15 Incredible Facts That Beggar Belief
![15 Incredible Facts That Beggar Belief](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/4/6/834546_320x180.jpg)
If you read an interesting story or see a picture, and the information seems incredible at first, do you assume it's made up, or at least embellished? Do you ever feel guilty that you can't fully believe anything that you learn, but then later realize it must be true after a few more articles or stories come to light? Does it bother you that you've always been skeptical of everything and now have no clue whether it is possible for someone to have a real talent in something that sounds impossible to believe? Do you wish there was some kind of way that could prove to everyone that the things we hear are not lies and they can be trusted? Would this change how much trust you put on everything that comes to your attention?
Look, we wish we could help, but all we've got is this list of facts. Hope you enjoy them.
Rome had the first mall, probably the first Auntie Anne’s Pretzels.
![The first shopping mall was built in ancient Rome. CRACKED.COM In Rome, Emperor Trajan built the first traditional shopping mall at around 100 AD.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/8/834558.jpg)
Source: The Culture Trip
Talking underwater is a lot easier.
![Sound travels quicker in water than in air. CRACKED.COM Water particles are a lot more densely packed together than air articles, allowing sound to travel further and faster underwater than in the air.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/6/1/834561.jpg)
Source: Scientific American
Men’s undies didn’t catch on until the 8th century.
![Men only started wearing underwear in the 17th century. GRAGKED.COM It mostly consisted of an extra part of the shirt tucked under the pants. It was not until the 18th century that men began to wear what we commonly think of as 'men's underwear.'](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/9/834559.jpg)
Source: National Clothing
The real Granny Smith was from down under.
![Granny Smith apples originate from 1800s Australia. CRACKED.COM Maria Ann (Granny) Smith found a seedling growing by a creek on her property in 1868 where she would toss French crab apples grown in Tasmania.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/6/0/834560.jpg)
Source: BBC
Walk a mile in their shoes, it’s uncomfortable.
![80% of women buy shoes too small for their feet. CRACKED.COM In the US alone over 90% of women state they have at least one pair of shoes that are agony on their feet due to their cramped size.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/7/834557.jpg)
Source: Times Herald Record
The first alarm clock was just for one specific time.
![The first alarm clock could only ring at one time. 9 10 8 7 Sta 12 6 5 I 4 2 3 CRACKED.COM Created by Levi Hutchins of Concord, New Hampshire, the alarm clock was made specifically to wake him up for his job.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/6/834556.jpg)
Source: New Hampshire Magazine
This dress wrapped around the block.
![The world's longest wedding dress has a 1.85 mile long train. GRAGKED.COM The wedding dress and train, designed by a Romanian wedding salon, required approximately three miles of taffeta and 18 feet of lace.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/5/834555.jpg)
Source: Washington Post
These slippers were actually ruby red.
![The most expensive pair of shoes were inspired by Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz. CRACKED.COM The shoes, inspired by the ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz, cost $3 million and took two months, 4,600 rubies and 50 karats of diamonds to create.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/2/834552.jpg)
Source: NWI Times
One tree scrubs enough CO2 a year for a family of four.
![A mature tree produces enough oxygen for a family of four. CRACKED.COM The average adult tree absorbs nearly 50 pounds of carbon dioxide every year, releasing enough oxygen for a family of four.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/4/834554.jpg)
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
The ice cream machine at the Pompeii McDonald’s never worked.
![Scientists have found evidence of take-out restaurants in the remains of Pompeii. GRACKED.COM While digging through the remains of Pompeii in 2019, they found the remains of what they think made up over 150 different fast-food and takeout restaurants.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/3/834553.jpg)
Source: BBC
Rainbows like it 40 degrees.
![Rainbows can only be seen in the morning or late afternoon. CRACKED COM A rainbow is a 40 degree ring from the position opposite to the sun. Unless very close to the equator, the sun is only about 40 degrees either in the morning or late at night.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/1/834551.jpg)
Source: Farmers’ Almanac
There might be a lot of people allergic to moon dust that will never know.
![One of the Apollo 17 astronauts was allergic to moon dust. CRACKED.COM Harrison Schmitt realized he was allergic after his first space walk, saying First time I smelled the dust I had an allergic reaction, the inside of my nose became swollen.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/5/0/834550.jpg)
Source: Newsweek
Imagine getting stuck at the train crossing.
![The longest train in the world was 4.5 miles long. Ministry GRACKED COM The Australian BHP Iron Ore train consisted of 682 loaded iron ore wagons and 8 GE AC6000 locomotives, giving a gross weight of almost 110,000 tons.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/4/9/834549.jpg)
Source: Medium
A Kindergarten aged Michael Kors had thoughts about his mother’s wedding dress.
![Michael Kors redesigned his mother's wedding dress when he was just 5 years old. CRACKED.COM The toddler, before he would become a renowned fashion designer, said that the original dress that his mother planned to wear had too many ornaments.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/4/8/834548.jpg)
Source: ABC News
No Love lost in this match.
![The longest point in tennis history took 29 minutes. GRACKED.COM There is no time limit in tennis. In a match between Vicki Nelson and Jean Hepner in 1984, the ball was hit back and forth 643 times before a single point was awarded.](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/4/7/834547.jpg)
Source: NY Times