In 1999, NASA’s Deep Space 1 probe flew past an asteroid while on its way to photograph the Borrelly comet. NASA named the asteroid “9969 Braille” in honor of Louis Braille.

The researchers behind this project compiled data from museums, botanical gardens, agricultural centers, and other sources to conclude that there are currently 60,065 tree species known to science. These include Abarema abbottii, a rare and poorly understood tree native to China and Kyrgyzstan, and Zygophyllum kaschgaricum, a vulnerable limestone-bound tree found only in the Dominican Republic. The Global Tree Assessment, which aims to assess the conservation status of all of the world's tree species by 2020, is the next step in this field of research.

Lao-Lao is a powerful rice whiskey produced in Laos that costs less than a dollar per liter! The spirit is the cheapest in the world and can be found in any corner store, a mom-and-pop business, or market across the country. However, before you get too thrilled, the extremely low price has its own set of consequences. It tastes like a bottle of Methylated Spirits, has caused blindness on extremely rare occasions, and is a sure bet that you won't recall the events of the previous night. Of course, this is all hearsay. Take this as a warning.

Eggnog is a trademark beverage of the holiday season, with a history reaching back to mediaeval times and a drink known as "posset." According to Healthline, monks in the 13th century "enjoyed this concoction with the addition of eggs and figs," which was made with sweetened and spiced milk curdled with ale or wine and served hot.

Cakes are a special part of every occasion, but did you know there is also a "International Cake Day?" It takes place on November 26th. So, this year, go ahead and celebrate one of the best desserts ever created. You can eat as many cakes as you want to celebrate this special occasion.

In a 2011 article, Martha Smith, a horticulture educator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, notes that in the 1620s, "Tulips were more valuable than gold. " Why were these plants so expensive?" Initially, the tulip was a luxury item only the wealthy could afford "She goes on to explain. Indeed, a single "Rembrandt-type bulb" cost the equivalent of $1,500 at the time, which was "ten times the annual income of a skilled craftsman or the price of a large house."

Ben Affleck Can Play Both Batman and Superman. Ben Affleck is the only actor to have worn both the Batman and Superman costumes in separate films, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Hollywoodland.

Chances are good that you know that the Starbucks logo is a mermaid, even if you never buy coffee there. The mermaid, though, is actually a siren. Before 1987, it was super controversial, because the siren was naked and had exposed nipples. In 1992, they changed it to be a little more covered up.

Taylor Swift’s Look What You Made Me Do attract 84.4 million US streams for the week ending 31 August 2017. 

The track was streamed more than 8 million times on Spotify on 24-25 August 2017, also earning the record for the Most streamed track on Spotify in the first 24 hours. 

With 43.2 million YouTube views, the music video for this song also has the record for the Most watched video online in 24 hours.
 

The scientist is most famous for calculated gravity, but it’s also believed that Isaac Newton invented the cat door. How Stuff Works writes that when Newton was working on his experiments at the University of Cambridge he was constantly interrupted by his cats scratching at the door. So he called the Cambridge carpenter to see two holes in the door, one for the mother cat and one for her kittens! Apparently, these holes can still be seen at the university today.

With its Mediterranean environment of hot, dry summers and moderate, rainy winters, you may be tempted to undress when in Spain. There are few better places to top up your tan with 3,000 hours of sunshine every year. And any aspiring naturists will be glad to hear that nudity is permitted in Spain. Still, it is deemed undesirable in many locations.

Sharks have microscopic teeth called epidermal denticles that cover their bodies. Because of this, their skin feels like sandpaper.

The Tünel underground funicular opened on January 17, 1875, becoming the world's second underground railway after the London Underground. Tünel, which runs between Beyolu and Karaköy, is one of the continent's oldest remaining rail lines.

Being in a loving relationship has a positive emotional and physical impact on your life. According to one meta-analysis of more than 3.5 million people nationwide, married people up to the age of 50 were 13% less likely to develop vascular diseases than divorced or single people.

More than 40% of new cars sold in the UK now are diesel, up from 13% or so a little more than ten years ago. In the UK, there are currently 12 million diesel vehicles on the road. Government incentives based on the lower carbon emissions and higher fuel economy of diesel compared to gasoline are mostly to blame for this. Diesel vehicles produce significantly more dangerous NOx than their petrol-powered counterparts.

A fun fact is that Galileo and Shakespeare were both born in the same year (1564). The English dramatist was reaching the end of his career when Galileo pointed his telescope to the night sky. But he wasn't quite ready to lay down his pen: his late drama Cymbeline contains what might be a reference to one of Galileo's most important discoveries—the four moons around Jupiter. The deity Jupiter descends from the skies in the last act, and four ghosts dance in a circle around him. It may be a coincidence, or, as I argue in my book The Science of Shakespeare, it could be intentional.

Long-term usage of pharmaceuticals known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, can also result in ulcers. Many of them are sold without a prescription. Examples include ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin (Excedrin, Aleve) (Motrin). These medications hinder the stomach's capacity to defend itself against acid and can result in an ulcer. Additionally, some NSAIDs are prescribed to treat illnesses like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and persistent back pain. It's crucial to talk to your doctor about potential side effects and measures to prevent ulcers if you must take one of these medications.

Do you keep a horseshoe on your door or a lucky coin in your wallet? Some superstitious individuals think that some artifacts might attract good fortune, and they are, in a way, completely correct. People who took a "lucky charm" with them to a series of memory and analog tests scored better than those who did not, according to a 2010 research published in Psychological Science.

The first of objects, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, was discovered by the Italian astronomer Giuseppe Piazzi on the evening of January 1, 1801. It was named Ceres — in honor of the Roman goddess of agriculture.

King Tut is probably the most famous of all the ancient Egyptians, but very little was known about the boy king who died at the young age of 19 until British archaeologist Howard Carter found the tomb in 1922. King Tuts Tomb is the smallest of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings but it was filled with great wealth.

It was believed that Hieroglyphs on the wall of King Tut’s tomb had the curse of death. I’m glad I didn’t know about this curse before entering King Tut’s tomb during our visit or I may not have entered this unassuming tomb.

Termites have natural predators just like many other animals. Ants are termites' main predators, destroying entire colonies when they catch them off guard during an invasion. Ant and termite colonies are frequently constructed next to one another, which can lead to conflict as both insect species compete for food. Actual "wars" can start if an ant or termite ventures into the other's territory as soldier insects plan attacks on the adversary's colony.

Is it Made by Man? According to Hindu mythology, Lord Rama helped the Vanara (monkey) army construct it. Since his wife Sita was abducted and held captive in Sri Lanka, he had to build this bridge to get there. Surprisingly, the carbon analysis of the bridge and the chronology of Ramyana (5000 BCE)

Dolores Umbridge, the worst villain in the Harry Potter series, wound condemned to Azkaban after Order of the Phoenix. According to Pottermore, the reason was that she was involved in imprisoning, torturing, and even ordering the deaths of several innocent witches and wizards during the Second Wizarding War. Being the worst fictional villain since Hannibal Lecter, on the other hand, is a fairly good justification to be imprisoned in Azkaban on its own. Was she worse than him who shall not be named? Maybe not, but wizards and witches like this one were crucial to his machinations, so she's surely in the running for the worst of the wizarding worst.

We may not anticipate it, but what we wear directly impacts why mosquitoes won't leave us alone. These little insects are drawn to dark colors because, according to this study, black attracts more mosquitos than white. According to the same study, these flying insects are drawn to heat, which dark colors absorb more than bright hues.

This one might not come as much of a surprise as Leonardo DiCaprio isn’t known for his drawing abilities. What might raise an eyebrow is a stand-in who drew the picture was the actual director of Titanic, James Cameron. Well known for his artistic side, Cameron is the one who drew Kate Winslet. The only problem is he and Leo write with different hands, so they had to use a mirror image of the actual shot in the movie to keep the continuity.