The first oranges weren’t orange: What came first, the orange or…orange? Did someone just make the un-creative decision to name the citrus fruit after its color? Or did the color get its name because of the fruit? In terms of perplexing origin stories, this one is right up there with the chicken vs. the egg….
The “Windy City” name has nothing to do with Chicago weather: Chicago city’s nickname was coined by 19th-century journalists who were referring to the fact that its residents were “windbags” and “full of hot air.” Well, when the nickname came to be, the “Windy City” wasn’t describing the weather but the people. Nineteenth-century journalists first…
Dolphin’s sleep in a very different way to the way we humans do as they must still continue to surface to breathe. Humans have prolonged periods of unconscious sleep and we are not aware of our surroundings for periods of time while sleeping. Humans have a breathing reflex and when we sleep or become unconscious,…
Mysterious wonder, a wealth of diversity, and a rich history: The Republic of India is a vast country in south Asia, full of breathtaking landscapes, mysterious wonder, a wealth of diversity, and a rich history. Known as the world’s largest democracy, India is a truly fascinating country with a very proud people. It’s so awesome…
Of the many curious facts about this highly-studied creature, its ability to live without a head… for a while anyway… has got to be one of the creepiest. But before outright telling you how long a cockroach can survive without a head, let’s look at the science behind why it’s possible at all. Because there’s…
Superstar Freddie Mercury is of Indian origin: Freddie Mercury, original name Farrokh Bulsara, (born September 5, 1946, Stone Town, Zanzibar [now in Tanzania]—died November 24, 1991, Kensington, London, England), British rock singer. And songwriter whose flamboyant showmanship and powerfully agile vocals, most famously for the band Queen, made him one of rock’s most dynamic front men. Bulsara was born…
At over 5000 years old, Varanasi is one of the oldest inhabited places on earth: It is also one of India’s holiest cities. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva founded the city 5000 years ago. Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Its early history is that of the first Aryan settlement…
Rain is precious at the best of times, but this is something else entirely. Scientists believe that on Jupiter and Saturn, it rains diamonds. New atmospheric data for the gas giants indicates that carbon is abundant in its dazzling crystal form, the BBC reports. Lightning storms turn methane into soot which hardens into chunks of graphite…
Dolphins are thought of as one of the most intelligent species in the animal kingdom – and experts believe they have put their ingenuity to use in the pursuit of getting “high”. In extraordinary scenes filmed for a new documentary, young dolphins were seen carefully manipulating a certain kind of puffer fish which, if…
A pinnacle of wartime technology, the HMS Trident was supposed to patrol the Atlantic, doing submarine things. Maybe sink a ship or two, enforce the blockade, and smuggle a reindeer from Russia to England. If that last part sounds more like the plot of a Nickelodeon cartoon than a World War II mission, then you clearly don’t…
