In 1901, Annie Edson Taylor, a 63-year-old teacher, was the first to take this spectacular voyage down the surging waters of Niagara Falls in a self-designed barrel constructed of iron and oak and padded with a mattress. While she survived, such a trip is not recommended for obvious safety reasons, and individuals who try a reckless act over Niagara Falls face a hefty fine as well as the expense of rescue. Over a dozen additional individuals have gone over the falls since Taylor.

Do you enjoy the satisfying crunch of samosas when you take your first bite? Yes, me as well. And, contrary to popular belief, samosa is not an Indian delicacy. It is a fried/baked pastry that originated in the Middle East.

Chinese porcelain's raw materials are inexpensive and widely available. Chinese porcelain was made from a variety of materials, including glass, bone, ash, quartz, and alabaster. Kaolin, a clay mineral, is the primary and main raw material of Chinese porcelain. Kaolin was named after Gaoling, a small village near China's porcelain capital of Jingdezhen.

Criminals have been sailing the seas for as long as there have been ships. Historians, for example, have discovered evidence of pirates in the Mediterranean as far back as 1353 B.C. During this period, the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten complained about pirates raiding his coastal cities and ports. According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, the tyrants also threatened ancient Greece's trading routes and looted grain and olive oil cargoes from Roman ships.

This is not a myth; it is really factual! They are known as Oshiya, which translates approximately as "Pushers." Their official title is 'Passenger Arrangement Staff,' believe it or not! Their job description is correct. During peak seasons, station personnel would practically force people into crowded trains in order to fit as many people as possible on board.

The theories of Einstein describe how massive objects distort space-time. According to Einstein, the movement of these objects should cause ripples in the fabric of space itself. In fact, three Nobel Laureates were able to observe a collision between two black holes 1.8 billion light-years apart. One of these black holes is 31 times the mass of our sun, while the other is 25 times. In a fraction of a second, the collision converted the mass of approximately three suns into gravitational wave energy!

Contrary to popular belief, the last Egyptian queen was not born in Egypt. According to historians, Cleopatra VII (her official name) was Greek. She was a descendant of Ptolemy, Alexander the Great's Macedonian general.

A microphone can convert sound waves into electrical signals that fall and rise in a manner that is comparable to the sound wave pattern you are attempting to record. Analog recording techniques, which save sound wave patterns as a wavy groove etched into a plastic disc, can be used to store auditory waves. The model can also be saved as a magnetic print on plastic tape.

Chia seeds make a gelatinous mixture when soaked in water, plant milk, or any other liquid, which is ideal for making a creamy pudding or thick sauce. The soluble fiber in chia also has the added benefit of stabilising blood sugar levels and lowering cholesterol. With this pantry essential, everyone wins.

This may come as a surprise but the Gala was not always held at the Met. Actually, from 1948 until 1971, the Gala took place in different areas around New York City such as Central Park, the Waldorf Astoria, and the Rainbow Room.

The early toothbrushes were little more than "chew sticks," which were tiny frayed twigs used to scrape plaque and food residue off and between teeth. Twisting and rubbing these sticks against their teeth was a slight improvement over the traditional way of rubbing and cleaning the teeth with plants, feathers, or anything else. To refresh the breath, certain chew sticks were constructed from aromatic wood. Chew sticks have been found as far back as Babylon, Egypt, and China.

While having access to menstruation products might change a woman's life, they can also create serious health problems if used incorrectly. "During my residency, I had to remove a retained tampon... I recall [the nurse] ordering me to double glove my left hand and, after removing the tampon, to grasp it with the double gloved hand, remove the outer glove, and'seal' it to keep the odour from growing stronger. The surgery was simple, but the odour was revolting "one OB/GYN remembers

According to English Heritage research from 2010, Stonehenge has a long and fascinating link with astronomy. This is owing, in part, to the monument's alignment with the sunrise of the summer solstice and the sunset of the winter solstice. William Stukeley, a pioneering British archaeologist, discovered this in 1720. Many notable astrologers have examined Stonehenge since then, attempting to uncover links between its structure and the stars.

According to a study conducted by a German sex expert, women with red hair had sex more frequently. A comparable English study discovered that redhead girls had sex three times per week on average, whereas our blonde and brunette colleagues did it twice per week. It's a shame the guys weren't questioned as well.

The yo-yo was invented in Greece in 500 BC, according to information I found during my research. The yo-yo is commonly thought to have originated in China, but it was first recorded in Greek history.

The forests of Kanha National Park inspired Rudyard Kipling to write the famous children's novel "Jungle Book." All of the characters and animals were inspired by the dense forests of Madhya Pradesh, where Rudyard Kipling visited and drew inspiration for his world-famous work.

If you want to boost the bacteria in your bowel, eat a high-fiber diet or take fiber supplements. Fiber is a prebiotic that the bacteria can convert to healthy chemicals for nourishment (that can also help prevent colon cancer).

Keeping things as Hollywood as possible, the Academy Awards are held at the impressive Dolby Theatre in the Ovation Hollywood shopping mall every year. Located on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, the auditorium first opened in 2001 and has been the home of the Oscars since then. Originally known as the Kodack Theatre, Dolby Laboratories signed a 20-year naming deal in 2012.

Starbucks was chosen as a component in the Index because it is the world's most widely distributed, premium-priced coffee chain, and so provides an intriguing economic barometer comparing countries. The price differential for a Grande Latte varied from £1.21 in Brazil to £5.72 in Switzerland, representing a roughly 400% price increase.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that all ATMs must be accessible to people with visual impairments, and drive-through ATMs aren’t exempt. This mandate ensures that blind passengers traveling in the back seat of cars or taxis can reach the ATM and independently make a transaction without assistance from the driver.

Catnip is available in quantity as dried leaves and stems, as cat toys, and as a spray. Before offering the leaves and stems to your cat, crush them between your fingers. The spray is great for converting non-catnip toys to catnip toys or revitalizing aging toys.

Tropical America is the Mimosa Pudica's original habitat. These days, it can be found on islands in the Pacific as well as in various areas of Asian countries.

The human body is mainly composed of four elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, which make for 96.2 percent of your total weight. (Calcium and phosphorus are the other major contributors.) It's incredible how those ingredients work together to help produce a body that accomplishes absolutely extraordinary things every day, from battling cancer to creating 20,000 thoughts.

If you think cats can’t do tricks, then you’ll be shocked to learn this cat fact. The most tricks performed by a cat in one minute is 24! Didga completed a series of tricks from rolling over, to even jumping a bar whilst on a skateboard!