10 fun facts about the world that everyone should know

1. There are more possible iterations of a game of chess than there are atoms in the universe. This mind-boggling fact highlights the vastness of the universe and the complexity of the game of chess.

2. The highest point on earth is not Mount Everest. It is actually Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador. This is due to the equatorial bulge that causes the Earth to bulge outward at the equator.

3. The shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes. The Anglo-Zanzibar War occurred on August 27, 1896, between the United Kingdom and the Zanzibar Sultanate.

4. The world’s largest amphibian is the Chinese Giant Salamander, which can grow up to six feet long. Sadly, the species is critically endangered due to habitat loss and overhunting.

5. The world’s oldest piece of chewing gum is over 9,000 years old! Archaeologists discovered a wad of ancient chewing gum made from tree bark in Finland.

6. The world’s largest snowflake on record was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick. This amazing natural wonder was observed in Montana in 1887.

7. The world’s largest desert is actually Antarctica. It may come as a surprise, but the harsh climate and lack of rainfall qualify it as a polar desert.

8. The longest place name in the world belongs to a hill in New Zealand – Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu. The name translates to “the place where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, who slid, climbed, and swallowed mountains, known as the land-eater, played his flute to his loved one.”

9. The only letter that doesn’t appear in any US state name is the letter Q. This curious fact shows how words and language can be influenced by geography and history.

10. The world’s deepest postbox is located in Susami Bay, Japan, and is 10 meters underwater. This unique mailbox allows scuba divers to post their letters and postcards while exploring the depths of the ocean.