9 Fascinating Facts About Planet Earth

Different seasons are caused by Earth being tilted 23.4 degrees on its “axis”. This essentially means that different parts of the Earth are tilted towards the sun at different times of the year, causing varying temperatures and precipitation - or, seasons!  

The Earth’s oceans cover about 70% of the Earth’s surface, and humans have only explored about 20% of these waters. Scientists estimate that the ocean is home to about 1 million species, with 90% of all living creatures calling it home. 

The largest living organism on Earth is not a blue whale or a towering tree — it’s actually a fungus! The honey mushroom is currently the largest known organism and covers a whopping 2,384 acres in Oregon’s Blue Mountains. 

Mountain ranges are formed when the Earth’s shifting tectonic plates collide, forcing surface rock upwards. One of the more famous mountain chains, the Himalayas, was formed nearly 25 million years ago when the Indian Peninsula collided with the Eurasian Plate. 

The northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, are the result of electrically charged particles called ions colliding into Earth’s atmosphere. When these ions hit Earth’s magnetic field, they collide with nitrogen and oxygen atoms while releasing energy. This release forms a glowing halo around the Earth’s geographic poles, known as an aurora!

The very first Earth Day was practiced in 1970 by Wisconsin Senator and environmental activist Gaylord Nelson. Nelson founded it to raise awareness of environmental concerns, and April 22 was chosen since it was a mid-point during Spring Break and final school exams. 

The world’s tallest tree is a 380-foot tall redwood named Hyperion that resides in the Redwood National Park in California. The tree is estimated to be between 600-800 years old, which is young in comparison to the world’s oldest trees, which are around 4000 years old. 

The place that experiences the most snowfall per year is Aomori City, Japan. Aomori City experiences 312 inches (26 feet) of snow annually. This is due to the chilly Siberian winds crossing over Japan’s mountainous coastline, which causes moisture to rise and form snow. 

The Earth’s largest rainforest is the Amazon, which spans 9 countries and 1.9 billion acres. The rainforest holds an estimated 90-140 billion metric tons of carbon, playing a vital role in fighting climate change. With 1.6 million trees being cut down each day, it’s critical we restore the Amazon Rainforest for many generations to come.