The tomato was dubbed "the poison apple" in 18th-century Europe because aristocrats would frequently become ill and die after eating them. They had no idea that the explanation had to do with their tableware, not the tomatoes. The high acidity of tomatoes, according to the historical cookbook "Heirloom Flavor: Yesterday's Best-Tasting Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs for Today's Cook," would cause lead to leach from the pewter plates used by rich aristocrats and cause lead poisoning. The aristocrats mistook the tomato for the source of the problem.

Here's a fun (and potentially hazardous) science experiment: If you split a grape almost in half and microwave it, it will explode into a fireball of plasma and lighting. Microwaves generate heat by using microwave radiation, according to scientists. When you microwave "nothing" — in this case, a very small grape that doesn't absorb enough power — the electromagnetic waves have nothing to work on and become concentrated.

The only river in the world that flows in the opposite direction. The Chicago River, which flows through downtown Chicago, has a fascinating history. This river not only runs through numerous systems and canals, but it is also the only river in the world that flows backward. To divert sewage away from Lake Michigan's water supply, a reversal technique was implemented for sanitation reasons. The river reversal was acknowledged as the largest public earth-moving project ever completed. It was also recognized as a significant engineering achievement.

Vyshyvanka is the name of Ukraine's national costume. This is distinguished from others by its needlework work, which includes Ukrainian embroidery. Vyshyvanka is a basic white linen shirt embellished with floral or ornate hand-sewn embroidery. The costume's unique feature is that it may be worn by both men and women.

We may think of processed cheese as a uniquely American invention (think Kraft and Cheez Whiz), but it turns out that the Swiss invented it first. According to the Michigan Dairy Review, processed cheese was invented in 1911 by Walter Gerber and Fritz Stettler in Switzerland to improve the shelf-life of cheese before it was shipped overseas.

Korean idols will not be paid until they have paid off all of their debts. For example, if the label spent one million dollars training the members prior to their debut, they will not be paid until they have paid off the entire one million dollars to the agency. Some companies, including SM and JYP Entertainment, do not require newly debuted groups to repay their trainee debt.

Your lodging in Japan will most likely have Yukatas, so you may try one on and feel like a true blue Japanese. Stay in traditional Japanese-style rooms with Tatami mats as bedding in Japan's rural districts to round out your experience.

In Chicago, spray paint was invented. What inspired the idea of putting paint in a spray can with a spray tip? Ed Seymour, a Chicago paint salesman, invented this artistic substance, which is now used to create colorful works in public spaces throughout the city.

In 1909, Robert Peary (1856-1920) claimed to be the first man to reach the geographic North Pole. Experts now feel that his helper, an African-American man named Matthew Henson (1866-1955), deserves the honor. By the time Peary and Henson arrived at their destination, Peary had had a severe case of frostbite, rendering him unable to walk. (Instead, he had to be dragged around on a sled.) As they came closer to the North Pole, Henson and two escorts moved ahead on foot, but they mistakenly overshot their target, thus Henson officially arrived 45 minutes before Peary.

This unexpected paradox arose due to how scores are calculated: the number of civil infractions and criminal offenses committed in a year should be divided by the municipal population. The number is considerably fewer in Vatican City than in So Paulo, Lagos, or the Bronx. In 2006, for example, the population of Vatican City was 492 people, but the number of crimes reported on its territory was 827. As a result, the statistical crime rate in the country was found to be the highest in the world - 1.68 crimes per inhabitant.

Many people believe that they only have one sign based on their birth date. That sign is known as the sun sign, but there are many others, including a sign for each planet and 12 different houses. The "big three" are your sun, moon, and rising sign, which reveal information about your personality, emotions, vulnerability, and love style. You will need your birth date, birth location, and time (as accurate as possible) to retrieve your birth chart, which will reveal your "big three."

If you exclude Russia, which is located in both Asia and Europe, Ukraine is the largest country in Europe in terms of land area. Ukraine has a total land area of 603.55 square kilometers. While Ukraine is Europe's largest country in terms of land area, it is not the most populous. With a population of roughly 46 million people, it is smaller than Germany and France.

Wimbledon tennis balls are kept at a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature of a tennis ball influences its bounce. The gas molecules inside the ball expand as the temperature rises, causing the ball to bounce higher. Lower temperatures shrink the molecules, causing the ball to bounce lower. Wimbledon goes through more than 50,000 tennis balls each year to ensure that only the best tennis balls are used.

Despite the fact that Stoker placed his novel in Transylvania, he never visited the region. Instead, he did as much study on the setting as he could and made up the rest. Most of his Victorian readers couldn't tell the difference, especially when he included information from trip books like railway schedules, hotel names, and a chicken meal called paprika hendl.

The number of thunderstorms you see depends on where you live on the planet. For example, the United States is estimated to have 100,000 thunderstorms per year. However, there are 16 million thunderstorms on Earth each year. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, this equates to approximately 2,000 thunderstorms at any given time.

Pink has been shown to reduce anger and anxiety while also having a calming effect. It is frequently used to help create a sense of calm in mental health care institutions and even prisons.

Steve Rogers was physically born on July 4th. There wasn't always a lot of complexity in the early days of comics. Steve was primarily designed to be patriotic and punch Hitler, so it's not surprising that they took his birthday so seriously. However, the choice is appropriate, as Cap has grown to embody the noblest principles of America throughout the years. (A role that Chris Evans appears to be taking on in real life as well.) In addition, if you follow astrology, you now know that he is a Cancer.

Algeria's national animal is the large eared fennec fox, which is always lovely. These little foxes, native to the Sahara Desert and the Sinai Peninsula, only weigh 1.5-2 kilogrammes and are known for their enormous ears. They are every bit as adorable as they sound. These adorable critters are so popular in Algeria that they are not only the national animal, but also the nickname for the country's football team, Les Fennecs.

Friends was one of the most famous TV series of the 1990s and early 2000s, whether you liked it or despised it. One of the most startling facts about Friends is that it was shot at the Warner Brothers Ranch just outside of Los Angeles rather than in Manhattan, where it is set. Having saying that, there are a few locales outside of Los Angeles where filming took place. One of these is, of course, Monica and Rachel's New York apartment complex at 90 Bedford St.

Brazil's gigantic floating metal Christmas tree achieved a world record in December 2007 at 278 feet and 10 inches tall and blazing with over three million lights. Every year, the tree is brought out as part of Rio de Janeiro's Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon.

The eastern and northern sections of the Sahara Desert make up the Libyan Desert. In an ideal world, it would be a section of the Sahara Desert in Libya. The Libyan Desert is noted for being the Sahara's harshest, driest, and most isolated area. With daytime temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius, this area might spend decades without rain.

The Dubai Police Department has more oomph than any other police force in the planet. They have access to a wide choice of supercars, including Bugatti, Ferrari, Bentley, Lamborghini, Camaro, Mercedes, and many others. The fastest of them all, the Veyron, can reach speeds of up to 407 kilometres per hour!

The Dead Sea is the world's lowest point. The Dead Sea has ten times the salt content of any other sea. It is located 420 meters below sea level and offers a one-of-a-kind floating experience. Also, don't miss out on the Dead Sea mud's magical healing powers.

Aston Martins and James Bond go together like peanut butter and jelly. Since Sean Connery drove the classic DB5 in 1964's Goldfinger, the automaker has been associated with the famed British secret spy. As a result, Aston Martins have appeared in 12 of the 24 Bond films. It will soon be 13 with the publication of No Time To Die, which will include four Astons: the DB5, V8 Vantage, DBS Superleggera, and Valhalla.