Animals
Elephants are the only animals that cannot jump?
True or False
False Elephants, hippos, rhinos, and sloths are all physically unable to jump. Elephants are simply the most famous example.
Penguins mate for life?
True or False
False Most penguin species are serially monogamous. They are faithful within a breeding season but not always to the same partner across years.
Lightning never strikes the same place twice?
True or False
False Lightning frequently strikes the same place multiple times. The Empire State Building is struck by lightning around 20 times per year.
The smallest bone in the human body is in the ear?
True or False
True The stapes, or stirrup bone, located in the middle ear, is the smallest bone in the human body.
Almonds are a type of nut?
True or False
False Almonds are technically seeds. They are the edible pit of a drupe fruit, more closely related to peaches than to walnuts.
A snail can sleep for up to three years.
True or False
True Snails can enter a long dormancy period called estivation when weather conditions become too hot or dry.
Butterflies taste with their feet?
True or False
True Butterflies have taste sensors on their legs that help them identify plants when they land.
The human brain uses about 20% of the body's total energy?
True or False
True Even though the brain accounts for only about 2% of body weight, it consumes a large portion of the body’s energy.
Humans are the only animals with fingerprints?
True or False
False Koalas also have fingerprints, and they are so similar to human fingerprints that they have occasionally confused crime scene investigators.
Coffee is made from beans?
True or False
False Coffee is made from the roasted seeds of a coffee plant's fruit, commonly called coffee cherries. They are seeds, not true beans.
Octopuses have three hearts?
True or False
True Two pump blood to the gills, and one pumps it to the rest of the body. All three stop beating when an octopus swims, which is why they prefer crawling.
A goldfish has a memory span of only three seconds?
True or False
False This is a common myth. Goldfish can actually remember things for months.
All planets in our solar system rotate in the same direction?
True or False
False Venus and Uranus rotate in the opposite direction from most other planets.
Your stomach gets an entirely new lining every few days?
True or False
True Stomach acid is powerful enough to dissolve metal, so the stomach replaces its lining roughly every three to four days.
Carrots were originally purple?
True or False
True Wild carrots were purple, yellow, and white. The familiar orange carrot was cultivated in the Netherlands during the 17th century.
Sharks are the only fish that can blink?
True or False
True Sharks have a nictitating membrane, a protective inner eyelid that closes when they attack prey.
Sea otters hold hands while sleeping so they do not drift apart?
True or False
True This behavior is called rafting. Sea otters also wrap themselves in kelp to keep from drifting.
Hot water freezes faster than cold water under certain conditions?
True or False
True This phenomenon is called the Mpemba effect. Scientists have observed it repeatedly, although the exact conditions that cause it are still debated.
The human eye can detect a candle flame from about 14 miles away on a clear, dark night?
True or False
True Human vision is extremely sensitive in low-light conditions and can detect even very small amounts of light at great distances.
Bananas are radioactive?
True or False
True Bananas contain potassium-40, a naturally occurring radioactive isotope. The amount is extremely small and harmless.
A cow produces more milk when listening to music?
True or False
True Studies have shown that slow, calming music can increase milk production by a meaningful amount.
Crocodiles cannot stick out their tongues?
True or False
True A crocodile’s tongue is attached to the roof of its mouth by a membrane and cannot be extended.
Atoms are mostly empty space?
True or False
True If the nucleus of an atom were the size of a marble, the atom itself would be roughly the size of a football stadium.
The human body contains enough iron to make a small nail?
True or False
True The average adult body contains about 3 to 4 grams of iron, mostly in the blood.
The most expensive spice in the world by weight is vanilla?
True or False
False Saffron is the most expensive spice. It takes around 75,000 crocus flowers to produce one pound of saffron.