There is an underwater version of rugby, unsurprisingly called “underwater rugby.” It is a contact sport between 2 teams of 6 competing underwater in a pool to score goals while freediving.
100 Mind-Blowing Between Facts
For nearly 60 years, Texas didn’t have an official state flag between 1879 & 1933. During that time, the Lone Star flag was active, but the unofficial flag.
Between North and South Korea lies 155 miles of no man’s land, where hundreds of rare animal species thrive.
There is a correlation between pulling an all-nighter and snapping out of depression. This is because the brain gets more active the longer it goes without sleep.
The longest unbroken alliance in world history is between England and Portugal. It has lasted since 1386 and still stands today.
The longest Cricket Test match lasted over 12 days between England and South Africa. It only ended because the English team would have missed their boat home.
During a conversation, each speaker’s “turn” averages 2 seconds, and the pause in between is only 200 milliseconds. That figure is nearly universal.
The Canadian government isn’t sure when Canada became a sovereign state. Its Supreme Court ruled that sovereignty occurred sometime between 1919 and 1931.
There are no visual differences between male and female herons.
Rick Astley has his brand of beer. It was a collaboration between him and the Danish microbrewery Mikkeller; it’s a red lager with “a hint of ginger”.
There is a difference between coffins and caskets – coffins are typically tapered and six-sided, while caskets are rectangular.
Giraffes are 30 times more likely to get hit by lightning than people. True, there are only five well-documented fatal lightning strikes on giraffes between 1996 and 2010. However, due to the population of the species being just 140,000 during this time, it makes for about 0.003 lightning deaths per thousand giraffes each year. This is 30 times the equivalent fatality rate for humans.
Wind turbines kill between 10,000 and 100,000 birds each year in the UK. Interestingly, painting one of the blades of a wind turbine black can reduce bird deaths by 70 per cent.
Snails have teeth. Between 1,000 and 12,000 teeth, to be precise. They aren’t like ours, though, so don’t be thinking about snails with ridiculous toothy grins. You’ll find the snail’s tiny ‘teeth’ all over its file-like tongue.
The longest anyone has held their breath underwater is over 24.5 minutes. The world record for breath-holding underwater was achieved by Croatian Budimir Šobat on 27 March 2021, who held his breath for a total of 24 minutes and 37 seconds. On average, a human can hold their breath between 30-90 seconds.
Mercury, not Venus, is the closest planet to Earth on average. On average, Mercury is 1.04 astronomical units (AU) away from Earth compared to the 1.14 AU average distance between Earth and Venus. One AU is equal to the average distance between the Earth and the Sun. Venus still comes closest to Earth as part of its orbit around the Sun, however.
The average dinosaur lifespan was surprisingly small. The Tyrannosaurus rex, for example, reached full size between 16-22 years old and lived up until 27-33. The largest dinosaurs such as the Brontosaurus and Diplodocus tended to live up to between 39-53 years old, maybe reaching the height of 70.
Giraffes hum to communicate with each other. It’s thought that the low-frequency humming could be a form of ‘contact call’ between individuals who have been separated from their herd, helping them to find each other in the dark. Some researchers think they sleep talk too.
M&M’s Chocolate Candies were introduced in 1941, and one selling point is that they wouldn’t melt in warm weather. In 1950, a black “M” was added to the candy so consumers could tell the difference between the real deal and imitations. The “M” was changed to white in 1954.
To determine how far away a lightning storm is from you, National Geographic Kids says you can count the seconds between the flash and the crack and watch for the flash of lightning from a safe location. Time how many seconds elapse before you hear thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five and the answer is the approximate number of miles away.
The world’s oldest wooden wheel has been around for more than 5,000 years. It was found in 2002, approximately 12 miles south of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, and is now housed in the city’s museum. Radiocarbon dating was used to determine the wheel’s age, which is somewhere between 5,100 and 5,350 years old.
The first commercial passenger flight lasted only 23 minutes. In 1914, Abram Pheil paid $400 (which would be $8,500 today) for a 23-minute plane ride. The Florida flight flew between Saint Petersburg and Tampa, where only 21 miles of water separated the cities. Pheil, a former mayor of Saint Petersburg, and the pilot, Tony Jannus, were the only passengers. This momentous flight paved the way for air travel as we know it.
170-year-old bottles of champagne were found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The bottles of bubbly are believed to have been travelling from Germany to Russia during the 1800s when they sank to the bottom of the sea, according to New Scientist. It turns out that the bottom of the sea, where temperatures are between two and four degrees Celsius, is a great place for wine ageing. Wine experts sampled the champagne and described it as “sometimes cheesy” with “animal notes” and elements of “wet hair.” Mmm.
A one-armed player scored the winning goal in the first World Cup. Héctor Castro, who accidentally cut off his right forearm while using an electric saw as a teenager, played on the Uruguay soccer team during the first-ever World Cup in 1930. In the last game between Uruguay and Argentina, Castro scored the winning goal in the last minute of the game. The final score was 4–2, making Uruguay the first country to win the World Cup title.
Supermarket apples can be a year old. These weird facts might have you changing the way you eat. Those fresh apples aren’t all that fresh, per se. They’re usually picked between August and November, covered in wax, hot-air dried, and sent into cold storage. After six to twelve months, they finally land on your grocery store shelves.
The U.S. treasury once printed $100,000 bills. Between December 18, 1934, and January 9, 1935, the notes with Woodrow Wilson’s face were issued to Federal Reserve Banks but never went out to the general public—which is probably for the best. Can you imagine losing that bill?
The shortest commercial flight in the world is in Scotland. Yes, it’s true! Scottish regional airline Loganair operates the shortest commercial flight in the world between the islands of Westray and Papa Westray, a distance of 1.7 miles which is scheduled for 90 seconds.
Competitive art used to be an Olympic sport. Between 1912 and 1948, the international sporting events awarded medals for music, painting, sculpture and architecture. Shame it didn’t catch on, the famous pottery scene in Ghost could have won an Olympic medal as well as an Academy Award for the best screenplay.
Pigeons can tell the difference between Picasso and Monet. What?! A 1995 study shows that the birds can differentiate between the two artists.
You can hear a blue whale’s heartbeat from over 2 miles away. Blue whales weigh an average of between 130,000 and 150,000kg, with their hearts weighing roughly 180kg.
The moon has moonquakes. They happen due to tidal stresses connected to the distance between the moon and the Earth.
The shortest commercial flight in the world is in Scotland. Regional airline Loganair flies between the islands of Westray and Papa Westray. The journey is just 1.7 miles and takes 90 seconds.
Dolphins have names for one another. According to National Geographic, dolphins use a unique whistle to distinguish between different members of their pods.
One part of Istanbul is in Europe and the other is in Asia. Part of it neighbours Greece and Bulgaria (therefore sitting in Europe) and the other part neighbours Syria, Iran, and Iraq beyond Turkey’s borders (therefore classing as Asia). The Bosphorus Strait runs between them – a narrow body of water that connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean Sea via the Sea of Marmara.
The office chair is believed to have been invented by Charles Darwin. The scientist had the idea to attach wheels to his chair so he could move around between his many tables.
Tinder made its first match in Antarctica in 2014. Tinder made its first match on the continent of Antarctica in 2014. The match in question was between two research scientists. You could pretty much find a match for you anywhere with these new dating apps.
In a conversation, each speaker’s “turn” is 2 seconds, with intervals between turns only 200 milliseconds. According to experts, this model is nearly universal in terms of conversations.
The only difference between kosher salt and table salt is the grain size. Both come from underground salt deposits – the only difference is that Kosher salt grains are smaller.
A shrimp’s heart is in its head. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you can’t choose between following your head or your heart? Well, it seems shrimp have an evolutionary advantage when it comes to tough decisions. Kidding aside, one of the fun facts about shrimps is that their hearts are literally in their heads. Specifically, it is found in the thorax just behind the head – but they are covered in the same shell segment.
You could buy a town from eBay. Since eBay was founded in 1995, many unusual items have been placed on the online auction site. One of the weirdest fun facts is that someone even tried to sell the country of New Zealand on eBay. Turns out, it was part of the long-known rivalry between Australia and New Zealand – and Australia jokingly posted the auction. However, the bidding was stopped once the bid reached $3,000.
Your nails grow at the same time as continental plates drift. Tectonic plates drift about a millimetre a week, which is the same amount your nails grow. Continental plates drift because of the heat pushing its way to the surface from the core. In a year, tectonic plates end up drifting between one and two inches.
The red-billed quelea is the most common bird on Earth. You may have never seen one in your community, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t building a legion. These birds are native to sub-Saharan Africa, where they’re considered “agricultural pests” because their flocks can destroy entire crops. Their population fluctuates between 1 to 10 billion queleas, which makes scientists conclude that they are the most abundant birds on Earth.
Human fingers are really sensitive. The nerve endings on fingers are so sensitive that if your fingers were the size of Earth, you could still feel the difference between a house and a car.
The first commercial aeroplane flight lasted 23 minutes. In 1914, Abram Pheil paid $400 (the current equivalent of $8,500) for a 23-minute plane ride. Pheil flew between St. Petersburg and Tampa, Florida, which was only 21 miles away from each other.
170-year-old champagne was found under the Baltic Sea. The bottles would have been travelling from Germany to Russia in the 1800s before sinking into the sea. With temperatures between 2-4°C, the ocean floor was perfect for wine ageing. Oenologists described the flavor profile as “sometimes cheesy,” with “animal notes,” and elements of “wet hair.”
A one-armed player scored the winning goal in the first World Cup. Héctor Castro played for the Uruguay soccer team during the first-ever 1930 World Cup. In the last round between Uruguay vs Argentina, Castro scored a last-minute goal that made Uruguay the first-ever winner of the World Cup.
Mary and James are the most popular names around the world. Between the years 1917 to 2016, over 5 million baby boys were named James. On the other hand, over 3.5 million baby girls were named Mary.
You cannot crack your knuckles. The sound it makes is due to the gasses that are released when you put pressure on them. When joints are stretched, the pockets of gas between the joints are released.
Cold water is just as cleansing as hot water. Modern detergents allow clothes to be cleaned equally with either warm or cold water. The only difference between the two is that warm water requires more energy.
A park ranger from the U.S. was once hit by lightning 7 times. This occurred between the years 1942 to 1977 at the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. This park ranger holds the name of the Human Lightning Rod in the Guinness Book of World Records.
One species of ants can only be found in Manhattan, New York. Biologists discovered a new ant species between 63rd and 76th Street in Broadway. This ant species was found to have a higher concentration of carbon in their bodies which was linked to a high corn-syrup diet.
Pluto was temporarily closer to the sun than Neptune. NASA recorded this instance during the years between 1979 to 1999. However, this was not the only time in history for a phenomenon like this to occur.
Every decade, brain fibres lose 10% of their strength. At times of acute stress, they shrink even more than the average amount. This decline continues between the ages of 20 to 80.
You can become less depressed if you stay up. Research has found that there is a correlation between those who pull all-nighters and those hazing out of depression. This is because the longer you go without sleep, the more active your brain becomes. However, it is not recommended to go without sleep as it is a necessary need for humans to be able to function normally.
England and Portugal still maintain their alliance until today. This is also known as the longest unbroken alliance in world history. This treaty began in 1386 between the two countries and they remain strong allies today.
August 17th celebrates Black Cat Appreciation Day. This was declared by Wayne Morris as a way to remember his sister and her black cat. This day is meant to symbolize the bond between black cats and their owners.
The moon is moving away from the Earth. 85 million years ago, the moon orbits between the Moon and Earth were only 35 feet away from the planet’s surface.
The smallest surviving baby weighed 8.5 oz. This baby is known as Saybie and was born in a hospital in San Diego. Normally, babies are born between 7-8 lbs.
Most known asteroids in our solar system are located between Jupiter and Mars. Research has found that the main meteor belt resides and orbits between the two planets. This main asteroid belt is found to be more than two and a half times as far as the Earth is from the sun.
A child can ask over a hundred questions a day. Certain studies have found that the average 4-year-old will ask more than 400 questions a day. Meanwhile, a child will ask an average of 40,000 questions between the ages of 2-5.
A baby will laugh over 300 times a day. Babies typically start laughing between the age of 3-4 months. Laughing is a good way to lower blood pressure and boost the number of T-cells in your body.
The tree of life is another name for the baobab tree. This tree can store between 1,000-120,000 litres of water in its large trunk. It can also be used to provide clothing, shelter, and food.
Room temperature is between 20-25°C. In other units of measurement, it is 298-293K or 59-77°F.
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 cause the water to expand when frozen.
Mozart once sold more CDs than Beyoncé. This friendly competition between two musical greats may sound like a pipe dream, but it’s one of the interesting facts that happened. The Universal Music Group released a box set for Mozart’s 225th death anniversary in 2016. With 200 discs of Mozart’s work in each set, each disc was counted as one CD sold. Get the last box set and listen for yourself.
Musicians have shorter lifespans. Musicians live fast and die hard. According to a University of Sydney study, the average lifespan of a musician is 25 years shorter than the average U.S. population. The study examined artists’ deaths between 1950 and June 2014.
The Chinese invented paper currency. During the Tang Dynasty which ruled between 618 and 907, China invented paper money. There used to be a warning written right on the bills that all counterfeiters would be decapitated.
An actor’s brain activity is different when in character. Some actors are so good, you forget that they’re acting. However, the actors themselves seem to forget that too. During a study, researchers scanned performers’ brains while the actors answered questions either as themselves or in character. According to the results, the brain activity of participants differed between answering as themselves or as a character – almost as if the character is possessing the actor.
The longest time between two twins being born is 87 days. A mother in Ireland gave birth to twins Amy Ann and Kate Marie Elliot 87 days apart, the world record for the longest interval between twin births. Amy was born prematurely on June 1, 2012, and Kate only followed on August 27. The exact interval is 87 days, 1 hr and 45 mins.
A 100-foot asteroid nearly hit the Earth once. In January 2017, a 100-foot asteroid called AG13 passed by the Earth at less than ⅕ the distance between the Earth and the moon. Scientists only knew that it was coming two days before it could have made an impact.
A solar eclipse once ended a six-year war. In 585 BCE, the sky suddenly darkened during a battle between the Lydians and the Medes. The soldiers saw it as a sign to stop fighting.
One kiss transfers more than 80 million germs. When Dua Lipa said, “One kiss is all it takes,” she meant more than just falling in love. In one 10-second French kiss, over 80 million microbes are transferred between partners. Sounds pretty icky, but scientists think kissing may boost the immune system through shared bacteria. Similarly, people in long-term relationships were found to have the same bacteria in their mouths. How sweet!
The line between the numbers in a fraction has a name. The line between fractions is called the vinculum.
A blob of toothpaste is called a nurdle. The everyday toothbrush blob may not seem like a big deal to you but caused a court dispute between the two biggest toothpaste brands in America. In 2010, GlaxoSmithKline was sued by Colgate Palmolive for claiming ownership of using nurdle pictures in branding and packageing.
In the history of boxing, four men have been knocked out within the first eleven seconds of the match. The fastest knockout was from a 1947 match between Mike Collins and Pat Brownson. Collins was able to knock Brownson out with the first punch only 4 seconds after the first bell.
Space refers to the expanse between the Earth and other celestial bodies.
Women blink nearly twice as much as men! This is a pure myth! Blink rates are pretty identical for both sexes. Scientists have suggested that the interval between blinks is nearly about 2-10 seconds so an average person blinks about 10 times per minute. Another interesting fact is that we blink less frequently if our eyes are focused on one thing. For instance, while you read, you only blink three times per minute because while reading you are very focused.
It is impossible to lick your elbow. This is true, the entire joint of the elbow is between the upper and lower arm and most people seem to think that the elbow is the pointy part on the outside of their arm when they bend it.
The average star is between 1 and 10 billion years old (although some are even older!)
Tornadoes typically travel between 10-20 mph but can move much faster.
Left-handed people may especially use their brains. They sometimes share the work between both sides of their brain more evenly.
The moon has moonquakes. They occur due to tidal stresses connected to the distance between the Earth and the moon.
The shortest commercial flight in the world is in Scotland. The quick 1.7-mile journey between Westray and Papa Westray islands takes just 90 seconds by plane.
The shortest war in history lasted only 38 minutes. It was between Britain and Zanzibar on August 27, 1896.
The longest time between two twins being born is 90 days. Molly and Benjamin West are dizygotic (fraternal) twins who were born in Baltimore, Maryland, on January 1 and March 30, 1996. Molly was three months premature, but doctors were able to hold off Benjamin’s birth for 90 days!
In the Olympics, competitive art was once an official sport. Between 1912 and 1952, artists won medals in architecture, music, painting and sculpture.
The moon has moonquakes. These happen because of tidal stresses occurring between the moon and Earth.
You are about 1cm taller in the morning when you first get up than when you go to bed. This is because during the day the soft cartilage between your bones gets squashed and compressed.
The war between the Netherlands and the Isles of Sicily lasted 335 years, and not a single person was killed.
The U.S. Treasury printed $100,000 bills between 1934 and 1935. They never were released to the public.
They can weigh between 8-17 pounds and grow to be between 21–29 inches in length.
The average star is between 1 and 10 billion years old.
It takes between two and three years for a pineapple to grow to its full size.
The brain is not capable of multitasking. While we may think we’re doing two things at the same time, we’re just quickly switching back and forth between different tasks.
The Earth has Earthquakes and the Moon has moon quakes. Tidal distress caused by the distance between the Earth and the Moon causes these tremors.
There are many highly decorated military animals throughout American history. During World War I, the First Infantry Division used Rags, a terrier mix, to transport messages between units. Chief was the last mount, or military horse, in the Army. The military gave both of these animals full military honours at their burials. Leaders buried Chief in an upright position on Fort Riley.
PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AROUND THREE-QUARTERS OF ALL WILDFIRES. Between 2001 and 2015 23% of global forest loss was due to wildfires.
Humans share 98.8% of chimpanzee DNA. But even with DNA so similar, humans and chimps have around 35 million differences between them.
Sea turtles lay their eggs on beaches. Sea turtles go onto beaches and dig a nest. They will then lay their eggs on it! Sea turtles usually lay between 80-180 eggs. The eggs then take two months to hatch. That’s a lot of baby turtles!
A mix between a Chihuahua and a dachshund is called a “chiweenie.”