Countless people have cracked jokes about Uranus being filled with gas that smells like rotten eggs, but could it actually be true? While nobody can drop in on the planet and take sniff, scientists have analyzed the compounds in the atmosphere giving us an idea of what the planet smells like. Find out the truth at the end of this episode of Fun Facts Daily.

Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun, an ice giant first discovered by astronomer William Herschel in 1781, making it the first planet found with a telescope. Named for the Greek god of the sky, its most defining characteristic is its extreme axial tilt of nearly 98 degrees, which causes it to orbit the sun on its side. This unique orientation results in the most extreme seasons in the solar system, with each of its four seasons lasting for 21 Earth years.

A day on Uranus is significantly shorter than on Earth, lasting about 17 hours, while a single Uranian year takes 84 Earth years to complete. It is the coldest planet in the solar system, with temperatures in its upper atmosphere dropping to a frigid -371°F (-224°C). Uranus also possesses a system of 13 faint, dark rings made of rock and ice.

What to learn more about outer space? Check out my ⁠Spotify Playlist: Fun Facts About Space Exploration⁠

Want to learn more? Head over to my website www.funfactsdailypod.com and be sure to listen to my other podcasts Who ARTed: Weekly Art History for All Ages or Art Smart. For family fun, check out my son's podcast Rainbow Puppy Science Lab

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