Nong Fa Lake, a magnificent volcanic lake high in the mountains of southeast Laos, is veiled in stories, reverence, and dread. Laotians refuse to swim or bathe in the lake because they think it is home to a monstrous snake pig that will devour anyone who ventures into its depths. Nong Fa, which translates straight to "sky lake," is thought to be roughly 78 meters deep, however, locals aren't sure because attempts to measure the depths using bamboo poles have failed.

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."

What's with the fork? Forks, the most often used dining tool, were previously considered blasphemous. They initially appeared in Italy in the 11th century. These spiky spaghetti-twirling devices were considered an abomination to God. And why, you could ask? Because they were "artificial hands," they were deemed sacrilegious.

Many people assume that slaves built the pyramids, however this is not the truth. They were hired workmen who constructed with great respect for the Pharaoh, and those who died were interred in tombs near the holy pyramids.

The majority of animal species in the Antarctic eat krill, and some, like the Adélie and chinstrap penguins, rely almost entirely on it for nutrition. Even the teeth of crabeater seals are specially designed for consuming krill. Furthermore, according to recent studies, humpback and fin whales, whose populations are now stabilised after centuries of whaling, consume a combined 2 million metric tonnes of krill annually from a small area close to the Antarctic Peninsula where the majority of the world's commercial krill fisheries are based.

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.

Visitors to the Terracotta Army are constantly crowded. 
The Terracotta Army is a well-known tourist destination that is frequently crowded, particularly on weekends and Chinese public holidays.

In recent years, the Labirintus has been transformed into a museum showcasing Budapest's rich history.

 Raw cashew seeds have a natural greenish-grey color before being roasted. They take on the light brown color we all know and love after roasting.

The Alipore Zoo is literally something to be proud of, from the Royal Bengal to the greatest species of animals. However, few Kolkatans are aware that it is also the country's oldest zoo. Alipore's tagline as a brand could be - entertaining everyone since 1875!

The Vieng Xai Caves, located deep in thick forests and amid limestone cliffs, were once home to almost 20,000 Laotians who hid from American bombs for more than a decade during the Vietnam War. Kaysone Phomvihane, the leader of Laos' communist movement, created this intricate network of over 450 limestone caves known as 'The City of Victory.' Homes, schools, marketplaces, a bakery, a bank, a theatre, an elephant enclosure, and even hospitals were built into the subterranean caves for its people. Today, the caves are a museum that captivates all who visit.

Dreams are experienced by people who are born blind, but not through the eyes. Instead, they have dreams that rely on other senses, but they are just as intense as those that rely on sight. Those who go blind later in life, on the other hand, will have visual images in their dreams.

India is home to one of the world's hottest chillies, the bhut jolokia or ghost pepper, which is 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. The chilli, which is grown in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur, was certified as the world's hottest in 2007 by Guinness World Records, but it fell out of that position in subsequent years.

We actually have a lot in common with the ancient Egyptians and one of the more fun facts about ancient Egyptians is that they too loved board games. It wasn’t just the wealthy that played board games either, even the commoners enjoyed a good board game.

The most popular board games were Senet and Mehen. Senet was a game that involved throwing sticks and was so popular that even Pharaohs were buried with the game to keep them occupied in the afterlife. These board games date back 5000 years. What is your favorite board game?

 

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.

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.

You all would have heard the stories of different Yugas, there are 4 Yugas in total, The Satyuga, The Dwapar Yuga, The Treta Yuga, and The Kalyuga. The end of each Yuga happens when there are immense crime and chaos and people become merciless, then God reincarnates and led the world towards light. After the last Kalpa, there is an unstoppable flood and fire and the worlds are destroyed.

Tulsi's phytochemicals have potent antioxidant effects. As a result, they aid in the prevention of skin, liver, oral, and lung cancers.

At the time of his birth, Leonardo's full name was Lionardo di ser Piero da Vinci, which translates as "Leonardo, (son) of ser Piero from Vinci." To his contemporaries, he was simply known as Leonardo or "Il Florentine" — since he resided close to Florence.

Many people visit Birmingham Cathedral, but few realise that its stained glass windows were designed by Edward Burne-Jones, a notable Pre-Raphaelite. Bennetts Hill, Birmingham, has a blue plaque commemorating his birthplace.

This is one of the more unusual facts about Myanmar that you’ll notice quite often when you're visiting and traveling in the country. People, especially women, tend to carry things on their heads rather than using their hands. Foreigners are shocked at first and automatically think back to the travel shows on Africa. But, carrying things on the head is quite popular and is a more convenient method of transport. You can expect to see vendors carrying food on a large metal plate or even a basket full of the weekly shopping on their heads.

Because relics of the clay oven called a Tandoor, which was used to cook the chicken, were found during an excavation, historians and archaeologists now think that the genesis of the Tandoori Chicken occurred during the Harappa Civilization. Tandoori chicken's origins can thus be traced to the Harappan Civilization, though the Punjabi people of Pakistan are responsible for its redistribution. Who would have thought that our ancestors would have had as much luck as to have what we are having now when eating the Tandoori chicken with green chutney from your favourite restaurant.

Over half of North America's lowbush production is produced in Atlantic Canada, with New Brunswick having the greatest supply.

The Louvre is the world's biggest art gallery and museum, housing over 38,000 works of art, including the most renowned painting ever created, the Mona Lisa. The Louvre received 10.8 million visitors in 2018, making it the most visited gallery on the globe!