Unbelievable True Facts That Will Blow Your Mind

Penguins emit laughing gas, turtles can breathe through their rear ends, and capybaras are considered fish—almost. We've uncovered some of the most astonishing facts you'll ever hear.

1. The Hottest Place in the Universe Is Right Here on Earth

Where do you think the highest temperature in the universe exists? You might guess the core of a star. While stars are indeed hot, there’s a place that's even hotter.

In 2012, scientists at the Large Hadron Collider on Earth created a record-breaking temperature by colliding heavy ions accelerated to 99% the speed of light, reaching an astonishing 5.5 trillion degrees Kelvin—roughly the same in Celsius, since the 273-degree difference is negligible at such extremes.

Though this is far from the Planck temperature at the Big Bang, it vastly exceeds the temperature of the hottest known star, WR 102 in Sagittarius, which is about 210,000 K.

2. Penguins Release Laughing Gas When They Defecate

An awkward moment. Video credit: Boston Aquarium

In 2019, scientists from the University of Copenhagen studied king penguins on South Georgia Island, located between South America and Antarctica.

They discovered that penguins, while beautiful, are rather uncouth creatures that relieve themselves where they live. This poses challenges for zoologists who have to navigate penguin nests covered in feces, which is not only unpleasant but potentially hazardous.

Penguin guano contains nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. As it decomposes, it releases nitrous oxide—commonly known as laughing gas, used in dentistry as anesthesia.

Bo Elberling, a geology professor at the University of Copenhagen, explains:

"After walking for hours knee-deep in penguin guano, you can start feeling dizzy, get headaches, laugh uncontrollably, and even experience hallucinations."

Interestingly, penguin feces contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, releasing nitrogen compounds at levels 100 times stronger than agricultural fields treated with nitrogen fertilizers. Their droppings are so abundant that they are visible from satellites in space.

Fortunately, penguin populations are not large enough to significantly impact the Earth's atmosphere. In contrast, methane emissions from cattle present a more pressing environmental concern due to the scale of livestock farming.

3. Oxford University Predates the Aztec Empire

The Aztec Empire often conjures images of ancient civilizations with millennia of history, lost jungle cities, massive stone pyramids, and ritual sacrifices. However, the empire itself is relatively young.

The Aztec Empire was established in 1429 after conquering their former allies, the Tlacopan state. It fell in 1521 when Hernán Cortés allied with the empire’s enemies, the Texcoco, to overthrow the Aztecs. So, the empire lasted less than a century.

For comparison, Oxford University was founded in 1096, making it significantly older than the Aztec Empire. Even older is the University of Bologna, established in 1088.

4. Over 160,000 Pints of Guinness Are Lost in Beards Annually

In 2000, Guinness conducted a study revealing a surprising fact. Dermatologist Robert Dover found that the average person drinks a pint of beer in about 10 sips. For those with mustaches and beards, approximately 0.56 milliliters of beer get trapped in facial hair per sip.

This means that in the UK alone, men with facial hair lose up to 162,719 pints of Guinness annually, which equates to a loss of around $536,000 based on the exchange rates at the time.

The takeaway? If you want to enjoy more beer, consider shaving your beard.

5. The Catholic Church Classifies Capybaras as Fish

The adorable capybara, a relative of the guinea pig native to South America, is a friendly animal often kept as a pet or farmed for meat and hides.

In the 16th century, the Catholic Church allowed capybara meat to be consumed during Lent.

The reasoning was simple: since capybaras live in water, they were considered close enough to fish, which are permitted during fasting periods. This tradition remains especially prevalent in Venezuela.

6. Clouds Are Surprisingly Heavy

If you think the phrase "light as a cloud" is a compliment, think again. Clouds are actually quite heavy.

Researchers from Oxford University and the US Geological Survey calculated that an average cloud about one cubic kilometer in size weighs approximately 550 tons, due to the vast amount of water vapor contained within.

To put that into perspective, a 19-liter water jug used in offices weighs about 19 kilograms, so clouds carry an enormous amount of water.

Luckily, clouds float because the air beneath them is dense enough to support their weight.

7. The Largest Living Organism on Earth Is a Fungus

When you hear "largest living organism," you might picture an elephant, blue whale, or giant squid. However, the true champion is a honey fungus.

Located in the Malheur National Forest in Oregon, USA, this dark honey fungus is the biggest living organism on Earth. Its fruiting bodies—the mushrooms you see—are just reproductive parts that spread spores.

The main organism is underground, consisting of a vast network of mycelium (fine living threads) that envelops tree roots across more than 910 hectares and weighs an estimated 35,000 tons. It's believed to be around 8,000 years old.

This fungus has thrived by parasitizing tree roots for millennia. If it ever decided to dominate the world, not even King Kong or Godzilla could stop it. Thankfully, it remains non-aggressive toward humans.

8. The Mary River Turtle in Australia Can Breathe Through Its Rear End

Elusor macrurus, known as the Mary River turtle, is an endemic species of short-necked turtle native to Australia. They can grow up to 50 cm in length and often have algae growing on their heads and shells, earning them the nickname "green-haired turtles."

The most fascinating trait of Elusor macrurus is its ability to absorb oxygen through its cloaca (rear opening). While they can breathe normally through their nostrils, when foraging underwater, they can extend their rear end above water to breathe, allowing them to stay submerged longer.

9. Scientists Turned a Cat Into a Telephone

In 1929, Princeton University researchers Ernest Wever and Charles Bray studied the auditory nerve by performing an unusual experiment. They surgically opened a cat's skull and attached electrodes to its auditory nerve, connected to an amplifier and a telephone receiver.

When Bray spoke into the cat's ear, Wever could hear the sounds transmitted through the telephone receiver in another room.

For this work, they received the Howard Crosby Warren Medal from the Society of Experimental Psychologists in 1936.

Sadly, the cat did not survive the experiment, but its sacrifice led to the development of cochlear implants that help deaf individuals hear today.

10. Sudan Has Twice as Many Pyramids as Egypt

Which country do you associate with pyramids? Most people think of Egypt, but Sudan actually boasts around 255 pyramids, built by the rulers of the Meroitic Kingdom approximately 800 years after Egyptians stopped pyramid construction.

Egypt has only about 138 pyramids. Although Sudanese (or Nubian) pyramids are smaller, they are richly decorated, albeit more frequently looted.

For comparison, South American indigenous civilizations like the Maya, Aztecs, and Olmecs collectively built only 51 pyramids, likely because their pyramids served as temples rather than tombs, and they did not build individual pyramids for each ruler.

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