Thankfully, there are Instagram pages like “Facts” that serve up bite-sized nuggets of wisdom that are fun, fascinating, and downright intriguing. Today, we’ve rounded up some of their most captivating posts for you to enjoy, Pandas. For instance, Earth’s insides aren’t solid; they have a gooey, semi-solid consistency thanks to intense heat and pressure. This “squishy” mantle lets the Earth’s crust shift around, leading to all those plate tectonics, volcanic eruptions, and the occasional earthquake. They provide crucial habitats for countless species in the ocean and act as natural barriers, protecting coastlines from storms and erosion. Antarctica also boasts the biggest ice sheet on the planet, packed with an astonishing 30 million cubic kilometers of ice. This means that any changes in the ice sheet can have a ripple effect on global sea levels and ocean currents. This bulge then pulls back on the moon, causing it to move a bit farther away each year. While we might not see the difference day to day, over millions of years, this gentle shift can have some pretty intriguing effects on how quickly the planet spins. Can you imagine having just 200 days in a year? It’s so parched because it’s tucked in a rain shadow behind the Andes mountains, surrounded by the chilly Humboldt Current, and it doesn’t get any moisture from the winds. However, this arid wonderland is home to some pretty impressive plants and critters that have figured out how to thrive despite the extreme dryness. The Mekong, Yangtze, and Yellow Rivers, which provide millions of people in China and Southeast Asia with clean water, rely on this frigid behemoth for their survival. These tidbits remind us of the incredible complexities and marvels of our planet and everything it holds. Which one of these posts caught your eye? Don’t forget to upvote your favorites! Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
