35 Incredible Science Facts to Amaze Your Young Science Enthusiast

Updated: April 26, 2021

My child has a passion for trivia, especially when it comes to fascinating science facts. One morning, he woke up and exclaimed, “Mom, did you know that a Giant Squid has eyeballs the size of a pizza?” I’m not sure if that’s entirely accurate, but it’s just one of the countless facts swirling in his imaginative mind. He loves learning things that make him go, “Wow!”

To nourish his endless curiosity, I began gathering some science facts of my own. Whenever I come across something intriguing, I write it down in my phone to share later. Here’s a list of intriguing trivia to impress him when he shares his latest discoveries. If you have a science-loving kiddo like mine, here are some fun facts to keep handy to showcase your own scientific knowledge! Just wait until you hear about squirrels and gravity!

Animal Facts:

Male platypuses have a spur on their hind feet that secretes venom. While it’s not deadly to humans, it can be quite painful!
According to National Geographic, hippos create their own sunscreen! They produce a “sweat” that contains a red and an orange pigment; the red pigment has antibiotic properties, while the orange absorbs UV rays.
Unlike most animals, koalas have fingerprints nearly indistinguishable from those of humans.
Nine-banded armadillos almost always give birth to four identical quadruplets!
A squirrel can survive a fall from any height! This is due to physics; squirrels can endure the impact of a fall at their body’s terminal velocity—the highest speed an object reaches while falling.

Human Body Facts:

Black is the most common hair color among humans, while red is the rarest!
Believe it or not, an average person releases enough gas in a day to fill a party balloon!
Ever bumped your elbow and felt a weird sensation? You might have heard someone refer to it as hitting your funny bone! It’s not a bone at all; it’s actually your ulnar nerve being pressed against your humerus, a bone in your arm.
The smallest bone in your body is located in your ear! You have three tiny bones there to help you hear, and the stapes, or stirrup, is the tiniest!
Every minute, you shed over 30,000 dead skin cells. Gross!

Earth Facts:

The driest location on Earth is the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. NASA astrobiologists visit this desert to search for microorganisms that thrive in extreme conditions, hoping to understand how life might exist on other planets.
While Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain on Earth, the shores of the Dead Sea hold the title for the lowest land on Earth. There’s even a museum in Jordan dedicated to this fact!
Contrary to popular belief, diamonds are not rare! According to gemsociety.org, diamonds are likely the most common gemstone in nature.
The center of the Earth is about as hot as the Sun—nearly 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit!
Biologist Dianne Newman notes that a teaspoon of soil contains roughly the same number of microbes as the current human population in Africa (about one billion).

Space Facts:

Footprints on the Moon will remain for 100 million years! The lack of atmosphere means no wind or water to erase them. This means that the Apollo astronauts’ footprints and other marks will last for eons.
Did you know that there was once another planet in our solar system? Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet. In 2006, it was grouped with three other small celestial bodies.
Fewer than 600 people have ever traveled to outer space!
Jupiter boasts 53 named moons and another 26 awaiting names—totaling 79 moons!
Mars has a volcano, Olympus Mons, that is more than twice the height of Mt. Everest, standing at an astonishing 72,000 feet!

Chemistry Facts:

Some elements are safe in compounds but dangerous alone; pure sodium can explode when it comes into contact with water, but sodium chloride is just table salt—great for seasoning food (just don’t overdo it!).
Helium is lighter than air, which is why it floats—perfect for party balloons!
Some substances exist as neither solid nor liquid, known as non-Newtonian fluids. You can even make Oobleck at home with just two ingredients!
The letter J is the only letter missing from the periodic table of elements.
Only two metals lack a silvery color: copper and gold!

Ocean Facts:

A 600-pound octopus can squeeze through a hole no larger than a quarter!
There are approximately three million shipwrecks in the ocean, so there’s plenty of treasure waiting to be discovered!
Surprisingly, human teeth are as strong as shark teeth! But I wouldn’t recommend testing that in a contest!
The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the ocean, nearly seven miles deep! In fact, more people have been to the Moon than to the bottom of this trench!
Scientists estimate that we’ve only explored 5% of the ocean, leaving room for aspiring ocean explorers to discover new species!

Dinosaur Facts:

Fossils of dinosaurs have been discovered on all seven continents—dinosaurs may have once roamed right in your backyard!
If you want to study dinosaurs, consider specializing in vertebrate paleontology, which focuses on ancient animals like dinosaurs.
The Mesozoic Era is the prehistoric age when dinosaurs thrived. Given their long existence, many popular species likely never crossed paths!
Not all dinosaurs were giants; the smallest were just slightly larger than a chicken! The Compsognathus measured about 3 feet long and weighed around 6.5 pounds.
New Zealand is home to the tuatara, an animal that has existed since the time of the dinosaurs!

Encouraging my child’s fascination with science is important to me, and showing interest in what he loves is one way I can support him. There are countless more science facts out there, so happy exploring! Science is truly amazing!

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Summary:

This article shares 35 fascinating science facts across various categories such as animals, human body, Earth, space, chemistry, oceans, and dinosaurs. It aims to inspire curiosity and excitement for science in children, providing trivia that parents can share with their kids to foster a love for learning.