These two gorgeous names are synonymous with Sri Lanka. This small island nation is known as the Pearl of the Indian Ocean due to its remarkable natural beauty, extraordinary biodiversity, and rare jewels. Furthermore, the island has a teardrop form and is located off the coast of India, which is easier to see on a map. That is why it is also known as the Teardrop of India. A Google map snapshot of Sri Lanka is shown here to give you an idea of its location and shape.

Don't be concerned if your apartment building lacks the fourth level. The number four is frequently omitted because it sounds like the word 'death' in Chinese, making it an unlucky number. The lucky number eight, on the other hand, indicates wealth.

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.

Who can forget the moment Gwyneth Paltrow sobbed her way through her Best Actress acceptance in 1999 for 'Shakespeare in Love'? Or Julia Roberts, who got the giggles and forgot to thank her movie namesake, 'Erin Brockovich'. The longer speech however goes to Actress Greer Garson who rambled on for seven minutes when she won the award for Best Supporting Actress in 1934.

Uranus is a planet in the outer solar system, as many students are aware. Neptune is the next known planet beyond its reach, and another huge planet may exist much further away (nicknamed "Planet Nine" by the astronomers who proposed its existence). Surprisingly for planetary scientists, it turns out that Uranus is the coldest planet in our solar system, not Neptune. This is due to Uranus's lack of an internal heat source to augment the heat of the sun.

When there is too much snow for cities to handle, it is usually hauled away to parking lots or other wide-open spaces where it can sit until the weather warms up. Cities are sometimes forced to dump snow in the ocean during particularly snowy seasons, only to be chastised by environmental activists. Snow melters, which use hot water to melt 30 to 50 tonnes of snow per hour, are used in some cities. This method is quick but expensive—a single machine can cost $200,000 and consume 60 gallons of fuel in an hour.

The vitamins, nutrients, and deliciousness are packed into every grapefruit hue. But the ones in red and pink have a little extra.

Koko is a renowned gorilla that understands sign language. When asked where gorillas go once they die, the gorilla quickly signed "Comfortable hole, bye."

NASA images published on Tuesday reveal a heart shape measuring around 1,000 kilometres broad. Much of the heart's inside is strikingly featureless–possibly an indication of ongoing geologic processes, according to NASA.

More areas of the human body are affected by ulcers, which can take different forms including arterial ulcers, venous ulcers, mouth ulcers, or genital ulcers. The focus of this article is on the many forms of peptic ulcers.

The greenish-brown dots next to the antennae are lobsters' antennal glands, and it's common practice for them to urinate at one another during conflict or courtship. A male enters a pheromonal state of calm when the female, who initiates contact, repeatedly urinates in his shelter.

It might come to you as a matter of surprise, but kakapo, the world’s largest parrot, can not fly. Kakapo can grow up to two feet and can weigh up to nine pounds. Kakapo is the only flightless parrot in the world. But that’s not the only interesting fact about the world’s largest parrot. Kakapo is also the only parrot that is active at night.

A treaty was drafted between the two countries in 1898, leasing Hong Kong to Britain for 99 years. As a result, Hong Kong became a Chinese Special Administrative Region on July 1, 1997.

In a single lifetime, a person will shed approximately 40 pounds of skin.
Humans, like snakes, shed their skin, but at a much slower rate. Your shed skin, on the other hand, will amount to nearly half of your body weight when accumulated.

Doctor Strange was nearly not given to Benedict Cumberbatch. Despite fierce A-list competition from Justin Theroux, Jon Hamm, Ewan McGregor, Johnny Depp, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Jared Leto, it was Joaquin Phoenix's rejection of the role that allowed Marvel Studios to officially announce Benedict Cumberbatch as the best character fit for the role of Doctor Strange.

The fundamental technology behind windmills was undoubtedly derived from the wind sails that were used to steer ships. However, the first instance of wind energy being used to help automate routine manual tasks, such as pumping water or grinding grain, was most likely in Persia. Last but not least, the first vertical axis windmill design that has been historically recorded is the Persian panemone windmill, with records of the technology dating back as far as 1,500 years. The vertical sail on this particular specimen was made of bundles of reeds or wood, which were then fastened to the central vertical shaft with the aid of horizontal struts.

An asterism is a pattern of stars that are widely recognized and contained within an official constellation but is not counted as a true constellation in itself. The Big Dipper, for instance, is a famous asterism but the seven stars in this arrangement of stars represent less than half of the whole constellation known as Ursa Major. Another famous asterism is the three stars in a row that form Orion’s belt.

Switzerland is recognized not only for its banking but also for being a global presence in academia. According to Wikipedia's listings (1) (2), Swiss institutions have produced a large number of Nobel Laureates, the majority of whom are scientists.

On June 2, 1975, several national cricket matches were postponed due to snow showers. The lowest summer temperature ever recorded in the UK was -5.6 °C on June 9, 1955, in Dalwhinnie, and it was again recorded on June 1 and June 3, 1962, in Santon Downham, Norfolk.

We wouldn't want our four-legged friends to miss out on the excitement of a birthday cake, and they no longer have to! Special birthday cakes for pets are now available, with options for dogs, cats, and even hamsters.

Here it is for everyone who has been waiting for it since our previous mention, or who simply skipped ahead till they discovered it. A mature butterfly has a lifespan of three to four weeks, although the full life cycle can last anywhere from two to eight months. There are exceptions to the rule, as there are to any rule. At least one butterfly species lives for around 24 hours, but certain migratory butterflies, such as the North American Monarch, can live for about eight months.

It may appear obvious because many of us are familiar with witchcraft through films such as The Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter, and others. However, in real life, witchcraft has a very negative connotation, so much so that witches were sentenced to death in order to cleanse society. However, white magic practitioners have existed throughout history. Witchcraft is not the same as black magic. It is an umbrella term for both white and black magic.

During WWII, bright red lipstick surged back into vogue for an unexpected purpose. Adolf Hitler reputedly despised red lipstick, among other reasons. In the 1940s, women crowded the industries on the battlefields wearing red lipstick as a symbol of patriotism and bravery. The Marines pushed this trend a step further by making 'Montezuma Red' lipstick required for female Marines. Montezuma is a line from the Marine song commemorating the Halls of Montezuma, a fight in which US Marines participated during the Mexican War. The color red symbolized the American flag and grew to symbolize strength.

Numerous food sources can set off a headache, however, there are three normal guilty parties. One is food that contains nitrates, including wieners and lunch meats. Tyramine in matured cheddar, smoked fish, and soy items might be to be faulted. What's more, monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer in stocks, soups, and quick food sources, is likewise a trigger. Keeping away from these may assist you with forestalling assaults.