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Who doesn’t love a good random fact? Here’s one for you that I’ve learnt recently: A fluffy, weightless-looking cloud actually weighs around a million pounds. Since it's made out of water and air, it can accumulate quite a lot of mass—about the weight of 100 elephants. You wouldn’t think a cloud was this heavy when you’re soaring through it on a plane, would you?

More exciting facts about our world await you in the list below, courtesy of the “Factz.unheard” Instagram account. Scroll down to learn about the things you probably haven’t heard about before and make sure to upvote the ones that surprised you the most.

Sticking to the topic of clouds, we reached out to broadcast meteorologist Janice Davila, and meteorologist, atmospheric scientist, and owner of Makens Weather, Matt Makens, who kindly agreed to tell us more interesting facts about the atmosphere and weather!

BSc meteorologist Janice Davila tells Bored Panda that one of the most unknown facts from her field of expertise is that weather radars are slightly tilted upward in a half-degree (1/2°) angle. 

“This means that when you or someone else opens a weather app only to see that it says it's raining, it actually means the radar is detecting the rain at 1/2 degree up rather than looking at the surface. If you're not seeing any rain, it's because it's evaporated by the time it passed the radar, reaching the surface,” she explains. 

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Meteorologist, atmospheric scientist and owner of Makens Weather, Matt Makens, believes that most people might not be aware of just how much moisture there is in the air. “Especially within thunderstorms that are miles high and carry large hail...the tremendous amount of upward wind to enable all of that water and ice to stay in the air is mind-blowing to us as observers when we watch those thunderstorms pass through.”

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Another phenomenon he finds interesting in the field of meteorology is banded snowfall. “Whether it be lake effect snow or upslope against mountains, the total amount of snow that can fall within just hours can be staggering,” Makens says.

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Both meteorologists believe that the average person should have more knowledge about the atmosphere and weather, mostly for their safety. “I highly recommend people knowing the basics about the weather, especially hazard safety when it comes to storms,” says Davila. “Due to climate change, storms are getting more aggressive, therefore people should be more aware of how to react during nocturnal tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and anything else that may not be typical for their region.”

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“The lower atmosphere in particular has so many different conditions based on altitude yet the general public assumes its all relatively the same behavior no matter how high into the sky,” says Makens.

“Much like a river flowing through the mountains, there's extreme turbulence, calmness, variable speeds and variable temperatures throughout that river and the atmosphere is the same way. This knowledge can better help people understand why they see certain clouds at certain levels, or how wildfire smoke is transported to their areas, or even give them some forecast sense of what weather is headed their way by what they are observing in the sky around them,” he stresses.

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However, it’s not just the average person who might find some weather phenomena puzzling or surprising. These experts also admit being bewildered by some things that their scientific community hasn’t figured out yet.

Davila for example, is trying to find out how migraines could be connected with the rise and fall in barometric pressure. While Makens is fascinated by El Niño and La Niña, whose driving forces can’t be exactly pinpointed thus far.

#21

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

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Karl der Große
Community Member
2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's really afraid of bats, which I find surprising. They're like flying kittens.

Skogsrået
Community Member
2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am also afraid of bats like lots of other people cause rabies you know.

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SalamanderPanda
Community Member
1 day ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ironic that Stephen king is the reason that I sleep with the lights on ah ha ha 😩

SkippityBoppityBoo
Community Member
2 days ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hardcore relate! I love his books, he's a great story teller... His imagination doesn't make him "weird" or "psychotic"!!! Neither does it mean that people who like his books are "weird" etc. It's his style of writing, the way he can narrate and describe so you feel you're there... Anyway, the sleeping with the lights on? I do. Small lamps with the options of high, medium, low level. After the past few years with various things that have happened to me? You probably would too!!!.... P.S? He's actually a really nice person! People who have been lucky enough to have met him? They've nothing but nice things to say about him 🙂

whineygingercat
Community Member
2 days ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was danced around in Monkeybone. When Stu is in jail for stealing the exit pass, he's in a cell with other notable writers. Edgar Allen Poe and 'Steve' King exchange insults when 'Steve' asks about a nightlight. Stephen King (to the guard rat): How about that nightlight I asked you for? Edgar Allen Poe (to King): King You Pussy! Stephen King: Bite me Poe!

Upstaged75
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd be afraid too if I had those kinds of stories swimming around in my head.

Amelia Jade
Community Member
2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This makes me feel better. I just turned 50 and I have night lights all over my house. If I need to get up for any reason, I need dark corners illuminated to make sure no one is there. Otherwise, I can't get out of bed at all. The fear overrides everything else--even the need to pee.

Riley Quinn
Community Member
1 day ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are several reasons why this is not good for health. Light disrupts sleep because it resets your internal clock. It can also increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity. It can increase the risk of depression and the flight-fight response. King is not a stupid man, so he probably realizes the risks.

David Stutzmann
Community Member
10 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And he once admited he has to brush his teeth six time in a raw before going to bed.

Stinky
Community Member
16 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am not at all surprised - imagine living in that mind........

verna sack
Community Member
19 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stephen King LOVE HIS BOOKS <3 why you all into his sex life n his sleeping habits?

Jelena Putinja
Community Member
23 hours ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

considering what he writes one can only imagine what his dreams must be

martymcmatrix
Community Member
2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because otherwise his family members would be afraid in the dark if they were sleeping in the same room...🤭 🎈 🤡

2bwhctmvgn
Community Member
2 days ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Commas around the relative clause, please. Also, "novelists": you can't be "one of" a singular thing.

Chonky Panda
Community Member
2 days ago

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According to Climate.gov, the two terms refer to warm and cool phases of a natural climate pattern across the tropical Pacific. “The pattern shifts back and forth irregularly every two to seven years, bringing predictable changes in ocean temperature and disrupting the normal wind and rainfall patterns across the tropics.," it writes. Since El Niño and La Niña don’t appear on a regular schedule, it challenges the meteorologists.

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“Today, we can accurately—more or less—predict these features out to a year or maybe two. To be able to forecast these patterns several years in advance would be of tremendous economic gain for the hundreds of industries that rely upon risk management practices protecting from changes those ocean-atmosphere patterns create,” explains Makens.

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#50

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Note: this post originally had 80 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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