Earth Facts That Will Surprise You

The third planet from the Sun, Earth, is the sole location in the universe where life has emerged and can survive. It is also the only planet that is capable of supporting liquid surface water, which encompasses over 70.8% of its surface area, effectively making it an oceanic planet. The majority of the remaining water resources is contained in the polar regions, where vast ice sheets extend over the oceans and land, significantly overshadowing the quantities of groundwater, lakes, rivers, and atmospheric water found on Earth.

Discover the fascinating facts about our planet that you probably haven't heard before. Despite all the knowledge we've gained, scientists believe there is still much to learn about Earth. One surprising fact is that the Moon was once a part of our planet. We were amazed by these findings and wanted to share them with you immediately. For instance, did you know that Mount Everest is not the tallest mountain? Hawaiian Mauna Kea, which has an altitude of 13,795 feet above sea level, is actually taller if measured from its base to summit, reaching a height of 33,475 feet. Mount Everest is dwarfed by a height of 4,445 feet by another mountain. Coming in at number nine on the list, neighboring states can have a time difference of 24 hours. Despite being only 1,240 miles away from Kiribati's Line Islands, American Samoa experiences a time difference of 25 hours. At number eight, the driest place on Earth is found in Antarctica. While many believe it to be Chile's Atacama Desert, the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica have gone nearly two million years without rainfall. In this location, winds can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. Fresh water accounts for only 3% of Earth's total water. The remaining 97% is made up of salty ocean water, which is unsuitable for drinking. Of the total fresh water, 70% is held in glaciers. The sixth oldest temple in the world, Göbekli Tepe, is located in Southern Turkey and dates back to around twelve thousand years ago. According to researchers, the carvings on the temple's pillars suggest that a comet impact caused a sudden temperature drop on Earth approximately eleven thousand years ago. Scientists from Sweden have proposed that around 4.36 billion years ago, a planetary-mass object called Theia collided with Earth, which led to the formation of the moon. The moon's oxygen and titanium closely resemble those found on Earth. It is believed that in 250 million years, the continents will unite once again. Pangea, the supercontinent that existed between 335 to 175 million years ago, split into two continents, Laurasia and Gondwana, before separating into the seven continents we know today. In approximately 250 to 300 million years, it is hypothesized that the continents will reassemble to form Pangaea Ultima, a singular supercontinent. The first mass extinction was caused by a single-celled organism, according to a theory proposed by scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Methanosarcina, bacteria, experienced a sudden increase in population in the oceans 252 million years ago, resulting in the only known mass extinction of insects. Furthermore, this event allowed for the evolution of Archosaurus, the ancestor of modern-day crocodiles. The majority of our planet is in a perpetual state of darkness due to the fact that the world's oceans cover 71% of its surface. Only the first 655 feet of water are exposed to sunlight, leaving the rest in obscurity. This means that most of the Earth is shrouded in darkness regardless of the time of day. Earth's atmosphere also has defined boundaries, with the internationally recognized Kármán line situated at an altitude of 62 miles above sea level. Though the Earth's atmosphere extends much higher, this particular line was acknowledged by the world air sports federation as the point where the atmosphere meets outer space.