There are 400 ways of playing the first move on each side in a game of chess, 197,281 ways of playing the first two moves on each side, an estimated 318,979,564,000 ways of playing the first four moves on each side, and an estimated 169,518,829,100,544,000,000,000,000,000 ways of playing the first ten moves on each side. (source)

World Statistics Day was celebrated for the first time on October 20th, 2010. (source)

It has been estimated that over 100,000 different religious faiths have existed since the dawn of humanity. Most of them, of course, have failed. (source)

According to a study conducted at the University of Utah, 98 tons of prehistoric plant matter was required to produce a gallon of gasoline. At this rate, the amount of fossil fuels burned in one year is equivalent to 400 times the amount of plant matter that grows on the Earth each year.

Out of the 620,000 or so who died during the American Civil War, only around 205,000 were killed in battle, while around 415,000 or so died of disease.

Enough food is grown in the world to provide every human with 2,700 calories per day, an amount that is more than adequate. Yet, over 800,000,000 people suffer from chronic malnutrition. There are many reasons for this, including corruption, war, political disputes, transportation and storage facilities inadequate to prevent spoilage and loss, and other reasons.

According to a survey of Americans, on an average day 14% of men (and 8% of women) fall asleep or nod off somewhere other than their bed. As well, out of the survey's respondants, 12% reported that they had fallen asleep at work at least once in the past, 10% at school, and 4% in the bathroom. (source)

The average American spends 18% of his or her income on transportation, and only 13% on food.

In a game of bridge, there are 53,644,737,765,488,792,839,237,440,000 possible ways in which the cards can be dealt. (source)

On August 18, 1913, on an unbiased roulette wheel at Monte Carlo, evens came up 26 times in a row. The probability of this happening is 1 in 136,823,184.

The typical person breathes 370,000 cubic metres of air in their lifetime.

Thirteen percent of the world's population lives in deserts, which account for about one-third of the Earth's land surface.

Half of the people killed by bombs are those trying to make or set the bombs.

The chances of winning a lottery in which six numbers are drawn from 49 is 1 in 13,983,816. In a lottery in which seven numbers are drawn from 49, the odds of winning are 1 in 85,900,584. (source)

The number of television sets in American homes increased around 10,000% between 1947 and 1952. (source)

For every 100,000 girls, 223 will become doctors and 17,475 will become nurses.

Around 40% of murders occur during arguments. (source)

A 1947 study found that during the Second World War, only about 15 to 25 percent of the American infantry ever fired their rifles in combat. (source)

One's lifetime risk of dying due to living with a smoker is 1 in 4,200. (source)

Over 50% of people who win the lottery jackpot return to work.

Americans drive a total of 7,000,000,000 miles daily on average.

It is estimated that most people forget 99% of phone numbers given to them but not written down or otherwise recorded.