The most interesting scientific facts…

The world of science is so vast that it would be impossible to know all the information about it.  It hides a whole lot of secrets and surprises, so discovering it can be remarkably interesting.  If you want to learn new information related to astronomy, physics, biology, or mathematics, be sure to read the following text.  Perhaps you will find something here that will surprise you and make you want to deepen the topic.

• Madagascar fingerlings feed mainly on insects which – like woodpeckers – they look for under the bark of a tree.  Their third finger is thinner than the rest and is designed to tapping the bark to find voids for hearing.  The fourth finger is used to pull insects out of holes.

• The modern telescope has hardly changed since the one invented in 1608.

• Traveling increases brain health and also reduces the risk of heart attacks and depression.

• Being with happy people makes you happier.

• We do not learn while sleeping. Even unconsciously, contrary to popular belief. Sleep serves as a recovery period for the body.

• It takes a lot of confidence to ask yourself what you want to do and then do it. People who do not have enough confidence look at others to decide what to do.

• When a person turns 60, it is fair to say that they have spent about 20 years sleeping.

• Many feel that they can earn the respect of others by showing them respect. The truth is people do not respect people; people respect strength.

• The left side of the face is more expressive than the right.

• Appearance plays an important role in the election. Voters unknowingly choose incompetent and unreliable politicians simply because they are more physically attractive.

• Uranus’ moons, such as Umbriel, Ariel, Oberon, Miranda, and Titania, are named after the heroes of Shakespeare’s and Alexander Pope’s plays.  Explorer of Uranus – William Herschel originally named it the Star of George, but later the name was changed.  On the other hand, all the moons of Uranus owe their names to the English classics.

• Weapons are one of the oldest inventions that many great craftsmen worked on.

• A full revolution of the Earth takes 23:56:04 hours.  The minutes that are missing are due to the Earth moving into orbit.  If it took exactly 24 hours for the Earth to rotate, the next day the Sun would be placed elsewhere in the sky.

• Water mills used the power of a flowing stream to move a simple turbine, which in turn turned the higher millstones, which in turn ground the grain into flour.

• When there is an idea or the prospect of progress, it seems like we are trying and working harder.

• The right side of the brain is more concerned with emotional processing and the left side with language.

• The most depressing time of the year is winter, and it is believed to be caused by lower sunshine.

• What we wear affects our behavior.

• Disorders such as schizophrenia appear to be less common in people living in the countryside than in cities.

• Money does not bring happiness. What you do with them can bring you happiness or turn you into an emotional wreckage.

• Almost twice as many serial killers are born in November than in any other month.

• Depression affects women more often. This may be due to the fact that increased emotional expression is socially acceptable in women, or because there is some genetic link with female chromosomes suffering from this disease. Or because other problems, such as alcoholism and addiction, mask male depression.

• The weight of an adult brain usually ranges from 1,200 to 1,400 grams.

• Religious practices such as prayer and church service are associated with lower levels of mental stress.

• After 30 years of life, our brain gradually begins to lose mass. This may partially explain why our memory fails over time.

• Research has shown that good relationships are more important to a long life than exercise.

• The star closest to the sun is Proxima Centauri.  Although it is closest to the Sun, it was discovered in 1915. It cannot be seen in the night sky.

• In the 16th century, the people of Central America hollowed out logs while building boats with the help of fire.  The Chinese were the first to use fire for heating and cooking.

• In January, the Earth is closest to the Sun.

• A neutron star is the densest substance in the universe.  This star, the remnant of a supernova explosion, was compressed under the great pressure of the explosion.  It is made of tightly packed neutrons and has an extraordinary density.

• Parthenon built in 438 BC  towers over Athens.  It is considered the most magnificent stone structure created by the ancient Greeks.

• The smallest constellation is called the “Southern Cross”.  This little constellation is characteristic of the southern sky.

• The original Pepsi-Cola recipe contained digestive enzymes.  It was introduced in 1989 as a healing drink, and was named after two ingredients: pepsin, a digestive enzyme, and kola nuts.  In 1931, however, the company went bankrupt, and the new owner changed the recipe as we know it today.

• Mammoths have a very extensive root system.  An adult tree may have 4,000 m2 of roots but are only 4 meters deep.

• Doing things that scare you makes you happier.

• When you cry for joy, the first tear will come from your right eye, but if you are crying for sorrow it will come from the left.

• The happier we are, the less sleep we need.

• Those who worry about “What will others think of me?” believe that the opinion of others is more important than their own.

• Marrying your best friend eliminates the risk of divorce by more than 70%.

• Wise people tend to underestimate themselves, and ignorant people think they are brilliant.

• Women who have mostly male friends are more likely to stay in a good mood.

• A wise person knows that one can learn something from everyone.

• Your brain does more creative work when you are tired.

• Chocolate releases the same chemicals into your body that are produced when you fall in love.

• Falling in love has a similar neurological effect to taking cocaine.

• We cannot learn much from someone with whom we agree all the time.

• War chariots allowed the ancient Egyptian troops to attack at extremely high speeds.  Each cart was compulsorily equipped with a coachman and a warrior who had a bow and arrows.

• The Eskimo sleigh is made according to a design that has not been changed in 700 years.  They were probably also pulled by dogs then.

• The blinds that cover the windows make the room dark.  However, if there is a small hole in the roller shutter, a beam of light shines through it, which has special properties, namely, it transfers the inverted image of the outside world to the opposite wall.  This principle was invented and described in 1086 by the Chinese astronomer Szen Kua and is called the camera obscura.  He reportedly tested the effects of his discovery in a specially built tower.

• Paper production is one of the Chinese inventions.  In the 751st century, the Chinese were taken into Arab captivity and their ideas were stolen.  It was not until four hundred years later that Europeans learned to make paper.

• Picking up tobacco while it is wet is an extremely dangerous activity.  There is nicotine in tobacco, which dissolves in the water that collects on the leaves.  Nicotine, on the other hand, is absorbed through the skin, so harvesting should be postponed until the leaves are completely dry.  Nicotine poisoning among collectors is referred to as Green Tobacco Sickness, and symptoms include dizziness and vomiting, as well as heart rate fluctuations and pressure spikes which can be hazardous to your health.

• In 1300 the reel came into use in Europe.  With his help, people were able to spin the wool thread much faster.  The Chinese have been using reels in the production of materials for two centuries.

• The human field of view extends – including peripheral vision and the movement of the knobs – to 200 °, while without the movement of the knobs it is 180 °, which means that we can see out of the corner of our eye something that is behind us.
• Opposites do not attract. You are more likely to be drawn to someone who looks and thinks just like you.

• Lonely people are the ones who give advice on particularly good relationships.

• The placebo effect becomes stronger over time. As medical technology improves, our faith in medicine grows stronger.

• You are sad? You can trick your mind by pretending to smile and in the blink of an eye you will smile for real.

• We seem to ignore those who adore us and pay more attention to those who ignore us.

• Hiding the thumb behind all fingers is a sign of nervousness and indicates that the person wants to go unnoticed in the group.

• Depression is the result of over-thinking. The mind creates problems that do not even exist.

• Holding the hands of someone you love can relieve physical pain as well as stress and fear.

• If you want to beat someone on a game of rock, paper, scissors, ask them a random question and get to the game quickly. This will confuse their brains and make them choose scissors most of the time.

• When a person dies, they have 7 minutes of brain activity left, in which they see a sequence of their memories resembling a dream.

• Memories get distorted over time.

• During a group conversation, if someone turns their legs towards you, they are interested in you.
• Trestle windmills are the first European windmills.  They stood on a large wooden pole driven into the ground.  The miller could turn the windmill so that the wings were facing the wind.

• Botulinum or botulinum toxin is the strongest poison known.

• Steam was tamed by the Greek inventor Heron in the first century.  He created a steam turbine, called the “aeolian heap”.  The fire located under the boiler heated the water and the steam traveled through the tubes.  Instead, they were attached to a sphere that could spin freely.  Steam then burst through the jets in the ball, setting it in motion at the same time.  In the Middle Ages, steam began to be used in useful machines.

• In the body of a healthy person, nerve impulses can travel at a speed of 350 km / h.

• The Bible was the first book to be printed by Gutenberg.  He even left space for artists to fill them with colorful ornaments so that everything looked like it was being handwritten.

• Moving type is a Chinese invention dating back to the 11th century.  However, it was not a success for them, because the Chinese use 8,000 different characters in writing.  The Europeans, on the other hand, needed far fewer fonts, as the Roman alphabet has only 26 letters.

• Albert Einstein was offered the position of President of Israel.  Such an offer was made to the scientist in 1952 by the then Prime Minister of Israel – David Ben – Gurion, but he did not agree.

• Galileo’s clock measured time with a pendulum, but only when pushed by fingers.

• The Stockholm Syndrome is defined as a condition in which the victim feels sympathy and an emotional bond with his abuser.  The name of this syndrome refers to the 1973 bank robbery, when several hostages were locked in a bank vault for six days.  During this period, they established close contacts with the thieves and even after their release, they defended them.

• Birds hear the approaching tornado and evacuate in time.  When the wind ceases – they return to their nest.

• The Reflecting Telescope was designed by Isaac Newton in 1670. To get a more accurate image, he used a plate-shaped mirror.

• Teenagers who sleep too little are more likely to be obese.

• Sunbathing can be addictive because of the sun’s rays, which contribute to the formation of endorphins in the skin, i.e., hormones that positively affect the well-being.

• Before Samuel Colt – invented the revolver was successful, he had to work consistently on his design and be patient, but eventually managed to establish a weapons factory that brought him wealth and international fame.

• The nicotine contained in tobacco repels and poisons insects because it is a strong neurotoxin for them.  This makes tobacco a pest resistant plant, except for the species that have adapted to it.

• The largest ferns on Earth are found in New Zealand.  They form a trunk that can reach up to 25 meters, although it is usually around 20 meters.

• The Jan Kepler telescope was a better version of the device invented by Galileo.  The German astronomer chose the lenses that they could magnify the image up to 1000 times.

• The water pump, invented in 1588, belongs to 200 machines designed by the Italian engineer Agostino Remelli.

• In the 17th century, Dutch dyers taught the English how to dye wool.  Until then, the islanders were sending their dyes abroad.

• Thomas Edison was one of the best inventors from the United States.  In addition to the light bulb, he also invented a turntable and a microphone.  In the first bulb, he used bamboo fiber.  The lack of air in the bulb prevented the bamboo from burning.

• Gas lamps lit the streets from 1800.  A little later, they were also used in homes.  Until the invention of the light bulb, nothing matched them.

• The arc lamps were invented in 1847. They gave off a very bright light that could even cause blindness.

• When people say they do not have time, it really means they have other priorities.

• Women have twice as many pain receptors on their body as men but have a much greater pain tolerance.

• We are naturally predisposed to pay attention to relationships between two people, food, and danger.

• Your most vivid memories are negative.

• Sleeping without a pillow reduces back pain and strengthens the spine.

• People allow themselves to be manipulated by others because they feel they are not smart enough to take control of their lives. So, they allow someone “wiser” to control their lives.

• When you are injured, curses help reduce pain.

• People who try to make everyone happy often end up feeling the loneliest.

• If a girl likes you, she will play with her hair while talking to you.

• Those who act like everyone else and “fit in” are accepted in society. Those who are different are criticized.

• The more loyal you are, the more disappointment you encounter and experience.

• People with a generally high level of anxiety are more likely to remember images of threatening faces than people who are calmer.

• People with high testosterone levels tend to take pleasure in the anger of others.

• Volunteers are much more satisfied with their lives than non-volunteers.

• Lonely people perceive other people’s loneliness better.

• Women living in warmer climates have more concerns about their body appearance than women living in cooler climates.

• Women generally prefer men with deep voices because they appear more confident and are not aggressive.

• People with strong guilt understand other people’s thoughts and feelings better.

• More Lies! – The average person tells 4 lies a day, 1460 lies a year.

• Loneliness is as harmful to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

• If someone makes eye contact with you 60% of the conversation, is bored, 80% interested in you, and 100% of the time, you are in danger.

• Doing things that scare you will make you happier.

• Men are not any funnier than women, they just make more jokes, not caring whether people like their sense of humor or not.

• You rarely die in your dreams, and whenever you do, it indicates that you have started something new in your life.

• Bilingual people may unconsciously change their personalities when they switch from one language to the other.

• Everyone has 3 lives: public, private, and secret.

• Listening to high-frequency music makes you feel relaxed and happy.

• The risk of catching a cold or flu drops if you exercise moderately.

• People look more attractive when they talk about things that really interest them.

• Happier is not the one who has a lot of money, but the one who has more than his neighbors. People constantly compare themselves to others and feel satisfied if they are better in some way.

• Your body language changes with the person you talk to. Your body language seems relaxed when you talk to someone you like, while it is stiff when it is someone you do not like.

• People who lack self-esteem need to tell others about their achievements in order for their own achievements to become meaningful to them. Those who have high self-esteem feel a quiet inner pride in their achievements.

• The more you know, the better you are aware of what you do not know.

• Optimistic beliefs about the future can protect people from physical and mental illness.

• The largest producer of natural gas is the Netherlands.  50% of the gas produced in this country comes from the Groningen gas field, which is one of the largest in Europe and the tenth largest in the world.  The remaining 50% comes from smaller gas fields, mostly scattered around the North Sea.

• Nicotinic acid, despite its name, is essential for the proper functioning of the body.  Better known as vitamin PP or niacin, it is found in both plant and animal foods and has absolutely nothing to do with tobacco.

• ​​Old photos were developed in sepia as it increased their durability.  When staining with sepia, it was necessary to use additional chemical processes.

• The strongest known acid is fluoroantimonic acid consisting of a mixture of antimony pentafluor and hydrofluoric acid.  It is as much as twenty trillion more powerful than concentrated sulfuric acid.

• Allalide caspirin is the active substance in pepper spray.  As with eating hot peppers, people affected by gas should wash their skin with soap and water or grease.  However, water itself should be avoided.

• The name “Molotov Cocktail” was coined and popularized in Finland.  Finnish soldiers used this weapon against the Soviets during the Winter War.

• The Eiffel Tower is highest during the summer months of July and August.  It is 320 meters high, but its construction of steel, which has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, means that it changes its height by about 15 centimeters, depending on the month.

• Cats have vertical pupils to see better in low light.  Thanks to this, they can regulate the amount of light entering the eye through the movement of the eyelids.

• When standing at the South Pole, we cannot look east, west, or south because each direction is north.

• A rugby ball has the shape of an ellipsoid, i.e., a figure in which all the sections are ellipses.

• The symbol of infinity is called “Lemniscate”.  The same name is used to describe all geometric figures that resemble the sign of infinity, the so-called “topped-over eight”.

• The beriberi disease that once affected the inhabitants of southern Asia was due to the fact that they ate only white rice.  This rice does not contain vitamin B1, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the body.

• During the Black Death epidemic in Europe, Poland managed to avoid the spread of the disease.  It was all thanks to Casimir the Great, who put a quarantine on the border, and for some time everything was detained just at the border.  Iceland was the second area to avoid the epidemic.

• Usually, thinking about a successful outcome will reduce our motivation rather than increase it.

• Most people write faster when they like someone.

• It is easier to remember things with your eyes closed.

• Receiving money for doing something you like can make you less creative.

• People with low self-esteem tend to humiliate others.

• Most people think that other people’s social life is richer than their own.

• It is possible to die from a broken heart. This is called Broken Heart Syndrome.

• Unhappy people watch more TV.

• Behavior and habits affect morality. People who lie more often will soon find themselves in deeper immorality than they were before the lie began.

• If you have difficulty making friends with someone you like, try to befriend their friends first.

• Smart people tend to have fewer friends.

• A smile can make you happier.

• The money spent on experiences will always be of greater value to you.

• People are so addicted to their smartphones that 90% of people aged 10-29 sleep with their phones.

• The way parents talk to their children becomes the child’s inner voice.

• a person’s height is determined by his father and weight is determined by his mother.

• Dogs have many more neurons in the cerebral cortex than cats. There are about 530 million in dogs and 250 million in cats. By comparison, there are approximately 16 billion neurons in the human cortex.

• When telling a lie, adding an embarrassing detail can make it more believable.

• The way a person treats restaurant staff reveals a lot about their character.

• Some people get married because they feel love. Others get married to have sex, or their religious beliefs will make them feel guilty.

• The bicycle was invented in 1839 by the Scottish blacksmith Kilpatrick Macmillan.  50 years later, the bicycles already had chains, inflatable tires, and spokes.

• Prions are the infectious particles that are the most difficult to treat.  All prion diseases are fatal, they lead to completely irreversible changes.  Prions are resistant to radiation, heat, and other chemical agents.  They can survive sterilization for approximately twenty minutes at 134 ° C.

• The first balloon took off in 1784. It was an invention of the French Montgolfier brothers who filled a large silk balloon with warm air.  In the same year, hydrogen-filled balloons also took off.

• The first diesel engine, patented in 1892 by Rudolf Diesel, ran on peanut oil.

• French astronomer Giovanni Maraldi in the 18th century used the times of the eclipses of Jupiter’s moons for his geodetic measurements.

• The oldest, still produced English-language encyclopedia, Britannica, is created in Chicago.  It was first published between 1768 and 1771 in Scotland.  Although it has been written in the United States for over a century, it maintains the British spelling to a large extent.

• The Flyer I is a popular Wright brothers’ plane from 1903. It had a fairly small engine, no bigger than that found in a motorcycle today.

• The Brocken spectrum is a phenomenon that observes its shadow on a cloud below the observer.  There may be times when a shadow is also surrounded by a rainbow border, known as a “glory”.

• Joseph Niepce, a French chemist who experimented with photography in 1826, installed a lens in a small box that projected the image onto a tar-covered metal plate.  The tar hardened where the light fell.  After removing the soft tar, the first photo in the world was obtained.

• People are more likely to commit immoral acts when no one checks them out and have to answer to no one.

• When someone says they have to ask you something important, you immediately remember the bad things you have done recently.

• Comedians are usually more depressed people in reality than other people.

• People who lose their virginity after the age of 19 have a higher income and education than those who lost their virginity earlier.

• Forcing someone to do you a favor makes them like you more.

• The people who give the best advice are those who have the most problems.

• If you cannot stop your thought stream during the night, get up and write them down. This will calm your mind so you can sleep.

• 90% of the time, people with messy handwriting are more creative.

• The most dangerous for eyesight on a sunny day is wearing sunglasses that do not have a UV filter.  Glasses that filter only visible light have an extremely negative effect on eyesight.  Better not to have glasses at all than to wear them.

• Alexander Bell invented the telephone quite by accident when he was trying to find a way to transmit several telegraphs simultaneously over a single cable.

• Steve Jobs sold his car to have money to produce personal computers.  Apple grew faster than any other American company.

• Misanthropy describes a general aversion to the human species.  This feeling is directed to the entire population – including oneself – and not to specific individuals.

• Wilhelm Roentgen found that the x-rays that come out of the electron tube as it passes through the flesh and bones become visible as shadows on a shimmering screen.

• Texas Instruments invented the pocket calculator in 1972, thereby replacing large, typewriter-like devices.

• The “horoscopic effect” is an effect whereby people find accurate descriptions of their personalities, ignoring the fact that they apply to a wide range of people.

• The most depressing day of the year, Blue Monday, is the third Monday in January.

• The Humber Bridge, built in 1981, spans 1,328 meters and has been the longest bridge in the world for over 16 years.  Now this place is taken by Akashi Kaikyo, located in Japan.

• Home coffee has been the Polish species name of the guinea pig since 2015.

• The first washing machine invented by Alv Fisher in 1906 in Chicago was not very safe as it electrocuted many people.

• Cuttlefish as a cephalopod have three hearts.  Cephalopods have a central heart and two gill hearts located at the base of the gills.  They also have two blood circuits, large and small.  Large: heart – body – gill heart and small: gill heart – gills – heart.

• The parrot is the only one that can simultaneously move both the upper and lower parts of its beak.

• The electric vacuum cleaner was invented in 1901 by the British engineer Hubert Booth, thus replacing the vacuum cleaners with a hand pump.

• UV radiation is the main threat to living organisms associated with the ozone hole.

• Sulfuric acid is most responsible for the formation of acid rain.

• Greenland National Park is the largest national park in the world.  It was established in 1974 and enlarged in 1988 to its present size, i.e., 972,000 km2.

• Eyebrows are most useful in tropical climates, where they effectively protect the eyes from sweat dripping from the forehead.

• Happiness, anger, sadness, fear, disgust, and surprise are six commonly expressed emotions.

• Group conversations in most cases end up complaining about something.

• If a person laughs at very funny jokes, he feels deeply lonely.

• Your shoes are the first thing people subconsciously notice about you. So, wear nice shoes.

• Eating an orange reduces stress levels.

• Men and women solve problems differently.

• Writing negative thoughts and throwing them away makes you feel better.

• Cheaters think everyone is cheating, and liars think everyone is lying.

• Our emotions do not affect the way we communicate. In fact, the opposite is true: the way we communicate affects our mood.

• 7 positive comments neutralize the effect of 1 negative.

• The smarter a person is, the faster he thinks and the more sloppy his writing is.

• People’s favorite subject is themselves. If you want someone to like you, talk about them.

• People who watch TV crime overestimate the frequency of crime in the real world.

• Lying requires more mental effort than telling the truth.

• Never tell anyone about your goals. Because it chemically satisfies the brain. Then you have less motivation to complete the goal.

• No one born blind has ever developed schizophrenia.

• People tend to be happier when they are busy as it prevents them from thinking about the negative things in life.

• Research into human behavior suggests that a person who loses a cell phone experiences panic similar to the experience of the death of a loved one.

• Your brain releases certain chemicals when there are trees or plants around you.

• A hug for longer than twenty seconds releases chemicals into your body that make you trust the person you are hugging.

• Dreams are conversations between you and your subconscious mind.

• People are more honest when they are physically tired.

• Pretending that he does not care is the habit of someone who cares the most.

• The human foot, including the ankle, has 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles.

• The tallest man in the world was 272 cm tall and weighed about 222 kg.  It was Robert Pershing Wadlow, also known as the Alton Giant.  The reason for his high growth was the hyperfunction of the pituitary gland.

• Color blindness is more common in men than in women.

• Chimpanzees are the most closely related to humans.  Both species are descended from a common ancestor around 6 million years ago.

• The Northern Lights occur on Earth, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune.

• In Earth’s sky, Venus is by far the brightest planet.  The close distance to the sun that illuminates it makes it the most visible.

• The solar system currently consists of eight planets.  These include Venus, Earth, Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, and Uranus.  Since 2006, Pluto has been classified as a dwarf planet.

• Socrates did not write any work because he was illiterate.  Knowledge of Socratic philosophy comes from his students.

• The name of the ruble – the Russian currency comes from the word chop.

• On the flag of Argentina there is an image of the god Inti, who is represented by the Incas in the form of the sun.  It is also a symbol of the May Revolution, thanks to which independence was regained.

• Van Gogh painted Starry Night in a psychiatric hospital.  He volunteered there after cutting off his ear as a result of a nervous breakdown.

• From birth, the human eye does not change its size.

• Leonardo da Vinci was so talented that he could write with one hand and draw simultaneously with the other.

• When breathing, the ribs move five million times a year.

• Only 4% of children are born on the prescribed date.

• Men have fewer taste buds than women.

• The hottest chili pepper in the world is so hot it can kill you.

• North Korea and Cuba are the only places you cannot buy Coca-Cola.

• A single solar flare can release the equivalent energy of millions of 100 megaton nuclear bombs

• Giant adult penguins writhed around New Zealand about 59 million years ago.

• Indonesia is home to some of the lowest people in the world.

• Gravity on the moon is one sixth of what there is on Earth.  Someone who weighs 68 kg on this planet weighs 11 kg less on the moon.

• The smallest Fidget Spinner in the world is 100 microns wide.  It is smaller than the width of a human hair and is barely visible to the naked eye.

• Children have about 100 more bones than adults.  Babies have around 300 bones at birth, with cartilage between them.  As we age, many bones fuse, leaving behind 206 bones that make up the average adult skeleton.

• Female sharks have thicker skin than male sharks.  Scientists believe it is because males have this strange tendency to bite females during mating season.

• The Eiffel Tower can be higher by 15 cm during the summer.  When a substance is heated, its molecules move more and take up more volume – this is known as thermal expansion.

• After all, your appendix may not be a useless organ.  Research suggests it may play a role in the immune system as a secondary defense organ, acting as a “hideout” for helpful gut bacteria.

• Cats always land on their feet, thanks to physics.  As Smarter Every Day has shown, thanks to this slow-motion material, cats actually use the two halves of their body separately to ensure quick rotation.  Do not try this at home.

• The total population in the world is over 7.5 billion.  And of course, that number sounds huge.  However, it may seem a little easier to learn when you learn that if each of these people stood shoulder to shoulder, they could all fit within the 500 square miles of Los Angeles.

• Earth seems to have a whole new underground continent called Zealand.  The discovery itself is not new – some geologists have been advocating its existence for many years.  However, in 2017, a team of scientists concluded that Zealandia met all the requirements for a drowned continent.

• For the first time in human history, gene editing was performed in 2017 to establish a mutation for an inherited disease of embryos.  Using a powerful tool called Crispr-Cas9, scientists successfully altered the DNA in defective embryos so that they were no longer programmed to develop congenital heart failure.