On 24 June 1995, a SAA Boeing 747-200, “Lebombo,” piloted by Captain Laurie Kay, made a low-level double flypast over Ellis Park Stadium for the Rugby World Cup final, the first time an aircraft of that size had flown so low over a packed stadium Source: bit.ly/3Uujuym

Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to visit all four gas giants – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune – giving us humanity’s first close-up look at the outer planets. Source: bit.ly/4kUdUjy

According to IATA (2023), the most popular international destination flown to from South Africa was London, with 488,000 passengers in 2023—more than double the next busiest route, Harare (208,000). Source: bit.ly/4lOpxtP

Parking a large aircraft (up to 400,000 kg MTOW) at a South African airport managed by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) costs below R3k per 24 hours, with the first 4 hours free. Sources: bit.ly/4fejTPh, bit.ly/3IMYRLo

Portugal recorded 46.6 °C on June 29, 2025, in Mora, marking its highest June temperature on record during a heatwave that swept across Western Europe. Source: bit.ly/4o7SVwJ

In May 2025, the U.S. Export-Import Bank unanimously reversed a decade-long ban on overseas coal project financing. This means taxpayer-backed loans can once again support coal mine and power plant exports abroad. Source: bit.ly/40DANkg

In 2023, South Africa imported most of its crude oil from Nigeria (29%) and Saudi Arabia (24%), followed by the United States (8%), Angola (7%), and Algeria (4%). Source: bit.ly/3HcLvHJ

Packaging plastics account for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions – which is equivalent to producing roughly 1.8 billion tonnes of CO₂ each year. Source: bit.ly/4lUZPnh

OPEC was founded in 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. At the time, these 5 countries controlled 90% of oil exports. Today, OPEC has grown to 12 members and controls around 41% of global oil supply. Sources: bit.ly/4l4jz6J, bit.ly/4mqs3WP

The first person to win two Nobel Prizes was a woman, Marie Curie. She won in Physics (1903) and Chemistry (1911) – and remains the only person to win in two different sciences. Source: bit.ly/3ULlhzb, bit.ly/4lgKigy

In 1843, Ada Lovelace published what is considered the first computer algorithm, designed for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, making her the world’s first computer programmer -and a pioneering woman in computing history. Source: bit.ly/46KelcV

Since beginning her philanthropic mission in 2019, MacKenzie Scott has donated over $19bn to more than 2,000 nonprofits – averaging nearly $8m in charitable giving every single day. Sources: bit.ly/3HsTRew, bit.ly/4mfTsv6, bit.ly/3Hv3JEt

Trials of a 4-day work week in countries like the UK, Iceland, and New Zealand have shown lower burnout, and better work-life balance while maintaining productivity. Sources: bit.ly/41107AN, bit.ly/3UtvLDk

A South Korean study found that individuals who commute longer than 60 minutes per day are about 16% more likely to experience symptoms of depression compared to those with shorter commutes under 30 minutes. Source: bit.ly/4fEj4zl

South Africa’s coworking space market grew a whopping 44% in 2023, more than double the global average growth of around 21%. Source: bit.ly/3UYEGwH

83% of professionals say having friendships at work boosts job satisfaction, performance, and a sense of belonging. Source: bit.ly/45xgOoS

According to the Labour Force Survey, available through Eighty20’s Data Portal, around 73% of employed South African adults say that they are satisfied with their main job. Analyse this data yourself on the Eighty20 Data Portal: bit.ly/41GDYYI

Scientists are fighting mosquito populations by releasing lab-reared sterile males to woo the wild females but produce eggs that do not hatch. A Brazil field trial managed to cut the local Aedes aegypti mosquito numbers by about 95%. Source: bit.ly/41GDYYI

Malaria parasites can actually make infected people smell more attractive to mosquitoes, increasing the chances of the parasite spreading. Source: bit.ly/41GDYYI

Mosquitoes can detect carbon dioxide from 10 to 50 meters away, helping them locate humans and animals to bite. Source: bit.ly/41GDYYI