These curiosities of the Earth that you are about to discover show that human beings do not know as much as we think about our own planet. Our home in the universe hides secrets and curious facts that science has taken centuries to discover. In fact, we still have many curiosities about Planet Earth to know , although if we continue at this rate, we may have very little time left.
- It may interest you: 15 curiosities about outer space that you did not know.
30 curiosities of the Earth that will leave you stunned
Without further delay, we present you with 30 curious facts that will change the vision you have about the world in which we live.
1. The Earth is not round
But it is not flat either. The truth is that it has an oval shape that is due to its flattening at the North and South poles.
2. A desert planet
More than a curiosity about the Earth, it is a warning that this world is becoming unsustainable. Currently, one third of the earth’s surface is partially or totally deserted.
3. Travel to the other side of the Earth
If we made a hypothetical hole on the other side of the world and fell into it,It would take us about 42 minutes to reach the other end , although gravity would make us fall back to the other side continuously.
4. Unexplored oceans
One of the curiosities that shows that we know nothing about the Earth is that only 5% of the oceans have been explored . The other 95% is a complete mystery. Who knows what species or underwater landscapes will remain hidden down there?
5. We move continuously Whether you
‘re reading this sitting or lying on the sofa, you move at breakneck speed. Depending on where you are on the planet, you can be going around the solar system at about 1609 kilometers per hour . And why don’t we shoot out into space
By the force that gravity exerts on us.
6. The origin of water
We do not know for sure why the Earth has all this water on its surface, although it is believed that the fault lies with the ice asteroids , filling the terrestrial reserves for millions of years. In any case, that made life possible on our planet.
7. A day of… 23 hours
For a series of questions, it is established that a day lasts 24 hours. However, the Earth takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds to rotate on its own axis . Another curiosity about the Earth that you did not know.
8. A living planet
Bacteria, fungi, mites, beetles, protozoa…In a pinch of land you can find more living organisms than the total number of human beings. Do you get the idea of how alive the world can be on a small scale?
9. The deepest place
We already know that the highest place on the planet is Mount Everest, with more than 8,000 meters above sea level. The deepest place is the so-called Mariana Trench, in the middle of the Pacific Ocean . It is a 2,550 km long scar where an immense abyss of more than 9 km was recorded.
10. The hottest place
The hottest point on the planet receives the overwhelming name of Death Valley, in the state of California . There, the World Meteorological Organization recorded 56.7 degrees Celsius.
11. The coldest place
On the other hand, the Vostok Base, located at 3,488 meters high in Antarctica , recorded the coldest temperature: -89 degrees Celsius.
12. Circular
rainbows Although we have always drawn them differently, rainbows are actually circles that can only be fully appreciated under certain weather conditions. In the following video (not suitable for the squeamish) you can see the whole circle.
13. A violent planet
Between 10 and 20 volcanoes erupt every day on the surface of the Earth, although most of them do not have a really devastating effect.
14. Living in the clouds
If they tell you that you are always in the clouds, you answer that at least you will be accompanied. Some bacteria and fungal spores find their habitat among the suspended water droplets that make up clouds.
15. We are new at this
This curiosity of the Earth makes us see how insignificant we are. If the history of the planet could be concentrated in just 24 hours , the existence of humans would have begun at 23:58:43 pm.
16. The lungs of the planet
Only the Amazon jungle produces 20% of the oxygen on Earth. Due to deforestation, climate change and fires, 16% of the surface of this forest has already been lost.
17. A river under the Nile
Oddly enough, under the Nile River flows an underground flow six times greater .
18. Rocks that walk alone
We have already talked about Death Valley, in California, as the warmest place on the planet. There a curious phenomenon occurs, and that is that some rocks seem to move forming grooves in the sand.
It turns out that the valley rises above a pool of water, only 7 centimeters deep, which freezes over on some winter nights. This forms small particles of ice under the rocks that, when the hottest days arrive, melt and displace the rocks with force.
The walking rocks of Death Valley, one of the great curiosities of the Earth. | Image by: Scott Beckner.
19. The largest organism
Many people know that the largest mammal in the world is the blue whale. However, the living organism is a fungus in Oregon’s Malheur National Forest , which measures a whopping 2,000 acres.
20. Rain of dust
Every day between 100 and 300 tons of cosmic dust fall on the Earth , although this dust is made up of very small molecules with a very tenuous density.
21. Visible from space
The largest living structure is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia , while the largest man-made structure is the Great Wall of China. Both formations are visible from space.
22. A Diverse Planet
Alone1.3 million species have been identified , which means that 86% of terrestrial species and 91% of marine species have not yet been discovered. A message to future biologists: although much work remains to be done.
23. The most resistant animal
The tardigrade or water bear is the most resistant living organism, since it can withstand really extreme conditions and temperatures.
- To learn more: Tardigrades: the only animal capable of living in outer space.
24. Sunlight Light
rays from the Sun take about 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach Earth . That means that if a sufficiently large object were to come between our planet and the Sun, it would take us about 8 minutes to notice.
25. Space colonization
We have turned Earth’s orbit into a veritable space dump. It is estimated that some 38,000 objects created by human beings are hanging around up there.
26. Our grain of sand
Next, a somewhat dizzying figure: it is estimated that there are about 7,500,000,000,000,000,000 grains of sand on Earth .
27. The singularity of water
NASA director of planetary science Jim Green confirmed in 2018 that there was enough evidence to prove the existence of liquid water on Mars. However, we are still the only planet in the solar system where water can be found in its three states : solid, liquid and vapor.
28. Changing Gravity
There are certain areas of Canada, such as Hudson Bay, where Gravity does not exert the same force . The answer lies in the variation of gravity on the Earth’s surface and the convection currents.
29. The door to space
There is a border between the airspace of the planet and outer space. It’s called the Karma line.ny is located at an altitude of 100 km. Few privileged and privileged have crossed it.
30. The Moon, our companion
The Moon exerts an enormous influence on our planet. One of the main curiosities is that the Moon does not orbit around the Earth, but both bodies revolve around themselves .
- You can also read: The 8 most interesting mysteries about the Moon.
