13 incredible science facts you probably didn't learn in high school

We learn about some awesome science in high school — like Einstein's theory of relativity, the periodic table, and DNA replication.

The knowledge we pick up there sets the foundations for all the other amazing things we go on to study.

But science definitely doesn't end at high school, and it's once you take your learning to the next level that things get really interesting.

In no particular order, here are some mind-bendingly incredible facts that we didn't learn at high school, but wish we did. Because I certainly would have paid a whole lot more attention if my teacher had shared a few of these insights in class.

Side note: If you did learn about all of this and more at school, then you had a kick-ass teacher and you should probably tell them that.

1. Water can boil and freeze at the same time

Seriously, it's called the "triple point," and it occurs when the temperature and pressure is just right for the three phases (gas, liquid, and solid) of a substance to coexist in thermodynamic equilibrium. This video shows cyclohexane in a vacuum.

2. Lasers can get trapped in a waterfall

Oh my gosh, yes. Not only is this an incredible example of total internal reflection, it also shows how fiber optic cables work to guide the flow of light.

3. We've got spacecraft hurtling towards the edge of our solar system really, really fast

We all know rockets are fast, and space is big.

But sometimes when we're talking about how long it takes for us to get to distant parts of the solar system (eight months to get to Mars, are you kidding me?) it can feel like our spacecraft are just crawling along out there.

This GIF shows just how wrong that idea is by comparing the speed of the New Horizons probe, which flew past Pluto last year, to a 747 and SR-71 Blackbird.