There are several theories as to how the phrase "it's raining cats and dogs" came to be. One example is that when houses had thatched roofs, pets and other small animals (squirrels, groundhogs, and so on) would nestle into the straw for warmth. When it rained, however, the straw became slick and the animals slid out, giving the impression that it was literally raining cats and dogs.

Many people believe that the Bible began as a single book, but it is actually an anthology of 66 volumes written by many authors. The first printed bible, known as the Gutenberg Bible, was published in 1455, and it was also the first book ever printed. It has been written and rewritten several times, and it has been translated into over 3000 languages during a span of around 1400 years. Furthermore, the first known text of the Old Testament dates from the 2nd century BC. There are no original manuscripts of the New Testament, but owing to fragments and early copies, researchers are very positive that the Bible we have today is more or less the same way it was first written.

Countries having borders within the Arctic Circle are members of the Arctic Council, which, according to its website, "is the sole circumpolar platform for political talks on Arctic problems, comprising all Arctic governments and with the active involvement of its Indigenous Peoples." The Council strives to examine and solve the environmental and social concerns that the people and wildlife that live there confront.

Snow White was originally drawn with big red lips, long lashes, and a shorter dress by the animators. Walt Disney, on the other hand, wanted Snow White to appear more "wholesome" (to be fair, she was 14 at the time) and chose more subdued features and a peasant-style dress.

We generally know about the two chocolates, i.e., white chocolate and dark chocolate. But the white chocolate is not the real chocolate, you believe it or not, but it's a fact. As white chocolate does not contain any chocolate liquor or cocoa solids such as milk or dark chocolate. However, white chocolate does contain a small number of cocoa beans.

China isn't bashful when it comes to banning anime for harmful content. Without hesitation, the Chinese government has outlawed famous anime series such as Highschool of the Dead, Attack on Titan, and Psycho-Pass.

The United Arab Emirates is a presidentially elected federated monarchy. It is a federation of the seven Emirates' absolute monarchy. The president of the United Arab Emirates is the emir of Abu Dhabi. The president is also the UAE Armed Forces' Supreme Commander in Chief and Chairman of the Supreme Petroleum Council. The Emir of Dubai, on the other hand, is the Prime Minister. These titles are passed down through the generations.

Most of you must be thinking of SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS as the longest word in the language that simply means ‘fantastic’ and was popularized by the movie Mary Poppins eventually added to the dictionary. But there is a longer word than this, i.e., PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS, which is the name of a type of lung disease caused by inhalation of dust and ashes. So, now try pronouncing it!

Technically, it is a degree in "Viticulture and Enology" (a.k.a. grape cultivation and the science of winemaking), but we're still applying.

The mayor of Paris has approved a resolution prohibiting Tom Cruise from being made an honorary citizen. Tom Cruise is a member of Scientology, a controversial religious group that has been labelled a cult in France. Tom Cruise sought to become an honorary citizen of Paris in 2005, but the city's officials refused because of his involvement with Scientology.

Everyone knows Lake Superior is vast (it's not called one of the Great Lakes for nothing), but few people realise precisely how big it is. Lake Superior is not only the world's biggest freshwater lake, but it also carries three quadrillion gallons of water. That's enough liquid to submerge North and South America under a foot of water. It's no surprise that Lake Superior has seen so many shipwrecks.

It's an earthquake hazard area. Although several earthquakes have been reported in and around the Black Sea, the greatest recorded magnitude was 7.2 in the 1901 Black Sea earthquake (also known as the Balchik earthquake in Bulgaria). The mainshock triggered a 1-16 foot tsunami, wreaking havoc on the Romanian and Bulgarian shores. The aftershocks continued four years longer.

According to the Pizza Hall of Fame, the first pizzeria in the United States opened in New York City in 1905. Lombardi’s Pizza on 32 Spring Street is still going strong and it is now one of around 1,600 pizzerias in the city. New Yorkers have noticed that when the price of subway tickets rises, so does the price of pizza. It's known as "the pizza principle."

Kokura, Hiroshima, Yokohama, Niigata, and Kyoto were on the list. Kyoto was spared, according to legend, because US Secretary of War Henry Stimson loved the ancient Japanese capital and had spent his honeymoon there decades before. In its place, Nagasaki was established. On July 25, 1945, the United Kingdom approved the bombing of four Japanese cities: Kokura, Niigata, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki.

The endangered European bison, sometimes known as the wisent, is Europe's biggest land mammal, weighing more than 600kg on average. They may be found roaming the 150,000 hectares of Poland's Biaowiea Primeval Forest — Europe's remaining primaeval forest, which originally stretched across the continent thousands of years ago.

Ethiopians also have a distinct system for counting the hours of the day. They feel it is less confusing if the clock starts when the day does, for reasons that are difficult to refute. As a result, dawn is at 1 o'clock and sunset is at 12 o'clock. The 12-hour night clock then kicks in. So, while purchasing bus tickets or other forms of transportation, make careful to inquire as to whether the departure time is in Ethiopian or Western time.

Even after being harvested, most fruits can still respond to their surroundings. Take, for example, the banana: A quick Google search will yield numerous methods for hastening the ripening of green bananas, as well as tips for preventing them from ripening too quickly. Avocados ripen or'soften' after being harvested as well!

Algeria is home to the greatest stretch of the Sahara Desert, which also serves as the world's largest hot desert, excluding the Arctic and Antarctica. Furthermore, the Sahara Desert covers roughly 80% of Algeria, covering a total area of 1,905,392 km2.

Francesco Illy, the founder of the Italian coffee roasting company, was actually born in TimiÈ™oara, Romania. He later moved to Vienna, and then the Italian city of Trieste. He didn’t make a 2006 list of the 100 Greatest Romanians, however, which was topped by Stephen the Great and featured the likes of Nadia Comăneci and Gheorghe Hagi.

Peppers are delicious, even if most people use them as a spice rather than a food. Cayenne peppers have the ability to promote blood clotting over wounds, which is a little-known fact. Cayenne pepper can be sprinkled into a wound to act as gauze, according to experts. This will assist in halting the bleeding. Eating cayenne pepper can also help to balance blood pressure and promote internal clotting. That is, whether you eat it or apply it directly to the wound, it will help it heal faster.

Mexico has a lot to offer in terms of culture, from the Metropolitan Cathedral to the Bellas Artes [Fine Arts] Museum and the ruins of Aztec buildings. Over 170 museums may be visited in this megalopolis, which has a great amount of museums. In terms of museums, it is the world's second largest city. It is only slightly surpassed by London, which has approximately 200 museums.

This consumption rate of 163 litres per individual per year is unheard of in any other country in the globe. It is unsurprising that such misuse in Coca-Cola drinking may be noticed in people's health, given diabetes and obesity rates in Mexico are above normal. Other causes include a lack of exercise and an excessive intake of junk food. As a response to widespread health concerns, punitive tariffs on foods with excessive fat or sugar content were implemented in 2013.

Don't worry, the Swedish politician who wrote the letter of candidacy in 1939 did so sarcastically and afterward rescinded his nomination. In an even more ironic twist, Hitler barred Germans from accepting the prizes four years before his own name was called.

The Stonewall Inn in New York's Greenwich Village was raided by the police in 1969. It was a safe haven for the LGBT community, and rather than submitting, they fought back. Riots erupted as a result of the event, which sparked a global movement that has helped New York remain one of the most welcoming cities for gay people to this day. Indeed, more people identify as LGBTQ+ in New York than in any other American city (yes, we're giving you more NYC facts for free!).