ETOPS, or extended twin operations, is a designation that indicates the amount of time a twin-engine plane can safely cruise with one engine out of commission. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner received 330-minute ETOPS certifications in 2014, indicating that it can operate safely on just one engine for more than five hours before landing.

During the first season, The Office was a close adaptation of the UK version. As the first season came to a finish, Steve Carell's The 40-Year-Old Virgin hit cinemas and catapulted him to stardom. It was at this point that The Office's creators decided to soften Michael Scott. From Season 2 on, we see a huge shift in the program, which may be attributed to Carell's popularity.

This species lacks eyes, heads, tails, mouths, and brains. They are still alive! They spend most of their lives entrenched in one place. Their bodies are covered in holes, which sea sponges use to pump water and filter out food particles!

On August 15, 1947, India gained independence from British rule, but the Portuguese refused to relinquish control of Goa. Goa's independence struggle was fought both within and outside the state, and on December 17, 1961, the Indian Army, air force, and naval forces invaded Goa and overpowered the under-prepared Portuguese army. The Portuguese governor officially surrendered on December 18th, and Goa became a part of India the next day! Every year on December 19th, Goa commemorates its second independence day.

It's okay to choose a salicylic acid-containing toner if your skin tends to be oilier. Aloe vera-based solutions work like magic to balance oil production or eliminate excess oil because it has calming characteristics and smoothens your skin as well. It helps to maintain a consistent ph balance and refines your pores.

The Sun reported on the astrological analysis done by UK Domain on the most recent Forbes list of billionaires. As it happens, Libra claimed the most—an impressive 27 billionaires. "And considering how Libras tend to be organized perfectionists obsessed with balance," the outlet notes, "it'll come as no surprise really."

It is common knowledge that Athens was the most powerful and glorious city-state of ancient Greece. Its inhabitants created a great culture that is still respected today. It is also believed that the city was named after Athena, the goddess of knowledge and courage.

Some pirates delayed burying their treasure because they wanted a piece of the loot first. And a pirate's treasure wasn't always gold or silver; it could also be food, lumber, cloth, or animal hides.

Malta was awarded the George Cross by King George VI of England for its valour against the Axis siege during WWII. The George Cross is still depicted on the national flag.

These antibiotic compounds are also specifically designed to destroy invasive organisms. A new, more potent antibiotic molecule will be produced by the probiotics if the pathogens develop resistance to the first one.

A fascinating fact about the Indian Ocean is its lack of marine animal life, which is related to the ocean's greater water temperature. This water is the hottest on the planet, giving plankton and other animals limited room to flourish.

Kopi Luwak is the name of a special coffee that may be found all around Bali. It's made in an unusual and unethical way - from civet droppings. Civets consume coffee beans, and their poop is collected and processed to create the unique coffee, which can sell for up to $50 per cup.

The Spaniards celebrate Christmas, the New Year, and the Three Wise Men feast during the winter holidays. This time of the year is very special and they live it intensely. A fun fact about Spain is that it is traditional to eat twelve grapes at a time to receive the new year. It is more difficult than it seems, but the Spaniards swear that achieving that gives good luck for the rest of the year.

St. David's in Pembrokeshire is the world's smallest cathedral city, with a population of only 2,000 people. It is also the only city in the United Kingdom that is totally surrounded by a national park.

This expression wasn't influenced by drowsy, hot puppies. According to National Geographic, the "dog" in question is Sirius, the Dog Star, which emerges in the sky in late July as a member of the Greater Dog constellation. The term "dog days" was used by the Greeks and Romans to describe the hottest part of the year, which was also thought to bring catastrophes like fever.

When writing about the braille code, the name should be lowercase, according to the Braille Authority of North America. When referring to the proper name of Louis Braille, capitalize it. 

According to popular belief, the first lavish celebration of Dussehra was held in the Mysore Palace in the 17th century on the king's orders. Since then, Dussehra has been grandly observed throughout the nation.

Eczema comes in a variety of forms, and each person is affected by it differently. A qualified diagnosis can guarantee that your course of treatment corresponds to your particular symptoms.

We all recall the tragic incident in which Steve Irwin, a well-known television personality and conservationist, was tragically punctured in the heart by a stingray in 2006. The sting of a stingray typically results in excruciating pain and a high risk of infection at the wound site. Stingrays have long, thin tails with one to three venomous barbs attached. The majority of stingray injuries in the United States, between 1,500 and 2,000 per year, involve the legs or feet, according to the National Capital Poison Control Center.

When you think of Nintendo, you probably think of the video game systems you or your children grew up with: the Super Nintendo, Game Boy, Wii, and, most recently, the Nintendo Switch. However, the gaming firm did not emerge until the 1980s: In reality, Nintendo was established in 1889. Of course, the firm founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi over 130 years ago bears little resemblance to the Nintendo we know and love today. The first Nintendo offered playing cards and underwent numerous important alterations throughout the years. It wasn't until the 1970s that the firm began to venture into video games.

According to North Carolina State University researchers, the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus can cause pancreatitis. One specific venom enzyme targets specific proteins in the gland, impairing their functionality and causing inflammation in the pancreatic cells. Researchers discovered that although acute pancreatitis caused by scorpions is typically temporary and self-limited, it may develop into hemorrhagic pancreatitis and result in death in a separate study of a related species (T. stigmurus).

The languages of the individuals who were brought to South Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries had an impact on the formation of Afrikaans. These included the now mainly extinct Khoisan languages, several Bantu languages (primarily Xhosa and Zulu), Malay, Portuguese, French, German, Scottish, Yiddish, and South African English.