Facts

The only letter that doesn’t appear on the periodic table

The One Letter Not Found in Element Names or Symbols D. The letter “J” is the only one not found on the periodic table. In some countries (e.g., Norway, Poland, Sweden, Serbia, Croatia), the element iodine is known by the name jod. However, the periodic table still uses the IUPAC symbol I for the element.

The “Windy City” name has nothing to do with Chicago weather

When you hear someone mention the “Windy City,” you immediately know they’re talking about Chicago, as surely as the “Big Apple” means New York and “Sin City” refers to Las Vegas. Knowing this, you might make sure to pack your best windbreaker for your first trip to Illinois’ biggest city. But it turns out that, […]

Some fungi create zombies, then control their minds

The tropical fungus Ophiocordyceps infects ants’ central nervous systems. By the time the fungi been in the insect bodies for nine days, they have complete control over the host’s movements. They force the ants to climb trees, then convulse and fall into the cool, moist soil below, where fungi thrive. Once there, the fungus waits […]

Blue whales eat half a million calories in one mouthful

If a big whale attacks a particularly dense swarm, it can swallow up to 500 kilograms of krill, eating 457,000 calories in a single monster mouthful and getting back almost 200 times the amount it burned in the attempt The blue whale is the largest animal that has ever lived. Ironically, it sustains its massive […]

Peanuts aren’t technically nuts

They’re legumes. According to Merriam-Webster, a nut is only a nut if it’s “a hard-shelled dry fruit or seed with a separable rind or shell and interior kernel.” That means walnuts, almonds, cashews, and pistachios aren’t nuts either. They’re seeds.

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