Science is full of surprises. Sometimes, the truth sounds so strange that it feels like a joke — but it’s real! Here are 10 science facts that sound fake but are 100% true.

1. Bananas are berries, but strawberries aren’t
   It sounds backwards, but in botanical terms, bananas fit the definition of a berry. Strawberries do not because their seeds are on the outside.
2. Water can boil and freeze at the same time
   This happens in a special condition called the “triple point,” where temperature and pressure are just right for all three states — solid, liquid, and gas — to exist at once.
3. There’s enough DNA in your body to stretch from Earth to the Sun — and back — 17 times
   If you unraveled all the DNA in your cells and lined it up, it would reach over 150 billion kilometers!
4. Octopuses have three hearts
   Two hearts pump blood to the gills, and one pumps it to the rest of the body. When they swim, the heart that pumps to the body stops beating.
5. Hot water can freeze faster than cold water
   This is called the Mpemba effect. Scientists still don’t fully agree on why it happens, but in some cases, it really does.
6. Sharks existed before trees
   Sharks have been around for more than 400 million years. Trees came later — about 350 million years ago.
7. You can start a fire with ice
   If you shape clear ice into a lens and use it to focus sunlight, it can be strong enough to start a fire.
8. The Eiffel Tower grows in the summer
   When metal heats up, it expands. In hot weather, the Eiffel Tower can grow by about 6 inches (15 cm).
9. There’s a planet made of diamonds
   Scientists discovered a planet called 55 Cancri e that may have a surface made of diamond. It’s twice the size of Earth and very, very hot.
10. Your stomach gets a new lining every few days
    The acid in your stomach is so strong it can burn through skin. To protect itself, your stomach grows a new lining every 3–4 days.

These facts may sound unbelievable, but they are real examples of how strange and fascinating our universe is. Science helps us understand the world — even when the truth sounds crazier than fiction!