The man responsible for the creation of arguably the most well-known cartoon character in the world, Mickey Mouse, was afraid of mice! Does it get any more ironic? Walt Disney had a deep-seated fear of the four-legged creatures. But he also saw them as sympathetic. That was why he choose to base Mickey on a mouse. It turned out to be a solid decision from Disney. Mickey Mouse helped turn Disney into one of the world’s biggest entertainment companies. 

Legend has it this 15th-century vase was given to a bride on the eve of her wedding in Naples, Italy, but she was murdered that night holding the artifact. After her death, any family member it passed to also died. The family stored the vase, but it resurfaced in 1988 with a note warning of its capabilities. Even so, the vase was auctioned off for $2,250 without the note. The pharmacist who bought it died shortly after as did various others who owned it until, finally, a family demanded that the police do away with it completely.
 

Thyme emits a powerful perfume that is both earthy and slightly spicy. It's good knowing that people can smell lemon essence. Some people say it has a flavor that is somewhat similar to oregano yet slightly distinct. It is a well-liked herb that can be used in savory and sweet dishes.

Scientists at Germany's Bayerisches Geoinstitut discovered that because peanut butter is so high in carbon, it is possible to turn simple Skippy into diamonds. All you have to do is separate the oxygen from the carbon dioxide in the peanut butter and then apply enormous pressure to the carbon that remains.

The R2-D2 that we all know and love only talks in beeps and whistles, a mechanical language that most of his companions comprehend. However, in the first draught of Star Wars, written in 1974, R2-D2 talked in whole words. Even more concerning, he was not the endearing wuss he would eventually become. He was a bit of a bully, berating his friend C-3PO with taunts such as, "You're a stupid, useless philosopher," and "You're nothing more than a dimwitted, emotion-filled academic." My reasoning systems cannot explain why you were formed." Sheesh, can you please tone it down a notch?

Don't use the mild weather in the middle of January to justify leaving the house without a jacket. The weather records from January 10, 1911, in Rapid City, South Dakota, show how quickly temperatures can drop. The temperature began at a pleasant 55°F, then dropped to 8°F in 15 minutes due to a powerful cold front. That day still holds the record for the world's fastest cold snap.

Genghis Khan's descendants included Babar, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, and Aurangzeb. The Mughal emperors share some genetic traits with the Mongol emperors. Through Timur, Babar was related to Genghis Khan. Babar came from a Timur family. Babar shares some genetic characteristics with Chagatai Khan, the son of Genghis Khan. In addition, Qutlugh Khanum, the mother of Babar, was descended from Chagatai Khan.

The mayor of Sarpourenx issued an edict forbidding people from dying within the city limits unless they had previously purchased a plot in a local cemetery. People who broke this by dying without a plot would be severely punished. What kind of punishment you give the dead however is as of yet unclear.

The Earth is not a perfectly symmetrical sphere. It also has many lumps and bumps in the shape of mountains and deep gorges. The Earth's composition is also not consistent around the world. Different types of rock, mineral concentrations, and geography all work together to create pockets of varying average density all over the place. This has an immediate impact on gravity at various locations on the Earth's surface.

It takes a particularly terrifying creep to inspire Hannibal Lecter, Norman Bates, and Leatherface, but that's what horrifying serial killer Ed Gein left behind. When he was apprehended and his house of horrors in Plainfield, Wisconsin, was discovered, police discovered masks and lampshades made of human skin, among other atrocities. His incredible depravity served as a source of creative inspiration.

Each person, the Swiss consume 36 litres of wine, 56.5 litres of beer, and 8.4 litres of pure alcohol per year. And here are new figures that suggest consumption has actually decreased! It is common for 20% of Swiss individuals to binge drink (4-5 drinks in one sitting) at least once a month.

Fog is composed of tiny water droplets suspended in a cloud on the ground that contains up to 0.5 ml of water per cubic metre. To illustrate, if you filled an Olympic-sized swimming pool with fog and then condensed it, you would be left with approximately 1.25 litres of water (or just over 2 pints).

Persian rugs are beautiful because they resemble works of art. The intricate patterns and designs are one-of-a-kind works of art that are frequently regarded as being undervalued. It is believed that the patterns and colors used are a reflection of ancient Persian culture. Each rug is rich with history.

iPhone is not the first phone named iPhone in history. Interestingly, the first iPhone was released by InfoGear Technology Corporation. The InfoGear iPhone was released back in 1998. Later, Cisco Systems has acquired the InfoGear Technology Corporation. And, when Apple released its iPhone, Cisco Systems sued Apple for using the name iPhone. But on 20 February 2007, both parties settled their dispute.

No, toffee is not synonymous with butterscotch. Butterscotch candy is created by heating butter and brown sugar until the mixture reaches the soft-crack stage, at which time it becomes chewy and flexible. Toffee, on the other hand, is prepared by allowing the butter and brown sugar combination to harden and become brittle and breakable.

The Republic of China (RoC) is not to be confused with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Both parties fought during the Chinese Civil War which ended in 1949 and ignore each other’s sovereignty. Today the PRC controls mainland China and the RoC control Taiwan.

 

No, this European adventurer did not discover the continent of America. Columbus arrived 500 years late. In truth, it was the Norse adventurer Leif Erikson who first set foot on American soil in the 10th century. Erikson may have been the first European to discover America.

It can be difficult to figure out how to avoid dust mites, but a good place to start is by examining your surroundings and the areas of your home where you spend the majority of your time. The best place to start is always your bedroom because it can be a haven for many dust mites. Making dust mites' habitat less hospitable is the best way to combat them. You will therefore need bedding that keeps you cool, dry, and moisture-free.

Buddhist texts, too, should not be placed on the floor, according to Tashi Dhargyal, a Buddhist Thangka teacher and Tibetan artist. He also advises consumers to avoid products with images of Buddha on their packaging because the only suitable method to dispose of an image of a Buddha is to burn it or throw it into a body of water. "It's not just impolite, but it can also bring terrible karma," he argues. Finally, if you want a Buddhist sign tattooed on your body, get it at heart level or higher because lower on the body is considered disrespectful.

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.

The fairy wasp can be found in a wide range of environments, from deserts to tropical forests, as was already mentioned. At least five species, including the Caraphractus cinctus, which can remain submerged for up to 15 days, are known to thrive in aquatic habitats.

The first toilet paper was created in England in 1880 and marketed as individual sheets in a box rather than on a roll. Now, the typical roll contains 333 sheets.

Palm trees have been associated with humans since the dawn of time. Archeological discoveries have revealed that the date palm was widely used in Mesopotamian society, both for food and for other purposes. Palm branches were given to triumphant champions of games and wars by the Romans as a symbol of victory.