1. Pencils don't contain any lead! Despite the name, pencil "lead" is actually a non-toxic mixture of graphite (a form of carbon) and clay! People started calling it lead back in the 1500s when a giant graphite deposit was discovered in England and people mistakenly thought it was a type of black lead ore.

2. One pencil can write 45,000 words. A average wooden pencil holds enough graphite to write a continuous line about 35 miles (56 km) long, or draft up to 45,000 full words before running completely out!

3. They were yellow to show off Chinese quality. In the 1890s, pencil makers started painting their wooden pencils bright yellow. They did this to signal that their pencil graphite was imported from China, where yellow was a royal color representing respect, high quality, and honor.

4. Pencils work in zero gravity. Unlike pens that need gravity to pull ink down to the paper, pencils rely on simple friction to rub graphite off onto a page. This means pencils can write upside down, underwater, and out in zero-gravity space!

5. The letters and numbers tell you how hard it is. "HB" or "#2" on the side of a pencil tells you the graphite mixture! H stands for Hard (making lighter, finer lines), while B stands for Black (making darker, softer lines). A #2 or HB pencil is the perfect middle balance for schoolwork!

6. Cedar wood makes pencils smell so good. Most wooden pencils are made from Incense-cedar wood. Cedar is used because it doesn't splinter easily when sharpened, stays straight without bending, and gives pencils that iconic, fresh wood scent!

7. Hexagon-shaped pencils keep them from rolling. Ever notice why most pencils have six flat sides instead of being perfectly round? The hexagonal shape stops pencils from rolling off slanted school desks and makes them much easier for factories to grip while cutting!