Child Abuse Facts

Child Abuse Facts – 10 Facts about Child Abuse

1. A Child is Killed By Abuse or Neglect Every 5.5 Hours


2. More Than 3 Million Children Receive Treatment for Abuse Each Year


3. 70% of Children Who Die from Abuse Are Under 3 Years Old


4. 11.7% of Children in Vermont Were Reported as Victims of Abuse


5. It Takes Over 9 Days for a Response to Child Abuse in Mississippi


6. 80% of Duplicate Instances of Child Abuse are by Parents


7. 13.3% of Child Abuse Victims Have a Disability


8. Mothers Abuse Children Twice as Much as Fathers


9. Over 75,000 Children are Abused in California Each Year


10. 1,640 Children Die from Child Abuse Each Year

1. A Child is Killed By Abuse or Neglect Every 5.5 Hours

Child abuse facts tell a shocking story of abuse and neglect in the United States. The welfare of children in the United States could certainly be much better. Of the over 70 million children in the United States, 1 is killed every 5.5 hours due to abuse or neglect. In other words, 4 children die as a result of maltreatment every single day.

When we look at the figures closely, child abuse facts teach us that this is something that affects children of all backgrounds. Each day, 1 white child, 1 Hispanic child, 1 black child, and 1 Asian, American Indian or Pacific Islander child, are killed as killed as a result of child abuse.

These statistics are important as they remind us we should all work within our communities to prevent child abuse from happening. We can change these child abuse facts and save more children by learning more about the issue and working together.

2. More Than 3 Million Children Receive Treatment for Abuse Each Year

Child abuse facts show that 10% of children in America suffer from maltreatment. There is no strong difference between the statistics for boys and girls. We should be treating our princes and princesses better. Roughly 48% of children abused are boys and 51% of children abused are girls. Sadly, child abuse facts tell us that boys are more likely than girls to die from child abuse. More than 57% of the children who die from child abuse are boys.

Child abuse is increasing in the United States. Since 2008, rates of child abuse are shown by the most recent studies to have increased by roughly 5%. Each year, more than 3 million children are reported to child protective services. More than 25% of these cases involve physical or sexual abuse.

These child abuse facts paint a sad picture for child welfare in the United States. For every 100,000 children, 2.2 die each year due to abuse or neglect.

3. 70% of Children Who Die from Abuse Are Under 3 Years Old

Some of the saddest child abuse facts teach us that younger children are more likely to be abused. More than 70% of fatalities occur in children who are younger than 3 years old. Child abuse facts show that children in their first year of life are the most likely to be victims of child abuse.

This is extremely sad because this is when children are at their most vulnerable. 21.9% of child abuse cases involve children in the first year of their life. Each year of life thereafter, until the age of 4 years old, accounts for roughly 11% of cases. As children get older, the rate of abuse declines. 17 year olds account for fewer than 4% of child abuse cases.

Most child abuse takes the form of neglect. Child abuse facts teach us that 78.3% of child maltreatment cases are due to neglect. Physical abuse occurs in 18.3% of child abuse cases, and 9.3% of cases involve sexual abuse.

4. 11.7% of Children in Vermont Were Reported as Victims of Abuse

The rate of reported cases of child abuse varies greatly from state to state. However, these child abuse facts show that some states are doing better than others when it comes to eliminating child abuse. These statistics also only tell us about the reported cases; many more may go unreported. These facts about child abuse don’t paint a precise picture, but they do provide some insights on where the highest and lowest levels of reporting of child abuse occurs.

Vermont has the highest rate of reported abuse, with over 117 cases reported for every 1000 children. That’s 11.7% of children in Vermont! Child abuse facts also show that Alaska has a high rate of reported child abuse, with over 90 cases per 1000 children; that’s more than 9% of children in Alaska.

Alabama had the lowest reported rate of child abuse at 1.8%. Illinois also had a low rate of reported abuse at a little over 2.2%. Back toward the other end of the spectrum, West Virginia is another state with a high rate of reported abuse, at 9.3%.

5. It Takes Over 9 Days for a Response to Child Abuse in Mississippi

Child abuse facts show us that the rates of reported child abuse vary from state to state. Facts about child abuse also show that response times vary between states. It’s shocking to consider that it takes child protective services 9.7 days on average to respond to a reported case of child abuse in Mississippi.

Some states respond rapidly to reports of child abuse. In Florida, for instance, the average response time is only 9 hours. The average response time for reported cases of child abuse is also low in Ohio, at only 11 hours.

Child abuse facts show that over 19 states have response times to child abuse longer than 2 days. It’s sad to think of the continued harm that could come to a child in those 48 hours.

6. 80% of Duplicate Instances of Child Abuse are by Parents

When looking at child abuse facts, cases where children are reported as being abused more than once are considered duplicate cases. Perhaps the most shocking of child abuse facts is that parents are the perpetrators of abuse in 80% of cases.

The picture painted by these child abuse facts is very sad. Even sadder is the fact that the biological parent is the perpetrator in 88% of the 80% of child abuse cases where parents are the perpetrators of repeat child abuse. These child abuse facts also show us that it’s up to law enforcement and the community to monitor children and make sure they are not being abused.

7. 13.3% of Child Abuse Victims Have a Disability

Child abuse facts teach us that there are certain risk factors which make it more likely that a child will be abused. Statistics show that 13.3% of child abuse victims have some sort of disability.

There are other risk factors: 4.3% of children who are victims of child abuse have a medical condition; children with behavior problems account for 3.2% of child abuse victims; and 2.5% of child abuse victims have emotional disturbances.

8. Mothers Abuse Children Twice as Much as Fathers

Child abuse facts paint a surprising picture when it comes to which parent is most likely to abuse a child. The common image of the angry father does not match up with the statistics.

36.6% cases of child abuse are committed by the mother acting alone. The percentage of child abuse cases committed by the father alone accounts for 18.7%. Both parents are involved in 19.4% of child abuse cases, and 12% of cases are committed by someone who is not the child’s parent.

When we look at the total numbers, over 250,000 children are abused by their mother each year, compared to roughly 125,000 cases of child abuse by the father alone.

9. Over 75,000 Children are Abused in California Each Year

The number of child abuse victims varies from state to state. California has the highest number, with 76,026 cases per year. There were as many as 80,100 cases of child abuse in California in 2011.

New York and Texas, which are both populous states like California, each reported over 60,000 children who were abused. Florida had more than 50,000 cases of child abuse, with 53,341 cases.

When we look at the rate of child abuse, we find that the District of Columbia has the highest rate of abuse. While Vermont has the highest reported rate of abuse at 11.6%, in the District of Columbia 1.9% of children suffer from child abuse or neglect.

10. 1,640 Children Die from Child Abuse Each Year

We know from our child abuse facts that a child dies from child abuse every 5.5 hours in the United States. Looking at the total number of victims is another way to see how serious the problem is.

It’s estimated that 1,640 children die from child abuse in the United States each year. Texas reported the highest number of deaths from child abuse, with 215 deaths.

California, New York, Illinois and Florida all reported more than 100 deaths due to child abuse. In Florida, the total was 179 deaths. New Hampshire only reported one fatality due to child abuse, as did North Carolina and Rhode Island.

These are the most grim child abuse facts. When we don’t do something to stop child abuse, the results are deadly.

Facts about Child Abuse Summary

Child abuse facts paint a troubling picture for children in the United States. Four children die every day as a result of child abuse. Perhaps surprisingly to some, mothers are most often the perpetrators. In over 36% of child abuse cases, the mother acted alone in abusing the child.

Children with disabilities and medical conditions are at particular risk for abuse. As a community, we should do our best to watch for signs of abuse. Parents are responsible for child abuse in more than 80% of cases.

Another one of the surprising child abuse facts is that children under the age of 3 years old are the most likely to be abused. Special care should be taken to prevent abuse and neglect in the earliest years of a child’s life, when they are at their most vulnerable.

Child Abuse Facts

Gay Marriage Facts

Gay Marriage Facts – 10 Facts about Gay Marriage

1. 70% of States Have Gay Marriage, 15 States Ban It


2. The First Same-Sex Marriage Was in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004


3. 11 Native American Tribes Recognize Gay Marriage


4. There are 1,138 Legal Rights and Protections Provided by Gay Marriage


5. Support for Gay Marriage Doubled from 27% to 55% between 1996 and 2014


6. 33% of Americans Say that Gay Marriage Should Be Rejected


7. Twice as Many People in the South Oppose Gay Marriage


8. There Have Been 71,165 Gay Marriages in the US


9. Lesbians Account for 60% of Gay Marriages


10. 20 Countries Around the World Allow Gay Marriage

1. 70% of States Have Gay Marriage, 15 States Ban It

Whether it’s through court decision, state law makers or popular vote, 35 states in the United States have now legalized same-sex marriage. This is one of the promising gay marriage facts because now 70% of states allow same-sex couples to marry each other.

There are currently 15 states that ban same-sex marriage. However, gay marriage facts show that there are appeals in the courts of many of these states.

Many gay marriage facts teach us about court cases and legal issues surrounding gay marriage. Marriage provides certain legal rights to spouses. There are concerns among some quarters about whether or not same-sex couples should have these legal rights. These concerns have shaped the debate over gay marriage, with different groups quoting gay marriage facts to support their case.

When you look at gay marriage from the perspective of legal rights of couples, it’s clear that this is an issue of civil rights. Many people in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community see the effort to legalize gay marriage as being as important as the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

2. The First Same-Sex Marriage Was in Massachusetts on May 17, 2004

Gay marriage facts teach us that, historically, there was nowhere for same-sex couples to legally get married in the Unites States until 2004. While some states did not have specific laws banning gay marriage, no states had specific laws that governed the marriage of same-sex couples.

In 1972, one of the most important gay marriage facts was established. An important court case, Baker v. Nelson, was decided. This same-sex marriage case from Minnesota would set the legal precedent for rulings for the next 30 years. This court case was argued on behalf of two gay student activists who were seeking to be married. The case was argued all the way to the Supreme Court, where it was dismissed based on the same reasons provided by lower courts.

While the Supreme Court didn’t actually hear the case, this created the precedent that lower courts could not reach a decision against. This also prevented lower courts from examining the issue again.

It wasn’t until many years later that the lower courts began to look at the issue again in the light of changes that had occurred in the laws governing equal treatment of Americans. Gay marriage facts show that Massachusetts became the first state to recognize the legal right of same-sex couples to marry on May 17, 2004.

3. 11 Native American Tribes Recognize Gay Marriage

In the United States, Native American tribes have jurisdiction over many of their own affairs. As part of this jurisdiction, Native Americans have the right to form their own laws governing marriage.

There are 11 Native American tribes that recognize same-sex marriage. Among these are the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, the Coquille Tribe, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and the Puyallup Tribe.

Recent gay marriage facts show that in 2013, the Lipay Nation of Santa Ysabel became the first Native American tribe in California to recognize same-sex marriage.

4. There are 1,138 Legal Rights and Protections Provided by Gay Marriage

One of the most important gay marriage facts is the number of legal rights and protections that marriage offers in the United States. There are more than 1,138 legal rights and protections that people receive from the federal government after being married.

Same-sex couples see these rights as basic rights for married couples, and argue all citizens deserve to have the same rights. This is why the effort to legalize gay marriage is often compared to the Civil Rights Movement. For advocates of gay marriage, the effort is part of the overall movement towards greater civil rights in the United States.

Some of these rights include access to benefits, especially health insurance coverage and Social Security benefits. More personal rights include hospital visitation, family leave and estate planning. Many people who are against gay marriage see these gay marriage facts as reasons why same-sex couples should not be allowed to marry. People who are against gay marriage don’t think same-sex couples should have access to the legal rights that come with marriage in the United States.

5. Support for Gay Marriage Doubled from 27% to 55% between 1996 and 2014

One of the greatest gay marriage facts for supporters of gay marriage is that public support for same-sex marriage has been steadily increasing over the last 20 years. In 1996, when Americans were surveyed, only about one quarter of Americans, or 27%, supported same-sex marriages.

When the polls were taken almost 20 years later, in 2014, statistics showed that more than one half (55%) of Americans supported same-sex marriage. When we look at these gay marriage facts more closely, a surprising trend emerges.

We might assume that the change in these polls is due to younger generations and more progressive attitudes. However, a closer examination of the statistics shows that the acceptance of same-sex marriage is accelerating. Gay marriage facts tell us that it’s not only younger generations; people in older generations are actually changing their minds about same-sex marriage!

6. 33% of Americans Say that Gay Marriage Should Be Rejected

While gay marriage facts show attitudes in the United States are changing, there are at least 4 major countries with more liberal views towards same-sex relations than the US. In the United States, 33% of people say homosexuality should be rejected by society. Compare this with the 60% of people who say that homosexuality should be accepted by society.

In Western Europe, the rates of acceptance are much higher. The highest is in Spain, where gay marriage facts show that 91% of people believe homosexuality should be accepted by society. Germany is second highest, with 87% of people saying society should accept same-sex relations.

Although attitudes are improving, when you compare the 60% of acceptance for same-sex relations in America with the statistics for acceptance in other countries, we have plenty of room for improvement. While acceptance in France and Great Britain is not as high as Spain and Germany, more than 80% of both British and French people say that same-sex relations should be accepted by society.

7. Twice as Many People in the South Oppose Gay Marriage

Gay marriage facts show that the opinions regarding same-sex marriage vary between different regions of the United States. In particular, studies show that people in the South are twice as likely to oppose gay marriage as people from New England. Half of the people surveyed in the South Central United States (50%) oppose gay marriage, while only one quarter of people in New England (25%) oppose gay marriage.

While these regions are polarized, gay marriage facts show the rest of the United States has a more narrow range of opinion. In the Pacific, 30% of people oppose gay marriage, compared with 42% in the Mountain region of the United States.

Surprisingly, gay marriage facts show that most Americans, even those that oppose gay marriage, see the legal recognition of gay marriage as inevitable. 72% of Americans believe gay marriage is likely to become legal everywhere in the United States.

8. There Have Been 71,165 Gay Marriages in the US

Ironically, the number of gay marriages in the United States is one of the most difficult gay marriage facts to determine. By and large, the legal handling of same-sex marriages has occurred at the state level. It’s only recently that the Supreme Court and the United States government has gotten involved in the issue of gay marriage again at the federal level. As a result, the reporting of each state varies. However, we can clearly establish there have been at least 71,165 gay marriages in the United States since the first gay marriage in Massachusetts in 2004.

Massachusetts, perhaps as a result of recognizing same-sex marriage first, has the highest recorded the number of gay marriages of any state, with 22,406. California is second, with 18,000 gay marriages on record. However, the figure for California is an estimate because voters quickly overturned same-sex marriage in California after it was first acknowledged by the state in 2008. This shows why establishing the number of gay marriages is surprisingly one of the more difficult gay marriage facts to establish.

9. Lesbians Account for 60% of Gay Marriages

Many states now no longer require people to state their sex on a marriage license. For instance, in New York State, 7,950 couples did not specify their sex on their marriage license. It is assumed that at least some of these couples were same-sex couples.

As such, it is difficult to determine the exact number of gay men and women who are married. More than 50,000 of the estimated 70,000-plus same-sex marriages in the United States did have the sex of the couples specified on the marriage licenses. From these 50,000 marriages, we can establish marriage facts about whether men or women are more likely to be in a same-sex marriage.

Looking at the data, 60% of these marriages were between two women. This is interesting when we look at opinions in the LGBT community about marriage. Gay men and women report wanting to be married roughly equally, with 56% of gay men, and 58% of gay women reporting they want to be married. However, women are more likely to take the leap and actually wed.

10. 20 Countries Around the World Allow Gay Marriage

Worldwide, more countries are recognizing same-sex marriages between couples. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to recognize same-sex marriages, in December of 2000. Belgium had given limited rights to same-sex couples in 1998, and by 2003, they had also fully recognized same-sex marriage.

The United States, while not first, was not far behind, at least in the sense that Massachusetts recognized gay marriage in 2004. However, the United States has yet to recognize gay marriage at the federal level. More facts about gay marriage around the world tell us that Canada provided full rights to same-sex couples in 2005, as did Spain. Since then, more countries have allowed gay marriage and, in 2014, 20 countries around the world allowed gay marriage in the entire country, or in certain areas.

Facts about Gay Marriage Summary

Gay marriage facts show us that there is growing acceptance for same-sex marriage in the United States. Over 70,000 gay marriages have been performed in the United States, and there could be many more that have not been reported. This is because in the United States, marriage is still handled at the state level. While more states recognize gay marriage, gay marriage facts show that 15 states still have bans in effect.

Massachusetts was the first state to allow gay marriage, and New Englanders continue to have the least opposition to same-sex marriages. Around the world, more countries are allowing gay marriage. In recent years, court cases are increasingly deciding in favor of same-sex couples. Gay marriage facts are becoming more positive for people who believe same-sex couples deserve the same rights of marriage as opposite sex couples.

Gay Marriage Facts

Smoking Facts

Smoking Facts – 10 Facts about Smoking

1. 20 Million Americans Have Died from Smoking in the Last 50 Years


2. 1 in 3 Cancer Deaths Are Caused by Smoking


3. 3 Million Middle and High School Students Smoke Cigarettes


4. Smoking Costs the US $280 Billion Each Year


5. 2.5 Million People Died From Secondhand Smoke in the Last 50 Years


6. 100,000 Babies Have Died as a Result of Smoking since 1964


7. 45 Million Americans Smoke – It’s a Full Blown Epidemic


8. 1 in 5 Deaths is Caused By Smoking – 1,300 Per Day!


9. Only 2 States – Alaska and North Dakota – Have Minimal Tobacco Control


10. Each Day, 3,200 Children Smoke Their First Cigarette

1. 20 Million Americans Have Died from Smoking in the Last 50 Years

Smoking facts tell us the grim truth about a deadly habit. The first Surgeon General’s report on smoking was released 50 years ago. Since then, over 20 million Americans have died as a result of smoking. Despite the progress that has been made in the last 50 years, smoking continues to be the single largest cause of preventable disease and death in the United States.

There is no debating the science when it comes to the dangers of smoking. Smoking facts show that there are clear links between smoking and disease. Lung cancer, heart disease and chronic pulmonary disease are all caused by smoking.

As well as these well-known smoking-related diseases, smoking facts show that other diseases are caused by smoking. Diabetes, arthritis, immune system weakness and birth defects can all be caused by smoking. Other types of cancer, including colorectal and liver cancer, can also result from smoking. One thing is clear from smoking facts: smoking takes its toll on the body and is a serious threat to human health.

2. 1 in 3 Cancer Deaths Are Caused by Smoking

The range of diseases caused by smoking is surprising. Cancer is one of the most serious diseases, and a shocking 1 out of 3 cancer deaths are caused by smoking. One of the most common forms of cancer caused by smoking is lung cancer. Our smoking facts show that 87% of lung cancer deaths are the result of smoking.

Between 1959 and 2010, the risk of lung cancer for female smokers increased by 1000%. For male smokers during the same period, this risk increased by 200%.

In addition to lung cancer, liver cancer, throat cancer, and colorectal cancer have also been linked to smoking. Lung cancer is one of the most deadly cancers. Smoking facts tell us that lung cancer kills more people than prostate, breast and colorectal cancer, combined.

Facts about smoking cigarettes demonstrate clearly that smoking causes cancer. Not only that, but it causes one of the most deadly forms of cancer.

3. 3 Million Middle and High School Students Smoke Cigarettes

Smoking facts show us the deadly effects of smoking, and it’s important to use these facts when teaching children and young adults about the dangers of smoking. By teaching smoking cigarettes facts for kids, we can help discourage children from starting smoking in the first place, and encourage any who do smoke to quit while they are young.

Despite efforts by schools and parents to stop kids smoking, 3 million middle and high school students currently smoke cigarettes in the United States. When children start young, it becomes a deeply ingrained habit.

Smoking facts also show that smoking has an impact on developing bodies. One of the important smoking facts for kids is that smoking slows down lung growth in children and teens. For kids, smoking not only poses the risk of disease in the future, it also hurts their bodies as they develop.

4. Smoking Costs the US $280 Billion Each Year

The costs of smoking are staggering. Smoking facts tell us about the economic costs of smoking. These aren’t the costs that people pay for cigarettes, but the costs that society bears due to the results of smoking. The cost to the United States is over $280 billion a year in medical expenses and losses of productivity that result from smoking and smoking-related diseases.

Losses of productivity due to smoking impact every industry and cost over $150 billion each year. The losses of productivity due to smoking are the result of the extra sick days that smokers use, and unfinished or delayed projects due to disease or death from smoking. This is one of the more surprising smoking facts. While most of us are aware of the impact of secondhand smoke, we don’t generally think about the secondhand effects that smoking has on the economy.

The losses due to direct medical costs are $130 billion. These costs are for the treatment, transport, and outpatient care for people with smoking-related diseases. By spending more money on prevention — preventing children from smoking cigarettes, and helping people quit, we can invest our efforts and our resources better. As the smoking epidemic continues in the United States, it will continue to have a growing impact on the economy.

5. 2.5 Million People Died From Secondhand Smoke in the Last 50 Years

Some of the saddest smoking facts relate to the impact that smoking has on people who don’t actually smoke. Over 20 million Americans have died as a result of smoking in the last 50 years, and 2.5 million of these deaths were from exposure to secondhand smoke. This is one of the shocking smoking facts: this deadly habit kills a lot of people who don’t even smoke.

Industries and occupations which involve working in enclosed spaces are often the source of diseases associated with secondhand smoke. As a result, in recent years, many laws have been put in place to outlaw smoking in public places, and the airline industry has eliminated smoking on nearly all of its flights.

Smoking facts show that secondhand smoke exposes non-smokers to the same range of diseases that affect smokers. Lung cancer, heart disease, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, arthritis, diabetes and more diseases have been associated with smoking. Whether the tobacco smoke is inhaled directly or secondhand, it’s clear that smoking has a deadly impact on both people who smoke and non-smokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke.

6. 100,000 Babies Have Died as a Result of Smoking since 1964

We know from our smoking facts that secondhand smoke has a deadly impact on people. Developing babies and newborns are also at risk when a pregnant mother or parent of a newborn smokes. In the last 50 years, more than 100,000 babies have died from the results of smoking.

Smoking facts show that complications from premature birth, low birth weight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS can be caused by pregnant mothers or parents of newborns who smoke. These are some of the saddest smoking facts: innocent babies are dying as a result of the deadly effects of smoking.

100,000 deaths is a shocking number, and this is one of the smoking facts that parents should see so they have the motivation to quit smoking. Smoking also impacts fertility. Parents who are trying to conceive should pay attention to smoking facts. Smoking causes erectile dysfunction in men and impaired fertility in women,.

7. 45 Million Americans Smoke – It’s a Full Blown Epidemic

Smoking is widespread across different communities and economic backgrounds in the United States. It’s a full-blown epidemic with 45 million American smokers. 42 million of smokers are adults, and a shocking 3 million of smokers are children and young adults in middle and high school.

More than 16 million people in the United States suffer from a disease related to smoking. Worldwide, smoking causes more than 5 million deaths each year. Going by current rates of smoking, smoking facts tell us that this number could be as high as 8 million deaths annually by the year 2030.

With the tobacco industry spending $23 million every day to promote smoking, it’s not surprising that smoking has reached epidemic levels. By working together and providing networks of support in our communities, we can counteract the promotional efforts of tobacco companies with smoking facts that tell the truth about the dangers of smoking.

8. 1 in 5 Deaths is Caused By Smoking – 1,300 Per Day!

Let’s face it: smoking facts tell us a lot about the deaths caused by smoking. The truth of the matter is that smoking is deadly. It kills. 1 in 5 deaths in the United States is caused by smoking-related diseases.

Our smoking facts tell us that cigarette smoking kills 480,000 people each year – that’s 1,300 deaths per day. By some estimates, over 40,000 of these deaths are caused by secondhand smoke.

Smoking facts clearly show that smoking kills. Smoking kills smokers, and it also kills non-smokers who are exposed to tobacco smoke. 1,300 people is the equivalent of an entire small town dying each day!

9. Only 2 States – Alaska and North Dakota – Have Minimal Tobacco Control

Some of the most the disappointing smoking facts tell us that we aren’t doing enough to prevent people from starting to smoke. Currently, no states fund tobacco control programs at the level recommended by the Center for Disease Control, or CDC. Only 2 states – Alaska and North Dakota – fund their tobacco control programs at the “minimum” level.

In 2014, states will collect $25.7 billion from tobacco taxes and settlements. Our smoking facts paint a surprising picture: a little less than 2% of this money will be spent by states on smoking prevention and smoking cessation programs.

To stop the deadly impact that smoking has on people and the high financial costs smoking has on society, we need to stop smoking before it starts with better funding for educational programs. By spending more on smoking cessation programs, we can help people quit smoking, and reduce the $130 billion dollar medical expenses that arise as a result of smoking-related diseases.

10. Each Day, 3,200 Children Smoke Their First Cigarette

The best use of smoking facts is to teach smoking cigarettes facts for kids. When kids learn about the deadly impact that smoking can have, we can help prevent some children from ever smoking.

Clearly, we need to do more to prevent smoking facts about kids getting any worse. Each day 3,200 children under 18 years old try a cigarette for the first time. This is a shocking fact and something we should take into consideration when we decide where to place our efforts to prevent smoking.

Putting more effort into stopping smoking among kids is important. Many laws have been put in place to limit access to tobacco for minors. Despite this, it’s estimated that each day, 2,100 youths who are infrequent smokers become daily cigarette smokers! This is another one of the shocking smoking facts and further proof that teaching children in our community about the dangers of smoking is important.

Facts about Smoking Cigarettes Summary

Smoking is an epidemic in the United States, with over 45 million Americans smoking, including 3 million children and young adults in middle and high school. This epidemic costs us $280 billion each year in medical costs and losses of productivity.

Smoking facts paint a grim picture of the wide range of deadly diseases that are associated with smoking. By teaching smoking facts to kids, we can help them learn about the dangers of smoking before they ever pick up a cigarette.

Smoking also kills people who are not smokers: 2.5 million people have died over the last 50 years due to exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking is a deadly habit that affects everyone, even those who don’t smoke.

Smoking Facts

Obesity Facts

Obesity Facts – 10 Stunning Facts about Obesity

1. Obesity Cost the US $254 Billion in 2013


2. Blacks Have the Highest Rate of Obesity at 47.8%


3. 1 in 5 American Teenagers are Obese


4. 280,000 People Die in the US Each Year from Obesity


5. In 2013 the AMA Classified Obesity as a Disease


6. 34% of Dogs are Overweight or Obese


7. The Extra Weight Of Obesity Costs Airlines $275 Million Per Year


8. 93 Million Americans are Affected by Obesity


9. 27% of Adults Are Too Obese to Serve in the Military


10. Excess Body Fat Causes Type 2 Diabetes in 77% of Women and 64% of Men

1. Obesity Cost the US $254 Billion in 2013

One of the most basic obesity facts is that obesity can take a huge toll on the human body. A more surprising obesity fact is that obesity also takes a toll on the economy in the US! The estimated annual cost of obesity in the United States was nearly $254 billion in 2013 alone.

A large proportion of the total financial cost of obesity is spent treating the conditions related to obesity. Treatments for obesity-related conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer, account for the highest medical costs associated with obesity. It’s truly one of the more shocking obesity facts that obesity in America costs our country this much money – over $250 billion in one year!

One positive way to look at these economic obesity facts is as follows: when we reduce obesity we also improve our economy. This should be additional motivation for improving nutrition in our schools and in our home lives.

2. Blacks Have the Highest Rate of Obesity at 47.8%

Obesity facts tell us about the way obesity affects different ethnic groups. Blacks have the highest rate of age-adjusted obesity, at 47.8%. This is one of the most shocking facts: nearly half of all black people in the United States are obese.

Hispanics have the second highest rate of obesity at 42.5%. Next are whites, with 32.6% of white people being obese. The ethnic group in the United States who are least likely to be obese are Asians, who have only a 10.8% rate of obesity.

It’s a common myth that these differences are a result of variations in income. While low-income people are generally more vulnerable to obesity, obesity facts tell us that the picture is more complex. Income and obesity don’t line up directly as we might think. For instance, higher-income black and Mexican-American males are more likely to be obese than their low-income counterparts. Gender adds another layer of complexity. For instance, obesity facts tell us that higher-income women are less likely to be obese than lower-income women.

3. 1 in 5 American Teenagers are Obese

Childhood obesity facts paint a troubling picture for the United States. Over 12 million children in America are classed as obese. On average, 17% of children in the United States have obesity. From this average, there are big differences amongst age groups and different ethnic groups.

Hispanic youths have the highest rate of obesity, at over 22%. Black children have the second highest rate, at 20%. White children have less instances of obesity, at a little over 14%. Childhood obesity facts teach us that Asian children are the least obese on average, with the rate of obesity among this group a little less than 9%.

The age ranges for childhood obesity also show some interesting differences. Obesity facts show that children in America appear to get more obese with age. Children aged 2 to 5 years old have an approximately 8% rate of obesity, while children aged 6 to 11 years old have a 17% rate of obesity. This is one of the surprising obesity facts: the rate of obesity in children more than doubles between these age ranges.

Teenagers and young adults have the highest rates of obesity in the US. Children aged 12 to 19 years old have a rate of obesity in excess of 20%. It’s one of the shocking obesity facts that 1 in 5 teenagers and young adults in the US are classed as obese.

4. 280,000 People Die in the US Each Year from Obesity

The exact number of deaths that can be attributed to obesity is one of the obesity facts that is most difficult to determine. Scientists have struggled to know exactly how to answer the question of whether or not someone has died as a direct result of obesity.

To separate obesity facts from fiction, the question was posed this way: How many people would still be alive each year if they weren’t obese? Asking the question in this way, and looking at the data that’s available, gives a range of between 236,000 and 340,000 people who would still be alive each year if they weren’t obese.

The method for determining whether someone is considered obese or not is based on body mass index or BMI. BMI is the ratio of your height to your weight. This ratio is used by most scientists to establish obesity facts. Put as simply as possible, having too much weight for your height is what makes you obese.

5. In 2013 the AMA Classified Obesity as a Disease

The rate of obesity in America has reached such high levels that the American Medical Association (AMA) has now classified obesity as a chronic disease. By making this decision in 2013, the AMA’s hope is that health insurance companies will take a greater share in the burden of caring for people who are obese.

With the United States’ obesity bill topping $250 billion each year, there are many costs to be covered. Health insurance companies still reserve the right to deny claims because the AMA classification is not a legal ruling.

The hope of classifying obesity as a disease is that there will also be greater public awareness of obesity. Obesity facts teach us that obesity affects people of all income levels in all ethnic groups. Working together, we can find better cures for obesity, including improved surgery, counseling and better medication to treat obesity. Hopefully, obesity facts will one day become a thing of the past.

6. 34% of Dogs are Overweight or Obese

According to obesity facts, we’re not the only ones who are overweight – our pets are, too! A little over 34% of adult dogs handled by private veterinarians in the United States are overweight or obese. Studies show that this varies by gender, although female and male dogs that are spayed and neutered are more obese on average than their intact counterparts.

Different breeds of dogs have different rates of obesity. This leads us to some of our weird obesity facts: Cocker Spaniels and Beagles are the most likely to be overweight or obese, while Shetland Sheepdogs, Rottweilers and Golden Retrievers all have a tendency to be overweight or obese.

Of the different breeds of dogs studied, obesity facts tell us that German Shepherds are the least likely to be overweight or obese. Shih Tzus and Poodles also tend to keep a trim figure. Dogs who eat homemade foods are more likely to be obese than dogs that eat canned food. This is perhaps one of the surprising obesity facts: we might have assumed that canned food was worse than homemade food for dogs. At least when it comes to obesity, canned food is better for your dog’s health!

7. The Extra Weight Of Obesity Costs Airlines $275 Million Per Year

Obesity takes a toll on our economy in many ways. Our obesity facts tell us that airlines are under strain from obesity. They have to make seats wider, reducing the number of people who can fit on an aircraft. An airplane also uses more fuel when it’s carrying more weight. All this adds up to over a quarter of a billion dollars more that airlines have to pay each year due to obesity.

The healthcare industry also bears a large burden. Obesity facts tell us that there are medical expenses In addition to the increased costs of caring for patients with obesity-related diseases. Hospitals have to install special equipment for dealing with severely obese patients. Ambulances also need to be upgraded to deal with such patients.

All industries are affected by obesity, due to higher costs for life insurance premiums and lost days of work due to medical leave. Obesity facts tell us that obese people are more likely to miss days of work due to short-term leave and disability. Obesity takes a toll on all industries.

8. 93 Million Americans are Affected by Obesity

Obesity in America facts teach us that obesity is a growing problem in children and adults. With the AMA classifying obesity as a disease, public efforts are beginning to address the problem. Diet, genetics and environment all play a role in the causes that lead to obesity.

It’s clear that starting to address the issue of obesity with children makes a difference. Children who are obese are 70% more likely to be obese as adults. By teaching better nutrition and healthier lifestyle practices, we can change these trends.

One of the most troubling obesity facts is that two out of three Americans are overweight or obese! It’s a huge problem in the United States, and around the world. Only recently – in 2013 – Mexico became the first country with a higher obesity rate than the United States.

9. 27% of Adults Are Too Obese to Serve in the Military

Obesity facts also tell us about the impact that obesity has on the military. Nearly 1 in 3 adults are too obese to qualify for military service. In 2005, 9 million people were considered too obese to serve in the United States Armed Forces. Obesity is currently the single biggest reason for discharge from the military.

Obesity is also a growing problem within the armed forces. It’s estimated that 16% of people in the military are obese. In 2008, nearly 35% of eligible women were classed as too obese to serve, and nearly 12% of male civilians were too obese to qualify.

Individual cases of obesity in the military have revealed surprising obesity facts about the toll obesity takes on the human body. Young military personnel showed coronary disease problems typically found in elderly people.

10. Excess Body Fat Causes Type 2 Diabetes in 77% of Women and 64% of Men

Establishing obesity facts that link obesity to other diseases is not easy. However, there is a clear connection between type 2 diabetes and obesity. In 77% of the cases where women have type 2 diabetes, they have excess body fat. Meanwhile, 64% of men with type 2 diabetes have excess body fat.

Obesity affects the body in two main ways. Obesity facts tell us that the excess weight of obesity can cause sleep apnea and arthritis, as the bones and lungs are put under increased pressure from too much weight. This is the first way that obesity takes its toll on the body. The second way that obesity impacts the body is through the excess of fat cells and the impact they have on the liver. Excess fat cells also lead to cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Nearly every major organ in the body is negatively affected by obesity. Obesity facts show that obesity has an impact on the pancreas, the kidneys, the gallbladder, and the colon. Obesity can also lead to complications during pregnancy, including birth defects and, in extreme cases, fetal death. It’s clear that obesity is hazardous to your health.

Facts about Obesity in America Summary

Obesity facts tell a troubling story about the rise of obesity in America. Childhood obesity facts teach us that 1 in 5 teenagers or young adults are obese. Obesity seems to become more prevalent with age, although elderly people tend to be slightly less obese on average. More than 1 in 3 adult Americans is obese according to some studies.

There are clear indications that ethnicity plays a role in obesity. However, the picture is very complex, with income and education also impacting the obesity rate of different groups in various ways. On the whole, minorities and lower-income people are more at risk of being obese.

With obesity costing the United States $254 billion per year, it’s a national problem that affects every industry. Obesity-related diseases have taken a huge toll on the healthcare industry. Recent efforts have been aimed at building public support, and getting health insurance companies to share more of the financial burden of obesity.

Obesity Facts

Germany Facts

Germany Facts Introduction

Interesting facts about Germany teach us about the most populous country in Europe. Many Germany facts can tell us about the history of the country. As early as 100 AD, the Romans had described the area in Northern Germany as Germania.

The 1900s were a defining period for Germany in modern history, and established many Germany facts that continue to define the country today. Germany was part of the Central Powers during World War 1, and suffered terrible losses. Adolf Hitler came to power after World War 1, and Germany committed horrific crimes against humanity before suffering defeat in World War 2.

After World War 2, Germany was divided into East and West Germany. Communist East Germany was part of the Soviet Union, and capitalist West Germany was a sovereign state in Western Europe. In 1994, Germany reunited and has remained as one nation stayed together ever since.

1. Over 80 million People Live in Germany

In an effort to increase Europe’s role in the global economy and further distance itself from communism, Germany played an important role in forming the European Union, or EU. One of the Germany facts relating to the EU is that Germany introduced the European currency, the Euro. Germany’s role in the European Union teaches us important Germany facts about life in the country today.

The European Union grew out of trade unions that were established in the 1950s. The goal of the European Union is to facilitate the free movement of goods and people throughout Europe. By creating a more fluid economy between the different European states, the European Union hopes to provide Europe with a larger role in the global economy.

Germany plays a central role in the European Union today. As the most populous country in Europe, and Europe’s economic powerhouse, many EU decisions impact life in Germany. Similarly, many decisions in Germany impact life throughout the rest of the European Union.

2. Germans Didn’t Name Germany; Romans Did in 100 AD

The early history of Germany teaches us many Germany facts, and tells us a lot about the history of Europe as a whole. Fossils discovered in the Neander valley in Germany give us the first evidence of non-modern humans. These Neanderthals were a different type of human than we are, and lived in Europe and Asia approximately 40,000-60,000 years ago. Neanderthals share many traits with modern humans but are considered a different species.

Tribes of people occupied the area now known as Germany for thousands of years. During ancient history, these tribes came into conflict with the Roman Empire. It was the Romans who first described this area as Germania, and the inhabitants of the region became known as Germans. It’s one of the interesting facts about Germany that the Germans did not actually name themselves. The Germanic tribes that lived in this area gained power over time, and eventually took land from the Roman Empire as it declined from 200 – 400 AD.

One of the important Germany facts is that the Germanic tribes grew to become kingdoms and went on to assume an important role in the Holy Roman Empire as the center of influence moved from Rome to Germany. The Holy Roman Empire comprised of German princes and popes existed from 800 AD to the 1800s in some form or another. The Holy Roman Empire in Germany finally broke apart in the war between two kingdoms in Germany: the Austrian Monarchy and the Kingdom of Prussia.

3. Germany is Going Green!

As part of its move towards the future, the current German government has enacted many laws and practices to encourage the use of renewable energy. Germany is proving its new role as a global citizen by leading the way in using environmentally friendly ways of generating energy. Germany is going green!

As a result of Germany’s efforts, their greenhouse gas emissions are falling. The final goal of the German plan for renewable energy is to eliminate reliance on coal and other non-renewable sources of energy. Germany is pursuing this goal through renewable energy, greater energy efficiency, and more sustainable growth. The future looks bright for Germany!

4. Adolf Hitler and Germany Killed Over 10 Million Civilians

Some of the most awful Germany facts surround Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. The Nazi Party came to power in 1933 when Hitler was made Chancellor of Germany. The economic conditions in Germany and the harsh conditions of the Treaty of Versailles, whether real or imagined, led Germans towards totalitarianism.

Hitler was given power over all of Germany. He even had the soldiers in the German army declare their allegiance to him personally instead of to Germany. Germany created a bureaucracy of war and terror. Hitler and the Nazi Party committed what many consider the greatest crime of the 1900s: the Holocaust.

The Nazi’s crimes began as segregation against Jews, other minorities, and political dissidents, and ended in an effort to kill all the Jews in Europe. Over six million Jews, and over 10 million civilians in total, were killed as a result of the actions of Hitler, the Nazi Party, and the people of Germany who ran a bureaucratic killing machine. These are the worst Germany facts of all, and these facts about Germany continue to cast a shadow over the country 70 years on.

5. More than 2 Million German Soldiers Died in World War 1

Germany continued to consolidate power and, by 1900, the policies of Otto von Bismarck had expanded German influence and territory across Europe. Bismarck served under Wilhem I. After Wilhem II took power, he took a more aggressive approach to expanding the power of Germany. This is one of the more important Germany facts, as this would lead to conflicts within Europe, and eventually war.

The crown prince of Austria, a country that bordered Germany, was assassinated in 1914. This led to a series of events that resulted in World War 1. It was a bloody conflict, and ushered in the era of modern warfare. World War 1 provides some of the saddest Germany facts. Roughly two million soldiers lost their lives during World War 1.

Germany lost World War 1 to the Allied Powers that included the United States, France and Great Britain. In 1918, the German Revolution occurred. Wilhem II and the remaining German princes gave up power, and Germany became a republic. The German people were ready for a change after suffering heavy losses in a war that was fought for a monarchy.

6. More than 5 Million German Soldiers Died in World War 2

Germany was part of the Axis Powers during World War 2. Germany invaded countries across Europe. Germany occupied France, Austria, Belgium, and most of continental Europe. Mussolini’s fascist Italy was also part of the Axis powers, and controlled additional parts of Europe, as well as parts of North Africa. It seemed that the Axis Powers of Germany, Italy and Japan were destined to win the war.

The Allied Forces fighting the Axis Powers gathered all their troops for a massive invasion in 1944, called D-Day. This was the beginning of the end for Germany and the Axis Powers, as the tide started to turn in favor of the Allied Powers in World War 2.

Germany and the Axis Powers had a strong start to the war, but they were overcome in the end. After D-Day, Germany was fighting a war on two fronts: they were fighting with the United States and Britain on the Western Front, and fighting with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, on the Eastern Front. When Germany lost World War 2, it lost to both the Soviets and to the Western Powers.

7. When Germany Was Divided in 1948, an Entire City Was Split in Half

Relations broke down between the Soviets and Western Powers at the end of World War 2, leading to what would be called the Cold War. It happened so fast, that the occupying forces in Germany never left! This is another one of the important Germany facts. The Soviets and the Western Powers continued to occupy Germany and the city of Berlin after World War 2 ended.

Eventually, an agreement was reached that would become one of the Germany facts that would define life in Germany for the next 50 years. The agreement involved splitting Germany into two parts. One part was capitalist West Germany, which was supported by the Western Powers of the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and other countries. The other part was East Germany, which was supported by the USSR. The USSR also retained additional European territory it had acquired during World War 2, and made those countries states in the USSR.

The main city in Germany, Berlin, was split in half too! This is one of the unusual facts about Germany for kids. It sounds absurd to split a city in half, and it made life absurdly difficult for people living in Berlin, especially for families who had relatives in both halves of the city. The city was divided into East and West Berlin. As the Cold War continued, a wall was built between the two halves of the city to prevent travel, and was known as the Berlin Wall. All across Europe, the dividing line between the USSR and capitalist Europe was referred to as the Iron Curtain.

8. X-Rays, The Printing Press, and Einstein all Came from Germany

Some of the interesting facts about Germany teach us about the amazing number of innovations and inventions that come from Germany. While not exactly an invention, one of the important historical Germany facts is that Martin Luther innovated Christianity when he started the Protestant Reformation in Germany in the 1500s. This would eventually lead to the great variety of Christian sects that exist in the world today, and remain separate from the Catholic Church.

An amazing number of technological innovations and inventions came from Germany and provide more interesting Germany facts. Gutenberg built his printing press in Germany, and many point to this as being part of what accelerated the Reformation. More recently, in the 1800s and 1900s, X-Rays were discovered in Germany, and the internal combustion engine was invented there.

During the early 1900s, Albert Einstein, who was born in Germany, lived in Germany when he elaborated his theory of relativity to include gravity. Einstein became a United States Citizen in 1940 after immigrating to the United States in 1933 when Hitler took power in Germany. During World War 2, the German war machine produced many innovations, including the first space rocket, and magnetic tape for recording sound.

9. The Treaty of Versailles Ordered Germany to Pay $440 Billion in Reparations

The Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 and provides us with more important Germany facts. This treaty was signed by the newly formed League of Nations, and placed a set of strict conditions on Germany. These conditions included disarmament, and reparations that were to be paid to the countries in Europe which Germany had invaded.

Some people say the conditions of the treaty were too harsh, and crippled the German economy. The equivalent value of the reparations demanded of Germany at the time is $440 billion USD today – ouch! Other scholars have said that the conditions of the treaty were not harsh enough to cause Germany to restructure itself in a way that would result in long-term peace. Germany never got the scolding it needed: it should’ve been $1 trillion in reparations! This is one of the Germany facts that has recently been under more debate.

Whether or not the economic troubles of Germany during the 1920s and 1930s can be directly attributed to conditions of the treaty, the Great Depression crushed any growth that was occurring in the Germany economy after World War 1.

10. Germany Has the 5th Largest Economy in the World

When Germany was rebuilt after World War 2, West Germany slowly grew its economy to become one of the largest in Europe. East Germany was initially boosted by the rapid industrialization of the USSR under Stalin. However, over time, the flaws in the Soviet system led to the decline of the East German and Soviet economies. By the 1980s, East Germans lived significantly poorer lives than their counterparts in West Germany.

During this time, many East Germans risked their lives to flee to West Germany for better living conditions. To do so, they had to be smuggled past intense border fortifications, including the Berlin Wall.

After the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, West Germany and East Germany were re-united in 1994. The German economy has continued to grow, and is now generally considered the 5th largest economy in the world, and the largest economy in Europe. As a result of reunification, Germany is now the most populous country in Europe.

The legacy of the Soviet era still has an impact on people’s lives in Germany. The Soviet occupation is one of the Germany facts that changed Germany forever. People in East Germany are still, on average, poorer than those in West Germany. As a federal republic, Germany has been practicing a policy of sending tax revenues from the former West Germany to the former East Germany to help rebuild the economies in those German states. This plan is set to continue until nearly 2020 – 25 years after reunification!

Interesting Facts about Germany Summary

Facts about Germany can teach us a lot about the history of this part of Central Europe. Germanic tribes occupied the area that the Romans would go on to call Germania. After the fall of the Roman Empire in Rome, the center of power moved to Germany, where it stayed until the 1800s.

The 1900s give us some of the worst Germany facts. The horror of the Holocaust still shocks us today, and Germany suffered heavy losses in both World War 1 and World War 2. Many Germans were killed, and many atrocities were committed by Germany under the power of Hitler and the Nazi Party.

Germany was divided into East and West Germany after World War 2. In the 1990s, Germany was reunified, and more positive Germany facts have continued to surface since then. Germany is the 5th largest economy in the world, the most populous country in Europe, and plays a central role in the European Union.

Germany Facts

Albert Einstein Facts

Albert Einstein Facts Introduction

Albert Einstein facts can help teach us about the history of physics, and the life of the first person to become a celebrity in the modern era for being a genius. In fact, the iconic image of Albert Einstein with his shock of fluffy white hair still instantly comes to mind for many people when they think of the word genius.

Teaching Albert Einstein facts is a great way to get kids interested in science. There are many historical Albert Einstein facts that can also teach us about major events in world history during the 1900s, including World War 2.

1. Einstein Created Modern Physics With 4 Papers in 1 Miracle Year, 1905

One of the fun facts about Albert Einstein for kids is that he often worked on physics when he should have been examining patents at his day job. To Einstein’s credit, he continued his education, even while he worked! While working as a patent clerk, Albert Einstein continued to study physics and submit papers for publication. In 1905, Einstein would have the most incredible year of his life. His mind was moving so fast! There are almost too many Albert Einstein facts in 1905 alone to keep up with!

In 1905, Einstein published four important papers on physics. These were papers that would change physics forever, and alter the course of life in the 20th century. All his papers were published in the Annalen der Physik, a prestigious scientific journal.

Einstein’s first paper, on the photoelectric effect, would later earn him the Nobel Prize. His second paper, on Brownian motion described the movement of molecules.

The next two papers were so revolutionary, that it would be another 30 years or more until Einstein’s theories could be proven. Einstein’s paper on special relativity was the first big leap beyond Isaac Newton’s theories from almost 250 years earlier. Newton had his own miracle year or annus mirabilis, the Latin name often used to describe this phenomenon of events in a person’s life or in history. Newton’s miracle year was 1666, when he created breakthrough inventions and made important discoveries in calculus, motion, optics, and gravitation.

Two hundred and thirty nine years later, Einstein was blazing the path for modern physics that would take humankind beyond the classical worldview of Newtonian motion and gravity. This is one of the most important Albert Einstein facts. Einstein’s discoveries in physics are important because they changed the way we see the world and made a number of new discoveries and inventions possible. Einstein was only 26 years old and he was already altering the course of human history with only his mind, paper and pen!

Einstein’s fourth paper in 1905 is perhaps his most famous, as it contains his equation, E = mc2 . This is a revolutionary paper in nuclear physics that describes the behavior of matter as it approaches the speed of light. The amazing conclusion of this paper is that mass is equivalent to energy! This idea, even today, seems fantastic, but is one of the most important Albert Einstein facts that he established.

Many people consider E = mc2 to be the most famous equation ever. It was a monumental work that would change human life forever, as well as Einstein’s life. While his three other papers from 1905 would have been enough to establish Einstein as one of the greatest geniuses of all time, this fourth paper would make Einstein an international celebrity.

During the April of this same year, Einstein also received his PhD from the University of Zürich. His doctoral dissertation was A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions. It’s amazing to think that Albert Einstein accomplished all of this when he was only 26 years old! This is one of the Albert Einstein facts that is inspiring for kids and young adults.

2. Albert Einstein Read Euclid and Kant When He Was 10 Years Old

Albert Einstein facts about his youth teach us about a humble upbringing, with a big focus on education. Einstein was born in 1879 to a Jewish family living in Germany. His family was not observant, and Albert Einstein attended a Catholic school from the time he was five years old until he was eight. This is one of the interesting facts about Albert Einstein.

At eight years old, Einstein was transferred to the Luitpold Gymnasium, which has now been named after him. Einstein attended the school until he was fifteen years old. Some people have said that Einstein struggled as a student early on, or was a daydreamer. This is not one of our Albert Einstein facts as it’s not actually correct: Einstein excelled in his academic studies as a youth.

When Einstein was just 10 years old, he was introduced to the writings of philosopher Immanuel Kant, and the geometry of Euclid. These books made a big impression on the young Albert Einstein. One of the Albert Einstein facts is clear: even at a very young age he had a love of learning, and this was encouraged by his family.

Perhaps it was Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason that led Einstein to question the authority at his school. When he was 15 years old, Einstein’s family moved to Italy after his father’s business failed. Einstein was supposed to stay behind and finish his schooling. Instead, he used a doctor’s note as an excuse and traveled to Italy to rejoin his family. This is another one of the Albert Einstein facts that is fun for kids.

On a more serious note, Einstein later complained that the school’s teaching method was limiting his creativity and diminishing his love of learning. While in Italy, and only 15 or 16 years old, Einstein wrote a short essay entitled, On the Investigation of the State of Ether in a Magnetic Field. With an intellect as powerful as Albert Einstein’s, perhaps no school could satisfy the amount of information his young mind was capable of absorbing.

3. Albert Einstein Convinced FDR to Build the Atomic Bomb

One of the more surprising Albert Einstein facts is that Einstein was a pacifist, yet played a part in the building of the atomic bomb. Many people think that Einstein realized that his theories could be used to build a weapon, but this is not one of the Albert Einstein facts.

The truth is, before World War 2 began, Einstein was approached by European scientists who warned that Germany was developing an atomic weapon. This was the first time Einstein had conceived of the possibility of atomic weapons. He was a pacifist, so the thought of creating a weapon using his theories had never occurred to him.

Einstein contributed to a letter to President Roosevelt that suggested the United States begin atomic weapon research so they could build an atomic weapon before the Germans. Einstein even used his personal connections to get an audience with the President to convince him that the United States needed to win the race to build an atomic bomb.

The Manhattan Project was created to develop the atomic bomb, and the United States became the first country to develop an atomic weapon. Albert Einstein later regretted writing the letter and urging Roosevelt to pursue the creation of the atomic bomb. He later wrote another letter, along with British philosopher Bertrand Russell, advocating against the use of nuclear weapons.

While he was not directly involved in the creation of the atomic bomb, it would not have been possible without Einstein’s theories. This is one of the sad Albert Einstein facts that is also a sad fact about science and technology: too often humankind uses advances in science and technology for destructive purposes.

4. It Took 15 Years for Einstein’s Relativity Theory to Make Him Famous

When Eddington recorded the bending of light around the Sun, Albert Einstein’s hypothesis became established theory for most of the scientific community. There was proof that Einstein’s description of the Universe was better than Newton’s.

Einstein’s discovery was featured in headlines around world during the fall and winter of 1919. It’s one of our more remarkable Albert Einstein facts that his initial insights in 1905 would make him world famous 14 years later! Einstein had been refining and improving his hypotheses during this time, however, it was his miracle year of 1905 that laid the groundwork for his future work and much of modern physics.

In 1921, Einstein received the Nobel Prize for his work on the photoelectric effect. Despite the evidence, his theory of relativity was so advanced that the Nobel did not award him the prize for what may have been a more revolutionary insight.

Einstein toured the world and was given a hero’s welcome wherever he went. For the first time in modern history, someone had become famous by being incredibly smart! Einstein visited the United States, Japan, Singapore and Palestine, recording his observations of the different cultures he encountered in letters to friends and family.

5. Albert Einstein Failed His First Entrance Exam to College in 1895

In 1895, when Einstein was just 16 years old, he completed the entrance exams for the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zürich, Switzerland. He achieved good grades in the math and physics portions, but failed the general part of the exam. This is another one of the interesting facts about Albert Einstein, and tells us about one of the few times in his life he failed a test!

Einstein found another school in Aarau, Switzerland to finish the general studies that he needed for entrance into the Polytechnic. During this time, in 1896, Einstein renounced his German citizenship so that he would not have to serve in the military. Later in the year, Einstein graduated with the equivalent of his high school diploma.

Shortly afterwards, Einstein finally gained admittance to the Zürich Polytechnic. One of the inspiring Albert Einstein facts for kids is that Einstein wouldn’t take no for an answer. He finished the studies he needed for admittance to the Polytechnic within one year, and was only 17 years old when he started college!

6. Albert Einstein Was an Ordinary Patent Clerk When He Was 21

In 1900, Albert Einstein graduated from the Zürich Polytechnic with a teaching degree. During his time in college, Einstein excelled in his studies at school, and continued to study physics in his spare time. This is another one of the inspiring Albert Einstein facts: although he was in school, he continued to pursue the ideas that interested him.

After graduation, Einstein searched in vain for a teaching position. He became a Swiss citizen in 1901, but he avoided being drafted into the military by citing medical reasons. It’s not clear to us today what these medical reasons were, or whether this was another example of Einstein using a doctor’s note as an excuse! This might be another one of the fun facts about Albert Einstein, or his actions could have been due to his philosophy of pacifism.

When he was unable to find work teaching, Einstein landed a job as an assistant patent examiner. Einstein worked as an ordinary patent clerk. While this may seem like one of the more discouraging Albert Einstein facts, it is reported that this position gave Einstein plenty of free time during the day to contemplate the physics questions that occupied his mind.

He was given a permanent post in 1903, so Einstein must have been doing a sufficient job. He was passed over for promotion though, which leads us to believe he may have spent some of his time on the job working on the physics problems that interested him!

7. Albert Einstein Made His Breakthrough Discoveries in Relative Isolation

In 1905, Einstein was largely unknown and was working in relative isolation. While Einstein had access to the Annalen der Physik, he was not a part of any prestigious academic circles during his time as a patent clerk.

Perhaps this was for the best. Einstein had disdained the overly rigorous approach to education at his school as a youth. Remaining largely outside the confines of academia gave Albert Einstein the freedom he needed to let his mind race in whatever direction pleased him.

One of the Albert Einstein facts we know is that he was not completely alone. Einstein regularly met with a group of friends to discuss physics and philosophy. Einstein also bounced many of his ideas off of a colleague that he knew from the Zürich Polytechnic and worked with at the Swiss patent office, Michele Besso. Einstein also discussed his work with his wife at the time, Mileva Marić.

However, there is no clear evidence that any of these people contributed significantly to Albert Einstein’s breakthrough papers. Albert Einstein was a singular genius. Pursuing his own self-study, he was able to surpass the physics being taught at the time by leaps and bounds. This is another of the inspiring Albert Einstein facts that tells us to let our passion for learning guide us in our quest for knowledge.

8. In 3 Years Albert Einstein Went from Obscurity to Celebrity

In 1903, Albert Einstein still could not find a teaching job. Finally, in 1908, after the publication of his papers from his miracle year in 1905, he was appointed as a lecturer at the University of Bern. It took three years for even the brilliant academics at the time to realize the monumental nature of Einstein’s work!

In 1909, Einstein received a professorship at the University of Zürich. He briefly taught as a professor in Prague in 1911, before returning to the Zürich Polytechnic where he became professor of theoretical physics. Einstein returned to Germany in 1914 and was appointed as the director of the Kaiser Wilhem Institute for Physics, a post he would hold until 1932. It’s one of the ironic Albert Einstein facts that he could hardly find a teaching job after receiving his degree, but was now receiving offers and appointments from universities all across Europe!

9. Einstein’s Relativity Theory Was Proved in 1919 During a Solar Eclipse

It’s important to remember another one of the Albert Einstein facts: Einstein was a theoretical physicist. Einstein was not an engineer who designed inventions, or someone who made practical discoveries that could be put to immediate use. Albert Einstein proposed hypotheses or descriptions of how the Universe operates. In science, a hypothesis becomes a theory when there is significant evidence to show that the proposed way of describing the Universe more closely matches the observed evidence than any previous theories.

In this way, scientific theories gradually improve our understanding of the Universe through better and better descriptions and models. Einstein’s descriptions were a complete revolution over the Newtonian theories proven at the time. For theoretical physicists, it is vital to find an experiment that will prove a hypothesis is better than a previous theory. For Einstein, finding an experiment was difficult, because his hypotheses were so far ahead of current physics and instrumentation that could measure the physical world.

In 1911, Albert Einstein discovered a way to prove his hypothesis of relativity. According the theory of relativity he had developed at the time, the light from a distant star should be bent by the Earth’s gravity. At the time, telescopes were only powerful enough to detect this event during a solar eclipse.

A race was on among experimental physicists. These are the physicists who create instruments and experiments that prove the hypotheses of theoretical physicists. A solar eclipse only occurs every so often, and is only a total eclipse in certain parts of the world. Experimental physicists traveled to the tropics and other destinations around the world, hoping to prove Einstein’s theory right. Bear in mind, they would not only have to be in the right place at the right time, but the experimental physicists would need enough time with no clouds overhead to measure the light from the distant star before, during and after the solar eclipse.

When we consider this, it’s not one of the surprising Albert Einstein facts that it wasn’t until May of 1919 that Sir Arthur Stanley Eddington finally proved Einstein’s theory of relativity. Eddington also played an important role in translating and spreading Einstein’s theory of relativity to the English-speaking world. One of the Albert Einstein facts we tend to forget is that he spoke German, and his original papers were published in German. Without the help of international scientists like Eddington, Einstein’s ideas may have only been circulated throughout Germany or Europe.

10. Albert Einstein Wasn’t a United States Citizen Until 1940

Albert Einstein was visiting the United States in 1933 when Adolf Hitler took power of Germany and started a series of actions against Jews that would become the Holocaust. Einstein was Jewish and possessed enough common sense in addition to his incredible intellect to stay in the United States and take up residence.

Einstein was so famous that, on his return trip to the United States, which started in 1930, people working on his behalf limited public access to him. This was necessary so that he could focus on his work, and on meeting important intellectuals and luminaries in the United States.

The laws enacted in Germany by Hitler and the Nazi party prevented any Jewish person from holding a professor post at a university. Einstein helped other Jewish intellectuals avoid persecution by using his fame to convince world leaders to provide opportunities for emigration.

Interesting Facts about Albert Einstein Summary

It’s one of the inspiring Albert Einstein facts that he used his fame in order to help others in need. Later in his life, Einstein joined the NAACP and became a vocal supporter of civil rights in the United States. After World War 2, Einstein was also helpful in establishing Israel. He was even offered the presidency in 1952, which he declined.

One of the fun facts about Albert Einstein is that he played the violin and the piano. Many people who knew him remarked on his carefree and childlike spirit. Perhaps these characteristics played a role in his unabated inquisitiveness about the physical properties of the Universe.

Albert Einstein lived in Princeton, New Jersey for the rest of his life, and was part of the Institute for Advanced Study. He continued to work on new hypotheses and laid the groundwork for quantum mechanics, the other major breakthrough in physics of the 20th century. It’s one of the great Albert Einstein facts that although he did not agree with quantum mechanics or its implications, his work was an important part of founding this field of physics. Einstein was so ahead of his time that his hypotheses are still being proven by experimental physicists today, nearly 100 years later!

Albert Einstein Facts

Mars Facts

Mars Facts Introduction

Mars, often known as “the red planet” has fascinated people throughout history. Many Mars facts were established during Ancient times, because the 4th planet from the Sun is visible in the night sky without the aid of a telescope. When telescopes were invented, “canals” on the planet’s surface were discovered that led some to believe there was intelligent life on Mars.

As a result of these observations, Mars has played a great role in cultural myths about Martians, or intelligent beings from Mars. Recent observations indicate that these “canals” were not carved by intelligent beings, but they were likely formed by flowing water.

Scientists have established many interesting facts about Mars. Recent space missions to Mars have revealed further information, including the presence of water in various forms on Mars. Water is one of the building blocks of life as we know it. While scientists have been unable to reveal any definite Mars facts about intelligent life on the planet, some scientists are actively pursuing the possibility that less complex life exists on Mars.

1. In 1996 NASA Claimed They Found Life on Mars

In 1996 NASA scientists announced they had confirmed the existence of life on Mars. Ever since Giovanni Schiaparelli pointed his telescope at the sky and described “canals” on Mars, people have tried to establish Mars facts that prove life exists on the planet.

NASA wasn’t claiming they had found intelligent life capable of carving canals on Mars; they weren’t even attempting to establish interesting facts about Mars that prove life exists there today. The scientists claimed that a rock which had fallen from space onto Earth was knocked off the planet Mars by an asteroid about 16 million years ago.

The rock was found in Antarctica and became the subject of close scrutiny, as did the claims of the NASA scientists who were trying to prove new Mars facts. The scientists claimed the molecular formations on the rock were formed by microbes that lived on Mars millions or billions of years ago.

The evidence the scientists provided for life on Mars was put under close scrutiny by experts all around the world. Eventually, most scientists agreed that other non-organic processes could have produced the molecular formations. So for now, scientists still don’t actually have any proof that there is, or ever was, life on Mars.

2. Mankind Has Sent Over 40 Space Missions to Mars

Scientists just don’t want to take “no” for an answer when it comes to life on Mars. The United States, Europe and Japan have all launched spacecraft on missions to explore Mars.

In 1962, the Soviet Union became the first country to launch a probe to Mars, the aptly named, Mars 1. The Mars 2 mission in 1971, the first mission to impact the surface of Mars, followed this first probe. The Mars 3 mission successfully landed the first probe on Mars, also in 1971.

The United States and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, have been at the forefront of missions to Mars in recent years. The most impressive Mars facts have been returned by the Mars Spirit and Opportunity rovers, both of which landed on Mars in 2003.

The United States also launched the Mars Science Laboratory, or Curiosity rover, which was based on the lessons learned from the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. Curiosity landed on Mars in 2011 and started establishing new Mars facts. We tend to think curiosity has always been a part of our fascination with Mars, ever since humankind first looked up at the sky and saw the planet. Surely, the folks at NASA had this in mind when they named the mission!

3. There Are 3 Robots on Mars Right Now

In 2003, NASA launched the Spirit and Opportunity rovers, which landed on the surface of Mars and began exploring. This gives us some of the fun facts about Mars for kids. These advanced robots are unmanned rovers that carry an incredible number of scientific instruments.

Spirit and Opportunity are powered by two solar arrays that generate up to 140W of power in the full daylight. Like Galileo who peered through his telescope, NASA scientists are looking for definite signs of life on the planet Mars. They certainly aren’t looking for anyone digging canals! NASA scientists are looking for the possibility of tiny life forms, called microbes, that exist underground on Mars today, or may have existed on the surface at some point in the planet’s past.

NASA scientists are establishing new facts about Mars with robotic rovers. In 2012, the Curiosity rover landed with over five times the mass of scientific instruments as the previous rovers.

Using these robots, NASA scientists have confirmed the presence of water on the planet Mars.

4. There’s a Sheet of Ice 11 Inches Deep and the Size of Texas on Mars

The reason that scientists believe that there was once flowing water on Mars is because there is a lot of frozen water on Mars. Another one of the exciting Mars facts is that there is a giant sheet of ice on the South Pole of Mars.

It’s this large sheet of ice that gives scientists confidence that liquid water once flowed on Mars, and that it was erosion by this water that built the “canals” on Mars. The ice is so thick, that if it melted, it would cover the entire surface of Mars in water 11 inches deep. The North Pole of Mars is also covered in ice. There’s a good chance there was quite a bit of liquid water on Mars at some point!

In the most recent speculations on Mars facts, scientists think that there may be liquid water on Mars now! Scientists have stated that the interaction of salt in the Martian soil may create the possibility for liquid water, despite the cold temperatures on Mars. With this recent news, once again, there is the possibility of life on Mars, and scientists are eager to discover more Mars facts.

5. Scientists Have Confirmed Liquid Water Once Flowed on Mars

Astronomers with early telescopes thought that someone was responsible for carving the “canals” on Mars. Perhaps they would have arrived at the now generally accepted explanation sooner had they thought something was responsible.

The features on Mars that appear to be “canals” are now considered to be dry riverbeds. It was not someone who carved the “canals”, it was something: erosion. At some point in the past on planet Mars, it was warm and water flowed on the surface! This is one of the most exciting Mars facts! It was this water flowing that carved the features on Mars. Once the water dried up, only the dry riverbeds were left behind.

Scientists have not yet confirmed for certain that liquid water currently exists on Mars. However, the fact that there was flowing water on Mars at one time is now accepted, and is one of the important Mars facts. This liquid water tells us there may have been the possibility of life on the planet. Recent space missions have confirmed water in ice and vapor forms currently on the planet.

6. Mars Is Red Because It’s a Rusty Planet

One of the most obvious and best-known Mars facts is that Mars is red. The planet has been visible from Earth long before the invention of the telescope. Ancient people could see the faint red dot floating in the sky. It would be many thousands of years until people knew why Mars was red.

So, why is Mars red? Well, you could call Mars the rusty planet. Mars is a red or red-orange color because of the presence of iron in the soil. When iron combines with oxygen, it turns into iron oxide, or what we typically call rust.

Rust isn’t always red or red orange. Depending on the presence of other chemicals, the rust of iron can be yellow, green, and even black. When we look at Mars close-up through a telescope, we can see some of these other colors too. So, the next time someone asks, “Why is Mars red?”, tell them, “The Sun forgot to clean up its toys and left Mars out in the rain”.

As funny as that sounds, it’s partly the truth, and this is one of the interesting Mars facts for kids that shows how Earth and Mars are similar. Iron on Mars rusts the same way that it does here on Earth.

7. Mars Has a Mountain 3 Times Bigger Than Mount Everest

One of the most distinguishing features of Mars is a large volcano called Olympus Mons. The mountain formed by this volcano is so large, scientists have known of its existence since the 1800s, when it was first discovered with telescopes. It’s the largest volcano in the Solar System!

The volcano is aptly named: Olympus Mons is the Latin name for Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus was the home of the gods in Greek mythology. At over 14 miles, or more than 20 kilometers high, Olympus Mons towers over the mountains of Earth. Olympus Mons is three times the height of Mount Everest, the Earth’s tallest mountain!

The existence of Olympus Mons is another one of the Mars facts that tells us about the similarities between Mars and Earth. The huge volcanic mountain formed in a similar way to the volcanic mountains that formed the islands of Hawaii, here on Earth. When you measure Mauna Kea, a volcano on the main island of Hawaii, from the bottom of the sea floor, it’s larger than Mount Everest. However, Mauna Kea measured from the sea floor is still only about half the size of Mars’ giant volcano mountain, Olympus Mons!

8. Mars Has 2 Moons That Measure Less Than 15 Miles in Diameter

We know from our Mars facts that the name Mars is from the Roman god of war. In Greek mythology, Mars is known as Ares. Mars’ children, Phobos and Deimos, would accompany Mars into every battle. Phobos represents fear, and Deimos represents terror.

Don’t worry, fear and terror won’t be coming near the Earth any time soon – they are locked into orbit around Mars! Mars’ moons are much smaller than Earth’s moon. Deimos and Phobos both measure less than 15 miles in diameter.

One of the Mars facts that remains a mystery to us is just how Mars got its moons. Some scientists have speculated that they were asteroids, which were captured by Mars’ gravity. Other scientists think Phobos and Deimos might be fragments of Mars that were ejected off the planet after an asteroid impact, and then the fragments coalesced together in orbit.

A third hypothesis is that Phobos and Deimos might be fragments of an asteroid that broke off after impacting Mars. Clearly, the origin of Mars’ moons is one of the Mars facts that is yet to be fully established!

9. It’s Been over 75 Years since the War of the Worlds Shocked Americans

One thing is for sure: humans are fascinated with Mars and the idea that there might be people on Mars. Let’s face, we’ve got Martian fever!

In the 1900s, as early radio technology emerged, many signals were heard when people pointed their antennas towards the sky. Often the source of the signals was unknown. Without a complete understanding of atmospheric disturbances, some early radio operators speculated these signals were coming from outer space. Many headlines were written about life on Mars, and Martian fever was pandemic in the early part of the century.

Perhaps the most famous of the modern tales of Martians is War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. Wells wrote the story in 1898. However, it wasn’t until Orson Welles’ radio adaptation in 1938 that the story became a part of popular culture. Some people tuned into the radio show without knowing it was simply a play and thought it was breaking news that Martians were invading the Earth!

The story was recently remade as a movie and showed that Martian fever is just as contagious as it has always been! While scientists uncover new Mars facts with robotic rovers, science fiction writers stay one step ahead with fantastic stories about what the past or future of Mars might hold.

10. Mars Has Seasons like Earth, but with More Extreme Weather

One of the Mars facts that tells us more about the similarities between Mars and Earth is that Mars has seasons like Earth. The seasons on Mars and Earth are similar because both planets are tilted more than 20 degrees on their axis.

The seasons on Mars are more extreme than those we have on Earth for two reasons. These reasons tell us about the differences between Earth and Mars, and reveal some more interesting Mars facts.

Firstly, the orbit of the Earth is more circular than that of Mars. The orbit of Earth has little impact on our planet’s seasons. However, the orbit of Mars around the Sun is more elliptical, and the temperature is noticeably lower further away from the Sun.

Second, the main reason we have seasons on Earth is the tilt of the axis of Earth with respect to its orbital plane around the Sun. Mars’ axis is tilted even more than the Earth’s axis, causing more extreme seasonal variations.

With a more elliptical orbit and a more tilted axis, seasonal changes are more extreme on Mars than on Earth.

Interesting Facts about Mars Summary

Mars was visible in the night sky long before telescopes were invented. Interesting facts about Mars have fascinated astronomers ever since they began to peer more closely at the red planet. It’s iron oxide that makes Mars red, and this tells us that Mars is similar to Earth, where iron also rusts when it’s left exposed to the elements.

The Martian atmosphere can’t sustain life as we know it, but scientists are chasing the prospect of microbial life on Mars and trying to discover more interesting facts about Mars. Basic forms of life may exist beneath the surface now, and may have existed on the surface of Mars in the past.

Mars Facts