Year Facts | Facts about Years

Projected increase in natural gas consumption

Natural gas use has increased by 35 percent over the past ten years, and is projected to grow 45 percent by 2015.

Increase in U.S. home sizes

The size of a typical American home has increased from 1100 to 1800 square feet over the past ten years.

Facts about the electric utility industry

Since the first power plant (thomas edison's power plant) lit up 800 light bulbs in 1882, the electric utility industry has grown to generate over 2.5 million gigawatt-hours annually, the equivalent of lighting 4.8 billion 60-watt light bulbs for a year

Random fact about renewable energy

If your family could use only renewable energy for all your energy needs, you could help reduce the amount of emissions in the air each year by 20,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, 70 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 50 pounds of nitrogen oxide.

Potential renewable energy resources

Energy crops, like switchgrass or fast-growing trees, could provide more than 5,000 megawatts of electricity annually by the year 2010, supporting more than 170,000 jobs and diversifying local farming operations.

How much energy can the sun provide?

According to the American Solar Energy Society, enough sunlight falls on the earth's surface each minute to meet world energy demand for an entire year.

Tip for saving energy in the home

Replacing an electric water heater with a solar model can reduce water heat costs by 50 to 80 percent every year - and over the 20-year life of the equipment, more than 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions will be displaced.

Ancient crystal skulls

It is claimed that 13 ancient crystal skulls have been found with mysterious properties.

The Mitchell-Hedges family loaned the skull to Hewlett-Packard Laboratories for extensive study in 1970. Art restorer Frank Dorland oversaw the testing at the Santa Clara, California, computer equipment manufacturer, a leading facility for crystal research. The HP examinations yielded some startling results.

Researchers found that the skull had been carved against the natural axis of the crystal. Modern crystal sculptors always take into account the axis, or orientation of the crystal's molecular symmetry, because if they carve "against the grain," the piece is bound to shatter -- even with the use of lasers and other high-tech cutting methods.

To compound the strangeness, HP could find no microscopic scratches on the crystal which would indicate it had been carved with metal instruments. Dorland's best hypothesis for the skull's construction is that it was roughly hewn out with diamonds, and then the detail work was meticulously done with a gentle solution of silicon sand and water. The exhausting job -- assuming it could possibly be done in this way -- would have required man-hours adding up to 300 years to complete.

Note: 5/08, crystal skulls find themselves in the lates Indiana Jones movie!

Chemicals cause male frogs to grow ovaries

US farms 1 trillion ears of corn a year, using a chemical called Atrazine that in the concentration of 1 part per billion causes male frogs to grow ovaries! Strangely, a higher dosage reduces the risk. Atrazine is the most widely used weed killer in the United States. It has also been linked to cancer in people.

Breast implants are at best a short-term improvement

Health regulators estimated that up to 93 percent of silicone breast implants ruptured within 10 years.

How to eat like a horse

A 1,200-pound horse eats about seven times it's own weight each year.

Augustus Caesar became the emperor of Rome in…

Augustus Caesar became the emperor of Rome in 27 BC, and he ruled the empire for over forty years. This period of history became known as the time of the "Great Roman Peace" ... In A.D. 80 the Colosseum was finished where battles were reenacted, where gladiators fought, and where crowds were entertained by savage violence entertained by the spectacle of Christians being eaten by lions.

Sometime between 407-411 Constantine III legalized Christianity. Check out this list, it was easier than you think to be emperor, the hard part is staying emperor. http://www.roman-emperors.org/impindex.htm

n AD 404 a tragic event finally put an end to the gladiators. A Christian monk named Telemachus entered the arena in Rome and tried to separate two combatants. The crowd went berserk, climbed over the walls into the arena and tore the monk limb from limb. The Emperor Honorius permanently banned all gladiator contests.

The Romans were also known to sentencing Christians to death by play. In a live play, when it came time for a death scene, the real actor would be replaced by the accused and the execution would be performed live on stage.

yikes

The rule of 72

The rule of 72 is used to find the number of years it takes to double your money at a given interest rate.

(72/[interest rate]) = years until a principle doubles

So, how long will it take to double your money at eight percent interest? Divide 8 into 72 and you get 9 years.

If you collect 7% on your savings in a little over 10 years the amount will be double what it is today.

The rule of 72 also means that you can determine the time
it takes for a population to double if it is growing at a steady rate by solving this function:

(72/[rate of growth]) = years for population to double

Deaths caused by cigarettes and alcohol in America

More than 400,000 Americans die from diseases related to cigarette smoking each year. More than 150,000 Americans die of alcohol abuse each year.

The world's least appealing alcohol

Chicha, an alcohol beverage which has been made for thousands of years in Central and South America, begins with people chewing grain and spitting into a vat. An enzyme in saliva changes starch in the grain to sugar, which then ferments.

Is there a difference between crack & champagne?

According to the federal Center for Substance Abuse prevention, "For kids under twenty-one, there is no difference between
alcohol and other drug use and abuse." Incredibly, it makes no distinction between a self-reliant 20 year old toasting his love at their wedding reception with a sip of champagne and a drug-addicted 20 year old doing crack cocaine!

When was the dawn of the new millennium?

Popular culture also holds the year 2000 as the first year of the twenty first century and the third millennium. In the Gregorian Calendar, however, this distinction falls to the year 2001. This is because the first century began with the year 1 (there was no year zero)

Top selling albums in 1980s

The top selling album in the 80s was Dire Straits Brothers In Arms followed by Michael Jackson Bad, and then Thriller, 4th best selling album Queen Greatest Hits

The number one selling album for the year 1980 was Abba Super Trouper, 1981 Adam & The Ants Kings Of The Wild Frontier, 1982 Barbra Streisand Love Songs, 1983 Michael Jackson Thriller, 1984 Lionel Richie Can't Slow Down, 1985 Dire Straits Brothers In Arms, 1986 Madonna True Blue, 1987 Michael Jackson Bad, 1988 Kylie Minogue Kylie, 1989 Jason Donovan Ten Good Reasons.

A little known benefit to winning the Nobel Prize

A new study finds those who won Nobel Prizes between 1901 and 1950 lived about 2 years longer than nominees who didn't win.

The longest coldest night on earth

The darkest time of year at the North Pole is the Winter Solstice, approximately December 21. There has been no sunlight or even twilight since early October. The darkness lasts until the beginning of dawn in early March

Now you can see what's happening in the arctic at http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/gallery_np.html

How did Halliburton benefit from the Iraq war?

By portraying bogus intelligence as fact and by inventing a relationship
between al-qaeda and Saddam Hussein, Cheney, Bush (& Rumsfeld) led the
charge into Iraq.

In the years following Cheney's company Halliburton earned over 10 billion dollars
in contracts from the Iraq war despite the fact that audits have shown they
have repeatedly stolen and overcharged the US government and even instituted
accounting methods designed to make funds disappear...

A surprising danger lurks on your desk

On average, 100 people choke to death on ball-point pens every year.

Fun fact about ketchup

When Heinz ketchup leaves the bottle, it travels at a rate of 25 miles per year.

Surprising fact about the NFL

It takes 3,000 cows to supply the NFL with enough leather for a year's supply of footballs.

When can you find a reprieve from professional sports?

The only two days of the year in which there are no professional sports games (MLB, NBA, NHL, or NFL) are the day before and the day after the Major League All-Star Game.

Interesting fact about the declaration of independence

Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776 John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, 1776 but the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.

Can you name the world's biggest octopus?

The Pacific Giant Octopus, the largest octopus in the world, grows from the size of pea to a 150 pound behemoth potentially 30 feet across in only two years, its entire life-span.

Fact about a sleepy sleepy snail

A desert snail can sleep for 3 years.

Bathroom Facts

An average person visits the toilet 2,500 times per year. (6-8 times per day)

People spend at least 3 years of their lives on the toilet.

Seven million cell phones are dropped in the toilet per year.

Americans use a lot more toilet paper than any other country. (7 sheets on average)

People have flushed down the toilet: goldfish, false teeth, socks, underwear, bras, shirts, shoes, mice, hamsters, toy cars, action figures, Barbies, toothbrushes, and whole rolls of toliet paper.

Most toilets flush on an E-flat note.

10,000 times you have to change a baby's diaper until it learns how to go to the bathroom itself.

Men spend 140 days of his life shaving.

Brushing your teeth with the water on wastes 5 gallons of water. Shaving with the water on wastes 15 to 20 gallons.

Females takes 3 times longer than males in the bathroom.

The birth of the huddle

The football huddle originated at Gallaudet University (the world's only accredited four-year liberal arts college for the deaf) in the 19th century when the football team found that opposing teams were reading their signed messages and intercepting plays.

Crazy fact about the Indiana University library

The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

Crazy fact about sleeping snails

A desert snail can sleep for 3 years.

Prohibition is a great idea, if you are Al Capone

On January 16, 1919 the 18th Amendment, authorizing Prohibition, went into effect in the United States. The home of the free took a beating that day, and it opened the door for such mobster's as Al Capone to make $100,000,000 (100 million dollars) a year at a time when most folks made $1,000 a year.

Death

100 americans choke to death on ballpoint pens per year.

BEWARE

On average, 63 people each year in the UK die due to inhalation of animal hair.

Toilet Injuries

More than 40,000 people each year die from Toilet Injuries. These could be from drowning in the toilet to tripping and knocking their head on the toilet.

How manly are you??

Every year, 100 men are diagnosed with breast cancer

There's a lot of water in this country's desert

The exploration for oil in the southern deserts of Libya discovered vast underground resources of water which will be tapped by the Great Manmade River Project. The Great Manmade River Project will enable Libya to reclaim land from the desert with the aim of agricultural self-sufficiency by bringing water from the natural underground supplies in the south. The natural reserves tapped by this civil engineering project will provide water for several hundred years.

People like it hot

In 2001 Death Valley saw a record of 153 consecutive days with daytime high temperatures above 100 degrees. Somehow, that same year the National Park had 1,064,784 visitors.

What is the altitude of the sun relative to Earth ?

The altitude of the sun varies throughout the year. On December 21st (sometimes the 22nd) the sun is 20 degrees above the horizon, it's lowest point of the year. On June 21st (sometimes the 20th) the sun is 65 degrees above the horizon, it's highest point of the year.

Do you know what days these are? They are the winter & summer solstice.

How long is a year?

The exact length of time for the earth to rotate around the sun is 365 days 5 hours 48 minutes and 46 seconds

Who can run for president?

Requirements needed to apply for president are must be at least 35 years old, a native born citizen, and be at least a 14 year resident of the united states.

When & where did farming begin?

The roots of farming began in the areas of present day Turkey and the Middle East about 10,000 years ago. Over 80 percent of mankind's diet is provided by the seeds of less than a dozen plant species.

What are the different types of laptop batteries?

There are currently three types of batteries commonly used to run people's laptops:
1) Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries were the standard technology for years, but are now out of date.

2) Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) batteries are a cadmium-free replacement for Nickel Cadmium.
3) Lithium Ion (Li-ion) is the battery you want for your laptop and is the current standard for portable power.

NFL Hall of Fame great Walter Payton

Walter Payton, known as "Sweetness" for his smooth style, until 2002 was the leading National Football League (NFL) rusher of all time, with a career total of 16,726 yards.

Walter Payton played all 13 years of his professional career with the Chicago Bears winning a championship in 1985.

Payton died of a rare liver disease in 1999. He was remembered as both a great player and a great man.

Proof you can teach an old chimp new tricks

In 2005, Ai Ai, a 27-year-old chimpanzee living at a zoo in northern China's Shaanxi province quit smoking after 16 years. Zoo keepers helped by providing therapy that included walking, music therapy, and exercise according to the Xinhua news agency said.

Who lived in Beijing's Forbidden City?

Beijing's Forbidden City was the imperial palace for 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for nearly 500 years, until the last emperor left in the 1920s.

Why was the Taj Mahal built?

Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in Agra as a tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Construction took roughly 20 years in the mid-1600s.

Which places are among the wettest on Earth?

Mawsynram, a village in India's Meghalaya state, is one of the wettest places on Earth, averaging about 11,872 mm (467 inches) of rain a year.

Which country produces the most movies each year?

India's film industries, including Bollywood, produce more movies each year than any other country, often well over 1,500 films annually.

Which country has one of the longest life expectancies in the world?

Japan consistently ranks at or near the top of the world for life expectancy, at around 84 years.

Which country has the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy?

Japan's imperial family is considered the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world, with traditional records tracing the line back more than 1,500 years.

How old is Stonehenge?

Stonehenge in England was first built around 3000 BCE, which means its earliest stages are roughly 5,000 years old.

When did Charles III become king of the UK?

Charles III became king of the UK on September 8, 2022, after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who had reigned for 70 years.

What is the most visited country in the world?

France is the most visited country in the world, drawing roughly 100 million international tourists a year.

When did the Berlin Wall fall?

The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989. East and West Germany officially reunified less than a year later, on October 3, 1990.

How long did it take to build Cologne Cathedral?

Construction of Germany's Cologne Cathedral started in 1248 and was not finished until 1880, more than 600 years later.

Which country produces the most coffee?

Brazil has been the world's largest coffee producer for more than 150 years and grows about a third of the world's coffee.

What is the largest carnival in the world?

Rio de Janeiro's Carnival is considered the largest carnival in the world and draws millions of people into the streets each year.

Why is Mexico City sinking?

Parts of Mexico City are sinking by more than a foot per year because so much groundwater is pumped from the old lakebed beneath the city.

Where was corn first domesticated?

Corn (maize) was first domesticated about 9,000 years ago in southern Mexico from a wild grass called teosinte.

How long was the Labrador Retriever the most popular dog breed in the US?

The Labrador Retriever was the most popular dog breed in the US for 31 straight years, from 1991 until the French Bulldog finally dethroned it in 2022.

Why do Golden Retrievers shed so much?

Golden Retrievers have a thick, water-repellent double coat that sheds moderately all year and heavily once or twice a year. Owners joke that dog hair becomes a permanent part of their wardrobe.

How long does it take a Maine Coon to fully grow?

Maine Coons are slow to mature and can take three to five years to reach their full size, so a Maine Coon "kitten" can keep growing well past its second birthday.

Why are Ragdoll kittens born white?

Ragdoll kittens are born almost entirely white because their coat color depends on a temperature-sensitive enzyme. Their darker points develop gradually and may take two to three years to fully show.

How big do Ragdolls get?

Ragdolls are one of the largest domestic cat breeds. Males often weigh 15 to 20 pounds, and they can take about four years to fully mature.

What is the most popular shorthaired cat breed in the CFA rankings?

The Devon Rex has been the most popular shorthaired breed in the Cat Fanciers' Association rankings for five years running.

Where did the British Shorthair's ancestors come from?

The British Shorthair is believed to descend from cats that the Romans brought to Britain about 2,000 years ago to control rodents.

How long do British Shorthairs take to mature?

British Shorthairs are slow to mature and may not reach their full size and muscle until about three years old.

What is the national cat of Russia?

The Siberian is considered the national cat of Russia and developed naturally in the country's brutally cold forests over hundreds of years.

How long does a Siberian cat take to mature?

Siberian cats are slow developers and can take up to five years to reach their full size.

How long do American Shorthairs live?

American Shorthairs are a hardy, healthy breed and often live 15 years or more.

Did lions ever live in Europe?

Lions once lived in parts of southeastern Europe, including ancient Greece, and Ice Age cave lions roamed across Europe tens of thousands of years ago.

How long is an elephant pregnancy?

Elephants have the longest pregnancy of any land mammal, about 22 months, so a mother elephant is pregnant for almost two years.

When were horses first domesticated?

A 2021 genetic study found that modern domestic horses trace back to the steppes of southern Russia about 4,200 years ago and then spread rapidly across Asia and Europe.

Did horses originally come from North America?

Horses first evolved in North America but died out there around 10,000 years ago, then returned when Spanish explorers brought them back in the 1500s.

Why do horses have hooves instead of toes?

A horse's hoof is actually a single giant toe, the result of millions of years of evolution from small, multi-toed ancestors to a body built for running.

Are giant pandas bears?

Scientists debated it for years, but DNA evidence confirmed that giant pandas are true bears, members of the same family as grizzlies and polar bears.

Are dogs descended from wolves?

Domestic dogs descend from an ancient population of wolves that were domesticated by humans tens of thousands of years ago.

Are sharks older than trees?

Sharks have been around for more than 400 million years, so they're older than trees, which appeared roughly 350 million years ago.

Which shark lives the longest?

The Greenland shark is the longest-living vertebrate known. A 2016 study estimated one was at least 272 years old and possibly close to 400.

How many sharks do humans kill each year?

A 2013 study estimated that humans kill about 100 million sharks each year, many for their fins, which has pushed many species toward extinction.

How common are shark attacks?

Unprovoked shark bites on humans are rare, usually fewer than 100 per year worldwide, and only a handful are fatal. People are far more dangerous to sharks than sharks are to people.

How long can whales live?

Bowhead whales can live more than 200 years. Some have been found with old harpoon tips from the 1800s still lodged in their bodies.

Do monkeys use stone tools?

Capuchin monkeys use stones to crack nuts, and archaeologists in Brazil found evidence that they've been doing it for at least 3,000 years.

How many people die from snakebites each year?

The World Health Organization estimates that snakebites kill between about 81,000 and 138,000 people every year, mostly in rural parts of Africa and Asia.

How long will the astronauts' footprints last on the Moon?

Because the Moon has no wind or water to erode them, the footprints left by Apollo astronauts could last for millions of years.

Was Gutenberg the first to use movable type?

Gutenberg wasn't the first to invent movable type. Bi Sheng in China created ceramic movable type around 1040, about 400 years earlier.

Who was named the most important person of the millennium?

In a 1999 A&E Biography ranking, Johannes Gutenberg was named the most influential person of the past thousand years.

How did the Mona Lisa become so famous?

The Mona Lisa became world-famous partly because it was stolen from the Louvre in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia. The two-year disappearance made headlines everywhere until it was recovered.

How long was the Great Pyramid the tallest structure in the world?

The Great Pyramid was the tallest human-made structure in the world for about 3,800 years, until England's Lincoln Cathedral spire surpassed it in the early 1300s.

Why was the Wright Flyer displayed in London for years?

Because of a feud with the Smithsonian over who deserved credit for the first airplane, Orville Wright sent the Wright Flyer to the Science Museum in London. It didn't return to the US until 1948.

When did Germany reunify?

East and West Germany officially reunified on October 3, 1990, less than a year after the Berlin Wall fell.

Did David Hasselhoff perform at the Berlin Wall?

David Hasselhoff performed his song "Looking for Freedom" on top of a section of the Berlin Wall on New Year's Eve 1989, and the moment is still remembered in Germany.

Who refused to give up her bus seat before Rosa Parks?

Nine months before Rosa Parks, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her bus seat.

Who was Ruby Bridges?

In 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges became the first Black student to integrate William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, escorted by federal marshals.

Which US territory first gave women the vote?

Wyoming became the first US territory to give women the right to vote, in 1869, more than 50 years before the 19th Amendment.

How long did it take to pass the 19th Amendment?

The women's suffrage amendment was first introduced in Congress in 1878 and wasn't ratified as the 19th Amendment until 1920, 42 years later.

Where were the oldest noodles found?

The oldest known noodles, about 4,000 years old and made from millet, were found preserved in a bowl at the Lajia archaeological site in China.

How much pasta do Italians eat?

Italians eat about 50 pounds (roughly 23 kilograms) of pasta per person each year, more than any other country.

Who invented the Popsicle?

The Popsicle was invented in 1905 by 11-year-old Frank Epperson.

How long have people been eating chocolate?

Traces of cacao found in Ecuador show people were using it about 5,300 years ago.

Which country eats the most chocolate per person?

Switzerland eats the most chocolate per person, about 11 kilograms (roughly 24 pounds) a year.

How many servings of instant noodles are eaten each year?

People around the world eat about 120 billion servings of instant noodles each year.

Why are dumplings eaten at Lunar New Year?

Dumplings are eaten at Lunar New Year because their shape resembles ancient gold ingots, a symbol of wealth.

Where were the oldest dumplings found?

Dumplings about 1,700 years old were found in a tomb near Turpan, China.

What body styles has the Toyota Corolla come in?

Over the years, the Toyota Corolla has been sold as a sedan, hatchback, wagon, coupe, and even a crossover, the Corolla Cross.

Has the Volkswagen Golf won European Car of the Year?

The Volkswagen Golf won European Car of the Year in 1992 and 2013.

What body styles has the Honda Civic come in?

The Honda Civic has been sold as a sedan, hatchback, coupe, and wagon over the years.

What is the best-selling car in the US?

The Toyota Camry has been the best-selling passenger car in the US for most years since 1997.

Is the Toyota Camry only available as a hybrid?

Starting with the 2025 model year, the Toyota Camry is sold only as a hybrid.

Is there a plug-in hybrid Toyota RAV4?

Toyota introduced the plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime for the 2021 model year.

When was the Chevrolet Corvette introduced?

The Chevrolet Corvette debuted in 1953, and only 300 were built that first year, all in Polo White with fiberglass bodies.

When did the Chevrolet Corvette switch to a mid-engine design?

The C8 Corvette, introduced for the 2020 model year, was the first production Corvette with a mid-engine design.

What was the first all-wheel-drive Corvette?

The Corvette E-Ray, introduced for the 2024 model year, is the first all-wheel-drive Corvette.

What is the oldest surviving wooden wheel?

The oldest known surviving wooden wheel, about 5,150 years old, was found in the Ljubljana Marshes in Slovenia.

Who invented the wheelbarrow?

The wheelbarrow was invented in ancient China during the Han dynasty, nearly a thousand years before it appeared in Europe.

Has Earth's magnetic field ever flipped?

Earth's magnetic field has flipped many times. The last full reversal happened about 780,000 years ago, when a compass would have pointed south.

Who created the first rabies vaccine?

Louis Pasteur created the first rabies vaccine and successfully used it in 1885 on a nine-year-old boy named Joseph Meister.

How many lives have vaccines saved?

A 2024 study led by the World Health Organization estimated that vaccines have saved about 154 million lives over the past 50 years.

Who else tried to patent the telephone?

Inventor Elisha Gray filed paperwork for a similar telephone design at the patent office on the same day as Alexander Graham Bell, which led to years of legal fights.

What was a "CrackBerry"?

"CrackBerry," a nickname for addictive BlackBerry phones, was Webster's New World College Dictionary's word of the year in 2006.

When was "selfie" named word of the year?

"Selfie" was named Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year in 2013.

What is a Golden Slam?

In 1988, Steffi Graf won all four Grand Slam tournaments and an Olympic gold medal in the same year, the only "Golden Slam" in singles history.

How old is field hockey?

Ancient Egyptian tomb paintings at Beni Hasan show people playing a game similar to field hockey thousands of years ago.

Why does every MLB player wear number 42 on April 15?

Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier on April 15, 1947, and every MLB player now wears his number 42 on that date each year.

Who designed Alaska's flag?

Alaska's flag was designed by 13-year-old Benny Benson in 1927.

When does a saguaro cactus grow arms?

Saguaro cacti grow naturally only in the Sonoran Desert and may take 50 to 70 years to grow their first arms.

How old is Meteor Crater?

Meteor Crater in Arizona formed about 50,000 years ago.

What was Prometheus?

Prometheus was a Great Basin bristlecone pine in Nevada, about 4,900 years old when it was cut down in 1964.

Was the Eiffel Tower supposed to be temporary?

The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World's Fair and was supposed to be torn down after 20 years, but it was saved because it was useful as a radio antenna.

When did Notre-Dame reopen after the fire?

Notre-Dame Cathedral reopened in December 2024, about five years after a 2019 fire destroyed its roof and spire.

How many times has Tokyo hosted the Summer Olympics?

Tokyo hosted the Summer Olympics in 1964 and 2021. The 2021 Games were delayed a year by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who was Hachikō?

Hachikō was a loyal dog who waited at Tokyo's Shibuya Station for his owner every day for nearly 10 years after the owner died, and his statue there is now a famous meeting spot.

What happens to coins thrown in the Trevi Fountain?

About €1.4 million in coins is tossed into Rome's Trevi Fountain each year, and the money goes to the Catholic charity Caritas.

Why is the Washington Monument two colors?

The Washington Monument changes color about 150 feet up because construction stopped for over 20 years, and builders later used stone from a different quarry.

Is Bangkok sinking?

Bangkok is sinking by about one to two centimeters a year.

How many bikes are pulled out of Amsterdam's canals?

About 12,000 to 15,000 bikes are pulled out of Amsterdam's canals each year.

Did "The Simpsons" predict a Trump presidency?

A 2000 episode of "The Simpsons," "Bart to the Future," joked about a Donald Trump presidency years before it happened.

How many times did "Frasier" win Outstanding Comedy Series?

"Frasier" won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series five years in a row, from 1994 to 1998.

How many times did "Modern Family" win Outstanding Comedy Series?

"Modern Family" won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series five years in a row, from 2010 to 2014, tying the record set by "Frasier."

Was Sofía Vergara the highest-paid TV actress?

Sofía Vergara was named the highest-paid TV actress by Forbes for several years in a row.

How long did it take to develop the Cosmic Crisp apple?

The Cosmic Crisp apple took Washington State University about 20 years to develop and was released in 2019.

Where is the world's oldest known winery?

The world's oldest known winery, about 6,100 years old, was found in the Areni-1 cave in Armenia.

Why do people in Spain eat 12 grapes on New Year's Eve?

In Spain, people eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year's Eve, one for each chime of the clock, for good luck.

How long can a mango tree live?

Mango trees can live for hundreds of years.

How often do lemon trees produce fruit?

Lemon trees can produce fruit year-round.

How does carbon dating work?

Carbon-14 dating estimates the age of once-living things by measuring how much radioactive carbon-14 is left. Its half-life is about 5,730 years.

What was the Great Oxidation Event?

About 2.4 billion years ago, tiny cyanobacteria began releasing so much oxygen through photosynthesis that it transformed Earth's atmosphere, in what scientists call the Great Oxidation Event.

Why hasn't Delhi's Iron Pillar rusted?

Delhi's Iron Pillar has resisted rust for about 1,600 years.

Was there ever a natural nuclear reactor?

About two billion years ago, uranium deposits at Oklo in Gabon formed a natural nuclear reactor.

How long is uranium-238's half-life?

Uranium-238 has a half-life of about 4.5 billion years, about the age of Earth.

What happened at Lourdes?

In 1858, a 14-year-old girl named Bernadette Soubirous reported visions of Mary at Lourdes, France, which became one of the world's most popular pilgrimage sites.

What was the Year of Saint Joseph?

Pope Francis declared a Year of Saint Joseph from 2020 to 2021.

How did Saint Patrick first come to Ireland?

Saint Patrick was kidnapped by pirates at about age 16 and enslaved in Ireland as a shepherd for about six years.

How many Valentine's cards are exchanged?

About 145 million Valentine's cards are exchanged in the US each year, not counting classroom valentines.

How quickly was Saint Anthony made a saint?

Saint Anthony of Padua was canonized less than a year after his death.

Which album won the 2025 Grammy for Album of the Year?

Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2025.

Which all-Spanish album was nominated for Album of the Year?

Bad Bunny's "Un Verano Sin Ti" was the first all-Spanish album nominated for the Grammy for Album of the Year, in 2023.

How long do K-pop trainees train?

K-pop trainees often train for years before they debut.

How is Mark Twain connected to Halley's Comet?

Mark Twain was born in 1835 when Halley's Comet appeared, predicted he would die when it returned, and died in 1910, the year it came back.

Who did Edgar Allan Poe marry?

Edgar Allan Poe married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm.

Who reviewed "The Hobbit" for the publisher?

Ten-year-old Rayner Unwin was paid a shilling to review "The Hobbit" for his father's publishing company.

Where does the didgeridoo come from?

The didgeridoo was developed by Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia, and rock art suggests it's been played for at least 1,500 years.

How old is the jaw harp?

The jaw harp is one of the world's oldest instruments, and bone jaw harps about 4,000 years old have been found in China.

What is the Great Stalacpipe Organ?

The Great Stalacpipe Organ in Luray Caverns, Virginia, makes music by tapping ancient stalactites, and Leland Sprinkle spent three years building it.

Do all blue-eyed people share a common ancestor?

A 2008 study suggested that blue-eyed people share a common ancestor who lived about 6,000 to 10,000 years ago.

How often is the skeleton replaced?

The adult skeleton is gradually replaced about every 10 years.

Does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?

Cracking your knuckles doesn't cause arthritis. One doctor cracked the knuckles of only one hand for 60 years to prove it.

Did Frida Kahlo change her birth year?

Frida Kahlo was born in 1907 but claimed 1910 so her birth year would match the start of the Mexican Revolution.

Did Warhol really eat soup every day?

Andy Warhol said he ate Campbell's soup for lunch every day for 20 years.

How long have jellyfish existed?

Jellyfish have existed for more than 500 million years, long before the dinosaurs.

How long are manta rays pregnant?

Manta rays are pregnant for about a year and usually give birth to one pup.

Where were potatoes first grown?

Potatoes were first domesticated in the Andes Mountains of South America, in what's now Peru and Bolivia, thousands of years ago.

When was the International Year of the Potato?

The United Nations declared 2008 the International Year of the Potato.

Where did corn come from?

Corn was domesticated about 9,000 years ago in Mexico from a wild grass called teosinte.

How old is popcorn?

Archaeologists in Peru found evidence of popcorn about 6,700 years old.

Where did cucumbers come from?

Cucumbers have been grown in India for about 3,000 years.

When were chili peppers domesticated?

Chili peppers were domesticated in Mexico about 6,000 years ago.

How old are roses?

Fossil evidence shows that roses existed about 35 million years ago, long before humans.

What is the oldest living rose?

A rose bush at Germany's Hildesheim Cathedral is believed to be about 1,000 years old and survived the bombing of the cathedral in WWII.

How many bulbs are planted at Keukenhof?

Keukenhof garden in the Netherlands plants about 7 million flower bulbs every year.

How long can lotus seeds survive?

Lotus seeds found in China were still able to sprout after about 1,300 years.

How long can peonies live?

Peony plants can live for 100 years.

How long have chrysanthemums been grown in China?

Chrysanthemums have been grown in China for about 3,000 years.

How long did Yogananda live in America?

Paramahansa Yogananda lived in the US for more than 30 years.

How long did Krishnamacharya live?

Krishnamacharya lived to about 100 years old.

Where did Krishnamacharya study yoga?

Krishnamacharya said he studied yoga for more than seven years with a teacher in the Himalayas.

Is there a Pokémon card World Championship?

The Pokémon World Championships are held every year.

What was Einstein's miracle year?

In 1905, often called Albert Einstein's "miracle year," he published four groundbreaking papers, including special relativity and the idea behind E=mc².

How long did Aristotle study with Plato?

Aristotle studied at Plato's Academy in Athens for about 20 years.

Was Galileo born the same year as Shakespeare?

Galileo was born in 1564, the same year as William Shakespeare.

How long was Stephen Hawking expected to live after his diagnosis?

Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with ALS at 21 and given about two years to live, but he lived to 76.

How long was Darwin's voyage on the Beagle?

Charles Darwin's voyage on HMS Beagle lasted about five years, from 1831 to 1836.

Why did Darwin wait to publish his theory?

Charles Darwin waited about 20 years to publish his theory of evolution and only rushed it out after Alfred Russel Wallace sent him similar ideas in 1858.

Is the Golden Gate Bridge always being painted?

Painters work on the Golden Gate Bridge year-round, touching up areas worn by salt air and weather.

Does the Burj Khalifa collect water?

The Burj Khalifa collects millions of gallons of condensation water each year from its air conditioning, which is used for irrigation.

How long did it take to build the Great Wall?

The Great Wall of China was built over about 2,000 years.

How long would the Hoover Dam's concrete have taken to cool?

Without cooling pipes, the Hoover Dam's concrete would have taken about 125 years to cool and harden.

Was the Hoover Dam finished on time?

The Hoover Dam was finished about two years ahead of schedule.

How old is the Sun?

The Sun is about 4.6 billion years old, roughly halfway through its life.

How long does light take to escape the Sun's core?

Energy made in the Sun's core can take tens of thousands of years or more to work its way to the surface.

What is the solar cycle?

The Sun goes through a cycle of about 11 years in which its activity rises and falls.

Is the Moon moving away from Earth?

The Moon is drifting away from Earth by about 3.8 centimeters a year.

Is a day on Mercury longer than its year?

From sunrise to sunrise, one day on Mercury lasts about 176 Earth days, twice as long as its 88-day year.

Is a day on Venus longer than its year?

A day on Venus, about 243 Earth days, is longer than its year of about 225 Earth days.

What will happen to Mars's moon Phobos?

Mars's moon Phobos is slowly spiraling inward and is expected to break apart or crash into Mars in tens of millions of years.

How long is a year on Mars?

A year on Mars is about 687 Earth days.

Will Saturn's rings disappear?

Saturn's rings are slowly falling into the planet and could disappear in a few hundred million years.

How long are seasons on Uranus?

Each season on Uranus lasts about 21 Earth years.

When did Neptune complete its first orbit since its discovery?

A year on Neptune is about 165 Earth years, and in 2011 it completed its first orbit since being discovered.

Who named Pluto?

Pluto was named by Venetia Burney, an 11-year-old girl in England.

Has Pluto completed an orbit since it was discovered?

Pluto takes about 248 Earth years to orbit the Sun, so it hasn't completed a full orbit since it was discovered.

How big is the Milky Way?

The Milky Way is about 100,000 light-years across.

How long does it take the solar system to orbit the Milky Way?

Our solar system takes about 230 million years to orbit the center of the Milky Way.

Will the Milky Way crash into Andromeda?

The Milky Way is expected to merge with the Andromeda Galaxy in about 4.5 billion years.

How old is the oldest wooden wheel ever found?

The oldest known wooden wheel, found in the Ljubljana Marshes of Slovenia in 2002, is roughly 5,000 years old, dating to around 3150 BC.

When were wheels added to suitcases?

Bernard Sadow patented the wheeled suitcase in 1972, around 5,000 years after the wheel was invented.

Who invented movable type first?

Bi Sheng invented movable type made of baked clay in China around 1040 AD, about 400 years before Gutenberg.

What was Stephenson's Rocket?

George and Robert Stephenson's locomotive, the Rocket, won the 1829 Rainhill Trials and set the basic design for steam locomotives for the next 150 years.

Who else was trying to patent the telephone in 1876?

Inventor Elisha Gray filed paperwork for a telephone design on the same day as Bell in 1876, which led to years of legal battles.

How long did ancient Egyptian civilization last?

Ancient Egyptian civilization lasted about 3,000 years, longer than any other ancient civilization.

Why has Roman concrete lasted so long?

A 2023 MIT study found that Roman concrete can partly heal its own cracks, which helps explain why Roman buildings have lasted for thousands of years.