The goal of this blog is to create a list of super facts. Important facts that are true with very high certainty and yet surprising, misunderstood, or disputed by many. This blog aims to be challenging, educational, and fun, without it being clickbait. I determine veracity using evidence, data from reputable sources and longstanding scientific consensus. Prepare to be challenged (I am). Intentionally seek the truth not confirmation of your belief.
I was delighted when I saw the post above. Sally from Smorgasbord Blog Magazine shared my super-fact 69:
Super fact 69 : Polar nights happen in the regions north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle. Together the two polar regions cover an area double as large as the United States, and it includes a population of millions of people. During a polar night the sun does not rise for days, or months, up to six months. The polar nights are special, not just for the daytime darkness, but for the spectacular aurora borealis, the starlit skies, the extremely clear air, and the fact that people often lose track of time during polar nights.
In addition, she is promoting my Leonberger dog book for which Diana Wallace Peach wrote a great review. Thank you so much Sally and Diana. Please visit her post above at the Smorgasbord blog magazine and read it.
Aurora Borealis are often spectacular in the polar regions, especially during the polar night. Asset id: 2499746583 by HappyVibeArt
Super fact 130 : Gulf of America is not Recognized Internationally. The United Nations does not recognize the name “Gulf of America,” and continues to use the internationally established name Gulf of Mexico. The name “Gulf of America” applies only to the domestic agencies of the United States.
Aerial view of the gulf. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, GPL <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>, via Wikimedia Commons. I added the label “Whatchamacallit”.
The U.S. executive order renaming the body of water only applies within the United States and its federal agencies. International organizations and hydrographic groups, such as the International Hydrographic Organization, continue to officially recognize the historical name, the Gulf of Mexico. The UN (towards bottom) and global news organizations such as the AP will continue to use the name Gulf of Mexico.
Countries bordering the Gulf of Mexico / Gulf of America, including Mexico, do not recognize the name change. English speaking countries such as the UK continues to call it the Gulf of Mexico. You can read more about the UK stance here. In non-English speaking countries such as my native country Sweden, the Gulf is called something that translates to the “Gulf of Mexico”. In Swedish, the Gulf is called “Mexikanska golfen”, and it is the name that appears in media, on maps, and typically in speech.
The Geographic Names Information System (a US federal database) and US federal agencies adopted the name Gulf of America, and Google maps and Apple maps adopted the new name in the US. If you switch country, it may say Gulf of Mexico, or Gulf of Mexico or other local name followed by (Gulf of America), i.e., Gulf of America in parenthesis. MapQuest and OpenStreetMap chose not to adopt the name “Gulf of America” at all.
The six minutes and 43 seconds long video below by the mapping company World Maps Online explain why they did not adopt the name “Gulf of America”. In short, it is because they follow the UN naming conventions (at 5:40 in the video). Earlier in the video it is explained that the renaming only applies to the US continental shelf area, not the entire body of water, yes, even in the US the entire gulf was not renamed. The video also explains that naming conflicts are common and that there is no global authority that can resolve them and therefore the International Hydrographic Organization, the leading international map naming organization uses numbers instead of names. You are naturally free to listen to the whole video, but I am starting it 5 minutes in.
I have become aware that many Americans now incorrectly believe that the new name Gulf of America is “official” everywhere and therefore they go around trying to correct people. It is an important fact that is widely misunderstood and therefore I consider it a super fact.
My Personal Encounter with the Gulf of Mexico vs Gulf of America Controversy
I write beer reviews in various places, and I administer several Facebook beer review groups. When I said I was vacationing by the Gulf of Mexico in one of the Facebook beer groups that I administrate, two guys I have never seen posting anything in the group demanded that I change Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. I explained that this beer group is international. There are people from Germany, Sweden, France, Mexico, Canada, China, as well as US, posting in the group, so using a more internationally recognized name is just practical. I was not trying to make a point, which was true.
However, I can add that the name Gulf of America does not seem to be very popular even in the US. A February 2025 poll by Marquette University found that, among 1,018 respondents nationwide, 71% opposed renaming the Gulf of Mexico and only 29% supported the name change. So, the people who lecture others about using Gulf of America instead of Gulf of Mexico should maybe reconsider.
Origins of the name Gulf of Mexico
The name “Gulf of Mexico” is derived from the ethnonym Mexica referring to the Nahuatl-speaking people of the Valley of Mexico also known as the Aztecs. The name “Gulf of Mexico” has been in use since the 1550s and is internationally recognized.
Lake Ontario versus Lake America
A similar situation exists with Lake Ontario. A US executive order has been issued to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America. However, this is not internationally recognized. As mentioned, a country can rename an international body of water for its own domestic agencies, but that change has no binding legal effect on other nations or international bodies.
As with the Gulf of Mexico the old and internationally used name “Lake Ontario” is derived from indigenous languages. The name Ontario is likely derived from the Iroquoian word Kaniatarí:io or Oniatarí:io meaning “lake of shining waters” or “beautiful lake”. It has been in use since at least 1641.
Lake Ontario is now called Lake America in the US. This is a file from the Wikimedia Commons from this Wikipedia location. I updated it by adding Lake Whatchamacallit.
I can add that our President has also issued an executive order changing the name Denali (also indigenous name) to Mount McKinley. However, this is in Alaska, which is US sovereign territory and a bit different. He can do that. Another situation exists with the proposed renaming of New Mexico to New America. New Mexico happens to be written into the New Mexico constitution, making an official name change beyond the President’s power. I can also add that Like the Gulf, the region historically known as Nuevo Mexico was named for the valley, not for the country or even the Spanish province of Mexico. Nuevo Mexico was probably named circa 1560 to 1580 and first appeared on maps in the early 1590s.
What About Renaming Canada Geese to Donald Ducks?
Finally, a little joke
Can Canada Geese be renamed to Donald Ducks? Asking for a President. I generated the picture with the help of ChatGPT.
Imagine my delight when I saw the post above. Sally is sharing my super fact 56:
Super fact 56 : The Bermuda Triangle mystery is a myth. There is not a higher risk of disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. To be specific, disappearances do not occur in the so-called Bermuda Triangle, or Devils Triangle, with any higher frequency than in other comparable regions of the ocean. The “mystery” of the Bermuda Triangle is largely a manufactured one, perpetuated by sensationalized accounts that often misrepresent the facts and downplay the role of natural hazards like storms.
In addition, she is promoting my Leonberger dog book for which D.L. Finn wrote a great review. Thank you so much Sally and D.L. Finn. Please click the link and see the Smorgasbord blog magazine post.
The Bermuda Triangle: It is approximately defined as a triangle Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. There is no exact definition. Alphaiosderivative work: -Majestic-, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Imagine my delight when I saw the post above. Sally is sharing my super fact 57: Super fact 57 : Half the World’s Population live within a circle that covers 2% of the world’s surface, or 10% of earth’s land area. This circle is often referred to as the “Valeriepieris Circle” or Yuxi Circle, and it is centered on southeast Asia. In addition, she is promoting my Leonberger dog book for which Robbie wrote a great review. Thank you so much Sally and Robbie. Please hop over to Smorgasbord blog magazine and read it.
I started this blog, superfactful, in August of 2024. The goal of my blog is to create a list of facts that are important, not trivia, and that are known to be true yet surprising, shocking or disputed by large segments of the public. I determine what is true by evaluating the evidence I find in reliable reputable sources and if a longstanding scientific consensus is available that certainly helps. In some cases, I have expertise in the subject myself, which also helps. Whether a fact is important and surprising or disputed is a judgment call. In some cases, there are polls to help me determine how surprising or disputed the fact is. I am trying to avoid trivia and click bait, and I am only focusing on what is true, important and mindboggling.
It is a project I hope to learn a lot from, and I hope others will also learn something from reading it. We are all drowning in misinformation, false beliefs and unsubstantiated assumptions. We often know and understand less than we think. I have been bamboozled in the past and I am pretty sure you have too. If this blog can spread a little bit of light, I am happy.
In 2024 I posted 25 super facts and in 2025 I posted 53. I am hoping to one day to have collected 200 super facts. I have also made 64 other kinds of posts on this blog such as book reviews for educational books as well as other fact related posts. Below are ten selected super facts from 2025. To read the full post click the links.
That Earth is round was well known long before Columbus
Super fact 28: That Earth is round, or spherical (or closely spherical) had been known for at least a couple of thousand years by the time Columbus set sail. Columbus did not set sail to prove that earth was round, and he knew it was round.
I’ve realized that this comes as a surprise to some. To read the post click here.
Columbus thought earth was smaller. He did not know about the Pacific Ocean. Earth Pacific Ocean view Stock Illustration ID: 1617553012 by Matis75
EV Cars Indeed Emit Less Carbon Pollution
Super fact 29: EV Cars emit less pollution than Internal Combustion Engine, even considering manufacturing, disposal and EV Cars being charged by dirty grids.
There is a lot of misinformation about EVs including that EVs are not better for the environment. To read the post click here.
Lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions comparison of average gasoline car and 300 mile range EV. Feedstock and fuel include the generation of electricity for EVs.
Scientists Agree that Global Warming is happening and that we are the Cause
Super fact 34: Climate Scientists agree that Global Warming or if you call it Climate Change is happening, and that it is caused by us primarily because of our burning of fossil fuels. There is a long-standing scientific consensus on these two facts because the evidence is conclusive. Typically, studies show an agreement of at least 97% or 98% among climate scientists.
Polls show that most American are unaware of the consensus among climate scientists. To read the post click here.
There is almost total agreement among climate scientists that global warming, or climate change, is happening and is caused by us. To understand why, you need to know a little bit about the impressive evidence, which for all practical purposes is conclusive. Take a look at this post “Global Warming is Happening and is Caused by us”
The green graph corresponds to “most scientists think global warming is happening (%).” The black graph corresponds to “there is a lot of disagreement among scientists (%)”. The yellow graph corresponds to “Most scientists think global warming is NOT happening (%)”. Graph taken from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.
Time Dilation Goes Both Ways
Super fact 38 : If two observers are moving compared to each other both will observe the other’s time as being slower. In other words, both observers will observe the other’s clocks as ticking slower. Time slowing down is referred to as Time Dilation.
Clocks slow down as you travel at high speeds. However, the person travelling think they are standing still. It is the other person who is travelling. This is confusing. To understand it click here.
In this picture Amy is traveling past Alan in a rocket. Both have a laser. Both measure the speed of both laser beams to be c = 299,792,458 meters per second. The speed of light is a universal constant.
Emissions of ozone-depleting gases have fallen by 99 Percent
Super fact 41 : Largely thanks to the Montreal Protocol in 1987 the emissions of ozone-depleting gases have fallen by more than 99%, 99.7% to be exact, according to Our World in Data. This has resulted in halting the expansion of the ozone holes and the reduction in emissions of ozone-depleting gases is saving millions of lives every year.
A gigantic victory for the environment that few are aware of. To read the post click here.
The phase out of six ozone depleting gases. Data source UN Environment Program (2023).
Sulfur dioxide pollution has fallen by 95 percent in the US
Super fact 44 : Sulfur dioxide pollution in the US has fallen by approximately 95% since the 1970s. This significant reduction is primarily due to regulations like the Clean Air Act. Global sulfur dioxide pollution has also fallen but not as much.
Another big victory for the environment that we seldom hear of. To read the post click here.
US sulfur dioxide pollution since 1800. Data Source: Hoesly et al (2024) – Community Emissions Data System (CEDS). This graph is taken this page in Our World In Data. US Emissions peaked in 1973.
I should mention that by clicking this link you can visit the graph above Our World in Data and select different countries and regions and play around with the settings.
We Exploded Thousands of Nuclear Bombs
Super fact 48 : Since 1945 we have set off more than 2,000 Nuclear Bombs corresponding to a yield of an estimated 42,000 times that of the Hiroshima Bomb.
That we have exploded these many nuclear bombs was a surprise to me and perhaps to you too. To read the post click here.
This is an illustration of the Tsar Bomba explosion by by mbafai Shutterstock Asset id: 2208486661. To see a photo of the actual Tsar Bomba explosion click here (it is copyrighted).
The Euler Number Math Magic
Super fact 53 : The Euler number denoted e, is an irrational number, which like the number pi is extremely important in mathematics. In addition, the relationship between the Euler number and pi; seemingly unrelated numbers, is quite amazing, especially if you throw the imaginary number: i = square root of -1 into the mix. Euler’s formula e^ix = cos(x) + isin(x), where x is degrees expressed in radians, is mind blowing to say the least. Radians means that 180 degrees is replaced by pi, and 90 degrees is replaced by pi/2, etc. A simpler special case, but equally amazing is Euler’s identity e^ix = -1, or e^ix + 1 =0. This is amazing math assuming you understand it.
One of the most amazing math facts explained. To read the post click here.
Euler’s formula in cyber space with grid 3d illustration, Asset id: 1636161301 by Giggle2000
The Bermuda Triangle the Big Non-Mystery
Super fact 56 : The Bermuda Triangle mystery is a myth. There is not a higher risk of disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. To be specific, disappearances do not occur in the so-called Bermuda Triangle, or Devils Triangle, with any higher frequency than in other comparable regions of the ocean. The “mystery” of the Bermuda Triangle is largely a manufactured one, perpetuated by sensationalized accounts that often misrepresent the facts and downplay the role of natural hazards like storms.
A surprise to the people who are convinced that there really is a mystery. To read the post click here.
The Bermuda Triangle: It is approximately defined as a triangle Florida, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. There is no exact definition. Alphaiosderivative work: -Majestic-, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Evolution is a Fact
Super fact 63 : Evolution is both a fact and a scientific theory. It is a fact that life has changed over time. This is supported by overwhelming evidence, while the theory of evolution provides a comprehensive scientific explanation for these changes, using processes like natural selection.
Yes, there are scientific facts, and that evolution is happening is an observed scientific fact. To read the post click here.
The fossil record is a lot more solid and much less problematic than the creationist books I have read claimed. Shutter Stock Photo ID: 1323000239 by Alizada Studios
