Eighty20 Fact-a-Day

IVF used to increase twin births because multiple embryos were transferred, but modern practice now favours single embryo transfer, reducing twins and improving safety. Source: bit.ly/4tZ1Geo

The Petronas Twin Towers were built by two different construction teams (one per tower) essentially racing to complete their side first. Altogether the project took only 7 years to complete. Source: bit.ly/4ttoIdJ, bit.ly/4vIsbXr

The Gemini constellation is known for its ‘twin’ stars, Castor and Pollux, but they aren’t identical at all: Castor is actually a system of six stars, while Pollux is a single giant star. Source: bit.ly/48iWSbv

Identical twins share nearly 100% of their DNA, which can make them extremely difficult to tell apart, even with genetic testing. In rare cases, if identical twin brothers both have children with the same woman around the same time, standard DNA tests may not be able to determine which twin is the biological father. Similarly, when identical twins marry another set of identical twins, their children are technically cousins, but genetically they are as similar as full siblings. Source: bit.ly/4mHITC5, bit.ly/4sKTv4k

Possibly the most famous twins in ancient mythology, Romulus and Remus survived after a she‑wolf discovered their cradle on the shore of the Tiber, nursed them, and kept them alive until a shepherd found and rescued them, an image that became one of Rome’s enduring symbols of divine protection and origin. Source: bit.ly/4cCRnpw

In the 1700s, pineapples were so rare in Europe that people rented them as luxury status symbols; yet during COVID-19 lockdowns in South Africa, the same fruit became a homemade beer as alcohol bans pushed people to brew their own. Source: bit.ly/4ecIS79, bit.ly/482iXuY

Two major conflict‑affected regions are driving global supply risks: Russia and Ukraine together account for just over one‑quarter of the world’s wheat exports, while the Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one‑quarter of all seaborne oil trade. Source: bit.ly/4cfWbST, bit.ly/4tT0YQ1, bit.ly/48R87rP

Two major conflict‑affected regions are driving global supply risks: Russia and Ukraine together account for just over one‑quarter of the world’s wheat exports, while the Strait of Hormuz carries roughly one‑quarter of all seaborne oil trade. Source: bit.ly/4cfWbST, bit.ly/4tT0YQ1, bit.ly/48R87rP

During the Great Depression, flour and feed companies printed colourful patterns on their sacks so families could reuse the fabric to make clothing and household items. Source: bit.ly/4tTbmr8

According to MAPS, available on the Eighty20 Data Portal, 46% of South Africans ate instant noodles last month. The product’s origins trace back to post-WWII Japan, where severe food shortages and one of the worst rice harvests in decades forced a shift in diet. Large-scale U.S. wheat imports reshaped eating habits toward wheat-based foods like ramen, ultimately leading to the invention of instant noodles. Analyse this data yourself on the Eighty20 Data Portal: bit.ly/3SNlEt4 Source: bit.ly/3O36a4J

Spam, introduced in the U.S. in 1937 and propelled to global prominence when over 100 million pounds were distributed to troops during WWII. It entered Korea during the Korean War, where food scarcity made it a vital protein source, and has since become deeply woven into Korean cuisine and holiday traditions. Source: bit.ly/4mntRkG

The Apollo Guidance Computer helped land humans on the Moon in 1969, yet its processing power is now easily outclassed by everyday electronics, including a USB charger or modern toaster. Today, a basic smartphone is literally hundreds of millions of times more powerful. Source: bit.ly/4t4Ua1L

Companies like SpaceX are exploring space-based data centres, with plans for large-scale orbital networks to power artificial intelligence beyond Earth. Source: bit.ly/3Qsgi7C

Today’s global race isn’t to the Moon, but to intelligence; countries like United States and China are investing billions in artificial intelligence, aiming to lead in technology that could shape economies, security, and daily life for decades to come. Source: bit.ly/3QtMwiM

Voyager 1 was launched in 1977, and by November 2026 it will be so far from Earth that a signal takes 24 hours to reach it, resulting in a 2-day communication turnaround. Source: bit.ly/4sf1kz3, bit.ly/41gLclP

Artemis II marks the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years, undertaking a 10‑day lunar flyby to test critical systems for future landings. The four astronauts will travel farther from Earth than any humans in history and, as of April 7, are already on their return journey home. Source: bit.ly/4e20AtK

According to payment data released by Yoco, international visitors spent over R500 million at small and neighbourhood businesses in Cape Town between mid-November and early January, accounting for 61.9% of all international visitor transactions processed on its platform. Over the same period, more than R14 million in tips was paid to staff by international guests. Source: bit.ly/3POHfCe

South Africa is one of Airbnb’s strongest markets in Africa, and Cape Town is consistently ranked among the most wish-listed Airbnb cities in the world. Source: bit.ly/4c5mk5z

The V&A Waterfront attracts around 24 million visitors annually, making it one of the most visited destinations in Africa. Source: bit.ly/4s4kNCs

Cape Town International Airport was ranked the #1 Best Airport in Africa in 2025, according to the Skytrax World Airport Awards. Source: bit.ly/3O4rCpP