1

Popcorn is 4,000 years old. Not only did Native Americans eat it, but they also used it for making jewelry and fortune-telling thanks to the shape of the popped-up grain.

2

Magnolia is such an ancient flower, it’s actually pollinated by beetles. That’s because bees didn’t even exist when magnolia first appeared.

3

Banks in Italy issue loans secured by Parmesan cheese.

4

This is how the 3,750-mile-long Great Wall of China ends.

5

Croissants with butter are made in a straight shape in France, while croissants with margarine are made curved.

6

You can pay a $200 fine if you water your houseplants too much in Singapore.

7

Fieldfare birds dive on birds of prey and fire at them with their poop. Sometimes they do it so well that the prey isn’t able to continue their flight.

8

Despite the common myth, bats are not blind. On the contrary, their eyesight is sharper than that of humans! It’s just that they prefer echolocation.

9

Cicadas can exist as larvae for up to 17 years and live underground before becoming adults.

10

In Brazilian prisons, every book a person reads reduces the prison sentence by 4 days. A person must write an assignment about each book they read.

11

Bamboo blooms once every few decades and then dies. It is also very durable: it’s used for making nails and fittings. And believe it or not, it’s actually a type of grass.

12

During severe cold, Chicago authorities turn on gas burners under the rails so that the metal won’t deform from the cold.

13

Owl babies sleep in a horizontal position. That’s because their heads are too heavy and they’re not able to hold them up properly while they’re this young.