The Jewish tradition of covering up mirrors during shiva (the seven-day period of mourning by the deceased's immediate family) is still practiced today. According to several Jewish sources, when the soul departs from this world, a void is created. This void may end up attracting evil spirits to fill it. These demonic ghosts have a penchant for attaching themselves to mirror reflections. To prevent this from happening, Jews cover their mirrors until the end of shiva.

It is known that these insects live in a variety of locations throughout the world. Most of South America, including Costa Rica and Peru, as well as New Zealand, Australia, and much of the continent of Mymaridae are where they can be found most frequently.

It takes one particularly terrifying creep to inspire Hannibal Lecter, Norman Bates, and Leatherface, but that's the legacy left by horrifying serial killer Ed Gein. When he was finally caught and his house of horrors in Plainfield, Wisconsin, discovered, police found masks and lampshades made from human skin, among plenty of other atrocities. His astonishing depravity proved a source of creative inspiration.

We know people who thrived in high school but fell apart in college when the workload was higher and they had to wash their own laundry, and people who were huge successes when they were single, but struggled mightily when they had to get their kids out of the house in the morning as well as themselves. It helps to recognize and plan for these extra stresses – and not beat yourself up when life gets harder.

Mehendi can help to relieve mental stress, cure fevers, and alleviate headaches. So now you understand why we lavish the bride with Mehendi! Henna flowers are used to treat sunburned headaches. Headaches are relieved by applying a plaster composed of Henna flowers soaked in vinegar on the forehead. When henna is applied to the hands, the cooling impact it exerts on the nerves helps to calm the body, lowering inflammation produced by arthritic symptoms. Henna is beneficial to hair health. It aids in the sealing of the hair cuticle, reducing breakage and improving the lustre and look of the hair. It is also a natural dandruff cure.

Afrikaans continues to be a contentious language in South Africa due to its direct ties to the oppressive measures taken by the National Party regime. This and other elements have contributed to the growth of English in the nation.

Quokkas love to approach the humans who visit Rottnest with their cheeky grins. As well as giving them the cute factor, a quokka's smile helps them cool down. 

Australia played South Africa in a Test match in Melbourne in 1952. South Africa appeared untested and poor, to begin with, with only one victory in their previous ten test matches. Despite the disadvantage, South Africa scored 370 runs and took 13 wickets. It could go down as one of the biggest test cricket upsets ever.

The high phytonutrient content of fennel seeds aids in sinus-clearing. These small seeds provide bronchial relaxation, which aids in the relief of asthma, bronchitis, and congestive symptoms.

Copper in electrical components provides for improved gear and engine control, as well as the expansion of entertainment and sensor systems. The more intricate and efficient the electrical systems of contemporary automobiles are, the more electricity they demand. As a result, more copper.

Fennel seeds are supposed to help reduce gas because of their great digestive effects and antibacterial capabilities. This seed facilitates bowel movement by increasing digestive motility and preventing gas build-up. And, because of its antibacterial properties (mostly derived from anethole, an organic molecule in the seed), it stops bacteria from developing and emitting gases in the first place.

St. George Rotunda, which was constructed in the middle of the third century AD during Roman times, is the oldest structure in Bulgaria. This church, which is in Sofia, has stood the test of time through wars and earthquakes.

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!

This bridge was inaugurated by our Prime Minister on 26th May. It has been renamed after Assam’s iconic singer Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. The total length of the bridge is 9.15 km, making it the longest bridge in India.

Under all the ash and pumice that Mount Vesuvius' eruption left behind, many bodies were found. Italian architect Giuseppe Fiorelli discovered many of these had left holes in the ash layers after collapsing in 1863. He came up with the concept of injecting plaster into these holes to produce plaster casts of the Pompeii mummies. Since then, as they work to learn more about what transpired during this enormous tragedy, researchers and other architects have found this to be helpful.

The Indian pariah dog turned out to be the best performer of the dog squad after being accepted by Uttarakhand Police and trained with various foreign species!

Poveglia, Italy, is the world's most haunted island. The Romans quarantined plague patients on Poveglia Island in the 18th century. Those infected with the plague, along with other diseased people, were abandoned on this island to die. This area was later converted into a mental hospital, which closed in 1968. Poveglia is off-limits to visitors, so any other creepy facts about this island will remain hidden.

Good things can be found in modest packages. Vitamins C and E levels may be higher in the young plants of radishes, cabbages, kale, and broccoli than in the mature, normal plants.

The monkeypox virus causes the rare disease monkeypox. It causes a rash as well as flu-like symptoms. It is a member of the orthopoxvirus family, like the more well-known virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox was found in 1958 after two outbreaks of a pox-like disease in research groups of monkeys. It is primarily transmitted by human contact with infected rodents, but it can also be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Monkeypox virus has two recognised kinds (clades): one that arose in Central Africa and one that originated in West Africa. The less severe West African clade is responsible for the current global outbreak (2022).

Travelers know the confusion when arriving in a country that’s in a different time zone. You tend to either gain or lose a few hours. Myanmar is a little different. Rather than adjusting their clock to correspond with the gain or loss of a whole hour, like most countries, they do it with 30-minute intervals. The official time zone is GMT +6.30. Very few countries in the world do it in this way making Myanmar somewhat unique.

This province's official language is French. Approximately 80% of inhabitants speak French as their first tongue, and almost 95% of "Quebecers" do as well. The word "Francophone" refers to someone who speaks French as their first language. It is North America's oldest French-speaking community. However, most inhabitants also speak English. During my tour, I encountered no locals who did not speak English.

When the city was in the hands of the Portuguese, they saw it was a natural water bay. Hence, they called it ‘Bom Bhaia,’ the Portuguese term for ‘good bay.’ Later, Bombay was given to the British as dowry when a Portuguese princess married an English prince. They renamed the city, Bombay. And that’s how the city got its name!

Because of Halloween, the candy industry in America earns an average of $2 billion per year (that's 90 million pounds of chocolate). According to History.com, Americans spend an estimated $6 billion on Halloween each year, which includes candy, costumes, and decorations. (Of course, Christmas is the most commercial holiday in the United States.)

The English parliament was so outraged by lipstick, of all things, that they attempted to outlaw it in 1650, citing the compulsion of painting, wearing black patches, and women's immodest attire. That endeavor was a failure. However, Britain did effectively outlaw lipstick in 1770. According to the legislature, women were duping men into marriage by using lipstick and other cosmetics. Parliament successfully linked lipstick to witchcraft and promised to annul any marriages caused by lipstick. Let's be real. You wouldn't have to apply lipstick as frequently if it were a type of witchcraft.