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Curious Facts

1007 surprising, true stories about animals, history, space, food and the everyday things around us. Each one checked against trusted sources.

Illustration of an astronaut with a shiny gold visor standing on the gray lunar surfaceSpace & the SkyThe Sky on the Moon Is Pitch Black, Yet Astronauts Still Needed SunglassesIllustration of Mauna Kea rising from the deep ocean floor up above the sea surfaceEarth, Nature & the OceanEverest Gets All the Glory, but a Hawaiian Mountain Hides Most of Its Height UnderwaterIllustration of a plate of chicken wings with sauceFood & Kitchen SecretsChicken Wings Were Once Leftovers for Soup. Then a Buffalo Bar Changed EverythingA big, shiny pink bubble gum bubble against a bright, simple backgroundInventions & Everyday ThingsBubble Gum Is Pink for a Surprisingly Ordinary Reason. Blame an Accountant in 1928
Illustration of a traditional Japanese inn beside steaming hot spring pools in the mountainsStrange Places & GeographyThis Japanese Inn Opened in the Year 705 and One Family Ran It for 52 GenerationsIllustration of a country road stretching aheadEveryday Science & Curious Customs"Go the Extra Mile" Started With Roman Soldiers and a Surprising Teaching
Illustration of a dog howling with its nose in the air on a front porchAmazing AnimalsYour Dog Howls Along With Every Passing Siren. Its Wild Relatives Hold a Big ClueIllustration of a person stretching in bed at sunriseThe Human BodyThat Big Morning Stretch Has a Scientific Name, and Even Spiders Do It
Illustration of the white marble Taj Mahal reflected in a long pool at sunriseHistory's OdditiesAn Emperor Lost His Wife and Spent 22 Years Building Her a Tomb Made of MarbleIllustration of a teardrop-shaped clear cup of coffee aboard a space station with tiny coffee droplets floating nearbySpace & the SkyAn Astronaut Missed Sipping Coffee From a Cup, So He Invented One That Works in OrbitIllustration of an ancient, twisted olive tree in a sunny groveEarth, Nature & the OceanSome Trees Have Lived Nearly 5,000 Years. Their Secret Is Surprisingly Low-KeyA steaming pot on the stove in a warm, cozy kitchen with sunlight through the windowFood & Kitchen SecretsBacon Smell Reaches the Bedroom in Minutes. The Cook Is Often the Last to Notice It
Illustration of a box of tissuesInventions & Everyday ThingsKleenex Wasn't Invented for Runny Noses. It Started as Something for WartimeIllustration of a desert sunset glowing behind tall saguaro cactus silhouettesStrange Places & GeographyMost of Arizona Hasn't Sprung Forward Since 1968. The Desert Heat Explains a LotIllustration of a shimmering rainbow-colored soap bubble floating in the airEveryday Science & Curious CustomsSoap Bubbles Shimmer Like Rainbows, but Their Colors Come From a Totally Different TrickIllustration of a mother kangaroo standing in the grass with a joey peeking out of her pouchAmazing AnimalsA Mother Kangaroo Can Keep a Baby Waiting Inside Her Until the Time Is Right
Illustration of a cozy armchair beside a window with gray rain clouds outsideThe Human BodyMillions Swear Their Knees Can Forecast Rain. Scientists Checked Millions of RecordsIllustration of a 1920s hospital nursery with rows of bassinets and soft window lightHistory's OdditiesNo President Before Him Was Born in a Hospital. His Birthplace Had a Family ConnectionIllustration of a colorful glowing nebula in spaceSpace & the SkyEvery Star Starts as a Cold, Dark Cloud. Then Gravity Takes OverIllustration of a clear river in Colombia with a riverbed in bright red, yellow, and greenEarth, Nature & the OceanFor a Few Months a Year, a River in Colombia Turns Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Black
Illustration of a chocolate bar wrapped in foilFood & Kitchen SecretsHershey Bar's Creator Quit School After Fourth Grade and Nearly Sailed on the TitanicIllustration of a cozy blanket spread across a neatly made bedInventions & Everyday ThingsThe Electric Blanket Is Older Than You Think, and the Soldier Story Doesn't Hold UpIllustration of whitewashed houses tucked beneath a huge overhanging rock ledgeStrange Places & GeographyIn This Spanish Town, Some Homes Don't Need a Roof. A Mountain of Rock Does the JobIllustration of an old-fashioned theater stage with red curtains and a large metal sheet hung backstage for thunder effectsEveryday Science & Curious CustomsA Playwright Invented a New Way to Make Thunder. Then He Heard It in Someone Else's Show