Fun Facts: Texas is larger than every individual European country

The Lone Star State is not, however, bigger than the portion of Russia that is in Europe. ( )

The practice of looped movies died around the 1970s. ( )

Some used to think coffee stimulated radical thinking. ( )

Canada and California’s populations both hover around 40 million people. ( )

The condiment was sold as a cure for indigestion by Ohio physician John Cook. ( )

The excess salt is filtered out of the body by running down penguins' beaks. ( )

Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard's golf ball flew about 120 feet, according to remastered images. ( )

Honey never expires because of its low water content and high acidity, an environment that's inhospitable to bacterial growth. You could eat honey that's thousands of years old, and it would still be OK. ( )

Humans spend about two hours per day dreaming, which totals to six years of dreams for the average lifespan of 85 years. ( )

Green peas are a common ingredient in Brazilian cuisine and are often used in various dishes.  ( )

Theories suggest that babies have small eyes and sleep much more than adults, so they don’t need to blink as much to lubricate their eyes. ( )

At the start of 2023, the tiny country of Monaco had 39,800 cellular mobile connections, which was equivalent to 109.3 percent of the total population. ( )

Escalators are rare in Wyoming, partially because developers often build outward rather than upward. Due to the state’s low population and vast land, buildings don’t typically need to have many floors. ( )

Great apes such as gorillas and chimpanzees are also known to laugh when tickled. ( )

Woolly mammoths existed for half a million years and went extinct 4,000 years ago. ( )

The brain of a newborn baby is about a quarter of the size of an average adult brain. It will be nearly fully grown by age five. ( )

A tablespoon of soil carries 50 billion microbes. ( )

The phenomenon is referred to as the "Pinocchio effect." ( )

The creators kept failing at marketing bubble wrap until its usefulness in protecting goods was discovered. ( )

Mirrors facing each other can produce just a few hundred reflections. ( )

Astronomers estimate that the death rate for visible stars is 10,000 years, making it likely that the stars we see now still exist. ( )

Relaxing during the summer holidays could also contribute to less wear and tear to the nails. ( )

The "Giant of Illinois" grew to almost nine feet tall because his pituitary gland released too much human growth hormone. ( )

The anatomy of a pig’s neck muscles and spine restricts them from looking upward. ( )

Of the world’s 1.42 million lakes with a size over 0.1 sq. km, Canada is home to 62% of them. ( )

While a penny weighs 2.5 grams, a Bee Hummingbird weighs 1.5 grams. ( )

A typical human cell is around 10 to 15 micrometers in diameter. ( )

Because space is nearly a perfect vacuum, there is not enough air molecules for sound waves to travel. The only exceptions are sounds within a spacesuit or spaceship. ( )

An established termite queen can lay up to 40,000 eggs every day to ensure a fast-growing colony. ( )

While a quick trip to Pluto would be a technological milestone, the fastest man-made object ever, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, can only travel about 400,000 miles per hour, or 0.06% the speed of light. At that speed, it would take three-quarters of a year to reach Pluto. ( )

Glucose in the wood frog’s blood prevents the animal’s cells from being damaged when frozen. ( )

While there were plenty of turkeys at that time, historians say there are no records that suggest they were eaten. Instead, fowl such as ducks or geese were likely served instead. ( )

By the end of next year, the company C.A. Swanson & Sons was able to sell 10 million turkey dinners. ( )

Teeth cannot repair themselves since they are coated in enamel, which is not a living tissue. ( )

Art competitions were abandoned in 1952, because the International Olympic Committee required all competitors to be amateurs but found most of the artists to be professionals. ( )

Today, many chef's hats still contain pleats as an ode to tradition rather than to signify skill. ( )

Allwine, who voiced Mickey Mouse from 1977 until his death in 2009, and Taylor, who voiced Minnie Mouse from 1986 to her death in 2019, kept their romance private but often praised each other publicly. ( )

During dives, a blue whale's heartbeat slows down to four to eight beats per minute. ( )

It’s no coincidence that the characters "J" and "I" sit next to each other in the alphabet. The letter "J," which originated as a fancy way of writing "I," eventually evolved to become its own letter in 1524. ( )

Moonquakes are not like earthquakes. Lunar seismic activity can last up to hours, while terrestrial tremors usually last for seconds. However, moonquakes have so far been measured at smaller magnitudes. ( )

Instead of tallow, candles are now commonly made of paraffin wax, which derives from petroleum, coal or oil shale. ( )

Negative attitudes toward left-handedness in China led people to force a right-handed dominance. Teachers may even change a child's writing hand to the right. ( )

The most common birthdays in the U.S. are in September. Some say that babies born in this month were conceived around the holidays when couples had more free time and felt more festive. ( )

Nepalese workers receive extra time off to properly observe their national holidays, easing their regular six-day work week. ( )

Because a cow’s neck is far less mobile than a human’s, they also have difficulty seeing when descending downward. ( )

Mohammed can also be spelled as Muhammad, Mohamed and Mohammad. ( )

After allegedly overhearing an expat say they missed eating turkey on the holiday, the enterprising manager at Japan’s first KFC was able to capitalize on the country’s lack of traditional Christmas meal customs. Hence, chicken became the next best thing. ( )

Individual tectonic plates move at different speeds. Coastal California, for example, moves faster than the continental U.S. at 5 centimeters, or 2 inches, annually. The relatively fast movement explains why the region experiences so many earthquakes. ( )

Buchanan’s niece, Harriet Lane, took on the role of first lady, or the White House "hostess." ( )

Figs produce a chemical called "ficin" that breaks down the bodies of dead wasps, meaning you won't always find insect carcasses inside. ( )

According to the National Retail Federation, 71% of that budget is spent on gifts while the rest is spent on other seasonal items such as decorations and travel expenses. ( )

Fatty acids are crucial for the brain to function. The remaining 40% of the brain consists of water, protein, carbohydrates and salt. ( )

The majority of Earth’s land (68%) is located in the North. The hemisphere also has much more favorable climates and urban development for human civilization compared to the South. ( )

A perfect mirror, which would reflect all wavelengths of visible light equally, would actually appear white. However, no mirror is made perfect in reality. This is why the reflections of two mirrors facing each other become greener and greener. ( )

About half of Americans, if not more, quit their resolutions by the second month, according to research. (Fox News)

The ironic twist of fate left manufacturers in a frenzy to claim the title of "first." (Fox News)

While sharks are designed to smell blood to find food, humans are designed to smell rain to find water. ( )

This marsupial's large tails prevent it from moving backwards. Instead, a kangaroo's anatomy is optimized only to help propel them forward. ( )

If commonly used letters were placed next to each other on old typewriters, typing too quickly could have caused type bars to collide. ( )

One exception was a video advertisement that introduced iPhones with crash detection. The displayed iPhone had the time set to 7:48, possibly to prevent the time 9:41 from being associated with car crashes. ( )

Alcohol also stays in urine for more than three days and in hair follicles for up to three months, according to Northwestern Medicine. ( )

Their eyes are typically small, blue and iridescent. ( )

Digital currency ranges anywhere from credit cards, debit cards, online shopping to cryptocurrency,  ( )

The world's largest video sharing platform eventually allowed people to upload any kind of clips, as no one was uploading dating videos. ( )

Some "Moon Trees" were given to several U.S. states, Brazil, France, Switzerland and even the Emperor of Japan. ( )

Instead of removing native kidneys, which could cause more complications and scarring, the non-functioning organs can remain in the body and shrink over time. ( )

A female Komodo dragon's ability to reproduce asexually also has its drawbacks, such as resulting in a lack of genetic diversity and inbreeding. ( )

Johnson was sworn in by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah T. Hughes while on Air Force One, just hours after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Texas. ( )

In contrast, a raindrop falls at an average speed of 20 mph. ( )

The message was sold as an NFT in 2021 for more than $100,000. ( )

While the motion of shoveling and throwing snow over your shoulder can rapidly increase your heart rate, cold temperatures can further constrict blood vessels and spike your blood pressure. ( )

Essentially, hot water freezes first only because there's less of the liquid to freeze. ( )

Laborers, tasked with building burial chambers, waited for 18 days beyond their payday before starting a sit-down strike. They also complained of hunger and insufficient wheat rations.  ( )

Hippos have a built-in reflex that allows them to take a breath at the surface without waking up. ( )

A cow’s panoramic vision allows them to see 300 degrees around them. ( )

Many countries celebrate the Lunar New Year, including China, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore. ( )

Oz also voiced the Cookie Monster, among other Sesame Street characters. ( )

The calories one may burn while thinking hard is quite minimal, meaning studying shouldn’t be considered a weight-loss strategy. ( )

According to NASA, a year had 370 days about 70 million years ago, and a year had 486 days about 900 million years ago. ( )

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and LA 2028 Summer Olympics will feature a total of 43 sports. ( )

This means 1 is opposite of 6, 2 is opposite of 5, and 3 is opposite of 4. ( )

That leg is their dominant leg! ( )

Genetic studies suggest that the human population once shrunk to 1,280 in Africa, according to history.com. ( )

You live 1 million seconds when you turn 11 days old. ( )

From the Orion’s Belt to the Big Dipper, constellations would look the same from every other planet in our solar system. ( )

Both companies were found in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the same year and by men with the same last name. ( )

Robert Downey Jr., who didn't disclose his past arrests and drug-related charges during his travels, was interrogated for six hours in 2008. ( )

George Washington’s birthday lands on Feb. 22, but President’s Day is now observed on the third Monday of February. ( )

Crickets rub their wings together faster in warm weather and slower in cold weather.  ( )

The oily irritant can be found in a cashew's shell, leaves, stems and roots. Mangos contain it in its skin, stems, leaves and tree sap. ( )

This is typical for incandescent light bulbs. ( )

Moving Day eventually died out after becoming too chaotic. Streets used to be blocked by horse-drawn moving wagons! ( )

In 2018, millions of Americans were recorded using 10 or more rolls of plastic wrap, according to National Geographic. ( )

The Earth's atmosphere is turbulent due to different temperatures and densities in the air. Because space doesn't have any atmosphere, stars don't appear to twinkle to astronauts. ( )

Scientists measure the Earth's inner temperature by analyzing seismic waves generated by earthquakes. ( )

Germany is the second-largest cheese producer in the world.  ( )

"Typewriter" is the longest word that can be typed from just one row on the keyboard. ( )

A human's lifespan (85 years) is only 0.00000189% of the Earth's age (4.5 billion years). ( )

Salinity decreases near the equator and at both poles, but, on average, every gallon of ocean water has one cup of salt. ( )

Hormones play an important role in hair loss in men. DHT, which is derived from testosterone, can cause hair follicles to shrink and result in eventual hair loss. ( )

The winery, Dora Sarchese, located in Italy’s Abruzzo region, offers free wine 24/7. ( )