Facts You Probably don’t Need

• Scientists estimate that there are around 100 billion to 400 billion stars in our galaxy, and about 200 billion to two trillion galaxies in the observable universe.

• The longest that anyone has ever held their breath for is a shocking 24 minutes and 37 seconds.

• Even though Mercury is closer to the Sun, Venus has a thicker atmosphere that traps heat, making it hotter than Mercury with an average temperature of about 900°F.

• The energy contained in a single lightning bolt is typically around 300 million volts but have been known to reach up to one billion volts.

• The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -128.6 degrees. It was recorded at the Soviet Union’s Vostok Station in Antarctica in 1983.

• The length of a day increases by approximately about 1 to 2 milliseconds per century due to tidal friction caused by the Moon’s gravitational pull

• Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is a fear of long words.

• Cold brew coffee is made by steeping coarsely-ground coffee beans in cold water for 12 to 24 hours.

          Facts by Sean McVeigh, factologist.