ADVERTISEMENT

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. 

ADVERTISEMENT
#6

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
Nea
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This could only be Japanese! Please dont kill me, they are so cute and as an Indian do look like cotton fresh to me :)

View more commentsArrow down menu

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.”

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT
#12

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
Ron Man
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Of course they did. Willingly engaging in corporate espionage is a huge crime. Also, what would Pepsi care about Coke's recipe? Not like they're going to change their own due to that. Chances are, they already had it to begin with. The Coke secret recipe is more of a myth than anything else. They've changed their recipe a few times over the years and current Coke bears absolutely no resemblance to the original Coke.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

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.”

#14

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
Jessica Shookhoff
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Awww, so cute! We have hummingbird moths in the Rockies. They're exactly like mini hummingbirds but with fuzzy antennae!!!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

“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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

#20

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
JoNo
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The rabbit-proof fence stretches 3256 km (2023 miles) across Australia. It's actually three fences built at different times. Number 1 fence is 1834 km (1139 miles) long and built in 1901. Number 2 fence is 1166 km (724 miles) long, built in 1905. Number 3 is shorter still and runs east-west, instead of north-south like the other two. I'm not sure it keeps the rabbits out! The 2002 movie "Rabbit-Proof Fence" is about three indigenous girls escape from a settlement (think workhouse with the aim to assimilate indigenous children stolen from their families). The children endeavour to find their community by following the rabbit-proof fence). There's also a dingo fence. Lots of long fences criss-crossing Australia!

sdorph
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are currently estimated to be 200 million rabbits in Australia

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

I haven't a problem with rabbits, and I love cats, but both of these introduced species have been wreaking havoc in Australia ever since. Humans suck.

David Paterson
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, and that's really interesting. When anyone tells you a population drop to 200 individuals means the end of the species, just remember the rabbits.

Load More Replies...
Pyla
Community Member
2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They tried to introduce a couple of diseases over the years, only producing even heartier stock. Australia: the poster child for fccking up the environment with invasive species

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

Unfortunately Australian ecologists think that horses have the same fertility rate. Somehow they connect "has long ears, four legs, eats grass and is fast" with "gets 10 babies thrice a year" and conclude "too many horses" which equates to "put men with guns in helicopters, create a frantic stampede through a delicate ecosystem, leave dying horses, foals and premature ejected babies in that ecosystem". Apart from this insane cruelty, said system is poisoned by cadavers and trampled down, so no home for the - by this measure to be protected - native animals and plants. Plus, the descendants of the horses which made modern Australia possible, are punished for the actions of the lazy owners of the original horses, 200 years ago.

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

The horses in Australia are causing an ecological disaster and driving native species to extinction. How do *you* propose to control the numbers?

Load More Replies...
Eugene the Jeep
Community Member
2 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seems like that would be a free source of meat for a lot of poor people.

Huddo's sister
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My uncle apparently used to keep ferrets to hunt the rabbits on their farm. Supposed to be easier than shooting them. I moved from Melbourne to the country a few years ago and it still amazes me how many rabbits I see running along the sides of the roads!

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

Could scientists use their breeding DNA to help species who are almost extinct?

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

Not really. The special trick is that a female rabbit ovulates when doing the adult rabbit stuff, leading to pregnancy nealy 100% of the time

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

It must have been around 1862 when suddenly the banjos started to chirp... 🪕🐇 🐇 🧬

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

Rabbits do that.... It's like a whole rabbit thing. They're famous for it.

Glix Drap
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rabbit related - check out Japan's rabbit Island. Wanted to visit but couldn't fit it into my itinerary.

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

Introduced them for sport - the Brits wanted something to hunt. One of those times they didn't steal something...

S Bow
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're wasting your time being the punctuation police, the OPs can't see your comments.

Load More Replies...
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

“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.

#25

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
Karl der Große
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a recent article from a guy named Saul Justin Newman that found that a lot of longevity claims in places like Okinawa are caused by fraud or sloppy record keeping, and that there may not be any place where there is a strikingly unusual number of supercentenarians.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#29

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
Richard Graham
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is the 1946 Spacelander Classic bicycle (British), designed by Benjamin Bowden. It was manufactured into the 1960s.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#37

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
WubiDubi
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Albino are not endangered. It's a genetic trait you don't want, increased risk of skin cancer and eye issues.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#46

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
whineygingercat
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm thinking that they believe anyone who fits in the 100% discount needs to eat more and so they'll feed them for free

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#50

Interesting-Facts-Factzunheard

factz.unheard Report

Add photo comments
POST
BrunoVI
Community Member
3 days ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No religion? Uh... no. "[T]o live in Auroville, one must be the willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness." Oh, and there is no paper currency, but everyone is required to get a special debit card.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

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

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda