This year our Ten Things column each month is concentrating on science and scientists.

Where a group is described as “great” or “important” this is not intended to imply these necessarily the greatest or most important, but only that they are up there amongst the top flight.

Surprising Facts

1. There are more trees on Earth than stars in galaxy
2. Once there were 2½ billion T. rex on Earth – but not all at the same time
3. Vanilla flavouring can be made from plastic
4. We’ve no idea what most of the universe looks like
5. An individual blood cell does a complete circuit of the body in under one minute
6. Only hummingbirds can fly backwards
7. If you removed all empty space from the atoms in your body the residue would be the size of a sugar cube
8. Eiffel Tower is up to 15cm taller in summer
9. Humans are one of the few species with no baculum
10. Your spit contains your entire genetic blueprint