|
|
There can actually be a 25-hour time difference between certain locations in the world. The International Date Line passes between the islands of Samoa and American Samoa. It is not a straight line, but "zig-zags" around various island chains. Therefore, Samoa and nearby islands have one date, while American Samoa and nearby islands are one day behind. Daylight saving time is used in some islands, but not in others—further shifting the hours out of sync with natural time.
More than 2,500 barbiturates have been synthesized. At the height of their popularity, about 50 were marketed for human use.
The immune system needs 9.5 hours of sleep in total darkness to recharge completely.
The largest baby ever born weighed more than 23 pounds but died just 11 hours after his birth in 1879. The largest surviving baby was born in October 2009 in Sumatra, Indonesia, and weighed an astounding 19.2 pounds at birth.
About 3% of all pregnant women will give birth to twins, which is an increase in rate of nearly 60% since the early 1980s.