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Ancient Greeks and Romans Left Epitaphs for Deceased Dogs

The Ancient Greeks and Romans were known to leave epitaphs for their deceased dogs. One such epitaph reads, “I am in tears, while carrying you to your last resting place as much as I rejoiced when bringing you home in my own hands fifteen years ago.”

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NASA Made its Final Contact with Opportunity in June 2018

On 10 June 2018, NASA received its final message from the Opportunity rover on Mars. It was meant to last just 90 Martian days but went on to last almost 15 years (Earth time). It finally lost contact with Earth after it was hit by a huge dust storm.

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Avocado Pits Turned into Bioplastics

A Mexican company uses avocado seeds to produce bioplastics that can decompose in only 240 days.

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One in Three North American Fireflies at Risk of Extinction

The reason we see fewer fireflies nowadays is probably because there are actually fewer of them. One in three firefly species in North America may be at risk of extinction.

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What Is a Castaway Depot?

Castaway depots are huts placed on isolated islands containing supplies and tools for castaways or shipwreck victims. In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, the New Zealand government built a string of these huts on their subantarctic islands.

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Who Was Kane Tanaka?

Kane Tanaka, born on 2 January 1903, was the oldest living person until her death. She was 11 years old when World War I began, 36 when World War II started, and 116 when the first case of COVID-19 was identified. She passed away on 19 April 2022, at the age of 119.

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The Muskox’s Amazing Two-Layered Coat

The muskox has a two-layered coat. The soft underwool beneath the longer outer wool is called qiviut, and it’s stronger and warmer than sheep’s wool. This unique coat helps the muskox to live in the frozen Arctic and roam the tundra.

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A Georgia Teacher Won $10,000 for Reading the Fine Print

A teacher from Georgia bought a $400 travel insurance policy and won $10,000 for reading the fine print. After reading all the way up to page seven, she saw a “Pays to Read” contest that said that the first to email and mention the fine print would win the prize.

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Why does 7-ELEVEn have a Lowercase “n” in its Logo?

7-ELEVEn is thought to have a lowercase “n” in its logo because the company president’s wife believed that a logo with all caps would seem harsh, while a lowercase “n” would make it more graceful.

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Zingiber Zerumbet: Nature’s Shampoo for Soft and Shiny Hair.

Zingiber zerumbet, popularly known as shampoo ginger, is a plant in the ginger family. Its long, club-shaped flower heads are filled with an aromatic, slimy liquid that can be used as shampoo and conditioner. The slimy liquid softens hair and adds shine to it.

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An Engineer Has Designed an Airplane with a Detachable Cabin

A Ukrainian aviation engineer has designed an airplane that has a detachable cabin. During an emergency, the cabin can separate from the rest of the aircraft and deploy parachutes and inflatable cushions to land safely in the sea or on the ground.

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Jackie Chan Plans to Leave All His Wealth to Charity

Jackie Chan has revealed that he intends to leave all his wealth, an estimated $400 million as of 2023, to charity rather than give it to his son, Jaycee. As Chan explained it, “If he is capable, he can make his own money. If he is not, then he will just be wasting my money.”

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Amager Bakke: A Unique Energy Plant with Adventure Activities for Tourists

Amager Bakke is an energy plant in Denmark that features a hiking trail, dry ski run, and climbing wall. It is a popular tourist attraction and gets around 57,000 visitors per year.

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The Greek-Turkish Earthquake Diplomacy

Greece and Turkey have an “Earthquake Diplomacy” that was initiated in 1999 after successive earthquakes hit the two countries. Since then, both countries have helped each other during earthquakes regardless of what their political relationship is like.

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John Carpenter, the first winner of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

John Carpenter, who became the first winner of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, did not use any lifelines until the final question, when he phoned his dad. When he called his dad, he did not ask for help, but instead let him know that he was about to become a millionaire.

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In Switzerland, You Can Watch Movies in Double Beds

In Switzerland, there is a movie theater that lets you watch films in double beds instead of chairs.

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Jewel Changi Airport In Singapore City

Officially opened in 2019, Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport is often described as the “world’s best airport.” It is designed to be a multi-use hub and is connected to Changi Airport’s passenger terminals. Inside this complex, visitors can find attractions such as gardens, restaurants, retail outlets and an indoor waterfall called the Rain Vortex. The project was completed at a cost of SG$1.7 billion (US$1.25 billion).

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Bosco Verticale: The Vertical Forest of Milan

Bosco Verticale or Vertical Forest is a pair of residential towers in Milan, Italy, with an extensive plant life equivalent to a 30,000-square-meter (a 3-hectare) forest. Not only does this greenery help regulate temperatures in the summer, but it has also attracted numerous kinds of birds and butterflies. Besides this, it also absorbs carbon dioxide, provides shade and protects residents from dust and noise pollution.

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The Interlace: A Unique Vertical Village in Singapore

The Interlace in Singapore is a unique apartment complex that resembles a stack of irregularly placed Jenga blocks. Completed in 2013, this “vertical village of living and social spaces” has 31 residential blocks arranged around eight main courtyards. Its interlocking structures create a wonderful shared outdoor space, integrating it with the natural environment. It was crowned the World Building of The Year for 2015.

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In 2011, Japanese Pensioners Volunteered to Tackle the Fukushima Plant

In 2011, over 200 retired Japanese professionals (above 60 years of age) volunteered to help stabilize the Fukushima nuclear plant after an earthquake and tsunami knocked out its cooling systems. They stepped up to do this courageous (and dangerous) job to spare the younger generations from being exposed to deadly radiation.

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A Trapped Swimmer Called for Help Using Her Apple Watch

In the US, a woman became trapped while swimming in the Columbia River and used her Apple Watch’s SOS feature to alert emergency services. Her foot had become caught in some rocks, trapping her in the water for over 30 minutes before she was rescued.

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Ninety percent First-time Guitar Players Abandon Playing Within a Year

According to Fender, the musical instrument manufacturer, 90% of new guitar players quit playing within the first year. The 10% that don’t abandon the instrument spend an average of $10,000 each in their lifetimes, buying five to seven guitars and multiple amps.

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James Harrison – The Man with the Golden Arm

For about 60 years, James Harrison donated his blood plasma, which is of a rare kind, nearly every week. Through his donations, the Australian Red Cross Blood Service estimates that he has saved over 2.4 million babies. He was given the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1999.

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Michael Nicholson – a Perpetual Student

Michael Nicholson, a man from Michigan, has 30 degrees. These include one bachelor’s degree, two associates degrees, 23 master’s degrees, three specialist degrees, and one doctoral degree. He stayed in school for 55 years straight.

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In 2000, Kevin Hines Jumped Off a Bridge and Lived

In 2000, a man named Kevin Hines jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge due to mental health issues. Luckily, he survived and was able to stay afloat with the help of a sea lion. Now, he travels the world advocating for suicide prevention.

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In 2019, Microsoft Japan Experimented with a Four-day Workweek

In 2019, Microsoft Japan tried out a four-day workweek as part of a Work Life Choice Challenge by shutting down offices on Fridays. Productivity for that period, measured as sales per employee, went up by nearly 40% from the previous year.