100 Did You Know Facts

Did You Know Facts Infographics

10% of the world population is left-handed.

Our first of our did you know facts are about left-handed people. It is said that men are more likely to be left-handed than women. Various studies have also suggested that the handedness of a person can be determined from the time they spend in the mother’s womb. Some studies also suggest that one’s heritage may also play a role in determining if someone will be left or right-handed. 

The average bear will have 42 teeth.

Each adult bear will have a total of 42 teeth. This includes 4 prominent and curved canine teeth, 12 incisors, 16 premolars, and 10 molars. The claws on the bears’ feet are relatively shorter than their teeth.

Rabbits eat their feces.

After eating them, they will digest it again like normal food. Rabbits have two kinds of droppings, little black round ones and softer black ones known as cecotropes. The cecotrope droppings are the ones that they eat and they do this so they can re-absorb any undigested nutrients from their food. This process is normally done once a day.

Birds require gravity to swallow.

Birds cannot chew their food and instead swallow their prey whole. The esophagus of a bird is wide enough to swallow larger meals. They depend on gravity to push their food down the esophagus and then later be propelled into their stomachs.

The Hawaiian alphabet contains only 13 letters.

The Hawaiian alphabet contains a total of five vowels that are both long and short. It also contains a total of eight consonants. Hawaii’s alphabet represents all the basic sounds and phonemes in their language. 

The blood of lobsters is colorless.

However, when their blood is exposed to oxygen, it becomes a blue color. This is mainly due to the copper that is found present in the blue hemocyanin molecule in their blood. Now that’s some cool scientific did you know facts.

The most commonly used letter in the English alphabets is E.

The second most common letters are T, A, I, N, and O. The least used letter in the English alphabets is the letter Q. 

Around 8% of the world population has an extra rib.

This is known as the cervical rib and it comes from the seventh cervical vertebra. This is considered a congenital abnormality that is located above the normal first rib. There is a 1 in 500 chance that a person will be born with this condition.

The majority of plant life is located in the ocean.

There are around a total of 228, 450 known species in the ocean and around 2 million more species are left undiscovered. Most of the plants found in the ocean are kelp, seaweed, seagrass, and algae. Marine plants are divided into 3 categories, euphotic/sunli, dispothic/twilight, and aphotic/midnight.

A cat spends most of its life sleeping.

A cat will spend an average of 15 hours a day sleeping. Some cats can sleep longer to a total of 20 hours a day. These felines do most of their sleeping during the day as they are generally active during the night.

Spiders are not insects.

All insects are classified as six-legged creatures with a head and thorax and wings. Spiders are arachnids and only have two body parts: the cephalothorax and its eight legs, and its abdomen.  

Australia is the only continent without an active volcano.

The nearest active volcanoes are located off the continent of Australia but are still within its territory. One is located on Head Island and the other on McDonald Islands. The reason why Australia does not have any active volcanoes located on the continent is that it isn’t on a plate boundary.

Honey never spoils.

Here’s one of our sweetest did you know facts about food. When honey is heated and strained and sealed properly, it will not be able to absorb moisture and therefore will stay as it is forever. The oldest jar of honey ever found is stated to be over 5500 years old today. 

The fortune cookie was invented in America.

The first person in the U.S reported to serve fortune cookies is Makoto Hagiwara from San Francisco. The first recorded use of serving fortune cookies was dated in the early 1890s.

A giraffe cleans its ears with its tongue.

This is one of our most surprising did you know facts about these tall creatures. A giraffe’s tongue is over a foot and a half long or 21 inches. They also use their tongues to get around thrones and acquire the leaves they want to eat. 

The human brain is 78% water.

Up to 60% of the adult human body is made up of water. Research has indicated that both the human brain and heart are around 73-78% water. 

Koalas sleep 18 hours a day.

Koalas normally sleep for 18-22 hours a day. The reason for this is so that they have enough energy to digest the food that they eat properly. 

Sponges hold more cold water rather than hot.

This is mainly due to the effect of heat on water on a molecular level. Cold and hot water will have two different densities, and as such their molecules will react differently when in contact with an object. The water molecules or colder water tend to move slower and do not go in opposite directions from each other.

You share your birthday with 19 million people.

On average, a person will share a birthday with 19 million other people from a population of over 7 billion. If you were born on the least common day of the year, you would still share the same birthday as 18 million people. 

Cats have a hundred vocal cords.

Cats have two main vocal cords and are capable of making over 100 different types of sounds. They work in conjunction with the trachea and the cartilage in the throat.

Ducks cannot walk without bobbing their heads.

Ducks often bob their heads to signify moods or emotions. At times, it may also be used to signify flirting during the mating season. 

The human tongue heals the fastest compared to all body parts.

This is due to the rich supply of blood that circulates the tongue. It may also be because the mouth is constantly replenishing your taste buds. 

Cows cannot climb downstairs.

This is because they cannot easily see the ground right after their feet. Their knees and hips also make it difficult for them to move at a downward angle. Additionally, all their extra weight would leave them off-balanced and possibly fall over.

Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backward.

They are also able to hover and change flight direction quickly. These birds are such skilled flyers that they are often referred to as the flying ninja. 

The Aztecs invented popcorn.

Originally, they used this as an ornament and was used in headdresses. This ornament would be used as a way to praise their god Tlaloc, the god of maize and fertility.

The smallest ocean is the Arctic ocean.

It is also the shallowest and the coldest ocean among the world’s five ocean basins. The Arctic ocean is about 1.5 times the size of the United States. 

The first phonebook only had 50 names.

The book was a page long. However, it was considered as an important step towards printed directories. 

Depression is the most common mental illness.

Second to this is anxiety disorders. More than 264 million people of all ages today suffer from depression. 

French fries were invented in Belgium.

Historians claimed that the first instances of potatoes being cut and fried began in the late 1600s. Street vendors would often sell this before the outbreak of the French Revolution. 

The hair of a reindeer is hollow.

The hair inside their noses are also efficient heat exchangers that warm up the cold air they breathe in. This makes them good insulators.

Cows do not have upper front teeth.

They eat their food by roughly grinding grass in their mouths and then swallowing it whole. Cows do not need front teeth to properly grind their food. 

Coins in the Trevi Fountain are collected and given to charity.

Do you know any did you know facts about the coins tossed in fountains? No? Here’s one! The coins thrown in the Trevi Fountain are collected privately and donated to non-profit organizations. Some of these organizations provide food to the poor and the homeless of Rome. 

A person will sleep an average of 25 years in their lifetime.

The average time a person sleeps at night is around 8 hours. People also spend an average of 7 years trying to go to sleep. 

Paramount has 22 stars in their logo.

The 22 stars represent the twenty-two actors and actresses that were originally contracted to work for the studio in the year 1916. However, 24 actors were contracted, but only 22 were honored. 

White is considered the safest color for a car.

This is because white cars typically stand out against the black roads. Statistics state that white cars are 12% less likely to get into an accident compared to black cars. 

Cat jaws cannot be moved sideways.

They are mainly built for killing prey and can open very wide to ensure their kill. Cats also cannot easily chew their food. 

An octopus has rectangular pupils.

This is mainly due to their exposure to day time lights. The rectangular pupil protects their eyes from the glare of the sunlight. 

Grapes explode in the microwave.

The water found in grapes interacts with the wavelengths of energy from the microwave. After a few seconds, the radiation from the microwave and the plasma in the grape react together which causes the grapes to explode.

Pigs can’t look upwards.

Their necks physically cannot bend to look up. This is because the body of the pig is designed mainly to prioritize finding food.

Room temperature is between 20-25°C.

In other units of measurements, it is 298-293K or 59-77°F. 

Apples wake you up more than coffee in the morning.

This is because of the high amounts of sugar that is found in apples. The vitamins from the apples also have similar effects to caffeine, thus making you feel more awake. 

The most sensitive finger is the index finger.

The index finger is the second finger on your hand and it is also called the forefinger. This finger also possesses the highest dexterity among any other finger.

The oldest English word is ‘town’.

This is one of the oldest words in the English language that is still in use. The first dictionary took note of this in 1755.

A group of frogs is called an army.

They can also be called a chorus or colony. A group of toads, on the other hand, can be called a nest or a knot. 

Brazil is named after a tree.

The country of Brazil was named after the Portuguese settlement on its land in the 1500s. Brazilwood trees were often harvested for a red-colored dye that was later on shipped to Europe which is where the country got its name from. The tree was named after the country. 

Monopoly is the most played board game in the world.

Did you know facts about Monopoly? Here’s one. Over 275 million Monopoly boardgame sets have been sold worldwide. It has also been translated into 47 other languages apart from English. 

Women buy 96% of candles produced.

According to a survey, 4% of men who buy candles are either buying it as a gift or for a female they are related to. 

China originated paper making.

The first papermaking process was documented during the 25-220 CE (Eastern Han period). At some point during the 8th century, Chinese papermaking spread to the Islamic world which later on was used as a method of making paper currency. 

Instant coffee was made in 1901.

The extract is made by brewing ground coffee beans and then spray-drying it with hot air. The droplets then turn into a fine powder. 

The urine of cats glow under a blacklight.

Cat urine will glow brightly underneath a black light because it contains phosphorus. Shining a black light around your household will also make it easier for you to clean after your cats. 

Small breeds of dogs live longer than larger breeds.

Smaller breeds have a life expectancy of 12-14 years. Larger dogs, on the other hand, have a life expectancy of around 8-10 years. For giant breeds, they can live as short as 5 years up to 8 years.

Hugging trees is forbidden in China.

Here’s one of our weirder did you know facts. Hugging trees was forbidden after the mass tree hugging that occurred outside of China’s imperial garden. The Chinese government speculated that the tree huggers were part of a suspicious cult and banned the activity in the country. 

Only hard boiled eggs spin.

Soft boiled eggs and raw eggs do not spin like hard-boiled eggs do mainly because of their liquid inside. Hard-boiled eggs spin faster and more equally because the yolk inside is hard. 

The staple food of 50% of the world population is rice.

Over 3.5 billion people rely on rice for more than 20% of their daily calorie intake. 

70% of the world’s toys are made in China.

Other countries like Japan only produce 19% of goods that are shipped internationally. Most manufactured toys are made from materials such as traditional plastics to wooden toys. 

Cats can jump a height of 7 times its tail length.

This is approximately 8 feet high. This is possible due to the powerful back leg muscles of the cat.

Refrigerated rubber bands last longer.

When a rubber band is placed inside the fridge, the polymers in the band will become more relaxed. However, when the rubber bands are exposed to warmer conditions, the polymers in the band will tighten and cause it to break more easily.

India owns over 200 million cows.

The cow is greatly worshiped and taken care of in India. In Hinduism, it is considered that the cow is a sacred symbol of life and therefore should be protected and revered.

Only female mosquitoes bite you.

Need some insect did you know facts? No problem. Only female mosquitoes bite us because the required nutrition from their victim’s blood is needed to develop their eggs. Male mosquitoes feed on the nectar of flowers. 

The majority of dust found in households is made from dead skin.

Scientists have stated that 80% of dust found in households is made from the dead skin of its inhabitants. This is the same for offices and other locations that are crowded with people. 

Until it blows against something, wind makes no sound.

Ready for more did you know facts? The sounds you hear during a windy day are due to the speed of the wind coming into contact with various objects at the same time. The process of friction can also cause sounds at higher pitches depending on the speed of the wind. 

Apart from Vitamin C, eggs contain every single vitamin.

It also contains high traces of protein, fat, and minerals. The egg yolk is also one of the few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D. 

Gold never erodes.

This is because it is chemically inert. This means that it does not react to the oxygen found in the atmosphere. 

Under ultraviolet light, scorpions will glow.

Their glow comes from a substance that is found in the hyaline layer. This layer is a thin but tough coating that is a part of the scorpion’s exoskeleton. This exoskeleton is also referred to as a cuticle.

Water expands when frozen.

When freezing water, the molecules lose their energy and hold still. This causes more stable hydrogen bonds that form between the water molecules. These additional molecules are what causes the water to expand when frozen. 

Owls cannot move their eyes sideways.

This is because their eyes are too big to move in any direction. Instead, they turn their heads to see what is around them. The owl can turn its head 270 degrees.

Ants stretch in the morning.

Ants are known to keep a regular daily schedule. This includes the hours they work, sleep, and eat. 

There is no sound in space.

Sound normally travels by vibrations in the air. However, there are no molecules of air to vibrate in space. 

There are 1,792 steps on the Eiffel Tower.

This coincides with the year of the French First Republic. Visitors can climb all of these steps or take the elevator to reach the observation deck.

Originally, tennis was played with bare hands.

During the 12th century, Tennis was first played in France. The game was played by using your palm to hit the ball back to your opponent. 

Germany borders 9 countries.

These countries include Austria, Poland, Denmark, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. 

The Titanic was made in Belfast.

Here’s one of our best did you know facts about the famous Titanic ship. The ship was designed by Eric Kuhne who died from a suspected heart attack. Building the ship took almost 3 years to complete. 

You can actually fold a piece of paper more than 7 times.

Legend has it that with each fold on the paper you make, the thicker the sheet becomes. Eventually, it will become impossible to fold or it would require impossible amounts of energy to complete the crease. But that’s actually not true at all! This “impossible feat” is actually achieved by many all over the world. Don’t believe? Try it yourself now! 

There are more chickens in the world than there are people.

Chickens are mainly bred primarily as a source of food. Others may keep them as pets as well. 

People laugh an average of 10 times a day.

Laughter has many benefits such as being able to lower blood pressure and reduces stress hormones. It also triggers the release of endorphins and produces a general sense of well-being. 

The pea is the oldest known vegetables.

Historians have found traces of its origins dating back as far as the stone age. Since then it has been heavily cultivated and consumed. 

The thigh bones of humans are stronger than concrete.

The thigh bones support the weight of the entire body and are approximately eight times stronger than concrete. However, they are still prone to break when serious injury is inflicted on the bone. 

Green diamonds are the rarest type of diamond.

However, because red and white diamonds are higher in demand, they are relatively cheaper. 

Wine spoils when exposed to light.

This is why wine bottles are often tinted to protect the quality of the wine. Ideally, despite the dark-tinted bottles, they should still be stored in a cool and dark place like a cellar. 

The banana contains 75% water.

Bananas are rich in nutrients and are a good source of electrolytes. Ideally, a person should eat at least one banana a day. 

It takes 3 alligators to make a pair of boots.

The main parts of the alligator that are used in boot making are the belly, its tail, and the flank. Depending on the size of the alligator, fewer animals could be used to make a pair of boots.

The most followed sport in the world is soccer.

An estimated 4 billion fans are active in supporting the soccer community. This is more than half of the total world population. 

The human liver has 500 functions.

This is also the only vital organ inside the human body that is capable of regenerating. Some of the more well-known functions of the liver is producing bile that helps in the process of digestion.

Humans have just 1 bone fewer than horses.

Horses have an average of 205 bones or more while the adult human is set at 206. On average, horses will live for 25-30 years. 

A fly will always launch backward to get away faster.

Fruit flies can turn midair by shrugging their shoulders. Research has also found that a fly can process information at a much faster speed compared to humans. The average fly can process the ongoings of its surroundings seven times faster than a human being can.

Ice rinks will always go counter-clockwise.

This is because the majority of people are right-handed. Those who do not know how to skate will often grab onto the railings on the outermost side of the ring. How’s that for cool did you know facts?

25% of the oxygen we breathe is used by the brain.

This oxygen is used to help blood cells circulate the brain and allow it to function normally. The brain also uses three times as much oxygen as the muscles in the body do. 

The only mammal that can fly are bats.

The legs of bats are too weak for them to be used for walking, so instead, they use their wings to travel around. Rather than flying, bats mainly glide from one place to the other. 

Camels are not born with humps.

The humps of camels store fat and they use it as nourishment when food is scarce. This enables them to survive in the desert for long periods. 

Bulls run faster uphill than downhill.

This is mainly because they have longer hind legs than front legs. Their legs are also very powerful and can run at speeds of 35 mph. 

Moths do not have stomachs.

This may be because most species of moths do not eat at all. Some moths such as the Luna moth emerges from its cocoon and never eats. This species lives for about a week long.

Giraffes cannot swim.

A giraffe can maintain its balance on land due to its gait. However, research has shown that this balance is ineffective in the water. This makes them one of the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom.

The Dead Sea is an inland lake.

It runs along Jordan’s western edge and can be traveled to within an hour from Amman. The Dead Sea is also linked to Aqaba by the highway which makes it accessible to most people living nearby the area. 

Clean snow will melt slower than dirty snow.

This is because dirty snow will absorb more energy from the sun. Slightly cleaner but dusty snow, on the other hand, can reflect 50-60% of the sun’s energy. 

A caterpillar has more muscles than a human being.

A caterpillar has over 4,000 muscles in its body. The head of the caterpillar alone holds over 248 individual muscles, and over 70 muscles control each body segment. 

Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow.

The red blood cells begin in the bone marrow as immature cells. After a week of maturing, they are sent out to the bloodstream. The bone marrow also produces 60-70% of white blood cells and as well as all of the platelets.

Moisture causes super glue to dry.

Exposure to humid conditions allows the glue to form a thin skin within seconds of contact. Water can also help this type of glue dry faster. 

Flamingos eat with their heads turned upside down.

Flamingos are unable to eat normally due to the structure of its mouth. Their bills are made to filter food from the mud and water. They feed by coming through the mud with their feet and catching their prey in their beaks.

The side of the hammer is called a cheek.

The part of the hammer where the handle fits into the head is called the adze eye. Most hammers will also have a claw-like extension used to remove nails. 

The most commonly bitten body part by insects are your feet.

Here’s the last of our did you know facts. The most common places to be bitten by insects are by the ankles. This is because this area is rarely noticed by us when insects land on our skin.