Little Known New Mexico Nuances

By Jaymi Firestone | January 29, 2019

We all know that Smokey Bear was from New Mexico, and that we are home to the most PhDs per capita than any other state, but did you know that Bill Gates founded Microsoft in Albuquerque in 1976? My guess is that not many of you did! I know I sure didn’t. There are some other interesting facts about our home state that you may not know. So, here’s a quick rundown of some of the things that make New Mexico a pretty special place!

New Mexico was home to the astronomer who discovered the dwarf planet, Pluto.

Clyde Tombaugh (1906-1997) discovered the planet in 1930. On Feb. 18 that year, Tombaugh noticed movement across the field of a pair of images taken a month beforehand. After studying the object to confirm it, the staff of Lowell Observatory officially announced the discovery of a ninth planet on March 13th, 1930. So, the dwarf planet was found by a New Mexican!

It should come as no surprise that more chile peppers are born in New Mexico than all other state combined.

New Mexico is known for it’s chile production, specifically green chile. Hatch is the home to what is considered the best green chile you can find! in 2014, New Mexico State University’s research showed that the state produced nearly 60,000 tons of chile peppers to be exported to other states and countries.

The World Championship Shovel Race is held in Angel Fire every year!

What is the world championship shovel race, you make ask? A sledding race on snow shovels of course! The race has been happening for 40 years, and is a popular event for the Angel Fire Resort annually. There are both amateur and professional races. Did you know there was the opportunity to be a professional snow shovel racer? Visit Angel Fire Resort’s website for information about next year’s race!

Cows Nearly Outnumber Citizens in New Mexico.

Averaging roughly only 12 people per square mile and 11 cows per square mile, New Mexicans narrowly outnumber the livestock.That smell is just dairy-air! (See what I did there? Derriere…pun intended)

Carlsbad Caverns are truly massive.

Carlsbad is home to caverns that are incredibly huge. The size is almost indescribable, with just one chamber alone that stretches over 3,000 feet and has a height at some places of 22 stories. That’s more than 2 football fields tall and 30 football fields long!!

New Mexico was the site for the first human to break the sound barrier without engine powered assistance.

While attempting the world’s longest skydive over New Mexican airspace, Felix Baumgartner became the first human to break the sound barrier without engine powered assistance. He holds the world record for longest skydive in New Mexican airspace also! On October 14, 2012, Felix flew approximately 24 miles into the stratosphere over New Mexico, in a helium balloon, before free falling in a pressure suit and then parachuting to Earth.

“The precise physiological exertions experienced by Baumgartner’s body as he momentarily reached 833.9mph, or Mach 1.24, during his descent. One of the jump’s key scientific goals was to learn, via a series of monitors on his body, more about what such an experience does to the human body. All we know is that he survived, which proves that pre-jump speculation that his body might explode or disintegrate due to the stresses were ill-founded.

Baumgartner himself says that he felt very little as he broke the sound barrier because his insulated suit buffered him from external sounds and forces.” (Article)

The Hilton Hotel Mogul was born in New Mexico

Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton hotel chain, was born in San Antonio, N.M. If you’re of a younger generation, that’s Paris’ great-grandfather!

Less than 1% of New Mexico’s Square Mileage is covered in water.

Though the total area of the state is relatively large at 121,665 square miles, it only has 250 square miles of surface water.

The “Uranium Capital of the World” is in New Mexico.

More uranium was produced in Grants, N.M. than anywhere else in America during the wars of 20th century, leading it to be dubbed the “uranium capital of the world.”