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.

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.

Human settlers first arrived in Madagascar very recently, probably as late as 500AD, some 300,000 years after Homo sapiens originally appeared in Africa.

At 7,500 feet, Chile's Atacama Desert is the driest region on Earth, with a bizarre terrain. Some areas of the region have never seen rain, and the Desert is likely the oldest desert on the planet. The desert stretches over 1,000 kilometres between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, covering an area of 363,000 square kilometres.

During the feudal period, rich Japanese lords constructed residences with purposefully squeaky flooring (known as Nightingale Floors) to deter ninjas. The fabled, highly trained mercenaries of mediaeval Japan were so entrenched in myth and tradition that they were thought to be capable of walking on water, becoming invisible, and controlling natural forces. That has to be enough reason to lay down some new flooring.

The most impressive artificial paradise, with a length of 1,000 yards, an area of 20 acres, and a maximum depth of 115 feet, can be found in Algarrobo city on the Pacific coast. It was named by the Guinness Book of Records as the World's largest swimming pool, with a length of 1,000 yards, an area of 20 acres, and a maximum depth of 115 feet. It can contain nearly 66 million gallons of crystal clean saltwater. The pool opened in December 2006 after five years of building work at a cost of about one billion dollars ($US) and an annual maintenance cost of roughly two million.

Sechs Kies is South Korea's most established idol group. The band was founded in 1997 with six members and currently has five active members. Some may not consider them the longest because they were on hiatus for more than ten years; however, the longest-lasting idol group could also be considered Shinhwa, who debuted in 1998 and has been promoting consistently for the past 20 years.

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.

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...

Though it was not the first film ever made, "The Great Train Robbery" (1903) was the first to tell a story and is widely regarded as the first narrative fiction film. It was produced by Thomas Edison's Edison Studios and was only about 12 minutes long. The filming took place in New Jersey. 

If you look closely at your zipper, you'll notice the letters YKK, which stand for Yoshida Kogyo Kabushikikaisha. This business, founded in Tokyo in 1934, is believed to create 7 billion zippers every year.

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.

Did you realise that the word "Pennsylvania" is misspelt on the Liberty Bell? Actually, worded incorrectly is perhaps a bit harsh: when the bell was constructed in 1752, it was one of several permissible spellings. The ancestors of the United States also committed several obvious language errors in the Constitution.

Where the Wild Things Are was originally titled Where the Wild Horses Are, and Maurice Sendak intended to write about horses; however, the author and illustrator quickly realised he was terrible at drawing horses and decided it would be better to draw 'things' instead; thus, one of the most memorable children's stories of all time was born.

King Idris I was the first and last ruler of Libya. Born into the Senussi order, he was both a political and religious leader. Before becoming King of Libya in 1951 with the end of colonial control, King Idris I served as the Emir of Cyrenaica. Because of his conservatism, the king's rule was unpopular. Colonel Gaddafi, who eventually replaced King Idris I, was toppled in a coup orchestrated by Colonel Gaddafi in 1969.

In the 1990s, Korean pop musicians incorporated American popular music styles. Seo Taiji and Boys were the forerunners of this style, releasing the infamous single "I know" in 1992. It was so controversial that most critics despised their music and predicted that they would never make it. Nonetheless, the group quickly became enormously popular. Yang Hyun Suk of YG Entertainment was a member of the group, which is regarded as part of K-revolutionary Pop's period.

Malaysia is home to the world's biggest cave chamber. The Sarawak Chamber at Gunung Mulu National Park is enormous, with enough capacity for 40-50 Boeing 747s. It's another matter if you could actually park these jets in the Sarawak Chamber...

Despite being surrounded by poverty, wealthy inhabitants of Soroca have turned to flaunting their riches by constructing flashy residences inspired by monuments such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Bolshoi Theatre. As a result, the settlement, called Gypsy Hill, has become something of a tourist attraction, with visitors arriving to marvel at the bizarre buildings.

Rivers and lakes can be found beneath the ocean. When salt water and hydrogen sulphide combine, it becomes denser than the surrounding water, forming a lake or river that flows beneath the sea.

The smallest kite in the world that actually flies is 5mm high; the largest kite in the world is 55 x 22 metres in size (630sq meters). The world's longest kite is 1034 metres (3394 feet). A kite's fastest recorded speed is more than 120 mph (193 km/h).

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!

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.