Facts for Ages 14+
838 facts perfect for this age group
Gold on Earth was made when two neutron stars collided billions of years ago in an event called a kilonova. These cataclysmic mergers are one of the main ways heavy elements like gold, platinum, and uranium are created and spread through the universe.
Ancient Persians would debate important decisions twice — once sober and once while drinking — to make sure it was a good idea.
The polar vortex is a swirl of cold air over the Arctic that sometimes wobbles and sends freezing air far to the south.
Earth has had at least five major ice ages, and they happen in cycles caused partly by changes in Earth's orbit.
The three-point line was introduced to the NBA in 1979. Before that, every successful shot from any distance was worth only two points.
Male bowerbirds arrange objects in a specific gradient from small to large around their bower — creating an optical illusion that makes the bower look bigger to a watching female.
Crocodilians are one of the closest living relatives of dinosaurs, having shared a common ancestor over 230 million years ago.
For over 100 years, scientists thought Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus were the same dinosaur, but recent research suggests they may actually be different.
Large volcanic eruptions can temporarily cool the entire planet by blocking sunlight with ash and sulfur in the atmosphere.
When hot lava flows into the ocean, it creates a dangerous cloud of acid steam called "laze" (lava haze).
Saturn's moon Titan has lakes and rivers, but they're made of liquid methane, not water.
Your lungs contain about 300 million tiny air sacs called alveoli that help you breathe.
Hungarian has 18 grammatical cases for nouns, while English really only has two (like "he" vs "him").
The QWERTY keyboard layout was designed in the 1870s partly to keep commonly used letter pairs apart so typewriter keys wouldn't jam.
Cuttlefish have green-blue blood because it uses copper instead of iron to carry oxygen.
Scientists use seismographs to detect tiny earthquakes near volcanoes, which can warn of coming eruptions.
Campi Flegrei (meaning 'burning fields') is a huge supervolcano lying beneath and around the city of Naples in Italy. Scientists closely monitor it because its ground level rises and falls as magma moves underground, and it has erupted numerous times in the past.
Noctilucent clouds are the highest clouds on Earth, forming about 50 miles up and visible only around twilight.
The immortal jellyfish can reverse its aging process and turn back into a baby, essentially living forever.
Many scientists now believe dinosaurs were warm-blooded, not cold-blooded like modern reptiles.