15 Random Fun Facts to Fascinate the Geeks Amongst Us

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There are certain facts that sound completely made up until you look them up and realize they’re actually true. They’re also the ones you immediately want to tell somebody else, whether that person asked for a random fact or not. History, animals, space, food, and everyday objects are full of strange little details that somehow make the world more interesting. Some explain things you may have wondered about for years, while others raise questions you probably never thought to ask in the first place. If collecting completely unnecessary but fascinating information is your thing, this list is for you. Here are 15 random fun facts to fascinate the geeks amongst us.©UnsplashBananas Are Berries, but Strawberries Aren’tBotanically speaking, bananas qualify as berries because they develop from a single flower with one ovary. Strawberries are considered aggregate fruits instead.©UnsplashA Day on Venus Is Longer Than a YearVenus rotates incredibly slowly. It takes about 243 Earth days to complete one rotation, while a trip around the Sun takes roughly 225 Earth days.©UnsplashWombat Poop Is Cube-ShapedWombats are the only known animals that regularly produce cube-shaped poop. Their unusually shaped intestines help form the distinctive little blocks.©UnsplashThe Eiffel Tower Gets Taller During SummerHeat causes the iron in the Eiffel Tower to expand, meaning the landmark can grow by several centimeters during particularly warm weather.©UnsplashOctopuses Have Three HeartsTwo hearts pump blood through an octopus’s gills, while the third circulates it through the rest of the body.©UnsplashThe World’s Largest Desert Is AntarcticaDeserts are defined by how little precipitation they receive, not by temperature. That makes Antarctica, rather than the Sahara, the largest desert on Earth.©UnsplashSharks Are Older Than TreesSharks have existed for more than 400 million years. The earliest trees appeared tens of millions of years later.©RedditScotland’s National Animal Is the UnicornScotland chose a creature that doesn’t even exist as its national animal. Unicorns have been associated with Scottish royalty and heraldry for centuries.©UnsplashThe Moon Has MoonquakesEarth isn’t the only place that experiences seismic activity. Instruments left by Apollo astronauts detected thousands of quakes on the Moon.©UnsplashSome Turtles Can Breathe Through Their ButtsCertain freshwater turtles can absorb oxygen through specialized tissues near their cloaca while spending long periods underwater.©UnsplashNintendo Was Founded in 1889Nintendo existed nearly a century before the first Super Mario Bros. game. The company originally produced handmade Japanese playing cards.©UnsplashThe Dot Over an “i” Has a NameThat tiny dot is called a tittle. The same term applies to the dot above a lowercase “j”.©RedditSea Otters Hold Hands While SleepingSea otters sometimes hold paws while floating together, helping them stay close instead of drifting away from one another.©UnsplashOxford University Is Older Than the Aztec EmpireTeaching was taking place at Oxford by 1096. The Aztec Empire wasn’t established until the 15th century.©RedditThere’s a Basketball Court Inside the U.S. Supreme Court BuildingA gym sits above the courtroom, and its basketball court has earned a very appropriate nickname: “the Highest Court in the Land.”The post 15 Random Fun Facts to Fascinate the Geeks Amongst Us appeared first on Den of Geek.