Although many scholars regard the OED as the ultimate authority on dictionaries, the OED requires your assistance. At any given time, the dictionary's editors are researching the history of specific words and phrases, and The OED Appeals allows the public to submit evidence of the earliest record of certain words (via the comments section). Camouflage and Arnold Palmer are two recent entries in the OED, so if you have old books or magazines that mention some strange word, please let the OED know. You might just see your contribution in the next edition of the dictionary.

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.

Bhutan's monarchy has always strictly limited outside influences in order to protect the nation's uniqueness from the crowning of the first king in 1907. Because of its small size and fragile situation, the country considers maintaining sovereignty essential. Bhutan first opened its doors to foreign tourists in 1974, the year it was recognized as a country by the United Nations.

Jordan is home to the world's oldest dam. The Jawa Dam was the first dam to be built, and it was built in 3,000 BCE in the driest areas of Jordan's Black Desert. 

The salt-water crocodile grows to 6m or more and has the world's highest jaw pressure: 3,000 pounds per square inch.

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.

The silly term is thought to have been created by fusing two French words: saquer (to draw) and bouter (to shove). The sackbuts of the Renaissance were the forerunners of the trombone, despite having a slightly different size and shape.

More than 70% of the world's spices are produced in India. It has the widest range of spices of any country. Black pepper is regarded as the "king" spice, with origins dating back to 2,000 B.C.E. Black pepper was highly valued in ancient times, almost as valuable as black gold. Although salt can be found all over the world, black pepper is native to a province in South India.

When you steal someone's thunder, you use their ideas for your own benefit without giving them credit. Shakespeare appears to have used a sound effect invented by fellow playwright John Dennis to create the thunder heard throughout Macbeth. Appius and Virginia, Dennis's failed production, was the first to feature the sound. Dennis then heard thunder during a Macbeth performance shortly after that one ended. He was enraged that his thunder had been stolen.

The all-arounder for Indian conditions is the Indian Pariah dog.
temperature, personality, and training. They have real-world knowledge that will surprise you

For reference, the range for being considered a genius begins at 140. Even without knowing her IQ, it's clear from her work that Plath was extremely intelligent. She was a gifted student throughout her life, winning numerous scholarships and awards — including a scholarship to Smith College.

Kimchi did not contain chilli prior to the 17th century because chilli had not yet arrived in Korea! The Americas are where hot chilies originated. In the early 1600s, they were brought to Korea by western merchants. Koreans embraced them and included them into their kimchis. Indeed, gochugaru (or chilli powder pepper) and its vibrant red hue are now required ingredients in kimchi. This pepper has a delicious, smokey, and rich flavour.

The human population of Australia is around 25,704,340. In 2009/2010, The Australian Govt counted 27 million kangaroos across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia.

Who can forget the moment Gwyneth Paltrow sobbed her way through her Best Actress acceptance in 1999 for 'Shakespeare in Love'? Or Julia Roberts, who got the giggles and forgot to thank her movie namesake, 'Erin Brockovich'. The longer speech however goes to Actress Greer Garson who rambled on for seven minutes when she won the award for Best Supporting Actress in 1934.

Coconut water can be used in place of blood plasma. The high quantity of sugar and other salts allows water to enter the bloodstream. During World War II, coconut water was reported to be utilised in tropical areas for emergency transfusions.

Catnip causes enthusiasm in the majority of cats. Your cat may appear agitated, racing about and pouncing on objects. Cats' eyes dilate in numerous conditions. Of course, your cat may react differently, but many cats become more talkative and lively. A few cats may get violent when introduced to catnip, so give your cat some space if this is her first time trying it.

The distance to the moon is measured using a mirror and laser formation on the moon, as well as a telescope on Earth. Because of the moon's elliptical orbit around the Earth, this distance varies, making it critical that such a facility exists.

Clip-ins, believe it or not, are not a new idea; in fact, wigs and hair extensions date back to 3400 BC in ancient Egypt. Back then, wigs were sewn-on hair pieces composed of human hair and sheep wool. Beeswax and resin were used to glue and attach extensions, while the Egyptians used to lead and henna to colour their hair and sheep wool. Wigs and extensions were not quite as good quality or realistic as they are now, but the Egyptians had some incredibly elaborate braided and layered extensions.

Egypt is home to one of the world’s largest dams. The Aswan High Dam is the world’s largest embankment dam, spanning across The Nile separating Egypt from Sudan and creating Lake Nassar. Lake Nassar is one of the world’s largest reservoirs.

While this seems like a great feat, when we cycled from Egypt to Sudan, we saw the devastation that this dam caused. At one time, Sudan was lush and green along the Nile and even tourists from the UK would vacation in Wadi Halfa in Sudan. Today, it is a dried-up mess thanks to the damming of Lake Nassar.

While the earliest automobile races occurred long before WWII, Formula One did not formally begin until 1946. The inaugural race was held at Valentino Park in Turin, Italy, and was won by a driver in an Alfa Romeo 158. This event was part of Achille Varzi's spectacular recovery from a drug-fueled past. The inaugural race was held in 1946, but the first world championship would not be held until 1950. On May 13th, 14 teams and many independent drivers competed in the championship race, with Giuseppe Farina claiming the win.

While The Count of Monte Cristo (1908) is recognized as the first film completed in Hollywood, it wasn’t actually the first movie made there. That award goes to a little-known film called In Old California. This film is a silent, black and white movie about the Mexican era in California. The entire movie was shot in and around Los Angeles. The 17-minute film was officially released on March 10, 1910. There is a monument that was erected at 1713 Vine Street, just north of Hollywood Boulevard, to commemorate the film.

Santa and Mrs. Claus are Canadian citizens! Mr. and Mrs. Claus were given their own Canadian e-passports by Canadian Immigration Minister Chris Alexander in 2013.

Nevermind's initial budget was $65,000. However, by the time Nirvana finished recording at Sound City, they had reportedly spent $120,000. While this was not a large sum in comparison to other major-label albums being made at the time, it was roughly 200 times more than Nirvana's debut album, 1989's Bleach.

In 1895, the Frenchmen Auguste and Louis Lumière are credited with creating cinema. They applied for a patent for their Cinématographe, a device that could not only capture moving pictures on film but also display them on a screen. This breakthrough transformed the entertainment business, giving rise to the modern film industry as we know it today.