All facts — Page 67

The fire rainbow is a rare atmospheric phenomenon caused by ice crystals.

The fire rainbow, also called a circumhorizontal arc, has nothing to do with fire. It is an optical phenomenon caused…

Morning Glory clouds form in Australia and can be up to a thousand kilometres long.

Morning Glory clouds are cylindrical rolls that form in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, and can stretch for more…

Diamonds are eternal and never degrade.

Contrary to popular belief, diamonds are not eternal. They are only metastable and can turn into graphite over…

The human body contains enough sulphur to make about 200 boxes of matches.

The human body contains about 140 grams of sulphur, present in amino acids such as cysteine and methionine. This…

The human heart has a limited number of beats over a lifetime, about 2.5 billion.

The human heart beats about 2.5 billion times over an average 80-year life. This number is not a fixed limit, but an…

Mars has the largest canyon in the Solar System, Valles Marineris.

Valles Marineris, on Mars, is about 4,000 kilometres long and up to 7 kilometres deep. It is the largest canyon in…

There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth.

The estimated number of stars in the observable universe is about 10 to the power of 24. The number of grains of sand…

The Milky Way has a supermassive black hole at its centre, called Sagittarius A.

The Milky Way has a supermassive black hole at its centre, called Sagittarius A star. It has about 4 million times…

Apple's first computer was sold in 1976 for 666.66 dollars.

The Apple I was Apple's first computer, sold in 1976 for 666.66 dollars. It was hand-built by Steve Wozniak and sold…

The.tv domain belongs to the small country of Tuvalu.

The.tv internet domain belongs to the small Pacific island country of Tuvalu. The country licensed the domain in the…

It is estimated that about 100 billion human beings have ever lived on Earth.

This means that for every person alive today, there are roughly 15 people who have died in all of human history…

The Margherita pizza was created in 1889 to honor Queen Margherita of Italy, using ingredients to represent the Italian flag.

The red tomatoes, white mozzarella, and green basil were chosen to mirror the colors of the national flag, creating…

The first computer password was created in 1961 by MIT researcher Fernando Corbató.

Corbató developed passwords for the Compatible Time-Sharing System (CTSS) so multiple users could securely share a…

Millions of years ago, the Amazon River flowed westward into the Pacific Ocean, until the rise of the Andes reversed its course.

Before the Andes mountain range formed, the massive river drained into the Pacific. As the mountains rose, the river…

Earth's magnetic poles have reversed hundreds of times over the last billion years.

These reversals are caused by changes in the flow of molten iron in the Earth's outer core. The last major reversal…

The human brain stops growing in size around age 18, but continues to develop and mature until the mid-20s.

The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and planning, is one of the last areas of…

A cheetah can accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h (60 mph) in just 3 seconds, faster than most sports cars.

However, this incredible speed comes at a cost; cheetahs overheat quickly and can only maintain a sprint for about 20…

A group of ferrets is called a 'business'.

This unusual collective noun dates back to the 14th century, possibly referring to the animals' busy, energetic…

The oldest restaurant in the world, Casa Botín in Madrid, Spain, has been serving customers continuously since 1725.

Recognized by Guinness World Records, it is famous for its roast suckling pig and has hosted famous writers like…

Black Ivory coffee is made from beans eaten and excreted by Thai elephants, making it one of the most expensive coffees in the world.

The elephants' digestive enzymes break down the coffee's proteins, reducing bitterness. The beans are then collected…

The first Starbucks store, opened in 1971 in Seattle, originally sold only coffee beans and equipment, not brewed drinks.

The founders were inspired by a coffee roasting entrepreneur, and it was not until 1987 that the company began…

Almonds are not true nuts; they are the seeds of the fruit produced by the almond tree.

Botanically, almonds are drupes, related to peaches and cherries. The part we eat is the seed inside the hard shell…

The musicians on the Titanic continued playing as the ship sank to keep passengers calm.

The eight-member band played uplifting music on the deck and reportedly stopped only when the ship was about to go…

William Henry Harrison was the shortest-serving US President, holding office for only 32 days.

He caught a cold that developed into pneumonia just weeks after his inauguration in 1841, becoming the first US…