EARTH MYSTERIOUS FACTS -5 Craziest Facts About Planet Earth You Never Knew .

1. Lakes Can Explode.

When we think of lakes, we usually think of tranquility and summers relaxing by them—not lethal explosions. But Africa has experienced just that sort of thing over the years, when bursts of volcanic gases rise to the surface, leaving destruction in their wake.
For example, in August 1986, gases below Lake Nyos in Cameroon, which sits above the 950-mile-long chain of volcanoes known as Cameroon Volcanic Line, became concentrated and when it came to the surface, “an explosive degassing of 1.6 million tons of carbon-dioxide occurred, forming a 160 feet high cloud,” according to Forbes. It killed 1,700 people as a result. And for more crazy knowledge, check out these 40 Random Obscure Facts That Will Make Everyone Think You’re a Genius.

2 . Earth Used to Be Purple

At least, that’s one scientific theory based on the idea that ancient microbes may have relied on a molecule called retinal, rather than chlorophyll, to absorb the sun’s rays. Retinal (which can be found in organisms such as halobacteria) absorbs green light and reflects back red and violent light, creating a purple color.

3. 60 Tons of Cosmic Dust Fall to Earth Daily

“Cosmic dust” sounds magical, but chances are you’ve inhaled a good amount of it just on your way to work. On a daily basis, dust from meteorites, comets, and other solar bodies fall to earth in tiny particles that increase the levels of sodium and iron in the planet’s atmosphere. Scientists studying the phenomenon estimate that altogether, about 60 tons of cosmic dust is falling to earth daily.

4. The Oceans Hold $771 Trillion Worth of Gold

Not that you’d be able to get at any of it. But scientists estimate that the oceans of the world contain approximately 20 million tons of gold. Not on the ocean floor—in the water itself, in tiny particles of approximately 13 billionths of a gram per liter.

5. Earth Once Had Two Moons

That’s the theory at least, put forward by a computer model that attempted to figure why the side of the moon that faces Earth is relatively low and flat and the one that faces away has a much thicker crust. The model suggests that there was once a “companion moon” that collided with the far side of our current moon.