Sea silk is a highly prized unique material made from Mediterranean clams. The only person who knows the ancient craft is an elderly Italian woman. 00
Pet dogs were banned in Reykjavík, Iceland…
Pet dogs were banned in Reykjavík, Iceland for sixty years. Even today, owning a pet dog there requires special permits, hence cats are the pet of choice. The dog ban was issued in 1924, at a time when the population of Iceland was overwhelmingly rural and Reykjavík was still a small, but rapidly growing fishing […]
In medieval England, the Lord’s Prayer…
In medieval England, the Lord’s Prayer was often used as a measurement of time in medical and culinary books. 00
Megachurch pastor Ed Young drove a Ferrari…
Megachurch pastor Ed Young drove a Ferrari 458 Italia on stage during service, parked it, got out, and said: “God gave me a Ferrari because I AM a Ferrari.” 00
The shrine buildings at Ise, Shinto’s holiest site…
The shrine buildings at Ise, Shinto’s holiest site, are torn down & rebuilt every 20yrs in line with the belief in the impermanence of all things & as a way to pass building techniques across generations. The buildings have existed for ~1300yrs; the 63rd rebuilding occurs in 2033. 00
A Chinese man was almost cremated alive…
A Chinese man was almost cremated alive after being beaten by police and left for dead… the cremation process was stopped when a medical worker noticed he was still breathing. He was then taken to a hospital where he was beaten again by the police and arrested. 00
In India there are 29 caves joined together…
In India there are 29 caves joined together which are filled with paintings from over 3 religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism), which were constructed in 520 BCE and has a size of 8,242 ha, making it one of the largest man-made cave structures ever built. 00
The 1994 NBA MVP Hakeem Olajuwon released pairs…
The 1994 NBA MVP Hakeem Olajuwon released pairs of $35 sneakers instead of endorsing shoes from other brands. He said, “How can a poor working mother with three boys buy Nikes or Reeboks that cost $120…She can’t. So kids steal these shoes from stores and others. Sometimes they kill for them.” 00
Australian Funnel-Web Spiders, one of the most…
Australian Funnel-Web Spiders, one of the most dangerous species of spiders, can survive underwater up to 24-30 hours. 00
The ancient Chinese used natural gas…
The ancient Chinese used natural gas for lighting purposes around 500 B.C., using bamboo pipelines to transport the gas for miles. 00