50 Cool And Interesting Facts About The World That May Be New To You

We all get bored at some point. One surveyfoundthat the average American adult experiences 131 days of boredom per year. And most of it happens atwork. Another studyrevealedthat employees are bored on the job for more than 10 hours per week. But it’s not a bad thing. Scientists say being bored gives our brain a moment to pause, rest and reset. It also creates space to daydream. And that in turn can boost our creativity. Long bouts of boredom could even set us on a differentlife path, if we end up pondering whether we are adding value to the world or merely wasting our time doing what we do.Of course, boredom can also lead you to places you might not have gone. And you’ll find out things you might not have known before. If you ended up reading this as a result of being bored, your brain could be thanking you in a few minutes' time. We recently came across an Insta page calledFacts By Science. It has over 566 thousand followers, and shares super interesting tidbits from around the world.Keep scrolling for a list of our favorites, and upvote the ones that blew the boredom out of your mind. Don’t miss the chatBored Pandahad with media psychologistDr. Pamela Rutledgeabout the positives and negatives of using social media to combat boredom.This post may includeaffiliate links.

Of course, boredom can also lead you to places you might not have gone. And you’ll find out things you might not have known before. If you ended up reading this as a result of being bored, your brain could be thanking you in a few minutes' time. We recently came across an Insta page calledFacts By Science. It has over 566 thousand followers, and shares super interesting tidbits from around the world.

Keep scrolling for a list of our favorites, and upvote the ones that blew the boredom out of your mind. Don’t miss the chatBored Pandahad with media psychologistDr. Pamela Rutledgeabout the positives and negatives of using social media to combat boredom.

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Luxembourg tram at station; unique world fact: public transport is free nationwide.

Occasional boredom isn’t bad, but according toPsychology Today, frequent boredom can be associated with mental health issues such asanxietyanddepression, lower achievement at school or work, and involvement in unhealthy relationships. It can even drive people to indulge in substance abuse, or reckless and antisocial behaviors.

Dr. Pamela Rutledge is the director of the Media Psychology Research Center. She describes herself as “a media psychologist: a social scientist who applies expertise in human behavior to media and technology.” She’s done extensive research on howsocial mediaimpacts ourmental wellbeing, and kindly agreed to share some insights with Bored Panda.

Jackets hung on trees in Turkey and Bulgaria for homeless people, showcasing a heartwarming gesture of kindness.

Japanese newspaper with seeds sprouting, turning into plants, showcasing a cool fact about the world.

Doing things that keep you actively engaged can be a good way to beat boredom. “Boredom is an emotion, a natural response to a lack of stimulation,” said Rutledge during our interview. “It is a motivational tool that tells us when something is too easy, too difficult, or lacks personal meaning. Being bored stimulates us to change what we’re doing.“We asked Rutledge why so many people tend to pick up their phones when they’re bored. “Because phones and devices require little effort, we often turn to them to soothe boredom,” she replied. “Social media is a readily available source of interactive content, so it provides more mental stimulation than more passive activities. Even when you’re ‘just watching’, you are still actively scrolling and considering if there is other content you might want to see.“And if the content you choose involves learning something new, even better. That’s why we recommend scrolling through this list of random but really interesting facts from around the world. If you’re looking for more fun, informative, and cool facts afterward, you can find themhere. But first, continue reading to find out what else experts have to say about boredom.

We asked Rutledge why so many people tend to pick up their phones when they’re bored. “Because phones and devices require little effort, we often turn to them to soothe boredom,” she replied. “Social media is a readily available source of interactive content, so it provides more mental stimulation than more passive activities. Even when you’re ‘just watching’, you are still actively scrolling and considering if there is other content you might want to see.”

And if the content you choose involves learning something new, even better. That’s why we recommend scrolling through this list of random but really interesting facts from around the world. If you’re looking for more fun, informative, and cool facts afterward, you can find themhere. But first, continue reading to find out what else experts have to say about boredom.

Zebras and ostriches in a desert display a cool symbiotic relationship, compensating for each other’s sensory limitations.

Man on a rickshaw with a grass roof to reduce heat, showcasing an interesting and cool fact about the world.

A man drunkenly lands stolen plane on Manhattan street; a fascinating world fact.

But she adds that the key to any social media use, positive or negative, is purposeful goal-driven intention rather than using it to bury emotions. “It doesn’t matter whether the goal is fact-finding, connecting with others, learning to do something, or taking a moment of entertainment to exhale. Without some level of intention or self-awareness, we are at the mercy of our emotional reactivity,” she said during our chat.

Shima Enaga, a fluffy Japanese bird, resembling a ball of cotton, perched on a branch.

Aerial view of a tree QR code in Xilinshui, China, designed to be scanned by planes as a unique and interesting world fact.

Three people posing together, with text about Jackie Chan’s parents' past careers and their meeting through an arrest.

You need to be mindful of what you seek out online to beat boredom. “Be intentional of your media use. Note how your mood changes with what you watch. Scrolling through social media can actually make your boredom worse,” warned Rutledge. She suggests seeking out longer-form content, where you can become immersed in a story.This allows for deeper engagement, she says, adding that it “increases the sense of meaning, resulting in a more positive experience.” On the other hand, Rutledge warns that short-form videos often lack a compelling story arc, which leads to more scrolling, switching between content, and, ultimately, you guessed it: more boredom.

This allows for deeper engagement, she says, adding that it “increases the sense of meaning, resulting in a more positive experience.” On the other hand, Rutledge warns that short-form videos often lack a compelling story arc, which leads to more scrolling, switching between content, and, ultimately, you guessed it: more boredom.

Family at a restaurant with a no cell phone discount in Australia, highlighting interesting world fact.

Woman napping with sleep mask, highlighting fact about cognitive benefits and dementia risk reduction.

Squirrel holding a green apple; caption explains how squirrels help reforest by forgetting buried nuts.

Rutledge adds that digital media can be a convenient way to alter our environment, or beat boredom—but not if we’re on autopilot. “Turning to digital media isn’t the best way to manage our boredom if our kneejerk response to boredom takes us further away from our goals rather than engaging in more intentional activities with more personal value,” said Rutledge.

Satellite view of Australia highlighting its northward movement, illustrating interesting world facts.

Black Diamond apples on a tree, showcasing their unique jet black hue and sweet taste; a cool fact about the world.

Patients resting in beds at a Polish salt mine resort, benefiting asthma relief in an underground tunnel setting.

Dr. Alan Castel is a professor of cognitive psychology at the University of California. He says that boredom can lead to curiosity, and that curiosity is often piqued when we encounter something unusual, interesting, or unexpected—like when scrolling through our social media feeds. Castel adds that curiosity is great for the brain.“Humans have a need to forage for information and a desire to learn,” hewrote. “This starts at an early age and can be fostered and maintained well into older age. Critically engaging in this process and satisfying our learning interests can keep our brains developing at any age.”Castel adds thatgeneral knowledgequizzes orfact listiclescan engage your brain and trigger dopamine responses. “There is a good reason why trivia night is so popular at pubs and senior centers and why people eagerly tune in to the popular game show Jeopardy!” he said. Or why articles like the one you’re reading now are a hit with Pandas.

“Humans have a need to forage for information and a desire to learn,” hewrote. “This starts at an early age and can be fostered and maintained well into older age. Critically engaging in this process and satisfying our learning interests can keep our brains developing at any age.”

Castel adds thatgeneral knowledgequizzes orfact listiclescan engage your brain and trigger dopamine responses. “There is a good reason why trivia night is so popular at pubs and senior centers and why people eagerly tune in to the popular game show Jeopardy!” he said. Or why articles like the one you’re reading now are a hit with Pandas.

Close-up of a cockroach with text about their reaction to human touch, highlighting interesting facts about the world.

Prehistoric worms defrosted by scientists; two revived after 32,000 and 41,700 years. Cool and interesting fact.

Skeletons from 2000 BC in China, known as ‘China’s Pompeii’, depict a woman protecting a child during a disaster.

Marie Curie with great scientists, highlighted as the only woman awarded two Nobel Prizes.

Aerial view of a whale swimming; text about the loneliest whale calling for a mate using a unique frequency.

Doctor applying fish skin to a burn victim’s arm in Brazil as a protective treatment.

Erin Westgate is another expert on boredom. As an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Florida, she studies boredom, interest, and why some thoughts are more engaging than others. Westgate says the boredom is an emotion, just like anger or sadness, but one that people hate feeling. She once found that people despise being bored so much that they’d rather suffer an electric shock.

Aerial view of a large desert solar farm highlighting interesting world facts about solar energy potential.

Saffron flower and stigma in a bowl highlighting a cool fact about spice production.

Participants in a wife-carrying competition in Finland, running through a grassy field.

Westgate was conducting a study into boredom when she came across an interesting finding. Her team had gathered participants in a laboratory and asked them to daydream. “We tell them, ‘Sit down, try to think of a pleasure, but if you want, you can shock yourself with this little electric shock here.’ About 67% of the men and 25% of the women chose to shock themselves, rather than just sit and think,” sherevealedduring a podcast. “When we asked them why, they looked at us like, ‘Well, duh, it was really boring.'”

Musician seated with a surprised expression, text reveals a legal case involving his lyrics, part of cool world facts.

Close-up of an eye highlighting the lacrimal punctum, a small hole that drains tears to the nose, an interesting fact about the world.

Two students paddling a raft made from potato chip bags on a river, showcasing a creative solution to prove air content.

Interesting-Facts-Science

Aerial view of Aogashima, an isolated village within a volcano in Tokyo. Cool and interesting world fact.

Illustration of a French doctor using an early stethoscope, highlighting interesting world fact about its invention.

A group of people admire a giant pearl displayed in a glass case, related to interesting world facts.

Robot pondering mathematical formulas with text about internet traffic facts by bots.

A bridge over dry land in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch rerouted the Choluteca River, illustrating an interesting world fact.

A person holding a Grenadier Fish with a large eye, showcasing an interesting fact about its eye-to-head ratio.

Student writing exam; fact about jail time in China for cheating.