Here are some random facts for you.
1. As of 2022, the “four-minute mile” mark has been broken by at least 1,755 athletes, since it was first achieved in 1954 by Roger Bannister. That translates to an average speed of 15 miles per hour.
But no woman has yet run a four-minute mile. The women’s world record is currently at 4 minutes and 7.64 seconds, set by Faith Kipyegon of Kenya in July of 2023.
2. South Korea has compulsory military service. Every male 18 to 35 has to serve for two years. And there are VERY few ways to get out of it, but one of them is winning an Olympic medal.
3. The U.S. used to have more time zones than we do now . . . A LOT more. In the early 1800s, cities could set their own time based on the sun, and there were 144 separate time zones. We got down to four in the continental U.S. by 1883.
4. Ironically, the fear of long words is called Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. While it’s not an officially recognized phobia by the American Psychiatric Association, some people experience anxiety or distress when confronted with long words, especially in social situations.
5. The last word in the Oxford English Dictionary is Zyzzyva (zih-zih-vah). It’s a type of tropical weevil in South America.
(Wikipedia / NBC New York / History / Wikipedia / USA Today)
