Interesting and Unbelievable Facts

The Arctic Ocean is the northernmost of the five oceans , while the North Pole lies in the middle of this ocean. Six countries (Russia, Norway, Iceland, Greenland (Denmark), Canada, and the USA) of three continents ( Asia , Europe, and North America) surround the Arctic Ocean. Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean grows and shrinks during winter and summer. The ice reaches its maximum extent in March and shrinks to its minimum level in September annually. Warmer temperatures are responsible for the rapid shrinking of the Arctic ice. Satellite observations have measured Arctic ice each year since 1979. The summer Arctic ice is now shrinking at 12.2% per decade compared to its average shrinking from 1980 to 2010. Scientists measured the lowest summer Arctic extent (3.39 million square km) in September 2012. ( Source ) Storms in the Arctic Ocean usually occur in the winter. However, an extraordinary storm during the summer (August) of 2012 detached a large amount of ice from the ocean. The 2012 Ar

The numbat is a small Australian carnivorous marsupial mammal. It is the only living member of its family, Myrmecobiidae . Its other names are “noombat” and “banded anteater .” The closest relatives of numbats are other carnivorous marsupials, such as Tasmanian devils , quolls, dunnarts, dibblers, etc. Numbats are insectivorous animals and depend almost entirely on termites for food. It is the only marsupial with this selected diet. An adult numbat can eat up to 20,000 termites daily to fulfill its dietary requirements. They may accidently eat ants present near termites. Numbats were once widespread in southern Australia . However, their locality started to decrease after the arrival of Europeans and are now limited to two small parts of southwest Western Australia. Major reasons behind their disappearance are the introduction of invasive mammals (red foxes and domestic cats ) and the clearing of their natural habitat by Europeans. Numbats are now naturally present only in the Uppe

The Kalahari is an arid to semi-arid flat area in southern Africa. It covers most of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa . A vast area of the Kalahari Desert is composed of reddish sand due to a thin layer of iron oxide. The soil is alkaline, very dry, and low in organic material. There are various pans in the desert where the soils are extremely saline, making them toxic to most plant life. Okavango River flows from Angola and drains into the Kalahari Desert, where it forms the Okavango Swamp , an inland delta. It is one of a few inland delta systems without an outlet to the sea, making it the largest endorheic delta in Africa . This delta is responsible for the diversity of wildlife in the Kalahari Desert. Different areas in the Kalahari support  diverse  plant  life  according to their precipitation level. The southwestern part is the driest region and generally contains short grasses and drought-tolerant shrubs. There are shrubs, grasses, and scattered trees in central

The Namib is a cold coastal desert along the Atlantic Ocean in southwestern Africa. Its major portion is in Namibia, while small parts are in Angola and South Africa . The Namib is the only true desert in southern Africa and one of the two major coastal deserts (along the Atacama Desert in South America ) in the world. It has no surface water and receives less than 8 inches of precipitation annually. The Namib is the oldest desert in the world. According to scientific estimates, it formed at least 55 million years ago. The temperature of the Namib Desert remains mild near the coast throughout the year, ranging between 10 and 16 C. In inland areas, the temperature usually remains higher than 30 C during summer. It can also exceed 38 C for some days under the influence of winds blowing from the east. The Namib Sand Sea, the sandy part of the Namib Desert, became a  UNESCO World Heritage site  in 2013. It is famous for having two dune systems and numerous wild  animals . Dew and fog a

Storks are wading birds with long legs, necks, and beaks. Their closest relatives are similar-looking wading birds, such as flamingos , ibises, and herons. Storks have around 20 species , present in all continents except Antarctica . However, most species are in Asia , Africa, and Europe. Their habitat includes rivers , lakes, marshes, wetlands, and tropical forests. Storks are usually large, but their size differs according to the species. Hammerkop is the smallest stork, two feet in height. Marabou stork is the tallest, reaching up to 5 feet. Storks are diurnal and carnivore birds. Most species eat small aquatic and land animals such as fish , frogs , rats, mice, insects, etc. Some species also feed on carrion. Storks are almost completely voiceless due to undeveloped syrinx (a vocal organ in birds ). The only sound they produce is clattering their bills loudly under excitement. The flight of storks inspired the invention of aviation in the late 19 th Century. Two German brother

Seychelles is an island country in Africa. It consists of nearly 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean . Seychelles is the smallest country in Africa and one of the smallest in the world. Its area (451 km sq.) is less than half of Sao Tome and Principe (964 km sq.), the second-smallest country in the continent. Seychelles is also the least populated country in Africa . However, its population density (over 235 inhabitants per sq. km in 2023) is higher than most African countries. The closest country to Seychelles is Madagascar (700 miles), while Kenya (1,000 miles) is its nearest country on mainland Africa. Seychelles has the  most powerful passport  in Africa, while its global rank is 29. Holders of this passport can enjoy visa-free travel to 155 destinations worldwide. ( Source ) There are more than  150,000 giant tortoises  in Aldabra Atoll, one of the two UNESCO World Heritage sites in Seychelles. This island has the highest population of these reptiles in the world. This a

The Gobi is a cold desert in southern Mongolia and northern China. Its name derives from a Mongolian term meaning “waterless place.” The Gobi is the world’s 5 th largest desert and the 2 nd largest in Asia after the Arabian Desert. Another large desert, the Taklamakan Desert , is located to its west. Gobi Desert contains five eco-regions based on their distinct physical features and climate. These include Gaxun, Junggar, Trans-Altai, Alxa Plateau, and the Eastern Gobi. The Gobi Desert lies between several mountain ranges: Altai Mountains, Khangai Mountains, Tian Shan, Kunlun Mountains, and Altun Mountains. These mountain ranges play a vital role by creating a rain shadow effect over the Gobi. Researchers discovered stone tools from the Middle Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) between 200,000 and 40,000 years ago in 2016. They also found 40,000-year-old jasper artifacts. This area in the southern Gobi Desert once had lakes and wildlife. ( Source )  Scientists have discovered ancient stone

Minks are dark brown semiaquatic mammals native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are famous for their valuable fur. Minks are nocturnal and belong to the weasel family. Their closest relatives are weasels, otters, polecats, and ferrets. Minks and  otters resemble  each other, but they have visible differences. Minks are shorter (2 feet long) than otters (4 feet long), while their tails are short and bushy compared to long and slender tails in otters. These mammals have two extant species : American mink and European mink. The American mink is larger, more aggressive, and adaptable than their European counterparts. Their most prominent feature is the white chin. The native range of the American mink is North America, while the European mink is present in many parts of Europe . However, American minks are now present outside their native range due to various fur farms in Europe, Asia , and South America. American minks now inhabit several non-native areas in Europe and South America

The Atacama Desert is an arid region in northern Chile. This coastal desert generally lies between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes Mountains. The Atacama Desert is the driest place in the world , having an annual rainfall of 0.03 inches. It is the only true desert that receives less rainfall than polar deserts . Due to its arid atmosphere, scientists consider it a valuable place to find clues about life on other planets. ( Source ) The hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert did not receive rain for 500 years. After the first recorded rainfall during the 21 st Century, the desert lost nearly 85% of its indigenous microbial species. This event can provide information about the effects of precipitation on Mars and other hyper-arid planets. ( Source ) In 2023, scientists discovered a “dark microbiome” in the Atacama while testing scientific instruments designed for Mars. These microorganisms are either non-existent on other parts of Earth or have lost their relatives in the past. ( Sou

Mozambique is a coastal country in southeastern Africa. It borders the Indian Ocean to the east and has a tropical climate. Mozambique shares land borders with Tanzania, Malawi , Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Eswatini. The Mozambique Channel separates the country from Madagascar and Comoros. Mozambique has the  fourth longest coastline  in Africa after  Madagascar ,  Somalia , and South Africa. The length of its coastline is 2,470 km. Bantu people started migrating towards Mozambique in 400 BC, while this process continued by 400 AD. Islam arrived in its coastal areas around 1000 AD due to the development of port towns for trade in the Indian Ocean . The Portuguese captured Mozambique at the beginning of the 16 th Century. The colonization of Portugal continued until 1975. The Mozambican War of Independence started in 1964 and continued for ten years. Later, Portugal agreed to liberate Mozambique, and it became an independent country in 1975. After independence, Frelimo (Moz