In 1769, Spanish colonists established the city that is now known as Los Angeles. In 1781, another group of 44 residents moved to the new settlement. The city was titled El Pueblo de Nuestra Seora la Reina de los ngeles de Porcincula by the Spanish ruler. This translates as "The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels of Porcincula." Because the name is extremely long, it was condensed until it became Los Angeles. As a result, Los Angeles is now known simply as "The Angels."

The most expensive coffee on the planet is "Kopi Luwak." It is made in Indonesia from beans digested by the Asian Palm Civet. That is, it is derived from cat poop. It can cost up to €350 per kilo!

Nobody knows for sure where the kites came from. Flying kites is said to have begun around 3000 years ago in China. The first person to fly a kite was Chinese General Han Hsin of the Han Dynasty. Han was actually calculating the distance his army would have to travel to reach the defences.

While Assassin's Creed is already a household brand, it almost became something quite different. The original crusade-era period game was inspired by a Prince of Persia game called Prince of Persia: Assassin, which had a prince's bodyguard as the protagonist. Unhappy with the thought of a Prince of Persia game not being about a prince (which, interestingly, Nintendo doesn't see as an issue with when it comes to Zelda), Ubisoft's upper brass insisted on a new brand, and Assassin's Creed was created.

Despite camels' cultural and aesthetic dominance in the UAE, the Arabian Oryx is the country's national animal. With two long straight horns and a short tufted tail, the oryx is a medium-sized animal. On the 50 Dirham currency note is a depiction of an oryx.

The first hot air balloon was launched in 1783, transporting a sheep, duck, and rooster. In France, the Montgolfier brothers created the hot air balloon. They began experimenting with balloons after witnessing the heat of a fire raise their drying clothing. Because it was uncertain how flying at such altitudes might impact humans, the initial flight included animal passengers. The flight was a perfect success, and the animals arrived safely and largely unscathed. The sheep, however, managed to land on the rooster.

During the Classical Period, Ancient Sparta was a colossally rich kingdom. Mostly because of their conquest and dominance over a nearby people known as the Helots. When a Spartan boy attained maturity and became a man, the Spartan state bestowed upon him a grant of public farmland. They also sent him a contingent of Helot slaves to work it. This effectively transformed every Spartan citizen into a rich member of the traditional upper class. As a result, they did not have to work for a living. Private property still existed, which is significant because...

Alexander the Great died at the age of 32, having conquered and established the world's biggest land-based empire. It spanned the Balkans to Pakistan. Alexander became sick in 323 BC and appeared to die after 12 days of intense torment. His corpse, on the other hand, showed no indications of decay or decomposition for a whole six days. Alexander was thought to have suffered from the neurological illness Guillain-Barré Syndrome, according to modern experts. They believe he was just paralysed and intellectually aware when he "died." In other words, he was horrifyingly buried alive!

Shellac is also known as "confectioner's glaze" because it gives candies like jelly beans and candy corn a shiny coating. However, shellac, which is also used as a brush-on colourant and a wood finish, is derived from the excrement secretions of female Kerria lacca insects. In other words, it's bug excrement.

Without mentioning the city's diverse population, no list of interesting facts about New York is complete. The city's residents speak roughly 800 different languages collectively. Almost half of New York households speak more than one language, and one-third were born outside of the country. And, because New York has the most people of any city in the United States, one in every 38 people in the country is a New Yorker.

Despite the fact that Nazi scientists tried to produce weaponized versions of illnesses such as typhoid and cholera, Hitler banned the employment of offensive biological weapons in war, probably due to his experiences with bioweapons during World War I.

Most people are unaware of how biodiverse Papua New Guinea is; the magnificent wildlife underwater has made it one of the world's best scuba diving destinations. Despite having only 1% of the Earth's total surface area, Papua New Guinea includes 20,000 plant species, 800 coral species, and over 650 fish species. Do you have your PADI scuba diving certification? If you don't have one, you should obtain one before going to Papua New Guinea to make the most of this unique underwater world.

Cocoa beans contain pathogens that are potentially harmful to humans, and raw cocoa beans do not taste like chocolate. When cocoa beans are roasted, they go through a chemical process, and proper roasting is essential for producing flavorful chocolates.

The largest padlock in the world (according to Guinness World Records) was created by a team of students and teachers at Russia's Pavlovo Arts College and measures 56.8 inches tall, 41.3 inches wide, and 10.2 inches deep. The total weight of this heavy lock, including the key, is 916 pounds. Whatever it's guarding presumably weighs a lot more!

An ultra-luxurious lodge has been opened on Nosy Ankao, the biggest of five islands off Madagascar's northeast coast. Miavana (only accessible by helicopter) is a destination for "blue safaris," which include opportunities to see turtles, whales, and dolphins, as well as scuba diving and fishing. There's also a fantastic spa. But start saving now - doubles start at £3,220 per night.

You definitely wouldn't recognise Greece if someone called it by its official name at first, but that's part of what makes it so fascinating! Hellas or Hellada is how the Greeks refer to their country, and the Hellenic Republic is the official name.

It's amazing how ancient some of Europe's structures and cities are. Pharmacies are no different. The Raeapteek on Town Hall Square, according to VisitTallinn, is one of Europe's oldest continually running pharmacies. This institution appears to have been in operation since 1422.

It's true: the fourth-smallest country in Europe has no airports. In fact, the Principality of Liechtenstein lacks both a harbour and a shoreline, making it a doubly landlocked country. That is, it is landlocked, and the nations bordering it are also landlocked. The nearest airport is St. Gallen–Altenrhein Airport in Switzerland, however there are other options for getting to Vaduz, including train, bus, and vehicle.

Something frowned upon in most other nations is quite acceptable in China. In China, spitting, yawning, grunting, and burping is normal eating behaviours, just as they are in Vietnam. It was repulsive to us, and we couldn't get used to it. We would bear it better if we stayed in this nation for a little longer.

It is frequently debated among professionals which era is regarded as the "best" in modern game history. Chess, like modern sports, has gone through several eras in which the perspective of how the players competed changed. For example, in chess, the Romantical approach favoured quick tactical moves over long-term strategy. When players changed their playing styles, valuing one thing over another, new "ages" of chess would emerge.

Edison was, without a doubt, one of the world's most renowned intellectual property thieves. He stole nearly all of the 1,093 things he smashed a patent on from real geniuses like Nikola Tesla, Wilhelm Rontgen, and Joseph Swan – the latter of whom invented the lightbulb!

Few odours are as appealing as "new car smell," and it's not just because it's nice to be in a brand new car. However, while the scent may be strangely satisfying, it is actually a combination of 50+ chemicals (known as "volatile organic compounds") that are released into the car and decay quickly over time. The concentrations found in a typical new car are not dangerous, but VOCs found in nail polish, auto fuel, and petroleum contribute significantly to the new car smell.

The origins of this strange-sounding celebration may be traced back hundreds of years, beginning in the early 1900s. People did not have refrigerators in the 1900s, so they hung a piece of cloth in their larders. It is thought that doing so provided the home good fortune, tranquilly, and wealth. The tradition evolved to accommodate the contemporary kitchen throughout time. Every year on May 29th, families throughout the world place a pillow on top of their refrigerator.

Dubai claims to have the world's largest picture frame. The 492-foot-tall Dubai Frame soars above the city's skyline and is a popular tourist attraction.

Humans have celebrated the start of each new year with parties, festivals, and religious ceremonies for millennia. However, we haven't always agreed on the beginning of the year. Four thousand years ago, the first new moon after the Vernal Equinox was regarded as the dividing line between the previous year and the new one in ancient Babylon. After Julius Caesar made major changes to the Roman calendar in 45 BCE, January 1 became the start of the new year for the first time. Ancient Romans commemorated the day with sacrifices to Janus, the Roman god of beginnings (after whom the month of January is named), as well as gift exchanges and large parties.