1) The most intense cyclone ever recorded was Cyclone Tip in 1979, with a minimum central pressure of 870 millibars and maximum sustained winds of 190 miles per hour (305 kilometers per hour).

2) The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 brought the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war during the Cold War.

3) The world's largest volcano, Mauna Loa in Hawaii, is also one of the most active. It stands over 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) above sea level.

4) The first modern Olympic marathon race was held at the 1896 Olympics in Athens and has since become one of the most iconic and challenging events in athletics.