Okay, so… did you know facts can either be super fun or just weirdly boring. Mind blowing truths…Like, did you know that lobsters pee out of their faces? That’s a real thing. I learned it during a seafood dinner and immediately lost my appetite. My cousin laughed so hard she snorted soda through her nose. (Worth it.)
But that’s the kind of thing I’m talking about—facts that stick. The kind that make you pause and go, “Noooo way. That can’t be real.” And then you Google it at 2am in your kitchen while snacking on leftover pizza. (Don’t lie. We all do it.)
Anyway, I’ve rounded up 40 did you know facts that are wild, hilarious, or just straight-up bananas. Some are useful (like, tell-your-friends-at-a-party useful), some are just “huh,” and a few might ruin your childhood a little. Sorry in advance.
So let’s do this the messy, meandering, caffeine-fueled way. You know, like how real conversations work.
1. Bananas are berries. Strawberries are not.
Right?? I didn’t believe it either. Turns out, bananas meet the botanical definition of a berry, while strawberries don’t. It’s like the universe just wants to mess with us.
2. The moon has moonquakes.
Yeah, little tremors—like the Earth’s earthquakes, but on the moon. Imagine astronauts just chillin’, then suddenly, “Whoa, did the moon just… wobble?”
3. Cows have best friends.
And they get stressed when they’re separated. I don’t even know why that makes me emotional, but it does.
4. There’s a basketball court on the top floor of the US Supreme Court.
It’s literally called The Highest Court in the Land. I can’t even make that up.
5. A group of flamingos is called a “flamboyance.”
If that’s not ✨fabulous✨, I don’t know what is.
6. The shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes.
Between Britain and Zanzibar in 1896. I’ve had naps longer than that war.
7. Wombat poop is cube-shaped.
First time I heard this, I thought someone was joking. But nope. Little square nuggets. Nature is weirdly precise sometimes.
8. You can hear rhubarb grow.
Under the right conditions (like in a dark, warm shed), it makes these weird popping noises as it expands. Someone make a horror movie about that, please.
9. Most Disney characters wear gloves because animating fingers was too hard.
Also, gloves helped differentiate their hands from their bodies. Mickey was just a product of lazy genius.
10. You can’t hum while holding your nose.
Go ahead. Try it. (Bet you just did.)
11. Sloths can hold their breath longer than dolphins.
By slowing their heart rate, sloths can hold it for 40 minutes. Dolphins? Only about 10. Sloths win. Again.
12. There’s a species of jellyfish that can basically live forever.
Immortal jellyfish. Sounds like a superhero origin story, but it’s real—and terrifying.
13. Some cats are allergic to humans.
Which just feels like karma, honestly. This is mind blowing truths about animals.
14. M&Ms were invented for soldiers during WWII.
So their chocolate wouldn’t melt. “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands” wasn’t just a slogan—it was wartime practicality.
15. Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood.
Basically aliens. No one can convince me otherwise.
16. Sharks existed before trees.
Trees are newer than sharks. That blew my mind blowing truths little.
17. There’s enough DNA in one human body to stretch from the sun to Pluto—and back—17 times.
And I can’t even remember my Netflix password. Brains are wild.
18. A cloud can weigh more than a million pounds.
And yet it floats. Meanwhile, I trip over absolutely nothing at least twice a week.
19. You’re taller in the morning.
Gravity compresses your spine during the day, so you’re a smidge shorter by bedtime. It’s like daily shrinking. (Or aging in fast-forward.)
20. A day on Venus is longer than its year.
One spin on its axis takes 243 Earth days. Its year is 225 days. Cue Twilight Zone music.
Halfway Point: Feeling Weird Yet?
Because SAME. And we’re only at 20. These did you know facts are like brain ticklers—just when you think you’ve heard it all, boom. Something else knocks you sideways.
Okay, back in.
21. Some turtles can breathe through their butts.
No explanation needed. Just… imagine.
22. The inventor of the Pringles can is buried in one.
Well, part of him. His ashes. He literally became his legacy. (Respect.)
23. The Eiffel Tower can grow over 6 inches taller in summer.
Metal expands with heat. It’s like the tower’s wearing platform shoes in July.
24. A bolt of lightning contains enough energy to toast 100,000 slices of bread.
So next time your toaster breaks…
25. There’s a planet made of diamonds.
It’s called 55 Cancri e. I can’t afford a gas tank refill, and there’s literally a whole diamond planet out there. Cool cool cool.
26. The dot over the lowercase “i” is called a tittle.
Tittle. Say it out loud. You’re welcome.
27. Sea otters hold hands while they sleep.
So they don’t float apart. My heart can’t take it.
28. Apples float because they’re 25% air.
Also why bobbing for apples works, if you’re into that cold, wet, face-dunking nonsense.
29. The inventor of the microwave got the idea from a melted chocolate bar.
He was working on radar tech, his snack melted, and boom: popcorn’s best friend was born.
30. A group of porcupines is called a prickle.
Honestly, I love that for them.
31. Butterflies taste with their feet.
Which means every time they land, it’s basically like licking the ground. Ew.
32. The first alarm clock could only ring at one time: 4am.
So yeah. Be thankful for snooze buttons.
33. Chewing gum boosts memory.
Something about increased blood flow to the brain. So go ahead, chew that minty brain fuel.
34. The national animal of Scotland is… the unicorn.
Because Scotland is secretly run by fairy tale characters, apparently.
35. Frogs can freeze and thaw without dying.
Nature’s version of a popsicle. They stop their hearts and everything. Wild.
36. There’s a species of fungus that turns ants into zombies.
It literally takes over their bodies and controls their minds. Nature really said, “Let’s get spooky.”
37. The smell of freshly-cut grass is actually a plant distress signal.
So when you’re like, “Ahhh, smells like summer,” the grass is basically screaming. Oops.
38. Turtles can live for over 150 years.
Imagine paying off a 120-year mortgage. Turtles out here with multiple retirements.
39. A narwhal’s tusk is actually a tooth.
It grows through their lip and can be up to 10 feet long. So yes, they’re basically unicorn whales.
40. Humans glow in the dark… just not enough for us to see it.
It’s called bioluminescence, and we all have it. Low-key radioactive romance? Maybe.
Final Thoughts: Mind blowing truths or What Even Is Reality?
I don’t know about you, but now my brain feels like scrambled trivia eggs. Did you know facts are honestly addictive. One minute you’re reading about cow friendships, the next you’re spiraling over zombie fungi.
If you liked this, you’d probably dig the random chaos over on Mental Floss or even some of the surprisingly accurate rabbit holes on Reddit.
Just don’t blame me if you fall into a 3-hour “fact spiral” next time you’re supposed to be sleeping.
(Also, if you have a weird favorite fact—like the kind that makes people pause mid-sip at dinner—tell me. I collect them like Pokémon.)
