All Facts
Every fact here links to the source it was checked against.
Babies Are Born With About 300 Bones, but Adults Have 206
A baby is born with about 300 bones, many of which fuse together as the child grows to form the 206 bones that adults have.
Mount Chimborazo, Not Everest, Is the Farthest Point From Earth's Center
The summit of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador is the point on Earth's surface farthest from the planet's center, over 2,072 meters farther out than the peak of Mount Everest.
Bananas Are Slightly Radioactive
Bananas are slightly radioactive because a small fraction of the potassium they contain is radioactive, but the amount is far too small to be harmful.
A Coast Redwood Can Grow to 367 Feet From a Seed the Size of a Tomato Seed
California's coast redwood may grow to a height of 367 feet (112 meters) from a seed no bigger than a tomato seed, and can reach an age of 2,000 years.
The General Sherman Tree Is the Largest Tree in the World by Volume
The General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park is the largest tree in the world by volume, estimated at 52,500 cubic feet (1,486.6 cubic meters).
Lightning Is About Five Times Hotter Than the Surface of the Sun
Lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, about five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.
Voyager 1 Is the Farthest Human-Made Object From Earth
Voyager 1, launched on September 5, 1977, is the farthest human-made object from Earth and in August 2012 became the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space.
Only Two of the Three Apollo 11 Astronauts Walked on the Moon
During Apollo 11, which landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the surface while Michael Collins remained in orbit.
The Wright Brothers' First Flight Lasted Just 12 Seconds
The first flight of the 1903 Wright Flyer, on December 17, 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, lasted 12 seconds and covered 36 meters (120 feet).
An Octopus Has Three Hearts
An octopus has three hearts: one circulates blood around the body, while the other two pump it past the gills to pick up oxygen.
A Cheetah Can Go From Zero to 45 mph in 2.5 Seconds
Cheetahs, the fastest land mammals, can accelerate from zero to 45 miles per hour (72 km/h) in about 2.5 seconds and reach top speeds of 60 to 70 miles per hour.
The Blue Whale Is the Largest Animal Ever to Live
Blue whales are the largest animals ever to live on Earth, reaching up to about 110 feet in length and up to 330,000 pounds in weight.
The Great Barrier Reef Is the Largest Living Structure on Earth
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth, stretching for 1,429 miles over an area of approximately 133,000 square miles.
The Deepest Known Point in the Ocean Is Nearly 11 Kilometers Down
The deepest known part of the ocean, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, is approximately 10,935 meters (35,876 feet) deep.
The Moon Drifts About an Inch Farther From Earth Every Year
The Moon is slowly moving away from Earth, getting about an inch farther away each year.
Saturn Is Less Dense Than Water
Saturn is the only planet in our solar system with an average density lower than that of water.
Jupiter's Great Red Spot Is Twice as Wide as Earth
Jupiter's Great Red Spot is a swirling oval of clouds twice as wide as Earth, and it has been observed for more than 300 years.
About 1.3 Million Earths Could Fit Inside the Sun
It would take about 1.3 million Earths to fill the volume of the Sun.
Olympus Mons on Mars Is the Largest Volcano in the Solar System
Mars is home to Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, whose base covers an area about as large as the US state of Arizona.
A Day on Venus Is Longer Than Its Year
Venus takes 243 Earth days to rotate once but only 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun, so a day on Venus is longer than its year.