1) The concept of banking dates back thousands of years, with evidence of early banking activities found in ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Egypt.

2) The discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus in 1492 opened up new trade routes and had a profound impact on world history.

3) The world's largest desert is the Sahara Desert in Africa, covering an area of about 3.6 million square miles (9.4 million square kilometers).

4) In Norse mythology, Ragnarok is a cataclysmic event that signifies the end of the world. It involves a series of apocalyptic battles and natural disasters, leading to the destruction of the gods and the world as it is known. From the ashes, a new world and a new generation of gods emerge.