1) The game of basketball was invented by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 and has since grown into a global sport played at both amateur and professional levels.

2) The world's oldest living plant is believed to be a clonal shrub called "Old Tjikko" in Sweden, estimated to be over 9,500 years old.

3) The largest insurance market in the world is Lloyd's of London, which is not an insurance company but a market where insurance brokers and underwriters come together.

4) The national flower of Japan is the cherry blossom, which holds great cultural significance and is celebrated during the annual cherry blossom festivals.