125 Interesting Facts About Practically Everything

Fact: There are parts of Africa in all four hemispheres

For people whose education was largely focused on the Western world, it may be surprising to find out exactly how huge the continent of Africa is. For instance, it spans all four hemispheres and covers nearly 12 million square miles.

Fact: German chocolate cake was invented in Texas

The "German" part of German chocolate cake comes from a person's name—and that person wasn't even from Germany. Specifically, it's named after Samuel German, who, in 1852, created the formula for a sweet baking chocolate bar for Baker's Chocolate Company in Massachusetts, which subsequently (and confusingly!) named the product Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate. Fast-forward to June 13, 1957. The Dallas Morning Star published a recipe for a cake, invented and submitted by a reader identified as Mrs. George Clay, which used the chocolate. Over the years as the recipe made its way around the country, people lost the original reference for the name and thought German chocolate cake came from the country of Germany.

Fact: Marla Gibbs continued working for an airline for two years after being cast on a hit TV show

Prior to taking her place on the stoop of 227, Marla Gibbs played housekeeper Florence on the 1970s and 1980s sitcom The Jeffersons (a spinoff of All in the Family). In a 2022 interview, the 90-year-old Gibbs told the Hollywood Reporter that despite appearing as though she had gotten her big break, she kept her job in reservations for United Airlines until the third season of the show—just to be safe.

Fact: The Philippines consists of 7,641 islands

The Philippines is an archipelago, which means it's made up of a group of islands—7,641 islands, to be exact. That figure does not include the thousands of sandbars and other landforms that emerge during low tide.

Fact: A one-way trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway involves crossing eight time zones

Not only is the Trans-Siberian Railway the longest railroad in Russia, but at 5,771 miles long, it's also the longest single-rail system in the world. The journey takes seven days, during which time passengers pass through eight different time zones.

Fact: The Golden Girls dug into more than 100 cheesecakes

Over the course of The Golden Girls’s seven-year run, Dorothy, Sophia, Blanche and Rose ate around 100 cheesecakes, according to the baker who made them, George Geary. "For the run of the show, I would create seven cheesecakes for the Friday-night taping. ... I would box up seven cheesecakes by 4 p.m., all identical," he said. That was just in case they had to do multiple scene takes. "Every season, the cakes changed: Season 1, plain. Season 2, whipped cream trim. Season 3, berry topping. And so on."

In one episode, Dorothy asks rhetorically, "Do you know how many problems we've solved over a cheesecake at this kitchen table?" In true Rose fashion, she asks," No, Dorothy, exactly how many?" "147, Rose," Dorothy snaps. Turns out, she was close!

Fact: There's enough gold inside Earth to coat the planet

Earth really has a heart of gold: 99% of the precious metal can be found in the Earth's core, Discover Magazine reports. How much is there? Enough to coat the entire surface of the Earth in 1.5 feet of gold.

Fact: People can use only a small fraction of Earth's water

In school, we were taught that most (about 71%) of the planet's surface is covered in water. While that's true, just 0.007% of that water is usable for people, according to National Geographic. That's because only about 2.5% of Earth's water is fresh water, and only a little more than 1% of that is accessible—most of the rest is made up of glaciers, polar ice caps and snowfields.

Fact: Wally Amos is responsible for making more than just cookies famous

You may be familiar with Wally "Famous" Amos, thanks to his packaged chocolate chip cookies. But before he worked his magic on the sweet treats, he was the first African American talent agent for William Morris, in the business of making people famous, Biography reports. He discovered and signed folk duo Simon & Garfunkel and was a talent rep for acts like Diana Ross, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye.

Fact: It takes a drop of water 90 days to travel the entire Mississippi River

Flowing approximately 2,340 miles, the Mississippi River is the fourth largest in the world, behind the Yangtze, Amazon and Nile rivers (when combined with its tributary, the Missouri River). That's one long stretch of water. With speeds varying from 1.2 mph to 3 mph, one drop of water takes approximately 90 days to travel its entire length, as estimated by the National Park Service.

Fact: People once ate arsenic to improve their skin

You've probably heard about how a lot of the Victorians' favorite cosmetics were riddled with arsenic, but it gets worse. There were also products on the market in the late 19th century, like Dr. James P. Campbell's Safe Arsenic Complexion Wafers, that were meant to be eaten. They claimed to get rid of freckles, blackheads and other "facial disfigurements." That's one of the most interesting facts—not to mention strangest—we've learned in a while.

Fact: Japan has one vending machine for every 23 people

Japan is thought to have one of the highest densities of vending machines in the world, with an estimated one for every 23 people in the country. While most sell various types of beverages, others feature ice cream, noodles and disposable cameras.

Fact: Professional athletes used to perform in vaudeville during the off-season

Before today's big-league salaries, professional baseball players often had to take on jobs during the off-season. Some of them took advantage of their name recognition and hit the vaudeville circuits, doing everything from comedy to song-and-dance routines to reciting poems. Babe Ruth even sang—if you could call it that. Frankly, many of the athletes had no business being on stage, but it's not like it was against the rules.

Fact: The first time the word period was used on TV in reference to menstruation was in 1985

It came via a line in a Tampax commercial: "Feeling cleaner is more comfortable. It can actually change the way you feel about your period." And the actor who made pop culture history was Courteney Cox of Friends fame.

Fact: A fungus turns ants into "zombies," controlling their minds and bodies

The tropical fungus Ophiocordyceps infects ants’ central nervous systems. Once it has been in the insect's body for three to nine days, it has complete control over the host’s movements. According to National Geographic, it forces the ant to climb trees, then convulse and fall into the cool, moist soil below, where fungi thrive. Once there, the ant is forced to bite a leaf and waits for death, when the fungus emerges from the ant's head onto the leaf. OK, then!

Fact: There’s only one letter that doesn’t appear in any U.S. state name

Can you guess the answer to this random fun fact? You’ll find a Z (Arizona), a J (New Jersey) and even two X's (New Mexico and Texas)—but not a single Q.

Fact: A cow-bison hybrid is called a beefalo

Beefalo, which has been around since the early 1970s, is produced in more than 35 states. It was developed by D.C. "Bud" Basolo, a California rancher who successfully crossbred American bison and domesticated cattle, says the American Beefalo Association (yes, there is such a thing!). And it's actually good for you: It contains fewer calories, less cholesterol, less fat and more protein than conventional beef.

Fact: Johnny Appleseed’s fruits weren’t for eating

Yes, there was a real John Chapman who planted thousands of apple trees on U.S. soil. But the apples on those trees were much more bitter than the ones you’d find in the supermarket today. “Johnny Appleseed” didn’t expect his fruits to be eaten whole, but rather made into hard apple cider.

Fact: The Scottish have 421 words for snow

Yes, 421! Some examples of words used for snow in Scotland include: sneesl (to start raining or snowing); feefle (to swirl); and flindrikin (a slight snow shower). Weather is very important to the Scots.

Fact: Samsung tested phone durability with a butt-shaped robot

People stash their phones in their back pockets all the time, which is why Samsung created a robot shaped like a butt to “sit” on their phones to make sure they can take the pressure. Believe it or not, the robot even wore jeans.

Fact: Peanuts aren’t technically nuts

They’re legumes. According to Merriam-Webster, a nut is only a nut if it’s “a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel.” Other nuts that are really legumes are soy nuts (soybeans) and carob nuts. On the other hand, walnuts, hazelnuts and pecans fit the true definition of a nut, according to the USDA.

Fact: Firefighters use wetting agents to make water wetter

The chemicals reduce the surface tension of plain water so it is easier to spread and better soaks into objects, which is why it’s known as “wet water.” Who knew?

Fact: “Running amok” is a medically recognized mental condition

First described in Malaysia and not used often today, a person “running amok” starts with a period of brooding followed by a homicidal frenzy, and ending in somnolence (excessive drowsiness or sleepiness) and amnesia.

Fact: Some octopus species lay 56,000 eggs at a time

On average, a giant Pacific octopus will lay 56,000 eggs at the end of a pregnancy, over the course of about a month. At first, these new babies float through the surrounding water unattached to one another or their mother. But then the mother gathers each egg—which is about the size of a grain of rice—and weaves them into braids, allowing her to keep an eye on everyone at the same time.

Fact: Turkeys can blush

When turkeys are scared, agitated or excited—like when a male see a female he's interested in—the pale skin on their head and neck can change colors, turning bright red, blue or white. The flap of skin over their beaks, called a snood, also reddens.

Fact: The man with the world’s deepest voice can make sounds humans can’t hear

The man, Tim Storms, can sing a note that's nearly impossible for humans to hear—but elephants can. It's eight octaves below the lowest G on a piano. Storms holds the Guinness World record for having the widest vocal range: 10 octaves.

Fact: Cows don’t have upper front teeth

They do have molars on top, in the back of their mouths. But where you’d expect top front teeth, cows, sheep and goats have a thick layer of tissue called a dental pad. They use that with their bottom teeth to pull out grass.

Fact: Thanks to 3D printing, NASA can basically email tools to astronauts

Getting new equipment to the Space Station used to take months or years, but the new technology means the tools are ready within hours.

Fact: Bananas grow upside down

Or technically, we peel and eat them upside down. Naturally, they grow outward from their stems, but that means their bottoms actually face the sky. As they get bigger, the fruits turn toward the sun, forming that distinctive curve.

Fact: T.S. Eliot wore green makeup

Even his fellow writers commented on the poet's strange appearance.  No one is sure why Eliot dusted his face with green powder, though some guess he was just trying to look more interesting.

Fact: Human noses and ears lengthen as we age

It's pretty common to see the claim that our nose and ears are the only parts of our body that keep growing as we age, but that's not exactly true. Our nose and ears stop growing along with the rest of our body, but thanks to the weight of gravity, both parts continue to lengthen over time, according to the Discovery Channel. That's why you might notice older people with oversized earlobes!

Fact: The # symbol isn’t officially called hashtag or pound

Its technical name is octothorpe. The octo means “eight” and refers to its points, though reports disagree on where thorpe came from. Some claim it was named after Olympian Jim Thorpe, while others argue it was just a nonsense suffix.

Fact: Movie trailers originally played after the movie

They “trailed,” or appeared at the end of, the feature film—hence, the name. The first trailer appeared in 1913 and was for a Broadway show, not a movie.

Fact: Mercedes invented a car controlled by a joystick

The joystick in the 1996 Mercedes F200 showcase car controlled speed and direction, replacing both the steering wheel and pedals. The car could also sense which side the driver was sitting in, so someone could control it from the passenger seat.

Fact: The U.S. government saved every public tweet from 2006 through 2017

Starting in 2018, the Library of Congress decided to keep tweets only on “a very selective basis,” including those dealing with elections and topics of national interest, like public policy.

Fact: Theodore Roosevelt had a pet hyena

Its name was Bill, and it was a present from the Ethiopian emperor. Roosevelt was famous for his many pets, including a one-legged rooster, a badger, a pony and a small bear.

Fact: The CIA's headquarters has its own Starbucks, but baristas don’t write names on the cups

Its receipts say “Store Number 1” instead of “Starbucks,” and its workers have to undergo extensive background checks and need an escort to leave their work posts.

Fact: Giraffe tongues can be 20 inches long

Their dark, bluish-black color is probably to prevent sunburn.

Fact: Europeans were scared of eating tomatoes when they were introduced

Scholars think Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés brought the seeds from Mesoamerica to Europe in 1519 with the intent of the fruits being used ornamentally in gardens. By the 1700s, aristocrats started eating tomatoes, but they were convinced the fruits were poisonous because people would die after eating them. In reality, the acidity from the tomatoes brought out the lead in pewter plates, and they actually died of lead poisoning.

Fact: Humans aren’t the only animals that dream

Studies have indicated rats dream about getting to food or running through mazes. Most mammals go through REM sleep, the cycle in which dreams occur, so scientists think there’s a good chance they all dream.

Fact: The Eiffel Tower can grow taller during the summer

The high temperatures make the iron expand, adding a few millimeters to the famous structure's height. On the flip side, in the winter, the structure can contract and lose a few millimeters.

Fact: Glitter was discovered by accident

A man by the name of Henry Ruschmann from Bernardsville, New Jersey, invented glitter by accident in 1934. Ruschmann, a machinist, invented a machine designed to cut plastic film at high speeds. The machine sometimes malfunctioned, producing tiny pieces of shiny material that sparkled when they reflected light. Ruschmann called these glittery bits "schnibbles." He then went on to start a company called Meadowbrook Glitter, which is still in the business of making glitter today.

Fact: Frankenstein's monster is a vegetarian

In Mary Shelley's classic novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein's monster says, “My food is not that of man; I do not destroy the lamb and the kid to glut my appetite; acorns and berries afford me sufficient nourishment.” This is one of the interesting facts you should definitely share with your vegetarian friends!

Fact: There are more than 1,000 poisonous marine animals

When we think of poisonous animals, we usually think of snakes or spiders. But although all spiders are venomous, fewer than 30 are actually dangerous to humans, and although there are about 600 venomous snakes, the biggest group of poisonous animals is found in ... the ocean. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, you find out there are 1,200 poisonous marine creatures. Some of the most dangerous are puffer fish, lionfish, stonefish and the Australian box jellyfish.

Fact: Bees can fly higher than Mount Everest

Bees can fly high as high as 30,000 feet above sea level, according to Discover magazine. That’s higher than Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, which is 29,029 feet above sea level.

Fact: Ancient Egyptians used dead mice to ease toothaches

In ancient Egypt, people put a dead mouse in their mouth if they had a toothache, according to David Haviland's 2010 book Why You Should Store Your Farts in a Jar. Mice were also used as a warts remedy in Elizabethan England—after being cut in half, they'd be applied to the spot.

Fact: Cap’n Crunch’s full name is Horatio Magellan Crunch

According to PepsiCo, which owns Quaker Oats Company, the maker of Cap'n Crunch cereal, the beloved cap'n has a full name! Also, after being called out for having only the three bars of a Navy commander on his sleeves, Horatio held his ground on X (then Twitter, and yes, he has an official account), arguing that captaining the S.S. Guppy with his crew “makes an official Cap’n in any book!” In May 2024, his uniform was finally corrected, and he now appears on cereal boxes with the proper four bars of a Navy captain.

Fact: Paint used to be stored in pig bladders

The bladder would be sealed with a string and then pricked to get the paint out. This option wasn’t the best because it would often break open. American painter John G. Rand was the innovator who, in the 19th century, made paint tubes from tin and screw caps.

Fact: Humans have jumped farther than horses

The Guinness World Record for the longest human long jump is greater than the world record for longest horse long jump. Mike Powell set the record in the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo by jumping 8.95 meters, and the horse Something set the record in 1975 by jumping 8.40 meters.

Fact: Onions were found in the eyes of an Egyptian mummy

Pharaoh Ramses IV of ancient Egypt had his eyes replaced with small onions when he was mummified. The rings and layers of onions were worshipped because people thought they represented eternal life. This aligns with the reason for mummification: to allow the pharaoh to live forever.

Fact: Beethoven was the first composer to use the trombone in popular music

Although the trombone had been used in sacred music, no composer had used it in a nonreligious piece of music until Beethoven. He included the instrument in his famous Fifth Symphony, which premiered in Vienna in 1808.

Fact: The word aquarium once referred to a watering place for cattle

Of course, today's aquariums aren’t for cows. The first public aquarium, called the Fish House, opened in 1853 at the London Zoo, which led to a Victorian craze to have one at home. According to Guinness World Records, the term aquarium was coined in 1854 by English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse with the publication of his book The Aquarium: An Unveiling of the Wonders of the Deep Sea. But some didn't initially like the term, as it had been used to mean "a watering place for cattle."

Fact: An employee at Pixar accidentally deleted almost all of Toy Story 2 during production

Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar, wrote in his book Creativity Inc. that the year before the movie came out, someone entered the command '/bin/rm -r -f *' on the drive where the files were saved, which immediately removes everything from the file system. Scenes started deleting, and 90% of the film was erased. Still, they panic—until they realized their backup system wasn't working correctly. It would have taken a year to recreate what was deleted, but luckily another employee had a second backup of the entire film on her laptop at home.

Fact: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne started Apple on April Fools’ Day

The three technology innovators founded Apple Computer Co. on April 1, 1976—but only one of them turned out to be something of a business "fool."  The little-known third Apple founder, Ronald Wayne, was a mature 40 years old while the others were in their early 20s, and he feared the investment would go south and he'd lose his assets. So just 12 days after the founding, Wayne sold his 10% share back to them—for just $800. If he had kept it, he would be a billionaire today—so the sale is considered one of the most "fool"ish  (get it?) mistakes in business history. In 2018, Apple became the country’s first trillion-dollar publicly traded company.

Fact: The inventor of the tricycle personally delivered two to Queen Victoria

In 1881, Queen Victoria was on a tour on the Isle of Wight when she saw a woman riding a tricycle. Intrigued by the bike, the queen proceeded to order two. She also asked that the inventor, James Starley, arrive with the delivery. Though you might associate tricycles with toddlers, Queen Victoria made them cool among the elite at the time.

Fact: A waffle iron inspired one of the first pairs of Nikes

Before he co-founded Nike, Bill Bowerman was a track and field coach in the 1950s who didn’t like how running shoes were made. He first created the cushioned Cortez shoe, but wanted a sneaker that was even lighter and could be worn on a variety of surfaces. During a waffle breakfast with his wife in 1970, he came up with the idea of using the waffle texture on the soles of running shoes. Waffle-soled shoes made their big debut in the 1972 U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon.

Fact: Baseball umpires used to sit in rocking chairs

People have been playing baseball since the mid-19th century. In the early days, umpires would officiate the games while reclining in a rocking chair located 20 feet behind home plate. And here's another fun fact: In 1878, the National League declared that home teams must pay umpires $5 per game.

Fact: The world’s first novel may be missing its ending

The Tale of Genji, written by Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century, is considered the world’s first novel. After 54 intricately crafted chapters, the story stops abruptly, almost as if it wasn't finished. One translator believes the work is complete as is, but another says we’re missing a few more pages of the story.

Fact: A woman called the police when her ice cream didn’t have enough sprinkles

In 2014, the West Midlands police in England released a recording of a woman who called 999 (the U.K. version of 911) because the ice cream man put “bits on one side and none on the other,” as she says in the recorded call. She was even more upset when the ice cream truck man did not want to give her money back.

Fact: Uncle Ben’s rice was sent to World War II troops

German chemist Erich Huzenlaub invented a process of parboiling rice to keep more nutrients in the rice and lessen the cooking time. The "Huzenlaub process" had another unexpected benefit: It stopped bug infestations. The quick-cook, bug-free rice was a big advantage during World War II, and converted rice (as it was then known) was sent to American troops. At the time, the product name was Uncle Ben's Converted Rice, and by 1952, the brand became the No. 1 packaged long-grain rice in the United States.

In 2020, the company changed the name to Ben's Original. The goal was to address the inequities associated with the brand's racially stereotyped name and image on the box.

Fact: South American river turtles talk through their eggs

Research has found South American river turtles can produce sounds and communicate with one another before they hatch. Brazilian biologist Camila Ferrara set up microphones close to the eggs and heard the baby turtles' quick, barely audible popping sounds up to three days before they hatched. One hypothesis is that this helps all the turtle siblings coordinate hatching at once, providing safety in numbers from predators.

Fact: The first stroller was supposed to be pulled by a goat

William Kent, an English architect, invented the first stroller for the Duke of Devonshire in 1733. But upper-class parents were hardly expected to put effort into transporting their children around, so Kent designed his model to be pulled by a small animal, like a goat, pony or dog.

Fact: 170-year-old bottles of champagne were found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea

Although we don't know for sure, the bottles of bubbly may have been traveling from Germany to Russia during the 1800s when they sank to the bottom of the sea. It turns out that most of the bottles were preserved in ideal conditions, with minimal light and temperatures ranging between 35 and 39 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers analyzed the champagne and described it as “sometimes cheesy,” with “animal notes” and elements of “wet hair.” Mmmm.

Fact: Neil Armstrong’s hair was sold in 2004 for $3,000

The lucky buyer, John Reznikoff, holds the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of hair from historical celebrities, reports NBC. But Armstrong's lawyer threatened to sue Marx Sizemore, the not-so-lucky barber who cut the former astronaut's hair; they said he violated an Ohio law that protects the rights of famous people. Sizemore said he wouldn’t pay, and Reznikoff said he wouldn’t give back the hair but that he’d donate $3,000 to charity.

Fact: Nikola Tesla hated pearls

The electrical engineer paved the way for current system generators and motors; the way electricity gets transmitted and converted to mechanical power is thanks to his inventions. But despite his patience with scientific experimentation, he apparently had no tolerance for pearls and refused to talk to women who were wearing them. When his secretary wore pearl jewelry one day, he made her go home. Why? No one knows for sure.

Fact: Brad Pitt injured his Achilles tendon—while playing Achilles

In Troy, based on Homer’s Iliad, Pitt plays the brave (and buff) Greek hero Achilles. Legend has it that Achilles could not be defeated unless he was hit in his heel. (It's where we get the term Achilles' heel, meaning a vulnerable point.) While filming a fight scene, Pitt ironically hurt his Achilles tendon—an injury that set back the film's production by two months.

Fact: Pregnancy tests date back to 1350 B.C.E.

According to a document written on ancient papyrus, Egyptian women urinated on wheat and barley seeds to determine if they were pregnant or not, reports the Office of NIH (National Institutes of Health) History & Stetten Museum. If wheat grew, it predicted a female baby. If barley grew, it predicted a male baby. The woman was not pregnant if nothing grew. Experimenting with this seed theory in 1963 proved it was accurate 70% of the time.

Fact: Bees can make colored honey

In France, there’s a bio-gas plant that processes waste from a Mars chocolate factory, where M&Ms are made. Beekeepers nearby noticed that their bees were making “unnatural shades of green and blue” honey. A spokesperson from the British Beekeepers’ Association theorized that the bees eating the sugary M&M waste caused the colored honey.

Fact: The color of tennis balls was changed to look better on TV

Neon yellow wasn't always the hue of a tennis ball. Instead, they were either black or white, depending on the background of the tennis court. However, in 1972, the International Tennis Foundation introduced yellow tennis balls because research showed the color was more visible to TV viewers. Wimbledon continued to use white balls until 1986, when they adopted the yellow ball.

Fact: Albert Einstein’s eyeballs are in New York City

They were given to Henry Abrams, Einstein’s eye doctor, and reportedly preserved in a safety deposit box in New York. He received the eyeballs from Dr. Thomas Harvey, the man who illegally performed the autopsy on Einstein and took the scientist’s brain for himself.

Fact: The pope can’t be an organ donor

Pope Benedict XVI was issued an organ donor card in 1970, but once he ascended to the papacy in 2005, the card became invalid, said the Vatican in 2011. Why? Although the Catholic Church supports organ donation, the pope’s entire body must be buried intact because his body belongs to the universal Catholic Church, and if he ever became a saint, his organs would be considered relics. Pope Benedict XVI died in 2022.

Fact: A one-armed player scored the winning goal in the first World Cup

Héctor Castro, who accidentally cut off his right forearm while using an electric saw as a teenager, played on the Uruguay soccer team during the first-ever World Cup in 1930. In the last game between Uruguay and Argentina, Castro scored the winning goal in the last minute of the game. The final score was 4–2, making Uruguay the first country to win the World Cup title.