Halloween evolved from the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the Celtic calendar year in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. They believed it was a time when spirits or fairies could enter our world, and the Celts would set out treats and food to appease the spirits - sometimes, a place at the table was even set for the souls of the dead. Wiccans continue to celebrate Samhain as a New Year's Eve celebration today.

"They're seeking for fresh food and what's around, and if it happens to be another lobster, it's dinner," Bayer explains. "One of the reasons lobster culture is not viable is that they are cannibalistic, and it comes with a lot of expenses."

Ballroom dancing was once thought to be a kind of exclusivity reserved only for the wealthy and privileged. Ballroom dancing was a secular event in the 17th and 19th centuries, and only members of the nobility classes could participate. Ballroom dancing became regarded as a relic of the past in the twentieth century. However, over the course of the twentieth century, they gradually began to open training courses for trainers. So, a decade later, ballroom dancing has regained popularity and is now available to the general public.

As you may have heard, Starbucks offers a generous benefits package to their employees, including providing healthcare to employees who work 20 hours a week or more. In fact, according to Howard Schultz, CEO of the company in 2008, Starbucks spends $300 million annually on healthcare, which is more than what they spend on coffee beans.

Have you ever noticed how the Disney princesses never look at each other in promotional photos and marketing materials? There's a good reason for this. "To preserve what [Andy] Mooney referred to as their individual'mythologies,' the princesses never make eye contact when they're grouped," the New York Times reported in 2006. "Each looks off in a slightly different direction, as if unaware of the presence of the others." However, with the release of Wreck-It Ralph 2, which depicts all of the princesses hanging out together, this may change.

 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)."

While cow's milk-based formula is still the most common, roughly 12% of newborns consume soy baby formula. The one chemical that has parents concerned is phytoestrogen, a plant-based oestrogen dopplegänger that may cause early puberty. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania surveyed over 900 adults, some of whom were fed soy formula as babies, and found no long-term positive or negative effects, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Vegan infants, rejoice!

While Hollywood extols the virtues of Spartan culture, the world's first human rights charter is thought to have been drafted by the Persians (or at least something very similar to the scope of human rights, as believed by both the British Museum and United Nations). Since it is essentially a cylinder-shaped piece of baked clay with engraved Akkadian writing from 539 BC, this charter is more commonly referred to as the Cyrus Cylinder. When King Cyrus' army entered Babylon and peacefully overcame the legendary city, he gave the order to create the artefact. The ancient writings on the tablet primarily speak about equality for people of all races, religions, and languages.

If you ask someone to list three things that are uniquely Russian, they will most likely mention cold, communism, and, of course, vodka. It should come as no surprise that the Russians were overjoyed when the Third Reich fell after being punched almost all the way to Moscow by the Nazis and battling their way back to Berlin. The Soviet Union was enveloped in jubilation and street celebrations that lasted for days and days — even non-drinkers regarded this as reason enough to join in the fun. That is, until the nation's vodka stockpiles were depleted. Only 22 hours after the festivities began. The countrywide hangover has now begun...

Amsterdam’s beautiful bridges are an icon of the city. There are 1,281 bridges in Amsterdam which connect the city’s 165 canals. 

There are several historic bridges, while others are decorated with bright flowers or lit up at night. You can even see 15 bridges at once, by crossing the Reguliersgracht and Herengracht bridges.

According to the Federal Statistical Office's most recent cause of death study, heart disease was responsible for 21,512 fatalities in Switzerland in 2013, accounting for one-third of all deaths. This proportion, however, has fallen since it was 41% 20 years ago. Another 26% of fatalities were caused by cancer. Lung cancer, which has been demonstrated to be the most lethal type of illness in Switzerland for over 40 years, claimed over 3,200 lives in 2013. The incidence of dementia-related fatalities in Switzerland is increasing as the population ages. In 2013, approximately 6,000 fatalities in the country were directly caused by dementia, compared to 2,100 in 1995.

Did you know a rug this intricate and lovely could require so little upkeep? Dust and dirt have a difficult time adhering to the rug due to the tightness of the knots that make up the rug. You only need to take them outside and gently beat them with a stick to freshen them up. Persian rugs are an excellent decoration choice because of their elegance, durability, and classic style. You won't regret buying a Persian rug if you're looking for a high-quality rug that you can keep for many years. As an alternative, choose from our lovely selection of other rugs. Visit our website and browse around!

You may already be aware of this fact from Amazing Facts About Hindi, since you may have noticed individuals beginning to prepare for Hindi Day a week prior. The entire week of September is dedicated to the Hindi language, which is also our national language.

Henna twigs are still used as toothpicks by the local population in rural North Africa to maintain healthy gums and clean teeth. Who would have guessed that Mehendi could be used to save money on dental bills?

A few other fictitious-sounding details about pirates are correct. According to National Geographic, battling pirates would have lost limbs from time to time, and some of them would have replaced their missing appendages with a hook or a wooden peg. "Members of the crew... received compensation for the loss of body parts in action—an early form of worker's compensation," according to the Smithsonian Institute.

Gerald Gardner, an Englishman, founded and popularised this religion in 1954. Gardner claims that Wicca evolved from a European witch-cult that was persecuted during the witch trials. This religion's core is made up of ancient pagan and 20th-century hermetic motifs. 

There are over 1,000 varieties of sausage in Germany. It’s safe to say that Germans love their sausage! Some kinds of sausage you’ll find in Germany are: Bratwurst Blutwurst Weisswurst Knackwurst Currywurst These sausage types are all flavored with different spices and they all pack a delicious punch.

On the day of Dussehra, Goddess Chamundeshwari is worshipped in Mysore. Mysore is named after the demon mahishasure.

Fecal microbiota transplantation is a method of restoring beneficial bacteria in the colon. The only approved use for fecal transplantation is for someone infected with Clostridiodes difficile (or C. diff) that’s unresponsive to antibiotics. The procedure involves a colonoscopy and transplants feces from a healthy person into a sick person.

In the U.S., doctors completed the first fecal transplants for C. diff infections in 1958. But the practice dates back to 4th century China, where they used a fecal suspension called “yellow soup” to treat digestive problems.

Although using a toothbrush twice a day has become routine, not everyone agrees on how you should store your toothbrush. Here's why storing your toothbrush outside is the best option. Brushing your teeth will cover your toothbrush bristles with germs and plaque, which must be rinsed away. Some bacteria will linger on your toothbrush no matter how thoroughly you clean it. Covering your toothbrush after cleaning creates a wet environment around the bristles, allowing germs to develop faster than an exposed toothbrush. Open-air drying promotes faster drying and reduced bacterial development, which can help keep your toothbrush clean and useful for a longer period of time.

Only around 50% of PCOS patients are obese. Thin PCOS patients do have other features of PCOS like excess facial hair, irregular menstrual cycles, and anovulation. On ultrasound, there will be a polycystic pattern (multiple cysts) in the ovaries.

The sodium content of various butter chicken recipes is always high because the dish is cooked with tomato paste sauce and all methods of preparation involve some type of tomato, whether it be whole, canned, or pureed. Recipes for butter chicken have 763 mg of salt per serving.

Italian scientists and researchers have recently been able to conduct CT scans of the bodies interred at Pompeii thanks to recent technological advancements. One of the most intriguing things they have revealed is that Pompeii's inhabitants had white, straight teeth. This is related to their excellent diet, but it is also possibly related to the area's high fluorine content as a result of the volcano.

As each belligerent nation scrambled to furnish its armed forces with adequate personnel and equipment, national resources were mobilised. Early failures in weapons manufacture in the United Kingdom resulted in complete government participation in war production. By 1918, its industry had produced approximately 4 million rifles, 250,000 machine guns, 52,000 aeroplanes, 2,800 tanks, 25,000 artillery pieces, and over 170 million rounds of artillery shells thanks to these regulations.

They consider it sacred because the Buddha was accustomed to rest in the lush mango groves. Mangoes were also considered one of the best gifts to be exchanged amongst one another. Buddhists monks would also carry a few mangoes with them on their long expeditions, popularising the fruit. 3. It is said that the rich and pulp flavour of the fruit also caught the fancy of Alexander the Great, who upon his return to Greece, carried enough mangoes along.