We always think that time is a stationary concept. Many things seem to have existed forever, and famous people are often associated with a certain period of time. But sometimes our perception of time lets us down and surprises us.

Bright Side has collected some facts about time that you will have a hard time believing. But they are really true!

№ 1. When the first part of Star Wars was released, the guillotine was still used in France for executions.

The first Star Wars movie was released on May 25, 1977. The last execution by guillotine was carried out in Marseille on September 10, 1977. This was the last death penalty in Western Europe. Officially, the use of the guillotine in France was abolished along with the death penalty in 1981.

№ 2. 2 people who were born at the same moment can celebrate their birthdays on different days.

This is because of time zones.

№ 3. Martin Luther King Jr., Anne Frank, and Christopher Plummer were all born in the same year.

The famous preacher and public speaker Martin Luther King Jr. and the brave Anne Frank seem to be from completely different time periods. But, in fact, they were born in the same year — 1929. Just like the famous Hollywood actor Christopher Plummer.

№ 4. Cleopatra didn’t live very close in time to the creation of the pyramids. The opening of McDonald’s was actually closer to her time period.

It may seem like Cleopatra and the Egyptian pyramids are symbols of the same time period. In fact, it’s not true. Cleopatra was born in 69 BC. By this time, the Great Pyramid of Giza was already 2,471 years old. And the most curious fact is that there is less time between the birth of Cleopatra and the opening of the first McDonald’s restaurant — just 2,024 years.

№ 5. Some of the whales that lived when Moby-Dick was written are still alive today.

Herman Melville wrote Moby-Dick in 1851, and Greenland’s whales are considered to be animals that live very long lives. Scientists estimated the age of such a whale and came to the conclusion that it was 211 years old!

№ 6. A plane from New Zealand traveled in time.

A Hawaiian plane took off from Auckland at 00:05 on January 1, 2018. The passengers on the plane were happy to celebrate the New Year twice because the plane landed in Honolulu at 10:16 local time on December 31, 2017.

№ 7. The grandchildren of US President John Tyler, who was born in the 18th century, are still alive.

John Tyler was born more than 200 years ago, in 1790. But 2 of his grandchildren, Lyon Gardiner Tyler Junior and Harisson Raffin Tyler, are still alive. The thing is, at the age of 63, John Tyler had a son — Lyon Gardiner Tyler. And the latter became a father (his son being Lyon Gardiner Tyler Junior) at the age of 71 years old. So the past is closer than you think.

№ 8. Warner Bros. Studios appeared when the Ottoman Empire still existed.

In 1903, the Warner brothers (whose parents were originally from the Russian Empire) opened their first movie theater called Cascade. By the time the First World War started, they were already producing movies. By the year 1918, they had opened Warner Bros. Studio.

The Ottoman Empire existed until 1923 when the Turkish Republic was formed.

№ 9. Through the course of the life of Queen Elizabeth II, there have been 16 different US presidents.

Elizabeth II was born in 1926 when Calvin Coolidge was the president of the US. Since then, there have been 15 successors.

№ 10. Tiffany & Co. jewelry company is older than Italy.

Charles Lewis Tiffany and John Young opened their first store on Broadway in 1837, and modern Italy, the Italian Republic, was formed in 1861.

№ 11. If you fit the entire history of Earth into 1 year, humans will appear at 23:35 on December 31.

Let’s imagine the history of Earth as one year. Then only on December 1 would there be the first vertebrate animals. Dinosaurs would be extinct only on December 26, and the first human will appear on December 31 at 23:35.

№ 12. We are now closer to 2033 than 2000.

When we hear “10 years ago,” we still think about the ’90s, not about the 2000s. By the way, it’s been 18 years since the year 2000. And we have just 15 years until the year 2033.

Which fact surprised you the most? Maybe you have your own examples of when your perception of time let you down? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Preview photo credit Capital Pictures/East News, Leemage/East News