A person breathes almost 7 quarts of air every minute.

Contrary to popular myth, flies DO exist in Alaska. In fact, there are almost no WORMS in Alaska, and the flies fill that ecological niche - birds of many species are seen feeding on flies and maggots. Fish even eat the maggots from rotting salmon in the streams.

The most destructive tornado on record occurred in Annapolis, Missouri. In 3 hours, it tore through the town on March 18, 1925, leaving a 980-foot-wide trail of demolished buildings, uprooted trees, and overturned cars. It left 823 people dead and almost 3,000 injured.

Saint Boniface is said to have substituted a fir tree for the pagan oak in the eighth century as a symbol of faith. Martin Luther fostered the Christmas tree cult by using a candlelit tree as a symbol of Christ's heavenly home, while trees decorated with candles, fruit and paper flowers were introduced into Britain soon after Queen Victoria's ...Read more

Auto racer Dan Gurney was one of the first U.S. drivers to use rear-engine race cars. He won the Le Mans race (1967), and finished second in the Indianapolis 500 twice (1968 and 1969).

In 2000, Metallica discovered that their entire catalogue was being distributed via the Napster P2P file-sharing network. The band initiated legal action against Napster. Lars Ulrich provided a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding copyright infringement on July 11, 2000. The lawsuit created a public relations nightmare. ...Read more

Because alcohol causes cells to become dehydrated, one way to minimize a hangover is to drink a couple of glasses of water after each alcoholic drink, thus preventing dehydration. The most common symptom of a hangover is the same as that of mild dehydration -- a headache.

According to many studies, chocolate is the number one food craved by women, but scientists are undecided as to why.

In recent years, the term monokini has come into use for topless bathing by women: where the bikini has two parts, the monokini is the lower part. Where monokinis are in use, the word bikini may jokingly refer to a two-piece outfit consisting of a monokini and a sun hat. The tankini is a swimsuit

Visitors to Japan should know that August 13 through 16 is a Buddhist event called o-bon in Japan, one of the most important traditions for the Japanese people. It is the period of praying for the peace of the souls of ancestors. The Japanese believe that their ancestors' spirits come back to their homes to be reunited with their family during o...Read more

In 1945, Percy Spencer discovered that when popcorn was placed under microwave energy, it popped. This led to many experiments with other foods, and ultimately, the birth of the microwave oven.

Not at all -- Notables who were the only child in their families include Ansel Adams, Hans Christian Andersen, Carol Burnett, Raymond Chandler, Eric Clapton, Linda Ellerbee, Louis Gossett, Jr., Robert Englund, Charlton Heston, James Earl Jones, Ted Koppel, Ivan Lendl, Barry Manilow, Maria Montessori, Jack Nicholson, Flannery O'Connor, Al Pacino,...Read more

Sideshow performers in ancient Greece used to amaze their audiences by pressing a spot on a goat's neck -- pinching off the artery leading to the brain -- and causing it to go to sleep. Releasing the pressure would allow the goat to wake again. (The trick still works today.)

The Salto Alto (Angel Falls) in Venezuela is the highest waterfall known. It is more than twenty times higher than Niagara.

Men at war separated from home, family, and a familiar way of life sought ways to personalize and escape the very harsh business surrounding them. Naturally, their thoughts would turn to the women they left behind, represented in an idealized form on the sides of aircraft. Of course, the fact that many of the aircraft were personalized as female...Read more

According to witnesses, film comedian W. C. Fields drank two quarts of martinis a day, even when working on the movie set. In his final years, he suffered from cirrhosis and kidney trouble, and had to wear heavy makeup in his last films to conceal the swollen veins and "gin blossoms" on his face

A male sea lion may have more than 100 wives and sometimes go three months without eating.

This is one of the dental trivia questions that can help reduce tooth decay when answered correctly. Un-waxed floss picks up more plaque.

In Armenia, the traditional Christmas Eve meal consists of fried fish, lettuce, and spinach. The meal is traditionally eaten after the Christmas Eve service, in commemoration of the supper eaten by Mary on the evening before Christ's birth.

Company in Brazil (Suite Vollard) constructed a building in which each floor can rotate 360 degrees. Each building has 11 apartments and each apartment can spin individually in any direction. One rotation takes a full hour, but apartment owner can set rotation speed through apartment control panel. Facades are made of three different types of ...Read more