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. 

This fun fact about the Netherlands dates back to the 16h century when the Dutch invented gin (jenever) and introduced it to the British. It became popular in Great Britain after William of Orange (King William III) held the English, Irish and Scottish thrones. Ever wondered where the term ‘Dutch courage’ comes from? It’s said to originate from when the Brits and Dutch drank gin during the Thirty Years’ War from 1618 to 1648.

Charlotte's book, Jane Eyre, was the first to be published even though she was the last to find a publisher. A few months later, Agnes Grey and Wuthering Heights were published. There was a persistent rumor that Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights were written by the same person:

Persian rugs are among the earliest varieties of oriental rugs; the earliest one that has been discovered is estimated to have been made in the 4th (or 5th) Century B.C. These rugs have gained notoriety and recognition for centuries due to their recognizable patterns and warm, rich colors. Genuine Persian rugs are handcrafted, and their creation can take weeks or even months with the assistance of several people. However, the final products are unique, endearing, and robust rugs. Currently, wool or cotton is used to make the majority of Persian rugs, but older rugs were occasionally made with silk. Despite producing a beautiful appearance, using silk made these rugs more expensive and less sturdy.

Another interesting fact about Egypt is that Cleopatra, one of the most famous figures from ancient Egypt, is actually Greek, not Egyptian. While she was born in Alexandria she had no Egyptian blood and was instead a descendant of the Ptolemaic Dynasty which were a line of Greek Macedonians. The Ptolemaic Dynasty ruled ancient Egypt from 323 to 30 BC. The name Cleopatra is actually Greek for “Famous in Her Father” or “Her Father’s Fame”

Our spine comprises 33 vertebrae when we are born, but most of us end up with just 26. What becomes of them? Some of the vertebrae fuse together to create the sacrum (back of the pelvis) and coccyx as you become older (tailbone).

When they roll out the red carpet on Oscar night spare a thought for the organizers. The specially made carpet is a whopping 500 feet long and has to be rolled out at LA's prestigious Kodak Theatre days in advance, hoovered and covered with protective plastic, before being unveiled just hours before the ceremony.

Victoria and Albert’s first child, Princess Victoria, was born nine months after their wedding. But little Vicky wasn’t an only child for long. A year later, she had a baby brother for company, and within 17 years, the royal household boasted nine children: four boys and five girls.

Every month, your nails grow between 3 and 4 millimeters. That amounts to about 0.1 millimeters per day.

The Vent Haven Museum has a collection of vintage ventriloquist dummies.
Ventriloquist dolls can be quite creepy, and a museum containing hundreds of ventriloquist dolls is almost certainly a horror movie destination for many. The Vent Haven Museum in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, houses over 900 ventriloquist dolls and other related items such as photographs and replicas.

According to an OECD report, Swiss adults have the most money on average compared to the average amount throughout the world, topping out nations such as the United States. Switzerland has the greatest average pay and job security among all OECD nations.

Although you should apply moisturizer all the time, you need also to know when to change it up. In warmer weather, use a thinner moisturizer that won't clog pores and create breakouts, and in colder winter, use a thicker cream recipe.

Pune, which is located at the confluence of the Muthi and Mula rivers, derives its name from the Punya word, which literally means "conflux of two rivers." It was referred to as Punaka Desha in certain old sources before becoming Punekavadi, Punevadi, and Kasaba Pune. The nearby Lord Shiva temple Punyeshwar is where the city earned its name, claims historian Mandar Lavate. Up until 1978, Pune's official name was Poona.

Today, the vast majority of diamonds on the market are mined underground or beneath the sea using heavy machinery and cutting-edge technology. However, before diamonds were mined beneath the earth's surface, miners discovered them alongside or at the bottom of rivers. Alluvial mining is the name given to this type of mining activity.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, people with insomnia were roughly twice as likely as those without insomnia to report using alcohol to sleep. If not managed properly, insomnia can lead to an increase in alcohol misuse, which can lead to additional liver and lung illnesses.

Want to know why these earthen pots—which we also mentioned above—are the best for cooking and are even recommended by health professionals? Because earthenware is porous by nature, it helps your food retain heat evenly. They require more time to cook than usual while keeping the moisture and nutrients in the food inside the pot. Along with the combination of slow cooking, they also impart an earthy flavor to your dish.

Although sunflowers are commonplace, they are actually an American native. From North and South America, sunflowers, or Helianthus, come in close to 100 different varieties. Sunflowers were used by Native Americans for their seeds and oils long before Van Gogh and Gaugin painted them.

Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, as it is officially known, is the second-largest country in the European Union, after France. If you add the Canary Islands and the Spanish territory along the North African coast, it totals roughly 506,000 square kilometres.

According to popular belief, the first lavish celebration of Dussehra was held in the Mysore Palace in the 17th century on the king's orders. Since then, Dussehra has been grandly observed throughout the nation.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species notes that while the majority of rattlesnake species are not in danger, there are three particular species that warrant attention. The Tancitaran dusky rattlesnake is listed as endangered because of its small range in Mexico, whereas the Santa Catalina rattlesnake, which is native to Isla Santa Catalina, is regarded as critically endangered. 1213 Similar to this, the long-tailed rattlesnake is classified as "vulnerable" because it is so uncommon and has only a few known specimens in western Mexico.

Maine has 3,478 miles of coastline if we add inlets and islands. This is the fourth-greatest total in the United States, after only Florida, Louisiana, and Alaska. All of the world's naval fleets could fit into Maine's deep ports.

The themes are determined by paying tribute to designers’ pasts and the theme of the upcoming exhibition. This year’s theme is Gilded Glamour which is heavily inspired by the Gilded Age that took place in New York from 1870 to the early 1900s.

At least among women, that is. A 2013 survey of 10,000 U.K. women reported by Hello! found that Leos were twice as likely to go to the gym compared to any other sign.

Marie and Pierre Curie took part in examinations of Eusapia Palladino, an Italian medium who claimed she could channel the dead, and attended a series of seances two years after obtaining the Nobel Prize in Physics. Pierre obviously believed that some of Palladino's accomplishments, such as levitating items and tables, were genuine. (Marie didn't appear to be as convinced.)