7
The $ 100 bill is the biggest bill in circulation. Although the federal govern-
ment stopped printing them in 1945, currency notes in denominations
of $500, $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 are still legal tender. If you’ve never seen
them, that’s because most have been snatched up by private collectors. But
those aren’t even the biggest bills ever printed. Between December 18, 1934,
and January 9, 1935, the government put out $100,000 notes featuring Presi-
dent Woodrow Wilson. However, they were only for transactions between
jan bures/shutterstock (chameleon). matt makes photos/shutterstock (antarctica)Federal Reserve banks and never went out to the general public.
5
The Sahara is the world’s largest
desert. Technically, Antarctica is.
The U.S. Geological Survey defines
a desert as “arid land with meager
rainfall [usually less than ten
inches per year] that supports only sparse
vegetation and a limited population of people
and animals.” Antarctica averages only six
inches of rain a year (mostly as snow) and is
almost 5.5 million square miles. The Sahara
is only 3.3 million square miles.6
Chameleons can
change their
coloring to match any
background. The liz-
ards do adjust their
skin tone to camouflage
themselves in certain
environments, but their
color range is limited.
The really vibrant
hues you see on TV
and in books aren’t
usually meant for trick-
ing predators. Those
chameleons are trying
to attract a mate or
defend their territory.
Male chameleons have
even been known to
change their colors to
appear female, which
helps them sneak by
other males without
the threat of a fight.rd.com | february 2019 67