Knowledge is a vast and ever-expanding realm, and there are countless facts, concepts, and pieces of information waiting to be discovered. While some facts are widely known, there are many others that often remain hidden or overlooked in the depths of general knowledge.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 34 pieces of basic knowledge that most people don’t know. These facts span various domains, from science and history to language and everyday life, offering a fascinating glimpse into the world of hidden knowledge.
Earth’s Atmosphere Contains 21% Oxygen: Many people believe that oxygen makes up the majority of the Earth’s atmosphere, but in reality, it accounts for only about 21% of the air we breathe.
The Great Wall of China Is Not Visible from Space: Contrary to popular belief, the Great Wall of China is not visible to the naked eye from space. Astronauts need specialized equipment, like powerful telescopic lenses, to see it.
Bananas Are Berries, But Strawberries Aren’t: Botanically speaking, bananas qualify as berries because they have seeds inside. Strawberries, on the other hand, are not true berries because their seeds are on the outside.
The Eiffel Tower Can Be 15 cm Taller During Summer: Due to the expansion of iron when heated, the Eiffel Tower can grow up to 15 centimeters taller during the hot summer months.
Polar Bears’ Skin Is Black: While their fur appears white, polar bears’ skin underneath is black, which helps them absorb and retain heat from the sun.
The Shortest War in History Lasted 38 Minutes: The Anglo-Zanzibar War of 1896 between the United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Zanzibar holds the record for the shortest war, lasting just 38 minutes.
Honey Never Spoils: Archaeologists have found pots of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are over 3,000 years old and still perfectly edible.
A Day on Venus Is Longer Than a Year on Venus: Venus has an extremely slow rotation, taking 243 Earth days to complete one rotation, while it only takes 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun.
The Unicorn Is Scotland’s National Animal: Scotland has a unique national symbol – the unicorn – featured on its royal coat of arms.
Octopuses Have Three Hearts: Octopuses have two branchial hearts that pump blood through the gills and one systemic heart that pumps oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.
The World’s Largest Desert Is Antarctica: While we typically associate deserts with hot, sandy landscapes, the largest desert on Earth is Antarctica, due to its low precipitation levels.
The Space Shuttle’s Main Engines Ran on Hydrogen and Oxygen: The Space Shuttle’s main engines used a combination of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen as fuel, creating a controlled explosion to propel the spacecraft.
The Longest Word Without a Vowel Is “Rhythms”: The word “rhythms” is unique in the English language as it doesn’t contain any vowels.
Koalas Have Fingerprints Similar to Humans: Koalas have fingerprints that are nearly indistinguishable from human fingerprints, with loop patterns that make them unique.
There Are More Trees on Earth Than Stars in the Milky Way: While there are an estimated 100 to 400 billion stars in the Milky Way, there are over 3 trillion trees on Earth.
Honeybees Can Recognize Human Faces: Honeybees have a remarkable ability to recognize and remember human faces, even distinguishing between different facial expressions.
The Oldest Known Map Is Over 14,000 Years Old: The Ishango bone, discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is believed to be the oldest known map, featuring notches that may represent a lunar calendar.
Octopuses Can Regrow Their Arms: Octopuses have the remarkable ability to regenerate lost arms, including the suckers and even some internal organs.
Wombat Poop Is Cubic: Wombats have square-shaped poop, a unique adaptation that helps prevent their droppings from rolling away.
The Ears and Nose Never Stop Growing: Throughout your life, your ears and nose continue to grow, albeit at a very slow rate.
The “Q” in “Q-Tip” Stands for “Quality”: Q-Tips were originally called “Baby Gays” and were marketed as a high-quality cotton swab. The “Q” in the name stands for “quality.”
Armadillos Can Transmit Leprosy: Armadillos are one of the few animals capable of transmitting leprosy to humans.
A Group of Flamingos Is Called a “Flamboyance”: When a group of flamingos gathers together, it is referred to as a “flamboyance.”
The World’s Deepest Point Is the Challenger Deep: Located in the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean, the Challenger Deep is the deepest known point on Earth, reaching depths of over 36,000 feet (10,929 meters).
Scotland Has 421 Words for “Snow”: The Scottish Gaelic language has a rich vocabulary for describing different types of snow, reflecting the country’s diverse weather conditions.
A Group of Pandas Is Called an “Embarrassment”: A gathering of pandas is humorously known as an “embarrassment.”
Honey Never Freezes: Honey has a low water content, which prevents it from freezing, even at very low temperatures.
The “D” in D-Day Stands for “Day”: In military terminology, “D-Day” simply means the day on which an operation is set to begin. The “D” doesn’t stand for any specific word.
The Praying Mantis Can Rotate Its Head 180 Degrees: The praying mantis has the ability to rotate its head nearly 180 degrees, allowing it to scan its surroundings effectively.
The Electric Eel Can Generate Electric Shocks: Electric eels have specialized cells called electrocytes that allow them to produce electric shocks for hunting and self-defense.
The Heaviest Organ in the Human Body Is the Skin: The skin, which is often overlooked as an organ, is the body’s largest and heaviest organ.
Honeybees Can Count to Four: Honeybees can understand and process the concept of the number four, which helps them navigate in their environment.
The Unicorn Is the National Animal of Scotland: Scotland’s national animal is the mythical unicorn, symbolizing purity and power.
Sloths Only Poop Once a Week: Sloths have an extremely slow metabolism, and they only defecate about once a week, which is a vital adaptation to their energy-conserving lifestyle.
Conclusion
The world is full of fascinating facts and hidden knowledge waiting to be discovered. These 34 pieces of basic knowledge cover a wide range of topics, from science and nature to language and history, offering a glimpse into the intriguing and often surprising aspects of our world.
Exploring the depths of knowledge can be a rewarding and enlightening experience, reminding us that there’s always something new to learn and discover, even in the seemingly ordinary aspects of life.