Knowledge Facts
Interesting facts about practically everything
Updated: July 29, 2022
These random fun facts will entertain, enlighten and absolutely blow your mind.
Each editorial product is independently selected, however if you purchase something through our links, we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission. Estimates and prices are accurate and items are in stock at time of publication.
A light bulb and an ice cream cone are tied together in green.
Interesting facts that you want to share with everyone
Random fun facts protect us at best. They’re unexpected or unusual bits of knowledge from the worlds of science, history, and pop culture that delight and amuse us—and anyone we share them with. But these interesting facts aren’t just fun facts, they’re just fun facts to get you into answering trivia questions: they’re legitimately fascinating, and once you start, you’ll want to keep reading until your curiosity is satisfied.
From weird facts that almost don’t seem true (but totally are), random trivia, science trivia, animal trivia, cartoon trivia, movie trivia, and/or book trivia, you’ll find lots of new information here. Whether you’re looking for trivia questions to keep the kids entertained during a family party or a long road trip, we’ve got plenty of them.
World’s Oldest Wagon Wheel Facts
Fact: The world’s oldest wooden wheel is over 5,000 years old
It was discovered in 2002, approximately 12 miles south of Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, and is now housed in the city’s museum. Radiocarbon dating was used to determine the wheel’s age at 5,100 to 5,350 years old. Closer to home, these are the oldest tourist attractions in each state.
Dead Skin Cells in Dust Facts
Fact: Dead skin cells are a major ingredient in house dust
Here’s an interesting science fact for you : According to researchers at Imperial College London, humans shed about 200 million skin cells every hour — and they have to go somewhere when we’re indoors. If the idea of skin dust doesn’t sit well with you, you should know that a skin oil called squalene naturally helps reduce indoor ozone levels by 15 percent, according to a report by the American Chemical Society.
Sudan flag photo collages
Fact: Sudan has more pyramids than any other country in the world
Not only does Sudan have more pyramids than Egypt, the numbers aren’t even close. While 138 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt, Sudan has 255 pyramids. Next, see if you can answer these real Jeopardy! Questions on Geography.
Hand holding a small bat between index finger and thumb
Fact: The bumblebee bat is the world’s smallest mammal
Weighing 0.05 to 0.07 ounces, with a head-to-body length of 1.14 to 1.29 inches and a wingspan of 5.1 to 5.7 inches, the bumblebee bat—also known as Kitty’s pig-nosed bat—is the world’s smallest mammal. , according to the Guinness Book of World Records. To see this tiny bat for yourself, you’ll need to visit one of a select few limestone caves on the Kwai Noi River in southwestern Thailand’s Kanchanaburi Province. Here are Earth’s smallest creatures that play a big role in the ecosystem.
Circuit diagram connected to an odometer reading 100,000 miles. Fact: The circulatory system is over 60,000 miles long
According to the Franklin Institute, if a child’s entire circulatory system—we’re talking veins, arteries, and capillaries—were laid out flat, it would stretch over 60,000 miles. By the time we reach adulthood, our bodies have become home to about 100,000 miles of blood vessels. This is one of those mind-blowing facts (but not).
Globe showing the division of Africa into four hemispheres
Fact: There are parts of Africa in all four hemispheres
For people with a Western-focused education, it may be surprising to discover just how large the continent of Africa is. For example, it spans all four hemispheres and covers nearly 12 million square miles. Here’s another interesting fact: Did you know the only city that straddles two continents?
A cross-section of the human eye is Yellow
Fact: The cornea is one of the two parts of the human body that do not have blood vessels
The cornea is the clear part of the eye that covers the pupil and other parts of the eye. Cartilage and the cornea are the only types of tissue in the human body that do not contain blood vessels, according to scientists at the Schebens Eye Research Institute in the Harvard Department of Ophthalmology. There are some other strange features of your eye that you may not have known about.
Argentine flag
Fact: The world’s first animated film was made in Argentina
Even if you know a lot of Disney trivia, you might assume that the credit for the first animated movie belongs to Walt Disney’s 1937 film Snow White and the Chew ‘n Dwarfs. But 20 years ago, a full-length animated film was produced in Argentina. It was a political satire called El Apostole made up of 58,000 drawings and ran for 70 minutes according to the Guinness Book of Records.
Split screen of Texas state Flag
Fact: German chocolate cake was invented in Texas
The “German” part of the German chocolate cake came from an American man—not a European country. Specifically, it is named after Sam German, who in 1852 developed a formula for a bar of light dark baking chocolate for the Baker’s Chocolate Company, named Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate. Fast forward to June 13, 1957. Dallas Morning Star published a recipe for the cake, found and submitted by a reader identified as Mrs. George Clay, according to What’s Cooking America.
Marla Gibbs Portrait
Fact: Marla Gibbs continued working as a flight attendant for two years after starring in a hit TV show.
Before landing her spot at 227 Stop, Marla Gibbs starred as housekeeper Florence on The Jeffersons (a spin-off of All in the Family). In a 2015 interview, Gibbs told The Washington Post that even though she seemed to have her big break, she kept her job as a flight attendant at American Airlines for two more years—just to be safe.
Philippine Flag
Fact: The Philippines consists of 7,641 islands
The Philippines is an archipelago, meaning it is a group of islands—7,641 islands. That number doesn’t include the thousands of sandbars and other landforms exposed at low tide.
Railroad tracks connected to a bridge on a purple background.
Fact: A one-way trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway crosses 3,901 bridges.
The Trans-Siberian Railway is not only the longest railway in Russia, but also the longest in the world. The journey takes seven days, during which travelers cross eight different time zones and cross 3,901 bridges.
Golden Girl Betty
Fact: The Golden Girls should have a different theme song
That’s right: Instead of Andrew Gould’s iconic “Thanks for Being a Friend,” the show’s producers wanted to use Bette Midler’s “Friends,” says Jim Colucci, author of the book Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai. But the rights to Divine Miss M’s song were too expensive and the rest is sitcom history.
Split Screen Earth and Golden Orb
Fact: Earth contains enough gold to coat the planet
Our planet — or, indeed, has little gold. How much is there? It is enough to cover the entire surface of the earth with 1.5 feet of gold.
Photo Gallery of Common Men and Women with Cleveland
Fact: Cleveland was once the fifth largest city in the country
Data from the 1920 U.S. Census indicate that Cleveland, Ohio, was one of the most populous cities in the country, behind Detroit, Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York. Today, these are the largest cities in the world.
A woman’s face with a drop of water
Fact: Humans can use only a small fraction of Earth’s water
In school, we were taught that most of the planet’s surface (specifically, 71 percent) is covered by water. While that’s true, according to National Geographic, humans use only 0.007 percent of that water. can This is because only about 2.5 percent of Earth’s water is fresh water and only 1 percent of that is accessible. The rest form glaciers and snowdrifts.
Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookie Paired with Gold Treble
Fact: Wally Amos is responsible for popularizing cookies
You may be familiar with Wally “Famous” Amos thanks to his packaged chocolate chip cookies. But before he worked his magic on the dessert party, he was in the business of making people famous, Biography reports. He discovered and signed folk duo Simon & Garfunkel and was a talented representative for acts such as Diana Ross, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye
Fact: The brand name Spam is a portmanteau of “masala” and “ham.”
This is one of those interesting facts that you probably thought you knew but actually didn’t. Contrary to American mythology, Spam is not short for “scientifically processed animal matter” or “pork and ham shoulder.”
Camera Hanging Suitcase, Watered by
Fact: It takes a drop of water 90 days to travel across the Mississippi River
At 2,340 miles long, the Mississippi River is the third largest body of water in the world. It is a long stretch of water. So long, in fact, that a drop of water takes about 90 days to travel its entire length.
A woman touches her skin with arsenic.
Fact: People once ate arsenic to improve their skin
You’ve probably heard about how the Victorians’ favorite cosmetics were tainted with arsenic, but it gets worse. In the late 19th century, Dr. James B. There were also products on the market, such as Campbell’s Safe Arsenic Complex Wafers, which had to be eaten. They claimed to remove dark spots, freckles and other “facial blemishes”. Admit it: This is one of the most interesting facts you’ve learned in a while.
Statue of Liberty Attached to Statue of Annie Moore.
Fact: The first person to be processed at Ellis Island was a 15-year-old girl from Ireland.
On January 1, 1892, Annie Moore was the first passenger to land on Ellis Island on its opening day. After setting sail from Queenstown, Ireland (now known as Cobh), he traveled to America with his two younger brothers on the SS Nevada. Another surprising fact? The busiest day at Ellis Island was April 17, 1907.
Japan flag attached to vending machine.
Fact: Japan has one vending machine for every 40 people
At one in 40 people, Japan is considered one of the most densely populated vending machines in the world. While most sell a variety of drinks, others have ice cream, noodles and disposable cameras.
Lemon and Lime Facts
Fact: Lemons float, but limes sink.
Since limes are denser than lemons, they sink to the bottom of the glass while lemons float to the top. With all these random fun facts, it’s been right in front of our faces (or rather, in our mirrors) this whole time! Check out these other things to be amazed at things you’ve never thought of before.
Athletes in Vaudeville
Fact: Professional athletes perform in vaudeville in the off-season
Before today’s big league salaries, professional baseball and football players often had to take jobs in the off-season, The Atlantic reports. Some of them capitalized on their name recognition, doing everything from comedy routines to poetry readings to hit the ground running. Even Babe Ruth sang – if you can call it that. Obviously, many athletes have no business being on stage, but it’s not against the rules, unlike these strange things that are banned in sports.
Period on TV FACTSRD
Fact: The word “period” was first used on television to refer to menstruation in 1985
It came via a line in a Tampax ad: “It’s so convenient to be clean. It can really change the way you feel about your period.” And actor Courtney Cox of Friends fame made pop culture history.
Broccoli-Gumbal
Donald’s once made bubblegum-flavored broccoli
This crazy McDonald’s truth will make your taste buds crawl. Unsurprisingly, the effort to get kids to eat healthily didn’t go down well with “taste-confused” baby testers.
Fact: Some fungi create zombies and then control their minds
The tropical fungus Ophiocortyceps infects the central nervous system of ants. After nine days in an insect’s body, it completely controls the host’s movements. According to National Geographic, this forces the ant to climb trees, and then the convulsions fall to the cool, moist soil below, where fungi thrive. Once there, the fungus waits exactly until solar noon and the ant bites the leaf and waits for death.
Lemon Lemon.
Fact: The first oranges were not orange
The original oranges of Southeast Asia were a tangerine-pomelo hybrid and were actually green in color. In fact, oranges in warmer regions such as Vietnam and Thailand remain green even at maturity. Speaking of which, ever wonder which “orange” came first: the color or the fruit? We found it!
American
Fact: There is only one letter that does not appear in any US state name
Can you guess the answer to this random fun fact? You’ll find one Z (Arizona), one J (New Jersey) and two Xs (New Mexico and Texas)—but not a single Q.
Madu
Fact: A cow-cattle hybrid is called a beefalo
You can even buy its meat in at least 21 states.
Apple Cider
Fact: The fruits of Johnny Appleseed are not edible
Yes, there was a real John Chapman who planted thousands of apple trees on American soil. But the apples on those trees were far more bitter than what you can find in the supermarket today. “Johnny Appleseed” doesn’t expect his fruit to be eaten whole, but instead made into hard apple cider.
Fact: Scotland has 421 words for snow
Yes, 421! Some examples are: sneeze (to start raining or snowing); feifle ( to spin ); and flinkdrinkin (a light ice).
CELLPHONE
Fact: Samsung tests phone durability with a butt-shaped robot
People always stash their phones in their back pockets, which is why Samsung created a butt-shaped robot that “sits” on their phones to make sure they can take the strain. Believe it or not, the robot even wears jeans.
FERRIS
Fact: The Windy City nickname has nothing to do with Chicago’s weather
If you live in Chicago, you probably already know this random fact, but we bet the rest of us don’t. Chicago’s nickname was coined by 19th-century journalists who referred to the fact that its residents were “airbags” and “full of hot air.”
Nuts
Fact: Peanuts aren’t technically nuts
They are pulses. According to Merriam-Webster, a nut is only if it is “a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed with a separable skin or shell and an inner kernel.” That means walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios are also not nuts. They are seeds.
Armadillo.
Fact: Armadillo shells are bulletproof
In fact, a Texas man was hospitalized after a bullet he fired at an armadillo hit the animal and hit him in the jaw. It’s all about animal facts. However, these animal “facts” are false.
firefighter-neer
Fact: Firefighters use wetting agents to dampen water
The chemicals lower the surface tension of plain water, so it spreads easily and soaks into objects better, which is why it’s called “wetting water.”
dictionary-measuring
Fact: The longest English word has 189,819 letters
We won’t spell it out here, but it would take three and a half hours to say out loud the full name of the protein nicknamed titin. Although it is the longest word in the English language, the longest word in the Oxford English Dictionary has 45 letters, and the longest word has just 28 letters.
