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Wonders of Science

Fascinating Scientific Facts

By Derick OkwaPublished about a year ago 4 min read
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Wonders of Science
Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash

Science is an ever-evolving field that continues to uncover new and fascinating facts about the world around us. From the smallest subatomic particles to the largest galaxies, there is no shortage of wonders to discover. Here are 10 fascinating scientific facts that are sure to pique your curiosity:

There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth.

The universe is vast beyond comprehension, and the sheer number of stars is one of its most awe-inspiring features. Estimates suggest that there may be as many as 100 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy alone, and there are billions of other galaxies out there as well.

Your body contains more bacterial cells than human cells.

The human body is home to trillions of bacteria, many of which play important roles in maintaining our health. The number of bacterial cells in our body is thought to outnumber human cells by a factor of 10 to 1.

The fastest animal on Earth is not the cheetah, but the peregrine falcon.

While the cheetah is often cited as the fastest land animal, the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal overall. This bird of prey can reach speeds of up to 240 miles per hour when diving for prey.

The world's largest living organism is a fungus.

While the blue whale is often cited as the largest organism on Earth, the honor goes to a fungus. The honey mushroom, which grows in the forests of Oregon, is estimated to cover an area of 2,200 acres and may be up to 8,000 years old.

The largest volcano in the solar system is on Mars.

While Earth has its fair share of impressive volcanoes, the largest known volcano in the solar system is actually on Mars. Olympus Mons is a shield volcano that stands 13.6 miles tall, making it nearly three times taller than Mount Everest.

The oldest living creature on Earth is a type of seagrass.

While many animals and plants have relatively short lifespans, some organisms have been around for an incredibly long time. The oldest known living organism on Earth is a type of seagrass called Posidonia oceanica, which has been growing in the Mediterranean Sea for an estimated 100,000 years.

The human brain contains more connections than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

The human brain is one of the most complex structures in the known universe, with billions of neurons and trillions of connections between them. The number of connections in the human brain is thought to be greater than the number of stars in our galaxy.

There is a type of ant that can survive for weeks underwater.

While most insects would drown if submerged in water for an extended period, the water-walking ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) has a unique ability to survive for weeks underwater by trapping air bubbles on its body.

The Earth's magnetic field is slowly shifting.

The Earth's magnetic field is generated by the motion of molten iron in the planet's core, and it helps protect us from harmful solar radiation. However, this magnetic field is not static, and it is currently shifting at a rate of about 5 percent every century.

The universe is expanding at an accelerating rate.

One of the most surprising and mysterious discoveries in modern science is that the universe is not only expanding, but its expansion is accelerating. This suggests that there may be some unknown force, known as dark energy, driving the expansion of the universe.

The universe is mostly made up of dark matter and dark energy. Scientists estimate that only 5% of the universe is made up of ordinary matter, which includes all the stars, planets, and galaxies that we can see.

The human brain is the most complex structure in the known universe. It contains around 100 billion neurons, each of which can form up to 10,000 connections with other neurons.

The speed of light is the fastest anything can travel in the universe. It travels at 299,792,458 meters per second or approximately 186,282 miles per second.

The sun is so large that it contains 99.86% of all the mass in our solar system. It's so large that 1.3 million Earths could fit inside it.

The tallest mountain in our solar system is Olympus Mons on Mars, which is approximately 22 kilometers (13.6 miles) high.

The Earth's magnetic field is what protects us from the solar wind, a stream of charged particles that constantly bombards our planet. Without it, life on Earth would be much more difficult to sustain.

The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-89.2 degrees Celsius) at the Soviet Union's Vostok Station in Antarctica in 1983.

The largest living organism on Earth is a fungus called Armillaria ostoyae, which covers 2,200 acres (8.9 square kilometers) in Oregon's Blue Mountains.

The strongest natural material in the world is spider silk, which is five times stronger than steel of the same weight.

The universe is 13.8 billion years old, but the oldest known object in the universe is a star called HD 140283, which is estimated to be around 14.5 billion years old.

These are just a few of the countless scientific facts that continue to amaze and inspire us. From the tiniest particles to the vast expanse of the universe, there is always something new and fascinating to discover.

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NatureScience
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About the Creator

Derick Okwa

I am a fun and easing going guy who loves nature and the beautiful creatures inhabiting the earth with us. More reason I write articles about them.

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