Understanding the essential concepts of Buddhism may require, well, a Buddha, but that doesn't imply that ordinary people can't strive for the peace and understanding that Buddha possesses. "Buddha literally means 'the awakened one.' "Budh" means "awakened," and "Buddh-a" implies "one who has awakened from illusion." It indicates that anyone can become awakened. "You, too, can be Buddh-a," Marcel explains. Being compassionate to others, whether Buddhist or not, enriches their lives—and yours.

The 'Most Twisted Love Story Award' goes to Boney and Sridevi Kapoor without a doubt. Sridevi reportedly paid a visit to Boney Kapoor and his then-wife, Mona, and attached a Rakhi to Boney...before she fell in love with him and married him.

Christened Alexandrina (but called Drina as a child), she started using Victoria—her middle name—at 18 when she ascended to the throne.

Under black lights, bananas glow blue. Ripe bananas appear yellow to the naked eye under normal conditions due to organic pigments known as carotenoids. Chlorophyll begins to degrade as bananas ripen. This pigment is what causes bananas to glow, or fluoresce, under UV light and appear blue. While this is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating facts about bananas, there is another that will make you want to eat a banana every day.

If your kid begins on a certain brand-name formula, don't be surprised if you begin to consider the less expensive store-brand alternatives. One research conducted by the University of Virginia discovered that switching is safe; babies saw no increase in spit-up, burping, gas, crying, or irritation as a result.

You might not be able to identify a current Swedish musician or band off the top of your head. However, there is no question that you have heard Swedish music. For years, Swedish-produced or Swedish-written songs (including big British and American singles) have dominated the charts. You've probably heard of ABBA. Since winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974, this band has opened the way for other Swedish talents. This includes musicians such as Roxette, Robyn, Lykke Li, Avicii, and others who have achieved international acclaim. If you like ABBA, you should go to the ABBA Museum in Stockholm.

Soufflés usually come apart after 5 or 10 minutes of being puffed up and fluffy.

Austen's family worked hard in 1817 to get Northanger Abbey and Persuasion sold as a set. Henry Austen, Austen's brother, wrote a "biographical note" identifying Austen as the author. The books were well received. Richard Bentley, a publisher, purchased the copyrights to Austen's novels in 1832 and published an omnibus edition of her work in October 1833. Since Bentley's publication, Austen's books have remained in print indefinitely.

In 1938, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the young cartoonists who created Superman and launched the superhero comics craze, sold the character and all rights to the publisher for $130. In turn, the character would make billions for DC Comics and Warner Bros. through comics, movies, licencing, and other means. Siegel and Shuster filed multiple lawsuits against the company for proper royalties in the decades following the character's debut, with little success. Though the duo would later receive medical insurance and yearly stipends from the company, they never saw the type of money they had hoped for.

We can also thank Hollywood for more neutral nail trends. According to legend, Jeff Pink, the founder of the nail polish brand Orly, invented the French manicure in 1975 to speed up the makeup process for actresses who change costumes frequently. Some argue that the look dates back to 1930s Paris, when Max Factor pioneered the clean and polished look.

Sir Ratan Tata, the most beloved carmaker, was the first Indian to purchase an automobile. Jamshedji Tata used to drive a 2000cc Bugatti. However, the first automobile to arrive in India belonged to British officer Mr. Foster of Crompton Greaves. By 1897, he had purchased an automobile. Simultaneously, Jamshedji Tata became the first Indian to acquire an automobile.

The Menai Bridge in Anglesey was the world's first suspension bridge built to carry heavy traffic. The bridge, designed by Thomas Telford, was dedicated on January 30, 1826. It was also the longest bridge in the world at the time, measuring 386 metres (1,265 ft).

Any claim that chamomile will improve hair quality is speculative at best, although Kluge observes that due to its cooling and modestly anti-inflammatory characteristics, a chamomile tea hair rinse could theoretically help soothe dry and irritated scalp issues like dandruff or itching. There isn't enough scientific evidence to support its usefulness, but if you have any on hand, it can't harm to give it a shot.

With the fall of the Roman Empire, the secret of making Greek Fire was lost. Throwing water on it would simply feed the flames, making this weapon one-of-a-kind and lethal. It had a gelatinous feel and stuck to everything. It was largely utilised in naval warfare since the huge flamethrowers required for its projectile usage could be handled easier by ships than troops. A fleet of floating wood and canvas ships would be readily destroyed by the Greek Fire.

Chai, a spiced tea drink, is thought to be a healing beverage that dates back over 5,000 years to an ancient royal court. It wasn't until the 1930s that black tea was added. Coffee was most likely introduced to Indian culture by the British.

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.

The first version of a vision aid, known as a "reading stone," was invented 1000 years ago. It appeared to be a small magnifying glass. However, the first wearable vision aid is thought to have been invented in the thirteenth century by Italian Salvino D'Armante. So we can thank Italy for both a cool accessory and delicious food.

Do you keep a horseshoe on your door or a lucky coin in your wallet? Some superstitious individuals think that some artifacts might attract good fortune, and they are, in a way, completely correct. People who took a "lucky charm" with them to a series of memory and analog tests scored better than those who did not, according to a 2010 research published in Psychological Science.

If you really want a drink from Starbucks and noticed they closed five minutes ago, you're in luck: they are allegedly still obligated to serve you. According to one employee, there is a rule where they have to open the store 10 minutes before the posted opening time and leave the doors unlocked for 10 minutes after the posted closing time.

 

Boys do not have the same innate tendency for reflection that girls do. Don't get me wrong: males of all ages have the ability to reflect on their behaviours, values, and lives (as they get older), but they need the right environment to do so. Boys can let their thoughts wander around inside their heads during quiet and down time. It also helps them get to know, and even like, themselves. Boys often think best on their own, so they tend to retreat to their caves (bedrooms) when things go wrong at school or in their relationships. They must look within themselves to find their own solution.

MIND THE GAP! That’s the gap between when there was a British Museum tube station and now. The photos above (courtesy of London Transport Museum) show the entrance to the Museum’s underground station in 1921, some gentlemen waiting on the platform in 1903 (with some fabulous hats!), and its construction in 1898. The station opened in 1900 but was closed in September 1933 when the new Holborn station opened, less than 100 yards away.

Moses, according to the Bible, drew water from a stone in Wadi Musa, also known as the Valley of Moses. The water supply for Petra came from this location, which, according to Biblical legend, continued to gush water after Moses' miraculous act. Even though the architects of Petra were not Christians, the ancient city's proximity to Wadi Musa makes it an appealing pilgrimage destination for Christians.

The Netherlands has one of the highest home birth rates in the developed world. Around 30% of Dutch women deliver their babies at home, and this figure has changed little since 1990. So why are home births still cherished in the Netherlands? It’s partly because Dutch health insurance fully covers home births, but doesn’t always cover hospital births without medical necessity. The Dutch medical system also has a good screening system and provides midwives (verloskundige) who help mothers have a safe delivery at home.

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.

Robin Dunbar, a British anthropologist, developed Dunbar's number in the 1990s after discovering a relationship between the average size of a social group and the brain size of primates. The suggested cognitive limit for the number of people with whom someone can maintain a stable social relationship is 150. Exceeding this number is extremely rare, because becoming close to new people causes the quality of some older relationships to deteriorate over time