While the rest of the world dreaded eclipses and connected them with all manner of paranormal phenomena, the Vedas already had a very proper and scientific explanation. The next extract demonstrates that they were aware that the moon was not self-illuminated. Rig Veda 5.40.5 "Oh, Sun! When you are blocked by the one to whom you have given your own light (moon), Earth is terrified by abrupt darkness."

People found this extremely frustrating because round pencils frequently rolled off surfaces. As a result, the popular hexagonal pencil shape was introduced. People used to use breadcrumbs to erase their mistakes before erasers were invented.

Termites produce a lot of gas as they break down the wood and other materials they've eaten. Considering the size of a termite, this may not seem like much, but the gas accumulates. In fact, this amount is so large that termites are responsible for about 20 million tonnes of methane emissions annually on a global scale. That much gas is a lot!

As an alternative to the Gross National Product, Bhutan's Fourth King devised the notion of Gross National Happiness in the 1970s to assess the nation's well-being. They take a comprehensive approach to advancement and place equal emphasis on non-economic components of happiness. Its four pillars are frequently used to explain it: sustainable development, environmental protection, cultural preservation, and good governance. Before being approved, all of Bhutan's governmental programmes and initiatives must go through a GNH screening mechanism to ensure they do not have a negative influence on its people's well-being.

Toners are essential, particularly in the summer because they prepare your skin for moisturization and get rid of extra oil and impurities. We've put together a list of the numerous toner kinds for different skin types to get you started, and it will aid you in making the best decision.

The Water Festival, also known as Thingyan, is one of the biggest festivals in the country. Thousands take to the streets for a huge water fight to celebrate the Burmese New Year in April. Everyone has a great time and it’s one of the most important facts about Myanmar culture you should be aware of as a tourist. Taking part is probably the best travel experience you can have here.

The majority of vitamins and minerals are not significantly found in eggplant. The vegetable does, however, contain tiny levels of potassium, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, niacin, copper, and magnesium as well as 10% of the recommended daily intake of manganese.

Did you know? Insects are the only invertebrates with wings.

I saw a number of Irish bars when walking around Old Quebec. I even snapped the photo below in front of one of them. So I conducted some research and discovered, thanks to Travel & Leisure, that I was on to something. In fact, there is a sizable Irish community in Quebec. During the 17th century, French Irish were transported to Quebec to help populate the province. Historians believe that around 40% of Quebec's population is of Irish heritage.

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).

It was called "Poem" and it was published in the Boston Herald in 1941. It's short and sweet, and quite different from the darker poetry Plath wrote later in life:

"Hear the crickets chirping
In the dewy grass.
Bright little fireflies
Twinkle as they pass."

Flamingos can fly up to 600 kilometres at a speed of 50–60 kph thanks to their dimensions and light body bulk.

Other minerals can be combined with sand, lime, and soda ash to produce different colored glass. Adding nickel oxide, for example, results in the violet glass.

Ancient trumpets made of silver and bronze have been discovered in Egyptian graves, and similar instruments have also been discovered in Scandinavia, Asia, and South America. The earliest trumpets, however, were used for military and religious purposes rather than for musical performance, so this does not imply that King Tut was playing in a jazz band.

Before colour television was introduced, only 15% of people dreamt in colour. Older people dream in black and white more often than younger people.

Amateur astronomers look forward to the Perseid meteor shower every year in August, and NASA predicts that the 2019 event will be among the finest ever. The new moon will offer the best viewing conditions, allowing the shooting stars to shine, so we may thank it for that. The greatest Perseid activity occurs on the nights of August 12 and 13, however, the Perseids are visible from July 17 to August 24. For the optimum viewing experience, get away from buildings and city lights. You'll be oohing and ahhing as up to 100 meteors per hour zip by.

The most dramatic stock market meltdown in US history happened on Black Tuesday, October 24th, 1929. It is often assumed that the financial crisis resulted in innumerable suicides, however this was not the case. There were two of them.

which can mean both puff up and blow up - a description of what happens after a souffle is cooked

Literary heritage seems to be a major theme in Plath's life. The last apartment Plath lived in had been previously owned by the renowned poet W.B. Yeats. (It was here where she died by suicide in 1963.) You can find the apartment at 3 Fitzroy Road in London.

Is it Made by Man? According to Hindu mythology, Lord Rama helped the Vanara (monkey) army construct it. Since his wife Sita was abducted and held captive in Sri Lanka, he had to build this bridge to get there. Surprisingly, the carbon analysis of the bridge and the chronology of Ramyana (5000 BCE)

Despite the look of these primates in films like King Kong, they are not nearly as fearsome as their appearance suggests. Gorillas are highly gentle and live in groups. They just consume plants. Despite their benign demeanor, humans must exercise caution around gorillas because they are considerably stronger than humans and could endanger a person's life if the gorilla feels threatened.

Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director in 2010 for her Iraq war thriller, 'The Hurt Locker in. Kathryn beat her ex-husband James Cameron who was up for the same award for his 3D epic 'Avatar'. She is only the fourth woman to ever receive a nomination, the others are Sofia Coppola for 'Lost In Translation' (2004), Jane Campion for 'The Piano' (1994) and Lina Wertmüller for 'Pasqualino Settebellezze' (1977).