You might think that only fish have gills, but several species of sea snakes breathe through their skin as well. Hydrophis cyanocinctus, for example, has been discovered to breathe through the top of its own head. It has a small hole and a collection of blood vessels at the top of its head that picks up oxygen from the seawater and sends it to the reptile's brain as it moves underwater.

Those who believe that everything on the planet has already been discovered may simply be looking in the wrong places. A tiny chameleon discovered in northern Madagascar and measuring only 28.9 millimetres is thought to be the world's smallest reptile. The tiny chameleon was discovered recently and will be published in the January 2021 issue of Scientific Reports. But there is one thing about these critters that is unusually large for their size: Males' genitalia account for nearly 20% of their total body length.

Feet are extremely complex body parts. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and 19 muscles that all work together to allow for a wide range of motion and movement. However, many of these bones remain cartilage throughout a person's childhood, gradually ossifying into bone as time passes. According to the Ontario Society of Chiropodists, all of the bones in the foot do not harden completely until a person is around 21 years old! Sign up for our daily newsletter for more trivia to keep you sharp.

Colored honey can be produced by bees. A biogas plant in France manages waste from a Mars chocolate factory, where M&Ms are manufactured. Beekeepers in the area noticed that their bees were producing honey with "unnatural shades of green and blue." According to a British Beekeepers' Association spokesperson, the coloured honey was caused by bees eating the sugary M&M waste.

Although the Incas brought llamas and alpacas to Machu Picchu, and tourists enjoy taking selfies with llamas today, neither species is native to this region of Peru. Llamas and alpacas prefer elevations of 13,000 feet (4,000 m) or higher. The llamas you see today at Machu Picchu—and even the grass they eat!—were brought in specifically for tourism purposes.

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.

Now for a 'sumptuous' fact about the UAE: the Burj Al Arab is the world's first seven-star hotel and is widely regarded as one of the world's most luxurious. The hotel's interiors are adorned with 24-carat gold leaves that cover over 1790 square metres. The best thing is that it even has a 'Pillow Menu,' which offers guests nine different varieties of pillows! Right, I'm assuming you choose your pillow.

Kolkata has always promoted science and technology, and the city has produced some of the world's most renowned scientists. Birla Planetarium, Asia's largest, is now the world's second largest. It was built in 1963 and inaugurated by the then-Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru. Let us also mention that Science City is the largest scientific culture centre in the Indian subcontinent.

The Alipore Zoo is literally something to be proud of, from the Royal Bengal to the greatest species of animals. However, few Kolkatans are aware that it is also the country's oldest zoo. Alipore's tagline as a brand could be - entertaining everyone since 1875!

Right now, India may not have such a name in the world of Polo, but it all began in our city. The British established the world's first Polo club in Calcutta in 1858. Since then, there have been numerous competitions and the arrival of Europeans to further popularise the sport. This sport was particularly popular among Bengal's royals and Nawabs.

Kolkata is unquestionably a book lover's paradise. It is home to the country's largest used book market and the world's second largest. Another reason why hordes of bibliophiles visit this city all year. In addition, the National Library is the largest and oldest public library in the country.

Cheetahs are carnivores that eat tiny animals that they can readily hunt and kill. According to the San Diego Zoo, this contains smaller antelopes such as Thomson's gazelles and springboks, as well as rabbits, porcupines, and ground-dwelling birds. They consume the meat rapidly before more aggressive predators such as leopards, lions, baboons, jackals, and hyenas arrive and compel them to give it up. Vultures can even chase them away. Cheetahs are swift, but they aren't powerful or aggressive enough to pull their prey a long-distance or protect it from these ferocious competitors. Cheetahs only require water every three to four days.

Cheetahs, unlike most other large cats, hunt throughout the day. They scale a termite mound or a tiny hill, using their keen vision to identify prey, and then they're off to the races. The cheetah utilizes its fast speed to chase down its victim, knocking it to the ground and grabbing it onto its throat. Cheetahs have characteristic black tear-mark lines that go from the corners of their eyes down to the corners of their lips. These scars reflect the light, allowing the cats to hunt during the day. According to the Cheetah Conservation Fund, without the glare of the sun, they can focus on their prey.

The sounds made by a cheetah are not frightening. Cheetahs sound more like a house cat than a lion, which is noted for their fierce roar. They purr and meow. They also chirp and create churring noises. Listen to some of the Toronto Zoo's noisy cheetahs. Lions, tigers, leopards, and jaguars are the four roaring great cats. They can generate their threatening noises because their voice box has a ligament rather than the epihyal bone. Lower noises are produced as the ligament stretches. Cheetahs have a fixed voice box and vocal cords that are split. It permits them to purr but limits the noises they may produce, similar to "little cats."

This is one of the most fascinating facts about Eagles that we've discovered. The Bible considers these mighty creatures to be a manifestation of kindness and divine power. It is said that having confidence in God allows you to fly like an eagle. Eagles are frequently seen on state flags because they signify courage and independence, as well as incredible power and ability.

In the 1860s, the famed political cartoonist Thomas Nast began painting drawings of Santa Claus for Harper's Weekly as part of an advertising campaign. In a couple of his illustrations, he mentioned that Santa's postal address was the North Pole—a location that had already caught the world's interest as they watched several explorers attempt to reach the icy site. What about the actual St. Nicholas? He was born in modern-day Turkey.

The Arctic is largely made up of ocean, while Antarctica is mostly made up of land. While both are covered in sheets of ice, the water beneath the Arctic ice cap (which lies just about a foot above the sea) may retain heat and assist warm the surrounding air. According to Scientific American, "the surface of the ice sheet at the South Pole is more than 9000 feet in elevation—more than a mile and a half above sea level" in Antarctica. (Of course, higher elevations result in cooler temperatures.) The North Pole's average summer temperature is 32°F. It is -18°F at the South Pole.

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.

In the 1980s, when Bollywood was booming, our very own Big B took on the role of masked superhero Supremo in a comic book. Under Amitabh Bachchan's feet, a trapdoor opens. He falls into a hole, where walls with enormous metal spikes close in on him. With only seconds remaining, he karate chops a wooden door and utilizes one of its planks to pull himself cleanly out of danger. It astounds me that our Indian comics have such a long and intriguing history.

These are known as Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Palace on Wheels (Rajasthan), The Golden Chariot (Karnataka and Goa), The Maharajas' Express (which begins in Delhi but has a different route), and The Deccan Odyssey (which begins in Delhi but has a different schedule) (begins in Maharashtra but itinerary differs). They are the pride of Indian Railways, holding a prominent position among the world's luxury trains. The oldest of them is Palace on Wheels.

Ayurveda, India's traditional medical system, divides food into three categories: Satvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic. Satvic diet is made up of completely natural and minimally processed ingredients, such as vegetables, and is said to have a beneficial, relaxing, and purifying influence on the body and mind. Rajasic cuisine is hot, oily, salty, or bitter, and it fuels ambition, competitiveness, and egotistical desires. Tamasic food is highly processed, poisonous, and difficult to digest, and it has a detrimental impact on both the mind and the body.

The novel's working title was The Dead Undead, which was subsequently abbreviated to The Un-dead. Stoker then changed the title to Dracula just before it was released. What really is in a name? It's difficult to say. Dracula received positive reviews at its initial release, but sales were disappointing, and by the end of his life, Stoker was so penniless that he had to apply for a compassionate grant from the Royal Literary Fund. The Gothic tale did not become the legend it is today until theatrical and film versions began to appear in the twentieth century.

That was Calcutta, after all! During the British Raj, India was a raging hub of all cultures, trade, flourishing cultures, and people. Calcutta, the then-capital of EIC India, is said to have been the second most important city in British colonies around the world after London. Here, major universities, economic industries, and other major institutions were built.

The temple's Shiva linga was thought to safely house the famed Syamantak Mani, the Philosopher's stone linked with Lord Krishna, within its hollowness. It was a miraculous stone that could turn into gold. This stone was thought to have alchemical and radioactive qualities. It had the ability to generate a magnetic field around itself, keeping the linga afloat above earth.