Did you know that here are about 1500 potentially active volcanoes worldwide, aside from the continuous belt of volcanoes on the ocean floor? About 500 of these have erupted in historical time. Also many of these are located along the Pacific Rim in what is known as the 'Ring of Fire.' Pretty cool right?

Did you know that there’s a type of crab that is only found across the islands of the Indian ocean, Gambier islands and a small part of the Pacific ocean? Those crabs are called coconut crabs or robber crabs. They are animals with exoskeletons that can weigh up to 9lbs or 4kg and reach the height of 5.9” or 15 cm. (They are cute if you ask me.)

Did you know that there's a phobia called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia? That's the phobia of long words.Pretty ironic huh?

Did you know that a group of flamingos is called a “flamboyance”? There are also six flamingo species; the greater flamingo, Chilean flamingo, American flamingo, lesser flamingo, Andean flamingo and James's flamingo. Just imagine trying to tell every single one apart.....

Did you know that animals can experience time differently from humans? To smaller animals, the world around them moves more slowly compared to humans. Salamanders and lizards, for example, experience time more slowly than cats and dogs. This is because the perception of time depends on how quickly the brain can process incoming information. (I can imagine a salamader in a waiting room being like;Man,that is taking foreverrrrrrr.)

Did you know that Giraffes are 30 times more likely to get hit by lightning than people? True, there are only five well-documented fatal lightning strikes on giraffes between 1996 and 2010. But due to the population of the species being just 140,000 during this time, it makes for about 0.003 lightning deaths per thousand giraffes each year. This is 30 times the equivalent fatality rate for humans. (How lucky are those animals?!)

Did you know that the Sun makes a sound but we can't hear it? In the form of pressure waves, the Sun does make a sound. The wavelength of the pressure waves from the Sun is measured in hundreds of miles, however, meaning they are far beyond the range of human hearing. (Just imagine waking up to the sound of the sun...)

Did you know that Ants don’t have lungs? They instead breathe through spiracles, nine or ten tiny openings, depending on the species. ('no comment on that')

Did you know that Beavers don't actually live in dams? Technically, beavers live in a lodge  that they build behind a dam, within a deep pool of water. (You were today years old when you found out.)

Did you know that Bats aren’t blind? Despite the famous idiom, bats can inded see, but they still use their even more famous echolocation to find prey. (Sneaky little animals...)

Did you know that a group of owls is called a parliament? They also don't have eyeballs but they have eye 'tubes'. (Nevetheless they look cute and scary at the same time.)

Did you know that Australia is wider than the moon? The moon sits at 3400km in diameter, while Australia’s diameter from east to west is almost 4000km.

Did you know that it's illegal to own just one guinea pig in Switzerland? It's considered animal abuse because they're social beings and get lonely. (Seriously, how come no one has thought about this?!)

Did you know that the Ancient Romans used to drop a piece of toast into their wine for good health? - hence why we 'raise a toast'. (Now it all makes sense!)

Did you know it takes longer for Venus to rotate once on its axis than it does for it to orbit the Sun? A single day on Venus is about 243 Earth days, while a year on Venus is around 225 Earth days. (If you lived there, you’d have a birthday before the day was over!)

Did you know that the mudskipper is a fish that can walk on land? Using their pectoral fins like legs, they can move across mudflats and even climb trees. These fish are true adventurers, exploring both land and water. (Just imagine trying to relax at the beach and see a walking fish. Yeah my soul would leave my body tbh...)

Did you know that certain species of frogs, like the polka-dot tree frog, can glow under ultraviolet light? This bioluminescence helps them communicate and possibly even ward off predators. (They are basically a nightlight!)

Did you know that the number of possible unique chess games is far greater than the number of atoms in the observable universe? The estimated number of atoms is around 10^80, while the number of possible chess games is 10^120. (So if you think of many gameplays,don't overthink it because they are literally so manyyyy)

Did you know that Hippopotamus means ‘river horse’ in Greek? The word ‘hippopotamus' means ‘river horse’ and is often shortened to ‘hippo’. 

Did you know that there's a phobia called bananaphobia? If you guessed it, it's the fear of bananas. Some people don’t like to touch them and the smell is enough to send people out of a room, but this banana drama is an uncommon phobia. (WDYM YOU'RE SCARED OF A LITERAL BANANA?!?!)

Wearing a tie can reduce blood flow to the brain by 7.5%. A study in 2018 found that wearing a necktie can reduce the blood flow to your brain by up to 7.5%, which can make you feel dizzy, nauseous, and cause headaches. They can also increase the pressure in your eyes if on too tight and are great at carrying germs. (Note to myself; NEVER wear ties.)

Kangaroos are social creatures, and they live in groups called mobs, troops or courts. They have plenty of ways to communicate with each other, including nose touching, stomping their hind legs and growling. Mother kangaroos will even make clicking or clucking sounds to call their young back to them. (Today's fact is for one of my friends that is scared of kangaroos.)

Did you know that the real name for a hashtag is octothorpe? You've (probably) been calling it wrong your entire life!

Did you know that the heart of a shrimp is located in its head? They also have an open circulatory system, which means they have no arteries and their organs float directly in blood. (Kind of spine chilling if you think about it....)

Did you know that Neptune's moon, Triton, orbits the planet backwards? It's the only large moon in our solar system that does this!

Did you know that dolphins communicate in many different ways – including squeaking, clicking and whistling. Each dolphin has a unique whistle that helps them recognize each other pretty much like human names. They also use high-pitched clicking sounds for echolocation to help them navigate and find food. The 'clicks' hit objects in the water and then bounce back as echoes. This helps dolphins work out what and where objects are. 

Did you know that cheetahs hunt during the day to avoid competition from other powerful predators such as lions, hyenas and leopards? (And boy, can they hunt!) First, they use their exceptional eyesight to scan their surroundings before quietly stalking their chosen prey. Then, when the time is right, they sprint from cover, knock down their victim and kill it with a bite to the throat.

Did you know that the Western lowland gorillas are the most widespread type of gorilla and occupy a variety of habitats? Their large range, which is often in very remote areas, makes it difficult to determine their total population. They're also the only gorilla subspecies found in zoos.

Did you know that goldfish don't have stomachs and should therefore be fed easily digestible food in lots of small feeding sessions, rather than lots of food at once? This is also why goldfish produce so much waste and why you need a filter to keep their water clean.

Did you know that Oak trees are part of the natural heritage in Illinois? Oak trees have been present in Illinois for the past 10,000 years, around the time the glaciers receded. Playing a critical role in the local ecosystem for thousands of years, oak trees are an important piece of the nature heritage. Unfortunately, much of the original oak ecosystems have been lost.

Did you know that apples are 25% Air? Apples float in water because a whopping 25% of their volume is actually air. Apples are less dense than water, making them the perfect fruit for apple bobbing.