A hippo’s jaw opens wide enough to fit a sports car inside.

Inspired by trampolines, Moon Shoes let kids bounce—but led to twisted ankles and safety recalls.

A massive flamingo sculpture at Tampa Airport creates a surreal underwater illusion.

Messi sent a signed jersey to a boy who wore one made from a plastic bag.

The packaging problems of round fruit can be solved by making them square. In Korea, some apples are grown in plastic moulds so they take on a square shape.

These common veggies don’t grow in the wild—they were bred from wild cabbage.

Geta sandals elevate feet from mud and once let geishas announce their presence through distinct, echoing clicks

Superstition leads many skyscrapers to skip labeling the 13th floor—though it still exists physically.

Dr. Dre disliked his voice and was hesitant to rap until N.W.A pushed him into it.

Innovative Pugedon machines in Istanbul let people recycle bottles and cans to dispense food and water for stray dogs and cats.

Legend says the Chesterfield was designed to keep coats crisp and catch cigar ash in its folds.

Daisugi is a 14th-century Japanese pruning method that produces straight lumber while keeping the parent tree alive and intact.

In 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis patented riveted jeans to reinforce stress points for hard-working miners.

A theory suggests a second moon once orbited Earth—until it crashed into the Moon we know today.

The arteries of a blue whale are so massive, a human could swim through the largest ones.

Triton’s backward orbit hints it was captured, not born with Neptune.

Doha, Qatar is the first city to use blue roads to lower asphalt temperatures by up to 20°C.

Ostriches have the largest eyes of any land animal—great for spotting danger on the savanna.

A Congolese tradition forbids couples from smiling on their wedding day to show commitment and respect

Avocados contain persin, which is toxic to many animals.

Tom Hanks is Abraham Lincoln’s third cousin, four generations removed.