than 1,600 feet beneath the surface. This lake is also home to hundreds of unique species of fish, plants and animals that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. -
The world’s oldest language
The oldest known language in the world is Hebrew, which dates back to at least the 10th century BC. It is still used today both as a spoken language and in written documents, although it has changed significantly from its original form. -
A star that is older than the universe
Scientists were amazed to discover a star that was born before the actual birth of the universe. Known as HD 140283 or the Methuselah star, this star is located just 190 light-years away and is estimated to be 14.5 billion years old (the universe itself is estimated to be 13.7 billion years old). -
The world’s hottest chili pepper
If you’re looking to impress someone with your ability to tolerate spice, the Bhut Jolokia pepper is a great contender. This pepper has been certified by the Guinness World Records as the world’s hottest chili pepper, with an average heat level of 1,041,427 Scoville heat units. To put that into perspective, regular jalapenos usually measure in between 2,500 and 8,000 Scoville heat units. So, if you want to challenge yourself and impress the people in the room, this pepper is the way to go!
When it comes to making conversation and trying to impress the people in the room, having some interesting and unique facts in your back pocket is a great way to fill any gaps. From the world’s deepest lake to a star that’s older than the universe, these 10 interesting facts are sure to make you the life of the party.