
You may know Benjamin Franklin as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America and the man who performed the lightning rod experiment, but did you know he also invented bifocal lenses? He was both far-sighted and near-sighted, and he was sick of constantly changing his glasses. As a result, he devised the idea of combining both lenses into a single frame.
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Jordan is home to the world's oldest dam. The Jawa Dam was the first dam to be built, and it was built in 3,000 BCE in the driest areas of Jordan's Black Desert.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, the secret of making Greek Fire was lost. Throwing water on it would simply feed the flames, making this weapon one-of-a-kind and lethal. It had a gelatinous feel and stuck to everything. It was largely utilised in naval warfare since the huge flamethrowers required for its projectile usage could be handled easier by ships than troops. A fleet of floating wood and canvas ships would be readily destroyed by the Greek Fire.
Just as there was a run on pet rats, the population of clownfish in their natural habitats took a precipitous drop following the release of Finding Nemo, which stars a clownfish. Marine biologists reported that the numbers of the fish dropped by as much as 75 percent in the Australian reefs they inhabit.
Abraham Lincoln was crowned wrestling champion before becoming the 16th President of the United States. In his roughly 300 matches, the 6'4" president suffered only one defeat. He developed a reputation as an outstanding boxer in New Salem, Illinois, for this. He eventually won his county's wrestling championship.
When we talk about Hindu mythology scriptures and holy books, all we can think of are the famous epics, The Ramayana, and the Mahabharata along with the Vedas. But that is not it, Hindu Mythology scriptures include the Mahabharata(how well do you know the Bhagavata Gita), The Ramayana, the Puranas, The Vedas, Sangam Literature, Periya Puranam, Bhagavata Puranam, and some other notable scriptures from the South Asian region.
The original Beauty and the Beast fable was written in 1740 by French author Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, and the beast was a horrible mix of an elephant and a fish. The story was designed to persuade girls to accept arranged marriages, "for an alliance that entailed effacing their own wants and surrendering to the will of a monster," according to children's literature expert Maria Tatar.
The Teutonic Order's Castle at Malbork is the world's largest castle in terms of land area. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was originally erected in the 13th century as a Teutonic castle and stronghold. In that regard, Poland is home to a whopping 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites!
Zurich was named the world's third most expensive city in both the Worldwide Cost of Living Survey and the Mercer Cost of Living Survey. Zurich is also the most populous canton, with a population of 402,762 people. The median property price is CHF 13,000 ($13,036) per square metre, with a three-bedroom apartment renting for CHF 2,324 ($2,330) per month. However, the average pay in Switzerland is CHF 103,296 ($103.298), so they can't really complain.
In 2010, a Southern California school district temporarily removed all copies of Merriam-10th Webster's Collegiate Edition from elementary school classrooms. Why get rid of the dictionary? The school district decided to remove the books after a parent informed the principal of Oak Meadows Elementary School that the dictionary contained an explicit definition of a sex act. The dictionary was deemed age-appropriate by a committee of teachers, administrators, and parents, and the copies of Merriam-Webster were returned to the classroom. Let's hope that parent never finds out about Urban Dictionary!
Walt Disney may have been the first to put gloves on his characters, as shown in Mickey Mouse's 1929 film The Opry House. Aside from being simpler to animate, Disney chose gloves for another reason: “We didn't want Mickey to have mouse hands because he was meant to be more human,” Disney told his biographer in 1957.
There’s a special version of braille just for mathematics called the Nemeth Code. It was invented by Dr. Abraham Nemeth and can be used to transcribe math, algebra, and calculus.
According to the study, nearly 58 percent of all tree species are single-country endemics, meaning they only occur naturally within the borders of a single country. The highest totals for endemic tree species are found in Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia, which makes sense given the overall biodiversity found in their native forests. The study's authors write, "The countries with the most country-endemic tree species reflect broader plant diversity trends (Brazil, Australia, China) or islands where isolation has resulted in speciation (Madagascar, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia)."
Anyone who visits Myanmar will notice people in the streets with what seems like mud smeared over their faces. This is a little disconcerting at first but it’s nothing to worry about.
Actually, it’s a special mixture of powdered bark that comes from a particular tree. When it’s produced, locals wipe it on their faces to act as protection against the sun. Some also say that it’s good for the skin and has anti-aging properties. When you’re in the country, try it for yourself and you can make up your own mind.
Actually, it’s a special mixture of powdered bark that comes from a particular tree. When it’s produced, locals wipe it on their faces to act as protection against the sun. Some also say that it’s good for the skin and has anti-aging properties. When you’re in the country, try it for yourself and you can make up your own mind.