Unusual Facts: 35+ Fascinating Tidbits Of Unconventional Wisdom
Just when you think you’ve heard of and seen everything, the Internet comes and shoves something new in your face. It’s both a blessing and curse, really, and a fitting fact about the world around us. No matter how much you try to learn about it, there will always be a million things you don’t know.
This is something the Facebook group Unusual Facts sought to rectify, as their whole purpose is to collect unusual facts from around the world. These tidbits range from being mildly interesting to straight-out bizarre!
So, why not join us as we learn more about this unusual place we call home? If nothing else, it will make for fantastic conversational material the next time you are with people!
Opossums vs. Snakes
Thanks to school, nature books, wildlife documentaries, and multiple TV shows, we know that snakes are some of the most dangerous and venomous animals on the planet. A fact that makes it even more impressive when you read about animals that can survive snake bites.
An impressive – if inconceivable – example is the opossum. Yep, that giant rat-like creature you have likely seen on TV or in real life. Well, it turns out that opossums can survive up to 80 rattlesnake bites and may even help us create an inexpensive antivenom.
The Rock’s Stunt Double
When it comes to action superstars, few are as loved, recognizable, or charismatic as Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson. The Rock is known for taking on the roles of larger-than-life characters, quite literally, if you’ve ever seen the size of his massive, gorgeous muscles!
But while he might look like he can smash boulders and crash through walls, he’s still only human. So, it’s no surprise that he has a stunt double. What is a surprise is that his stunt double of 13 years, Tanoai Reed, is his cousin!
That’s one Dangerous Bird.
This one is a little unsettling. When it comes to the avian world, hawks and eagles are the undisputed rulers of the skies. And while they may be fearsome hunters, they are generally uninterested in us. Well, except for one.
The crowned eagle – from Sub-Saharan Africa – is believed to be the only bird of prey that views us humans as potential prey. A bone-chilling fact when you consider they are about a meter in length and capable of lifting over 10 kgs with their razor-sharp taloned feet!
Catching a lucky break
It’s always interesting to read about a famous person and find out how they started before they got famous. While Ed Sheeran might be a global sensation known by millions worldwide today, he almost wasn’t had it not been for a surprising helping hand.
Having traveled to Los Angeles with no booked events or engagements, Sheeran went around the city performing at open night gigs until he was spotted by actor Jamie Foxx. Foxx was so impressed that he not only offered Sheeran a place to stay but also the use of his personal recording studio.
Tibetan Black Apples
Found in the Tibetan region of Nyingchi, this is one of the most visually striking fruits you are sure to find. The fruit in question is a rare variety of the Huaniu apple family, known in English as the Black Diamond Apple.
The name is a bit misleading, though, since the apples are actually an extremely dark purple hue that can sometimes appear black. The fascinating coloration is due to environmental factors, such as the region’s high altitude and exposure to ultraviolet light.
Daniel Tammet
When it comes to worthwhile words of wisdom, one of the most important has to be never allowing factors outside of your control to define your self-worth or who you can become. A sentiment that the English writer Daniel Tammet perfectly embodies.
Tammet was born with Asperger’s syndrome as well as savant syndrome, diagnoses that make his mind work in a unique way. Besides being able to learn a language in a week, Tammet perceives numbers as having a color, shape, and texture of their own. How awesome is that?!
Using Hot Water to Un-Snow Streets
While driving is undoubtedly a liberating and enjoyable activity, it is not without danger. Some of these are caused by environmental factors like snow and floods. One of the most terrifying driving experiences has to be driving on icy roads in winter.
The US city of Holland, in Michigan, devised a rather ingenious solution of installing 168 miles worth of tubing underneath some of their streets. Hot water is then circulated along the tubes to melt any snow that collects. That way, there are minimal instances of crashes.
Dinosaur Footprints
No matter your age, interests, or where you are from, you cannot help but be fascinated by dinosaurs. It’s just a fact. If this sounds like you, then this next entry is just your thing. Join us as we travel to Bolivia.
In Bolivia, there is a specific limestone wall that contains roughly 5000 dinosaur footprints, with the oldest ones believed to date back 68 million years. It’s just so crazy to imagine that they managed to survive all this time. Everything we learn about these creatures is just so fascinating!
Brendon Grimshaw
If there’s one thing to be said about the super-rich, it’s that many of them are behind some of the most interesting and bizarre headlines. Unfortunately, it often tends to be for the wrong reasons. Well, at least some of them maintain some degree of morality, like Brendon Grimshaw.
Grimshaw was a newspaper editor from England who purchased Moyenne Island in the ’60s for $10,000 (about $104,000 today). During his time on the island, Grimshaw planted trees and bred tortoises and birds. He was the sole inhabitant until his death in 2012, after which the island was made a national park.
Otto the Octopus
When we think of intelligent animals, we generally think of dogs, dolphins, ravens, and chimps. What we don’t think about are octopuses. Well, you would be surprised to know that they are among the smartest animal species as well as masterful escape artists.
A perfect example is the famous case of Otto, an octopus who lived in the Sea Star Aquarium in Germany. Back in the early 2000s, Otto caused a power outage in the aquarium when he splashed water onto a nearby lightbulb that was annoying him. Well, we get it; bright lights can be super annoying!
Quality Service
For those of us who grew up in cities or developed towns, we don’t often appreciate the advantages and even luxuries we had as kids. Some people who grew up in remote villages did not have access to essential amenities, as was the case of this Japanese schoolgirl.
In 2016, a local train station was planning to close down for good. That is until they discovered a lone school child who used the train to commute from her remote village to school. As such, the train station remained open until she graduated. There is still a lot of good in the world.
An Ancient Shark
We all know that some animal species – including ourselves – live longer than others. Particularly famous examples are Macaws (60-80 years), Kai fish (40 years), and Galapagos giant tortoises (100-150 years). While that is certainly long, they all pale in comparison to the Greenland shark.
Researchers have learned that Greenland sharks can live for as long as 300 to possibly close to 500 years and only reach adult maturity at 150 years old. This spectrum makes them the longest-living species of vertebrates in the world.
Penguins don’t Make Good Friends
If you grew up in the early 2000s, then you very likely saw the animated classic Happy Feet. A film that – safe to say – made you a little obsessed with penguins for a while. And tap dancing, for that matter!
Well, unfortunately, penguins are apparently not as nice as in the movie. We say this because, as it turns out, these shady birds have been known to push each other into the water to test to see if it is safe for them to dive in!
Keeping it in the Family
There’s always something enduring about going to a family-run restaurant and seeing the sign that proudly says, “Open since…”. It just makes things a bit more special. This is particularly true for places that take their food culture very seriously, like New Orleans.
Antonie’s Restaurant has been managed by the family since 1840! It’s famous for its oysters and baked Alaska, a type of desert. A weird mix of dishes to be famous for, right? Let’s just hope no one ever thought of mixing them together!
Transport by Duck
Nature never ceases to amaze when it comes to the many ways it has evolved in order to survive. Plants, in particular, evolved in such a way that their seeds could not be digested by animals, which meant they could be released and start growing after the animal had to ‘use the bathroom.’
Well, it’s not only plants that have such a clever trick. Researchers discovered that certain species of fish eggs would survive being swallowed by mallard ducks. The eggs would then hatch once they were deposited in water from the duck’s poop. Clever but gross!
A Loyal Pet
Speaking of the amazingness of animals, when it comes to many of our domestic pets, if there is one thing you never have to question, it’s their loyalty. A particularly heartwarming and bitter-sweet example is Toldo, the cat. You better grab the tissues.
Toldo is said to have visited the grave of his owner for over a year after they had passed away. What’s more, Toldo never arrived empty-pawed, as he always brought little gifts with him in the form of leaves, sticks, and other oddities. Truly an awesome pet.
The Function of Roundabouts
Don’t you often look at things around you and wonder to yourself, “Why was that created? What function does it serve?” Well, if you have ever wondered about the function of street roundabouts, don’t worry; we have the facts for you.
Roundabouts came about as a means to reduce fatal collisions. This was a success as it’s believed that they – on average – reduce the number of collisions by as much as 90%. They also shorten wait times and save you some petrol.
Honey Never Spoils
Food expiring or rotting is always a nightmare. No two ways about it. There’s nothing worse than pouring some milk into your morning coffee and recoiling at the sour taste or smell! Sure, preservatives can help to an extent, but they’re still preservatives.
Everything edible expires at some point. Well, maybe not everything. Honey has long been cited to have an incredible shelf life. Archaeologists even found 3000-year-old pots of honey buried in ancient Egyptian tombs that were still edible, all thanks to honey being uninhabitable for bacteria.
A Moving Beach
When it comes to universal constants – you know, things that are always a certain way, like water being wet – it’s always upsetting when they aren’t constant. Can you imagine if trees started moving or gravity no longer existed? It would be unnerving.
Apparently, there is a beach in Croatia called the Zlatni Rat Beach, which is known for – besides having a funny name – changing its shape due to weather patterns and strong winds. While it might sound unlikely, the phenomenon has been observed since 2010.
The Smell of Cut Grass
Smell. An amazing ability that can either be a blessing or a curse depending on what you are close to and forced to smell. If a ranking table had to be made of some of the best natural smells, freshly cut grass would easily score high.
Well, unfortunately, we’ve got some bad news for you if you like it. That oh-so-lovely smell is actually a distress signal the grass emits to warn other plants of danger. Yeah, that really takes some of the enjoyment out of mowing the lawn!
How to Get Famous for a Weird Reason
Have you always thought that you had to accomplish something impressive in order to become famous? Yeah, so have we. But at some point, you realize that some people become famous for some really strange reasons or accomplishments. Check this one out.
Meet Lee Stewart, an Australian who became the first person to type every number from 1 to a million in words on a typewriter! This interesting undertaking took him close to 17 years to complete. Must have had some serious writer’s cramp!
The Most Expensive Venom in the World
While we tend to think of snakes and spiders when it comes to the most venomous animals, scorpions can be equally as dangerous. In fact, scorpion venom is the most expensive form of liquid in the world for various reasons.
One reason is that scientists can only extract about two grams a day from a scorpion, so a gallon is worth $39 million! The other is because scientific research has discovered a possible use for it in treating neurological diseases as well as brain tumors. Lesson of the day, stay away from scorpions!
Going down, down-town in Toronto
One issue about living in a big urban center is that buildings and shops are either all squashed into small spaces or separated by busy roads. Luckily, some cities have found some clever ways around this. An example is Toronto.
Underneath downtown Toronto, you will find a massive 30 km-long tunnel that connects shops and restaurants to subway stations. A really clever idea, if you think about it. This makes grabbing a quick bite much easier while waiting for your ride, and you also don’t have to go out if the weather is overreacting!
The Country of Sealand
It’s always interesting when quiz shows bring up obscure topics like “What are the smallest countries in the world?” And while Andorra and Tuvalu are popular choices, we’re very sure that most people have never heard of the Principality of Sealand.
Okay, fine. Technically speaking, Sealand is an unrecognized micronation, but that’s beside the point. Sealand was established on HM Fort Roughs, an old decommissioned offshore platform near the coast of Suffolk, England. The platform was claimed by Paddy Roy Bates in 1967 in a war against… pirate radio broadcasters.
A Two Month Long Night
Among the ever so fascinating (says sarcastically) questions of: “Are you a cat or a dog person?” “A winter or summer person” there is also the question of whether you are a day or night person. You know, an early bird or a night owl.
Well, for any night owls reading this, you might want to think about visiting the town of Barrow in Alaska for your next holiday. Why, you ask? Because around November 18, the sun sets and only rises again on January 23! That’s two months of darkness!
A Volcanic Island in Japan
Okay, this next one is a really cool fun fact for any fans of the phenomenal series Avatar the Last Air Bender. Located off the coast of Japan is the volcanic island and village of Aogashima, which falls under the governance of Tokyo.
Now, for any Avatar fans reading this, don’t you think the island looks very similar to the capital city of the Fire Nation? Especially the whole crater and domed-in appearance. Anyway, the island is inhabited by less than 200 people!
The Mariana Trench
Among the list of natural wonders that everyone and their dog has heard about is the Mariana Trench. That said, how many people actually know anything about it besides its name? Well, grab your diving suit because we’re going under the sea.
The Mariana Trench is the deepest ocean trench in the world, with a known depth of 10,984 meters! If that wasn’t impressive enough, there are over nine volcanic islands situated around it and at least 20 hydrothermally active submarine volcanoes.
The Closest US State to Africa
And now for a little bit of interesting not-so-general, general knowledge, have you ever wondered what part of the USA is the closest to Africa? Well, if you have, then keep reading. It turns out that Maine is the closest USA state to Africa.
For those unsure about where Maine is, it’s that tiny bit of land that sticks out at the top of the USA, just below Canada. And while it might be the closest state to Morocco (the closest country), there is still a ‘tiny’ distance of 5087 km separating the two continents.
The Richest Gold Region in the World
Gold is one of the most sought-after and valuable minerals in the world. The African country of South Africa is among the countries with the biggest gold reserves and deposits in the world. It very well might have the biggest deposit in the world.
It is believed that close to 50% of all the mined gold in the world came from a single region in South Africa named Witwatersrand. This place has a length of around 56 km and a width of 10 km.
Meat’s Back on the Menu!
As time has gone on, people have started to become more and more environmentally conscious and aware of their input on the world. One of the ways that this awareness has manifested has been in an increase in vegetarian diets.
Unfortunately, this lifestyle can be a bit of a difficult adjustment for some. Apparently, it is believed that around 84% of people who try vegetarianism give up within a year! Sadly, the exact reasons for this are a bit too complex or numerous to properly go into here.
The Relationship Between Trees and the Wind
One of the most interesting things about nature that you came to notice is how interconnected and, in some cases, dependent everything is on each other. Even ‘invisible’ relationships that you have never thought of, like the one between trees and the wind.
Strong, bellowing winds don’t just give trees an enchanting appearance; they are also essential for trees to reach maturity. The strong, constant force that the wind exerts against the tree helps it to develop a flexible structure, which, in turn, makes it stronger.
Raw vs. Cooked Vegetables
Speaking of facts you would never have known, did you know that not all vegetables are healthy for you? Sorry, raw vegetables, to be precise. Apparently, some vegetables require cooking in order to fully release all of their nutrients and minerals.
This has something to do with the cooking process breaking down the cell walls of the vegetables, which makes them easier for the body to digest. That said, experts actually recommend that your diet includes both raw and cooked veggies.
The World’s Largest Traffic Jam
Traffic. Everyone hates it. We cannot think of a single person who likes being stuck amongst hundreds of other noisy, frustrated drivers. Some places and cities are better than others in terms of congestion and flow. That cannot be said about our next entry.
What you are looking at was the world’s longest-record traffic jam in history. It happened in China in 2010 and is said to have stretched over 100 km and lasted for 12 days! Can you imagine? Twelve days in traffic!?!?! How’d these guys go to the bathroom?
Floating on the Dead Sea
For many people, there is nothing better than spending hours or even days splashing around a body of water. Except if you cannot swim or just aren’t too fond of it. These differences can be difficult to work around when planning a holiday trip.
Luckily, there are always places out there when you need a compromise, like the Dead Sea. Located between Jordan and the West Bank, the Dead Sea is a large landlocked lake with a salt density so high that you basically float in it instead of swimming.
How Many Americans Can Drive Stick?
Driving and learning to drive is one of the most exciting – and terrifying – moments in a young person’s life. For Americans, it’s a moment that happens a lot earlier due to the legal driving age being only 16 years old.
There also seems to be a constant battle of stick versus automatic drivers. And while it was a common theme in American programming to mock the person who drove an automatic, it turns out that only 18% of Americans know how to drive a stick.
A Tower of Democracy
Among the list of achievements that the human race has earned, many philosophers and thinkers like to mention the creation of democracy as one of the greatest. After all, it is an ideal and concept that ensures we have a voice in society.
It may not always be perfect, but at least we have it. Some countries, like Sweden, take a person’s right to democracy very seriously. In the capital city of Stockholm, there is a building that lights up in different colors depending on what people choose simply by using an app or phone number.
Meeting Family While Lost at Sea
The invention of social media – a morally debatable one – has made certain aspects of life easier. One of the main aspects we love about it is reconnecting with old friends and family. An easier, albeit more boring, alternative to those wacky movie plots we used to watch.
Only, it seems some of those plotlines weren’t as farfetched as we thought. Back in 2011, two men were lost at sea for over a month until they reached a small island where they found an uncle who had also disappeared at sea over 50 years earlier.
When a Sentence is the Alphabet
This next one is for all the people who like fan language trivia. The sentence that you can see in the image below is known as a pangram, which is the word for a sentence that contains all letters of the alphabet.
Pangrams were devised for the purposes of touch-typing training, to test typewriters and keyboards, and to ensure there weren’t any font issues when it came to displaying certain letters. The fox pangram is believed to have first appeared in The Boston Journal in 1885.
Ocean Gold
If you have ever watched, read, or played anything to do with pirates, then you should be pretty familiar with the concept of buried treasure. The Pirates of the Caribbean films certainly did a good job of depicting that. Moving on.
It is believed that there are around 20 million tons worth of gold resting in the world’s oceans. To put it into perspective, a blue whale only weighs 100 metric tons. This amount of gold is roughly worth over $770 trillion. Looks like pirates were onto something after all!
The Largest Cruise Ship in the World
Among the best yet most head-scratching inventions we have ever made, cruise ships are high on the list for us. The whole concept of boarding and staying on, basically, a floating apartment building or town is just a bit weird for us.
But if cruise ships are your thing, then you’ll be happy to know that the Icon of the Seas set sail this year. What’s the big deal, you ask? Well, it is the largest cruise ship in the world, measuring 365 meters long, and is five times larger than the Titanic!
An Unsung Hero
When we think of famous astronauts, we think of names like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, Yuri Gagarin, and John Glenn. You rarely ever hear anyone mention Michael Collins, a forgotten astronaut of Apollo 11, which is tragic when you learn what he did.
While Collins might not have set foot on the moon, he was still a vital part of the team. In fact, Armstrong and Aldrin might not have made it back without him as Collins was the only one who could get back to Earth safely from the lunar surface.
The Secret Power of Sunflowers
Each day, we feel like we learn something new about the wonders of the natural world. It almost seems like it aims to amaze and shock us at every turn. We already know of the importance of trees, plants, and coral reefs in creating breathable air.
But that is not all they do for us. Research has shown that sunflowers are actually capable of cleaning and expelling radioactive waste and pollutants through their root systems. It is because of this that the sunflower is the symbol of nuclear disarmament.
The Evolution of the Icelandic Language
Plants and animals – ourselves included – are not the only things that undergo evolution. In fact, language evolves just as much as any living organism. The evolution of language is a complex topic, but exposure to other languages and dialects is a contributing force.
As such, isolated languages tend to undergo very little evolutionary differences. Icelandic is a perfect example, as the language has changed little from its Old Norse roots over the centuries. This means modern Icelanders can still read texts from the 10th century!
Finland’s Glass Igloos
While we are still in the Nordics, let’s sail over to Finland and learn about one of the creative ways they experience the Northern Lights. Finland is a cold and snowy country. So, the question arises: How can you enjoy the Northern Lights without freezing?
The answer? You can watch them from the warm comfort of glass-roofed igloos, which they rent out like hotel rooms. And while the prices can range from affordable to a bit pricey depending on the time of year, it’s still a marvelous idea.
Nothing, Arizona
And last but not least, nothing. Sorry, we mean Nothing. Perhaps we should explain. Somewhere – not really sure where – in Arizona is the ghost town of Nothing. Yep, the town’s name is literally Nothing. We can only imagine how confused postal workers must have been.
The town was founded in 1977, which isn’t that old when you consider the weird name and the fast that it’s a ghost town. It had a petrol station, a convenience store, and only a maximum of four people who lived in the town at the same time.