On December 17, 1903, the clumsy and unwieldy Wright Flyer soared through the air for 12 seconds, covering 120 feet. It doesn’t sound like much, but it marked the first time humanity had achieved sustained, powered flight. Today, on August 19, we celebrate National Aviation Day. Coinciding with Wilbur Wright’s birthday, this day commemorates the …
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Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble… This famous quote from Shakespeare (did you know that?) shows that you need some accoutrements to perform magic. Some of those magical objects are pretty strange, though. You might be familiar with eyes of newt and other such things, but “real” witches and wizards have …
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Colors don’t appear out of nowhere. Throughout history (and to this day), artists and chemists have been creating outlandish concoctions from bizarre ingredients to get just the right color. Some of those ingredients have been lethal. Many once-popular colors have killed not only their manufacturers, but also the artists who used them and the patrons …
There’s a first time for everything, and that includes the items and products we use every day. Many, if not most, such items are purpose-built to serve a specific purpose. But there are some whose origins are quite odd. It might be because the thing was originally built for a completely different purpose than what …
Did you read Snow Fun Facts For Christmas in July Vibes: Part One? Because this is part two. Snow can appear in a wide variety of colors because of dust, pollution and fresh-water algae turning snow black, orange or even blue. The Inuit people have 50 words for snow. Did you know this snow fun …
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These are wild ways people made some money on the low, low. Would you or have you ever done anything to make some money on the side? I took the SAT for a couple of people for $200 a pop. This was in the 80s, so $200 was good money for a teenager. My first …
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These horrific hurricane facts may surprise you. Do you think you know all the facts on this list? Hurricane strength is defined according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale: Category 1 Hurricane: Wind speeds from 74 miles per hour to 95 miles per hour. Category 2 Hurricane: Wind speeds from 96 miles per hour to 110 …
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A country’s constitution is a powerful document. It lays down the basic governmental and legal principles along which the authorities are supposed to operate. Sometimes, those principles are a bit silly. Constitutions from around the world often feature clauses dictating some strange provisions. This could be because the constitution is very old, it was written …
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If you have Christmas in July vibes, give these snow facts a read. (And don’t worry, Christmas will be here before we know it!) A “thundersnow” is a snowstorm including thunder, lighting, and strong winds. Snow isn’t white but it’s actually clear. The snow looks white because of the way the sun reflects off of …
Continue reading “Snow Fun Facts For Christmas in July Vibes: Part One”
It’s good to be the king! As long as it’s within the borders of your realm, anything under the sun is for you to do with as you please. On the flip side, it means that you have to keep track of everything you own. King Charles III of England is (or, well, his subjects …
Continue reading “Britain’s Annual Royal Swan Census is Counting the King’s Birds”