15 Unbelievable Facts That Are Surprisingly True

Have you ever heard something so outrageous it sounds like it crawled out of a fiction writer’s wildest dreams? You know, the kind of stuff that makes you raise an eyebrow and mutter, “There’s no way that’s real!” If you haven’t, then you will now. We have a list of 15 bizarre facts that’ll make you go, “Wait, what!” a lot.

The Moon Landing was closer to Cleopatra’s time than the Pyramids

It’s mind-blowing, but Cleopatra lived about 2,500 years after the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza and only about 2,000 years before the moon landing. The pyramids were already ancient by the time she ruled Egypt.

There Are More Possible Shuffles of a Deck of Cards Than Atoms on Earth

When you shuffle cards properly, you’re likely creating an arrangement that has never existed before. The number of possible ways to shuffle a deck of 52 cards is 8.06 x 10^67, which far exceeds the number of atoms on Earth.

The Shortest Commercial Flight in the World

With Loganair, you can fly the shortest commercial flight in the world. It flies between Westray and Papa Westray in Scotland’s Orkney Islands. The flight covers just 1.7 miles and takes approximately 90 seconds.

Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood

Yes, they have three hearts: two pump blood through the gills, and one pumps it through the rest of the body. The blue color of their blood is due to hemocyanin, a copper-based molecule that transports oxygen.

Finland Has More Saunas Than Cars

In Finland, saunas are a cultural staple. There are an estimated three million saunas for a population of 5.5 million people. That’s more saunas than cars, illustrating the country’s love for this steamy relaxation practice.

There’s a Town in Norway Where It’s Illegal to Die

In the town of Longyearbyen, located in the Svalbard archipelago, it’s illegal to die. The town’s cemetery stopped accepting new burials over 70 years ago because bodies don’t decompose in the permafrost. Terminally ill residents are flown to the mainland.

The Inventor of the Pringles Can Is Buried in One

Fred Baur, the man who designed Pringles, cherished his invention so much that he requested to be buried in one. His family honored his wish, placing part of his cremated remains in a Pringles can.

The Average Cloud Weighs About 1.1 Million Pounds

Despite their fluffy appearance, cumulus clouds weigh about 1.1 million pounds (500,000 kilograms), which is roughly the weight of 100 elephants.

The World’s Oldest Known Wild Bird Is Over 70

A protein nicknamed “titin” has a chemical name that is so long that it takes about three and a half hours to pronounce. With 189,819 letters, it’s the longest word in English, though it’s usually just referred to as titin.

The Longest Word in English Has 189,819 Letters

Earth Has Had More Than One Moon

Earth has temporarily captured asteroids that became mini-moons at certain points in its history. Earth’s gravity often pulls in these small celestial bodies briefly before being sent back into space.

There Are Lakes That Explode

Lake Nyos in Cameroon is one of several known “exploding lakes.” These lakes can release deadly clouds of carbon dioxide, suffocating wildlife and humans nearby. In 1986, an explosion at Lake Nyos killed over 1,700 people.

Cows Have Regional Accents

Just like humans, cows have been found to moo in regional accents. Farmers in various parts of the UK have observed that their cows’ moos vary depending on the region, influenced by their surroundings and herd mates.

The First Fax Machine Was Invented Before the Telephone

Scottish inventor Alexander Bain received a patent for the first fax machine in 1843, more than 30 years before Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Bain’s invention could transmit images through electrical signals.

There’s a Volcano in Indonesia That Spews Blue Lava

Kawah Ijen, a volcano in Indonesia, emits blue lava at night due to the combustion of sulfuric gasses. This striking phenomenon creates a surreal, otherworldly sight.