Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know About the World

No one doubts that the Earth is under extreme stress, and the symptoms (which we all suffer from) prove it. But to achieve true planetary consciousness, This prompts us to rethink our relationship with the planet, we need to get to know it first.

It’s not just about gaining exam knowledge, it’s about knowing that life pulses in every corner of the Earth, from the fragility of coral reefs to the glaciers of Antarctica and the dryness of the Atacama Desert. Check out some examples below:

8 interesting facts about Planet Earth

Coral reefs are the largest living structure on Earth

Don’t be fooled by the word “reef” and think it means rock. Coral reefs are a complex ecosystem consisting of a variety of living organisms. They consist of billions of tiny marine animals called coral polyps that secrete a calcium carbonate skeleton.

These structures are true “underwater cities” that host an incredible variety of organisms. A single coral reef can host tens of thousands of different speciesincluding fish, crustaceans, molluscs, worms, algae, bacteria and many other organisms living in symbiosis

Antarctica is home to the largest ice sheet on the planet

Although historically dominant discourse has suggested that most of the planet’s ice is in the northern hemisphere, 70% of the world’s fresh water and 90% of its ice are very close to us, just beyond Cape Horn in Chile..

Antarctica begins in Antarctica, the planet’s southernmost and coldest continent, with an ice sheet reaching 30 million cubic kilometers, temperatures that can drop to -89.2 °C, and winds up to 320 km/h.

Tibetan Plateau is the world’s “third pole”

located in Central Asia, The Tibetan plateau is called the “third pole” because it contains the largest freshwater reserves outside the poles.. There are more than 46,000 glaciers in this region that feed major rivers such as the Mekong and Yangtze, supporting millions of people not only in Tibet, now an autonomous region of China, but also in other countries such as India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Trees are the breath of the planet

Covering 30% of the Earth’s surface, trees are vital in the fight against climate change, contain 80% of the planet’s biodiversity and absorb eight gigatonnes of CO2 per year.

In addition to this “lung” function These products balance the carbon and oxygen cycles necessary for life on Earth and also reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere..

Atacama is the driest place in the world

The Atacama Desert in South America is the driest place in the world other than the dry valleys of Antarctica. Annual rainfall is less than 1 mm in an area of ​​100,000 km². Its extreme climate is due to the mountainous barrier of the Andes (which dampens moist winds from the ocean) in addition to the Humboldt Cold Current, which brings cold waters from Antarctica to the Chilean coast, reducing humidity and preventing ice formation. Rainfall in the region is cloudy.

Earth’s magnetic pole is moving towards Siberia

Unlike the geographic North Pole, which is a fixed location, Earth’s magnetic north, which compasses point to, is in motion. And this journey is increasing, currently reaching 50-60 km per year towards Siberia.

Until the 1990s, the magnetic pole was located 1,600 km south of the geographic pole, in a region of Canada. But changes in the flow of material in the Earth’s outer core accelerated this displacement.

Earth has a soft core

Although it may seem like a joke, the statement is real: The Earth’s interior, which has a semi-solid consistency due to high temperature and pressure, allows the mantle to flow and move logically on geological time scales.

This fluid and dynamic texture It is responsible for fundamental geological processes that shape our planet, such as plate tectonics, volcanic activity and earthquakes..

Did you enjoy discovering these interesting facts about our planet? Then share the article on your social networks. Until later!