On May 21, 2007, Rod Baber placed a 1-minute, 48-second phone call. He called a voicemail account to leave a message, a move that cost him $4.72. By all accounts, Baber’s call was much like millions made from cellphones every day — except that the renowned British climber was standing on the summit of Mount Everest. Using a Motorola Rizr Z8, Baber made the call at 29,035 feet, earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for “highest mobile phone call.” The feat was made possible by China Telecom, which had set up a cell tower at the base camp on the mountain’s north side. Baber also called his family and sent a text to a Motorola employee: “One small text for man, one giant leap for mobilekind.”

The first cellphone call took place in Chicago.

fact

FIB

Ready to reveal?

Confirm your email to play the next question?

sign up!

Please enter valid email.

Sign up

Oops, incorrect!

It's a fib

The very first cellphone call was made on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan on April 3, 1973. The caller was Motorola’s Martin Cooper, who called a rival at Bell Labs. Cooper then held a press conference at the Hilton, at which reporters were invited to dial their newspaper offices.

Since Baber’s historic phone call, Everest’s cell service has kept up with the times. In 2013, Everest received 4G service so climbers could livestream the view from the summit. In 2020, the mountain got the 5G upgrade, which offers 20 times more capacity at one-third the size. That means that if you want to find some excuse to unplug from work, “climbing Everest” might not be a good one. 

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Email

While the sculptor Gutzon Borglum was working on Mount Rushmore, he had the idea of adding a special room where future generations could learn about the significance of the United States as well as his own creation. The Hall of Records was intended as its own architectural wonder, accented with double doors, a long staircase, and a gold-plated eagle with a 38-foot wingspan. The inside would serve as a museum, housing bronze and glass cabinets full of the country’s key historical documents, busts of important Americans, a list of notable U.S. contributions to the world, and more. Armed with dynamite, miners laid the groundwork for the Hall of Records in 1938 — to the displeasure of Congress, who saw only a 70-foot-deep cave beyond President Lincoln’s hairline. Borglum was instructed to devote his time and federal funding to finishing the quartet of faces. Soon after he died in March 1941, the monument was deemed complete. The Hall of Records remained an empty granite pit for more than half a century. 

Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

fact

FIB

Ready to reveal?

Confirm your email to play the next question?

sign up!

Please enter valid email.

Sign up

Oops, incorrect!

It's a fact

To bring the Russo-Japanese War to an end, President Roosevelt organized a 1905 peace conference in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which garnered him an eventual Nobel Peace Prize. The other presidents who achieved the honor are Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama.

At the behest of Borglum’s family — who worried that the sculpture’s significance “would become a riddle” to historians — the artist’s vision for the room was partly realized on August 9, 1998. A teak box was filled with 16 porcelain enamel tablets containing documents including the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address, plus details about Borglum and the forging of Mount Rushmore. The box was placed in a noncorrosive titanium container, which was lowered deep into a hole at the Hall of Records’ entrance. To seal the opening, a 1,200-pound granite capstone was added, etched with a quote from Borglum. Alas, tourists are not able to explore the hall that might have been.  

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Email

It’s easy to think of major cities such as London and New York as sprawling grids of concrete, brick, and metal — but it may surprise you to learn that both cities also maintain roughly 20% tree canopy cover. That’s an urban forest of more than 8.4 million trees across Greater London and approximately 7 million trees in New York City. While other major cities have even higher tree canopy coverage — including Oslo at ~72%, Atlanta at ~50%, and Singapore at ~29% — what sets London and New York apart is the amount of greenery they contain given their massive size, population density, and global urban footprint. 

The London plane, a hybrid tree that received its name from its ability to withstand the city’s air pollution during the Industrial Revolution, is the most common street tree in both London and New York City. Other widely planted species include sycamore, oak, and silver birch in London and littleleaf linden, Norway maple, and green ash in NYC.

Trees can "talk" to each other.

fact

FIB

Ready to reveal?

Confirm your email to play the next question?

sign up!

Please enter valid email.

Sign up

Oops, incorrect!

It's a fact

Trees use underground mycorrhizal fungi networks to exchange nutrients and send chemical signals — even warning nearby trees about pests or disease. The phenomenon is known as the “wood wide web.”

These urban trees aren’t just decorative. They reduce air pollution, lower urban temperatures, and absorb stormwater that would otherwise flood drains. In New York alone, trees remove around 1,100 tons of air pollution each year and intercept more than 890 million gallons of stormwater, easing pressure on the city’s infrastructure.

Greater London’s trees provide around £132.7 million worth of ecosystem services annually, which include air purification, temperature regulation, building energy savings, and rainwater interception. And of course, tree cover also supports and shelters city wildlife. So while their skylines may steal the spotlight, it’s the tree canopy that quietly keeps these cities cooler, cleaner, and more inviting.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Email

Although many of the Grand Canyon's visitors make a point of packing into the tourist stop known as Grand Canyon Village, far fewer realize there's a bona fide village nestled into Havasu Canyon some 3,000 feet below. There, amid the towering limestone cliffs that surround the Havasupai Indian Reservation, live the 200 or so Native Americans who populate the remote hamlet of Supai.

The Havasupai are the only Native American tribe with territorial ties to the Grand Canyon.

fact

FIB

Ready to reveal?

Confirm your email to play the next question?

sign up!

Please enter valid email.

Sign up

Oops, incorrect!

It's a fib

The Hualapai Tribe, who live on land that borders the Havasupai Reservation, oversee tourist operations at Grand Canyon West. Altogether, 11 federally recognized tribes have historically used the land that comprises Grand Canyon National Park.

For those who don't feel like splurging on a helicopter ride, simply reaching Supai is a feat unto itself. From the nearest town of Peach Springs, travelers embark on a 67-mile drive to Hualapai Hilltop, at which point they can descend the 8-mile trail by foot or mule ride. That's the route taken daily by the USPS, which brings in vital supplies like food while also carrying mail stamped with a unique "Mule Train" postmark. Those who complete the journey can refresh themselves at the general store and tribal cafe, or rest up for the return trip with an overnight stay at the local lodge. Many others continue along the trail to the reservation's campgrounds and famous waterfalls.

Although the isolation brings unparalleled views of ancient landscapes and turquoise pools, it also involves an element of danger. Severe rains damaged buildings, bridges, and even parts of the lone path in and out of the village in 2010. The pandemic also forced the Havasupai to close off tourist access to their grounds from 2020 to 2022, but they reopened for business in 2023.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Email