Top 20 Interesting Facts About The World That You May Not Know

Laelia Yang February 28, 2023 | 17:26

With more than 200 countries and more than 8 billion people on Earth, there are countless strange and interesting facts that you may not know! Let's see what they are.

The development of science and technology today allows us humans to access a significant amount of information every day. However, there are "extremely surprising" things that you probably didn't know.

Here are 20 surprising facts in the world that will surprise even the "smartest" people that will make you understand that this world still has a lot of things that we can't know. We invite you to consult!

1. It snows in the Sahara Desert

It snows in the Sahara Desert

Deserts are noted for having extremely minimal precipitation. Moreover, if rainfall is uncommon, wouldn't snowfall be much more so? In 2018, the unimaginable happened, as the Sahara Desert was blanketed in white snow. The snow, however, barely lasted a day before melting in the scorching heat.

The first reported snowfall occurred in 1979, during a half-hour blizzard. While temperatures dip below freezing at night, the absence of moisture makes snowfall nearly impossible. But who knows, maybe you'll see it on your next vacation to the Desert!

2. The hottest chili in the world

Dragon's Breath

The hottest chili in the world is so hot it can kill you. Dragon's Breath is the hottest chili pepper in the world, bred and developed by nursery owner Mike Smith and scientists from the University of Nottingham. This chili pepper can paralyze the taste buds of the taster or can even cause death from anaphylaxis if swallowed.

3. Two countries in the world where Coca Cola does not exist

Two countries in the world where Coca Cola does not exist

You would believe Coca-Cola is available everywhere, but these two nations have been subject to long-term US trade embargoes – North Korea since 1950 and Cuba since 1962.

North Korea, on the other hand, has developed its own dark-colored soda. Ryongjin Cola, or 'Cocoa Sparkling,' is what they call it. It has the same red package and cursive lettering as the original, but does it have the same excellent taste? Let us know if you tried it in the comments!

4. Egypt doesn't have the most pyramids in the world

Sudan Pyramids

Egypt and pyramids are nearly synonymous, but did you know Sudan also has pyramids? Nubia, a Sudanese province, boasts 255 pyramids, which is double the amount found in Egypt!

The Nubian pharaohs fled to Sudan after governing Egypt's 25th dynasty, establishing the Kushite empire and absorbing Egyptian culture into their new capital.

The Nubian pyramids are not as well-known as the Egyptian pyramids. So you'll probably have the pyramids to yourself!

The most rewarding of the four main locations is Jebel Barkal. The pyramids are well-preserved and situated next to a small mountain. Ascend the hilltop shortly before sunset for spectacular Nile views!

5. Ice pops were invented by an 11-year-old

Ice Pops

Frank Epperson, an 11-year-old kid, left soda powder and water outside overnight with the wooden stirrer remaining in the cup in 1905. The combination had frozen due to the cold overnight temperatures, and so the Epsicle was formed. He sold it in his neighborhood and at a neighboring amusement park, and he even copyrighted the formula. Years later, he changed the name to Popsicle since that's what his children named their father's creation.

6. The place with the longest name in the world

The World's Longest Name Place

The people living in the Mamungkukumpurangkuntjunya hills, Australia hardly have the patience to pronounce their town names. People from Lake Chargoggagoggman-chauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg in Massachusetts, USA and Tweebuffelsmeteen-skootmorsdoodgeskietfontein in South Africa are also in the same situation. However, those are still not the longest names in the world. The place with the longest name in the world belongs to a town in New Zealand with 85 characters - Taumatawhakatangihanga-koauauotamateaturipukakapikimaung-ahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.

7. Hawaii is the best place in the world to see rainbows

Hawaii

If you're a big fan of rainbows and want to see plenty of them, go no further than the state of Hawaii. According to a report released in 2021 by the American Meteorological Society, the area's "mountains provide strong gradients in clouds and rainfall, which are important to numerous rainbow sightings." Air pollution, pollen, and a great number of crashing waves all contribute to Hawaii's high ranking in terms of rainbow quantity and quality.

8. Supermarket apples can be a year old

Supermarket apples

These bizarre facts may cause you to alter your eating habits. The fresh apples aren't quite so fresh. They're typically picked between August and November, waxed, hot-air dried, and shipped to cold storage. They ultimately appear on grocery store shelves after six to twelve months.

9. Colombia’s brightest rainbow is in its river

Colombia’s brightest rainbow

Rainbows are often found in the sky, but the Cao Cristales, popularly known as the "River of Five Colors," shines brighter than any rainbow.

This gorgeous river, located in Colombia's Serrana de la Macarena National Natural Park, gets its multicolored brilliance from the Macarenia Clavigera, a plant that thrives in the riverbed. It's ideal to go between May and November, when the river weeds are in full bloom in yellow, blue, green, and red. The colors become more vibrant during this period because the waters are shallower, enabling more sunshine to reach the plants.

10. Animal rain

Fish Rain

There have been many strange recorded cases of animals falling from the sky. In the summer of 2000 in Ethiopia millions of fish, both living and dead, poured down like a downpour that annoyed the indigenous people. Most of the "animal rain" is attributed to tornadoes or large storms that are capable of sucking water from rivers with large schools of fish as victims.

However, this hypothesis still challenges the scientific community because almost every rain like this is unique to one animal such as warbler, frog or bird. It seems that this phenomenon is not spontaneously caused by nature.

11. The Land of Silence - Bolson de Mapimi Desert, Mexico

Bolson de Mapimi Desert, Mexico

The desert area of Bolson de Mapimi, Mexico is known as a silent land with many mysterious phenomena related to radio waves. In 1970, the US military base in Utah launched a missile test, but it immediately deviated and crashed into the desert.

It is said that the rocket was contaminated with radiation. It is said that no radio, TV, shortwave, or satellite signals can enter the area. It is also reported that many yellow humanoid creatures have appeared in the area.

12. Roller coasters were invented to distract Americans from sin

Roller coasters

In the 1880s, hosiery merchant LaMarcus Thompson despised the fact that hedonistic establishments such as saloons and brothels attracted People. So he set out to clean up one of the most immoral locations he could think of: New York's Coney Island. There, he developed America's first roller coaster to divert New Yorkers' attention away from more sinister diversions. This is the most terrifying roller coaster in every state.

13. Bombay Blood Group

Bombay Blood Group

Most of us are usually unaware of the existence of Bombay blood type. This blood group is often mistaken as O blood group and many times cannot be accurately determined at blood banks. However, Bombay blood group differs from O blood group because of the lack of H antigen on red blood cells, which can be either Rh positive or Rh negative.

This is one of the rarest blood types in India as well as in the world, only 0.0004% of the world's population has such blood. Like type O blood, this rare blood type can be given to people with other blood types and can only be given back to people with the same blood type.

14. The stones move by themselves

Death Valley’s Moving Rocks

Death Valley is a long, narrow valley in the eastern region of the Mojave Desert, California. This is also the land with the lowest terrain, the driest and hottest climate in North America. Prominent here is a large, dry lake with rocks (up to 320kg) capable of moving on their own and leaving behind them long trails on the cracked ground.

Many theories have been proposed to explain the movement of rocks such as due to the influence of magnetic fields, whirlwinds, layers of slippery algae, thin ice or even the involvement of extraterrestrial organisms. However, the phenomenon of moving stones in the area of the valley of death has remained a mysterious problem that has not been solved for many years.

15. The shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes

The shortest war in history

The British were furious when the sultan of British-protected Zanzibar died and a new one took over without British sanction in 1896. As Sultan Khalid bin Barghash refused to step down, the British vessels bombarded the palace for less than 40 minutes until Khalid escaped, thereby ending the Anglo-Zanzibar War.

16. There are fossilized plants in Greenland under 1.4 km of ice

There are fossilized plants in Greenland ice

The Greenland Ice Sheet, which Britannica describes as the "biggest and perhaps the sole relic of the Pleistocene glaciations in the Northern Hemisphere," covers around 80% of Greenland. But has it always been this cold? Researchers discovered "well-preserved fossil plants and proteins" at the bottom of a 1.4 km core sample obtained in 1966 at Camp Century during the Cold War, implying that the huge sheet melted and reformed at least once in the last million years.

17. The Sahara Desert used to be a tropical rainforest

The Sahara Desert used to be a tropical rainforest

The Sahara Desert is noted for being the hottest desert on the planet. But, only 6,000 years ago, this arid region was a lush rainforest with dense flora and abundant rainfall.

Even if we did not see the Desert in full bloom, future generations may. If the world survives the next 10,000 years, the same continual change in weather patterns might transform the Desert.

18. Czech Catacombs, Czech Republic

Czech Catacombs

Legend says that the sound of an organ came from the Czech catacombs. In 1996, scientists recorded them. The tunnel was 30 yards deep and there wasn't a single room that could fit an instrument of that size around.

Psychologists also examined eyewitnesses present to rule out the popular hallucinogenic theory. However, the main phenomenon found is "Shining corridor". Specimens showed no phosphorus in them. At first glance, this corridor was quite ordinary, but soon it began to emit a red-orange light.

19. Antarctic volcanoes and snow eruptions

Antarctic volcanoes

This volcano is mysterious because the center of the crater does not contain lava, in addition, the volcanic bed never exceeds 0 degrees Celsius. Scientists believe that this place contains a long-standing civilization of outsiders. Planet and a parallel world exist deep in the heart of Mount Erebus.

20. Valley of birds "suicide"

Jatinga Valley

In Jatinga Valley, India around September and October every year, some migratory birds and even birds living around the village suddenly appear and... die here. The time when this phenomenon occurs is usually at dusk, at dusk, hundreds of birds rush down from the sky and crash into trees or houses in the village and die.

Conclusion

Even with all of the iconic locations on our bucket list, there are many bizarre things to find throughout the world. I'm looking forward to the day when I can touch a liquid rainbow or visit ten distinct climates in one day! Did you know the above interesting things? If not, quickly update your knowledge base!