Strange But True: Surface Gravity
By Lucie Winborne
Oysters can change genders back and forth.
If the earth doubled in size, trees would fall over and dogs couldn't run without breaking a leg, due to the doubling of surface gravity.
While we like to alter and decorate them, earlobes don't have any true biological purpose.
Unlike any other rocky planet in the solar system, Mars isn't actually round, but shaped more like a rugby ball, with different sizes along its three axes.
Platypuses sweat milk.
Sorry, dieters, but there's no such thing as a zero-calorie food. Even things like celery and watercress contain more energy than the body needs to process them.
Odors can pass through liquid.
In 2013, an Indian woman was so badly constipated that doctors finally had to remove a football-size fecal mass from her body.
A penguin can reach depths of up to 550 meters in a single dive.
Research suggests that if you sleep badly and wake up multiple times during the night, you'll be more likely to recall any dreams you had.
A lightning bolt is five times hotter than the surface of the sun.
The world record for underwater breath-holding was set by Budimir Sobat in 2021, who held his breath for a total of 24 minutes and 37 seconds. Us average Joes, on the other hand, can typically hold ours between 30-90 seconds.
You have a 50% chance of sharing a birthday with a friend.
Wondering if you'll need an umbrella soon? Try looking at a pine cone. If it's closed, the air is humid and rain could be on the way.
There are more algae in the oceans than stars in the universe.
Thought for the Day: "Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." -- Mark Twain
(c) 2026 King Features Synd., Inc.