Saturn is less dense than water
Saturn is mostly hydrogen and helium, so its average density is lower than that of water. In theory, it would float if you could find a…
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All factsThe Moon is slowly drifting away from Earth
Laser reflectors left on the Moon by Apollo astronauts show it moves about 3.8 centimetres farther from Earth every year.
Read the full fact →Lightning is about five times hotter than the surface of the Sun
A lightning channel can reach around 30,000 degrees Celsius. The surface of the Sun is about 5,500 degrees Celsius.
Read the full fact →Oxford University is older than the Aztec Empire
Teaching at Oxford is recorded as early as 1096, while the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan was founded in 1325.
Read the full fact →Sharks are older than trees
The earliest shark-like fish appeared more than 400 million years ago. The first trees appeared roughly 350 to 385 million years ago.
Read the full fact →Antarctica is the largest desert on Earth
A desert is defined by how little precipitation it gets, not by heat. Antarctica, especially its interior, receives very little rain or snow.
Read the full fact →Explore in 3D
Drag to rotate · scroll or pinch to zoomThe Moon is slowly drifting away from Earth
Laser reflectors left on the Moon by Apollo astronauts show it moves about 3.8 centimetres farther from Earth every year.
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How lightning gets so hot
A bolt can briefly heat the air around it to temperatures far above the surface of the Sun.
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