PastForward
Forward A daily space-fact game, in your browser

One Small Fact

Five facts a day, the same for everyone, hosted by Glim, a small see-through alien with one very large eye. True or false, which is bigger, which came first: every answer comes with a one-line why and a real source.

  • Phone
  • Tablet
  • PC & Mac browser
  • Works offline
Play freeLeaderboards

Free. No download, no account, no ads.

A Daily Five true-or-false question about Jupiter's day, with Glim, a round teal alien with one big eye on a stalk, on the left saying 'Here's my big clue'. Below, Glim's nudge and Glim's big clue cards, the clue citing NASA Science.
What you do

How it plays

  1. Play the Daily Five: five space facts, the same for everyone that day. Answer fast for a speed bonus, keep your day streak, and share your squares.
  2. Try first, then ask Glim: his nudge, his big clue or trimming the orbit help, for a share of the points. Get it right with no help for a Solo bonus.
  3. Run Hotter Than Venus until your first miss, climb the Mission Map from the Launch Pad to Deep Space, and collect a Fact Card for every fact you get right.
Daily FiveFive facts, same for everyone today · about 2 minHotter Than VenusHigher or lower until the first miss · how long can you go?Mission MapLaunch Pad to Deep Space, 10 questions a level · earn the stars
On every screen

See it on your phone, tablet or PC

Phone

  • The One Small Fact home page on a phone: Glim's greeting, the Daily Five card and the mode tiles. Five facts a day, made for a phone
  • A true-or-false question on a phone with Glim's speech bubble, the clue buttons and Glim's nudge about Saturn's 10.7-hour day. Try first, then ask Glim
  • Hotter Than Venus on a phone: the Sun's surface at about 5,500 degrees against Mercury, with Hotter and Colder buttons. Hotter or colder? One thumb, one run
  • The Fact Cards collection on a phone: Space 24 of 130, with cards about Goddard's first liquid-fuelled rocket and Sputnik 1, and blank cards still to find. Every fact you get right is yours to keep

Tablet

  • The home page on an upright tablet: Glim's welcome, the Daily Five card and the mode tiles in a grid. On a tablet: the Daily Five and every mode on one screen
  • Hotter Than Venus on a tablet: the Moon's average surface at minus 20 degrees against Io's lava in the Pele volcano, with Hotter and Colder buttons. Is Io's lava hotter than the Moon? Make the call

Desktop

  • A Daily Five true-or-false question about Jupiter's day, with Glim, a round teal alien with one big eye on a stalk, on the left saying 'Here's my big clue'. Below, Glim's nudge and Glim's big clue cards, the clue citing NASA Science. Stuck? Glim's nudge and big clue help, for a share of the points
  • The One Small Fact home page: Glim greeting the player, the Daily Five card with a Play today's five button, and tiles for Mission Map, Hotter Than Venus, Free play, Review deck, Fact Cards and Progress. Five facts a day, the same for everyone
  • An order question, hottest first: Venus 464 degrees, Mercury 167, Earth 15. The answer card says 'Right, solo!' with the points, the reason, the source NASA's Planetary Fact Sheet and a 'Did you know?' fact about Mercury. Every answer comes with a one-line why and a real source
  • The Daily Five result: 645 points, 4 of 5 right, 3 solo, a row of coloured squares, a day streak of 1 and Share and Home buttons, with Glim saying 'Humans love squares.' Done for today: share your squares
  • Hotter Than Venus: Sirius B's surface at about 24,900 degrees on the left, Jupiter with a question mark on the right, and Hotter and Colder buttons. Hotter Than Venus: higher or lower until the first miss
  • The Mission Map for the Space pack: levels Launch Pad, Low Orbit, The Moon, Close to the Sun and Mars in a line, each with three stars to earn, and Glim riding on level 1. The Mission Map: from the Launch Pad to Deep Space
Plays on

Phone, tablet and computer

  • Any modern browser: Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, on a phone, tablet or computer.

  • Touch, mouse or keyboard (arrow keys work in Hotter Than Venus), with screen-reader labels, visible focus and reduced motion respected.

  • Works offline after the first visit, and installs to your home screen like an app.

  • Voice answers, if you turn them on: say your answer instead of tapping. The speech model runs on your device; your voice is never recorded or sent anywhere.

  • Made for kids, schools and grown-ups: every fact is checked against a real source (NASA, ESA, JPL, museums), linked with every answer.

  • No account needed. Progress saves on your device; sign in only if you want to keep your points on all your devices and climb the boards.

Compete

Leaderboards

Everyone plays the same daily challenge. Post your score under a name you choose, if you like: boards are opt-in.

One Small Fact leaderboards