AWESOME FACTS ABOUT EVERYTHING CLXXIV

1. 2.3 billion people identify as Christian, about 28% of the world population. Roughly half of these are Catholic - 1.4 billion. About 2 billion people practice Islam - about 25% of the world population. There are roughly 17. 5 million Mormons (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) and 15.7 million Jews. 

2. Gmail has over 1.8 billion active users globally as of 2024/2025, making it one of the world's most dominant email services, serving nearly 39% of all active email accounts. 

3. It is very bad form to give a clock for a present in Chinese culture. In Chinese, the words "giving a clock" sound like "attending a funeral." The gift of a clock is seen as a wish for the recipient to die.

4. The Cyrillic alphabet is a writing system developed in the 9th century, based on Greek letters with added Slavic sounds. It is named after St. Cyril of Thessalonica, and forms the basis for 50 languages, including Russian.

5. Simchat Torah is the Jewish holiday that celebrates the year's first reading from Genesis.

6. The Bikini bathing suit takes its name from the Bikini Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean where the US conducted atomic testing in 1946. That same year, French designer Louis Reard unveiled the revealing two-piece swimsuit. Reard chose the name to evoke the "explosive" impact and shock he predicted the scandalous new design would have on society - similar to the atomic tests.  

7. The city with the largest Japanese population outside of Japan is Sao Paulo, Brazil.

8. The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is the longest bridge in the world since its opening in 2011. Considered an engineering marvel, it spans 102 miles over the diverse terrain of the Yangtze River Delta and is part of the Beijing-Shanghai high speed railway - connecting Shanghai to Nanjing.

9. Hershey Kisses, when they are striped with white chocolate creme, are called hugs. 

10. Long before the Bermuda Triangle, the island of Bermuda was famously known for its sweet onions, becoming so associated with the crop that the island was nicknamed The Onion Patch. Grown since 1616, these mild onions were a major 19th century export. Due to tariffs, shipping logistics, and competition (especially the Vidalia onion grown in Texas), Bermuda onions have all but disappeared - except in Bermuda - where their legacy continues to this day with onion-themed celebrations and dishes.