Similar to Norse mythology, the Mississippian Native Americans held a cosmological belief system that involved a World Tree. Their World Tree was a central element of their belief system, and it was believed to be a conduit between the upper and lower worlds. The tree was considered to be the axis of the world, and […]
Castaway Huts: Essential Survival Aid on Isolated Islands
Governments deliberately place castaway huts or depots on isolated islands to provide stranded people with essential supplies and tools. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the New Zealand government constructed the majority of these huts. Interestingly, the huts were designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, and they were built with materials that could withstand strong […]
DARPA’s Study on Coffee Spillage and Human Biomechanics
The US Department of Defense invested $170,000 in a study to investigate the causes of coffee spillage while walking. The findings revealed that any low-viscosity liquid could spill when exposed to human biomechanics, not just coffee. The study was part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) quest to understand human movement and to […]
Heinrich Hertz’s Discovery of Radio Waves and Legacy
Heinrich Hertz, the German physicist, is known for discovering electromagnetic waves, which we now know as radio waves, in 1887. However, when asked about the practical applications of his discovery, he replied, “Nothing, I guess.” He was more interested in studying the fundamental properties of electricity and magnetism. Hertz died at the young age of […]
The Age Perception Shift: Feeling Younger Than We Are
As per the concept of “Subjective Age,” most children and adolescents perceive themselves as older than their actual age, however, this flips around the age of 25, and by 30, around 70% of people feel younger than their chronological age, with the gap between the two increasing with time. Interestingly, research has shown that feeling […]
Jack Kirby: From Captain America to Military Scout
Jack Kirby, co-creator of Captain America, was assigned the dangerous duty of drawing reconnaissance maps and pictures as a scout during WWII, which influenced his later work as a comic book artist.
The Lawspeaker: Sweden’s Keeper of the Law a Thousand Years Ago
Sweden’s Lawspeaker, also known as “Lagman,” held the responsibility of memorizing and reciting every law during public assemblies a thousand years ago, and this tradition was also followed in other Scandinavian countries.
Richard Nixon’s Interest in Rap Music
Richard Nixon once expressed his interest in pursuing a career in music, particularly in rap.
Rainbows in Hawaii: Symbolism and Significance
Discover the diverse and abundant rainbows in Hawaii, and delve into the cultural symbolism and significance of these natural wonders.
The Imprisonment of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Discoverers
Epidemiologist Tamara Safonova and virologist Alexandra Sheboldaeva were accused of intentionally spreading Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus and sentenced to 18 years in Soviet labor camps during Stalin’s purges, despite their significant contributions to public health.