Human population growth is slowing globally.

The Black Death originated in Central Asia and wiped out roughly half the population of Europe in under a decade.

Lake Baikal in Russia holds about 20% of the world's unfrozen fresh surface water.

The deepest point in the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is tall.

Mount Everest is not the closest point to space — that distinction belongs to Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, due to Earth's equatorial bulge.

The Berlin Conference divided much of Africa among European powers.

The Aztec capital Tenochtitlan had a population of around 200,000 in the early 16th century, larger than most European cities.

The Black Death significantly reduced Europe’s population in the 14th century.

The largest island in the world is Greenland.