Fact of the Day

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - 1 MILLION INHABITANTS

Did you know.... Today, Tokyo is the world’s largest city by population, with more than 37 million residents, but long before the Japanese metropolis took that honor, there was another record-holder: Rome. The ancient city was the world’s largest back in 133 BCE, when it became the first city to reach 1 million inhabitants. 

 

Everyday life in ancient Rome was largely dictated by wealth: Affluent residents lived in finely decorated townhouses (and often had countryside estates for trips out of the city), while lower-income citizens resided in apartment-like buildings called insulae. But all social classes enjoyed the perks of living in a major city, including fresh water piped in from aqueducts, and the availability of markets, entertainment, and even food stalls that served quick meals. Rome’s population eventually declined as the Roman Empire fell, yet no city surpassed its record population for millennia — that is, until London became the world’s largest city, with 1 million people in 1800 and more than 6 million people by 1810.

 

Two-thirds of the world’s population will likely live in a city by 2050.
Modern human societies haven’t always gravitated toward city life — in the 1800s, only 3% of the world’s population lived in a metropolis. That changed with the Industrial Revolution, which drew large numbers of workers to cities, and today, 80% of Americans live in an urban environment, a trend that’s echoed around the globe and not expected to decrease. In fact, a United Nations report from 2018 predicts that two out of every three people will live in a city by 2050. Many of the globe’s busiest cities will continue to grow, and some will become megacities — areas with more than 10 million people — creating the potential for some cities to become more important than countries, changing maps and impacting economies.

 

 

Source: Rome was the first city to reach 1 million inhabitants.

Edited October 2 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - SCORPION VENOM

Did you know... Most rational people are inclined to leave scorpions well enough alone, given those stinger-tipped tails that administer venom capable of paralyzing their prey (and worse). Yet there are certain intrepid souls willing to brave the dangers and coax these arachnids into unleashing their toxins, for the simple reason that scorpion venom can sell for as much as $39 million per gallon. 

 

Who actually dishes out the dough for this potent liquid? The medical industry, as venom from scorpions, spiders, vipers, and an array of other creatures has been found to provide compounds with surprising health benefits for humans. The venom of the deathstalker scorpion, for example, contains a peptide called chlorotoxin, which can pinpoint the location of aggressive brain tumors. Another species, the Diplocentrus melici, produces venom with 1,4-benzoquinone compounds that kill highly infectious bacteria, including the strains that cause tuberculosis.

 

Unsurprisingly, the monster dollar signs linked to this particular field have inspired a sub-industry of scorpion farmers and breeders, some of which are endangering scorpion populations. Insiders caution against getting involved for the money, though: For one thing, the venom has to be “milked” in absolutely sterile conditions; it’s a laborious process to do so, and the minute amounts that change hands between buyers and sellers aren’t going to pay off anyone’s mortgage. Additionally, many labs have turned to synthesized versions of the isolated compounds needed for their research. 

 

Antimatter is the most expensive substance on Earth.
If you think scorpion venom costs a pretty penny, then imagine the payment plan you’d need to meet the $2.7 quadrillion price tag for one gram of antimatter. As you may recall from high school physics, antimatter is a substance that has the opposite electric charge of the ordinary matter that fills up most of our universe; because naturally occurring antimatter detonates upon contact with regular matter, the only way to obtain it for a significant length of time is by way of high-speed collisions generated by immensely powerful and expensive particle accelerators (currently only available at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research). So what purpose does this elusive material serve? The observation of antimatter production has been used for medical radio imaging, and it’s been speculated that the energy created by matter-antimatter collisions could be harnessed for space travel. Otherwise, the practical applications are pretty minimal, as fascinating as it is for scientists to study.

 

 

Source: Scorpion venom is among the most expensive liquids on the market.

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - WHY? WHY? WHY?

Did you know... Answering the same question over and over and over again can get grating. But there are important developmental reasons behind why young children are so into asking “why.” 

If you’ve ever spent time with a preschooler, you’ve probably been hit with the famous barrage: “Why is the sky blue?” “Why do dogs bark?” “Why can’t I eat cookies for breakfast?”

 

Before you can finish one answer, they’re on to the next. It’s adorable … until you’ve fielded your 107th question of the hour (and that’s no exaggeration—one study found that kids between 14 months and 5 years old ask an average of 107 questions per hour). So what’s behind kids’ obsession with asking “why?” We explain below.

 

New Connections in the Making
Around age 2 or 3, kids’ brains start making new connections at lightning speed. They’re piecing together how the world works—and once they learn that adults can give them the information they want on demand, they lean into it.

 

Asking “why” helps them link cause and effect—something they start learning at a very young age. It’s their way of saying, “Wait, so if this happens, does that mean that will too?” Every answer you give builds another block in their mental Lego tower.

 

Why Asking “Why” Is So Important
Parents sometimes assume kids fire off “why” questions just to stay in the spotlight. But psychologists say it’s more than that. Kids are genuinely trying to understand the world, and your explanations give them comfort.

 

Think about it: for most people, when they know what’s coming next, they’ll often feel less anxious. The same goes for kids. By asking “why,” they’re learning how to predict what happens in their ever-expanding little universe; this helps them feel safer and more confident.

 

Sometimes, “why” isn’t really about the answer at all. It’s about sharing excitement. If your child spots a butterfly and asks, “Why is it orange?”, they might already have a theory. But really, they’re saying, “Hey, I noticed this cool thing, will you notice it with me?”

 

How to Respond When Your Kid Won’t Stop Asking “Why”
The constant questioning can be exhausting. But it’s also a sign of a healthy, curious, imaginative mind at work. That shared back-and-forth builds self-esteem.

 

 

Rather than shutting down the endless barrage of questions, try prompting them to figure out the answer. A simple “you tell me” or “why do you think?” can help a child come up with an explanation on their own. 

 

Be mindful of your tone and body language—as frustrating as answering the same question over and over again can be, you don’t want to discourage your kid from being curious. And, if you really need a break, you can always tell your kid you’ll answer their question at a later time.

 

If your kid does happen to ask a question that leaves you truly stumped, you can use it as an opportunity to learn something new together.

 

 

Source: Why Do Little Kids Love to Ask “Why”?

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - FAKE SPIDER WEBS

Did you know.... Along with jack o’ lanterns, skeletons, and ghosts, spider webs are a classic part of creepy Halloween décor. But the spooky faux webs can be more dangerous than they appear.

 

Now that the warm, sunny days of summer have wound down and been replaced by cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and pumpkin spice lattes, many will get the urge to bust out their Halloween decorations and string those creepy-looking artificial spider webs around their yards. And though fall is certainly the time for spooky décor, those fake spider webs can turn into a truly scary situation for birds, bees, and other wildlife. 

 

The Hazards of Fake Spider Webs as Halloween Décor
Artificial spider webs are made out of dense cotton, PVC, or other artificial fibers. The stretchy structures don’t break readily and can be difficult for animals to see at night or in low light conditions; this makes it easy for small creatures to fly or walk into them and become stuck. There have been many reports of birds trapped in their fibers, leading to broken limbs and even death.

 

 

Some birds have even been spotted using the artificial material to make their nests—and though a nest decked out in Halloween décor sounds cute, it can potentially trap or harm their chicks. Bees, chipmunks, and other small animals can also become stuck and injured in the webbing.

 

If the risk to animals isn’t enough of a reason to not use artificial webbing, the fake spider webs are also highly flammable. There’s always an uptick in fires around Halloween, often due candles and overheating lights (plus, in certain places, some good old fashioned arson). If the artificial webs catch fire, the blaze could ignite and spread quickly throughout your yard and home.

 

Alternatives to Artificial Spider Webs
If you want to ditch the dangerous material but don’t want to say goodbye to an arachnid-themed display, there are some safer, eco-friendly solutions to choose from when adding fake spider webs to your Halloween décor. 

 

You can simply display the fake webs inside your home (making sure you don’t hang them too close to any candles or hot light bulbs, of course). Just drape the webs in window frames, on mirrors, and across doorways.

 

Alternatively, you could make fake spider webs of all sizes out of rope and knots; these won’t present a danger to the non-human creatures in your neighborhood. Another safe-for-wildlife web decoration option is to make them out of paper. For a really eye-catching fake web, try making your own dramatic DIY light-up web using some simple supplies and string lights, or simply purchase a pre-made one.

 

 

Source: Why You Shouldn’t Put Out Fake Spider Webs This Halloween

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - FINGERPRINTS

Did you know... Fingerprints are one of the few parts of the human body that generally never change — in some cases, even after thousands of years. Scientists who study ancient civilizations by way of mummified remains can attest: Mummies have fingerprints. But how? 

 

Mummification works by drying out soft tissue such as skin, halting decomposition and preserving the body, fingerprints included. Recovering the fingertip impressions isn’t easy, but it is possible; the job requires soaking or injecting mummified hands with hydrating solutions that plump the tips. From there, the fingertips are inked and copied in a fashion similar to how modern fingerprints are recorded. 

 

Historians don’t just recover fingerprints from mummies — some can be found on objects, too. In fact, one set has been discovered on a 3,000-year-old coffin. Researchers at the Cambridge Fitzwilliam Museum in England discovered the prints on the internal lid of a coffin for Nespawershefyt, an Egyptian priest, in 2005; they were likely left by a craftsman who touched the lid before its varnish was fully dry. While it’s impossible to ever know the person behind the prints, historians say just seeing them helps modern people connect with people of the past.

 

Some mummies have tattoos.
Humans today are far more like ancient Egyptians than we may realize. Everyday people thousands of years ago went to work and school, baked bread, shared meals… and even got tattoos. While it’s unclear how widespread permanent body art was throughout ancient Egypt, researchers have found tattoos on mummified remains dating back 3,000 years. Seven female mummies unearthed from the archaeological site of Deir el-Medina in Egypt are adorned with symbols such as baboons, lotus blossoms, and human eyes (used as a symbol of protection). While it’s likely the women worked as artisans or crafts workers who helped decorate nearby elaborate tombs for royalty, another theory suggests their tattoos may have been related to work as healers or religious figures. Mummification generally preserves skin, but the oils and materials used in the initial process can hide evidence of tattoos, which is why researchers are now turning to infrared imaging to catch a better glimpse of potential body art — a tool that has also revealed tattoos on two 5,000-year-old male mummies.

 

Source: Mummies can still have fingerprints.

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - CUMULUS CLOUD

Did you know.... When people draw clouds, the results are usually big, fluffy, white creations, known scientifically as cumulus clouds. Although there are dozens of different cloud types, this is the one we most often associate with the word “cloud.” Though they may not be as mesmerizing as lenticular clouds hovering over volcanoes or as puzzling as arcus clouds stretching for miles, there still are some facets of them that truly boggle the mind. Take, for instance, the weight of an average cumulus cloud. Although these collections of water vapor seem to float effortlessly, clouds are extremely heavy. In fact, according to the United States Geological Survey, the average cumulus cloud weighs 1.1 million pounds. 

 

If a cloud floats, how do you weigh it? Well, the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research estimates that the average cumulus cloud is about 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) long and 1 kilometer tall, or a billion cubic meters in volume. Meanwhile, the water density of a typical cumulus cloud is 0.5 grams (about a marble’s worth) per cubic meter. That means the average cumulus cloud holds 500,000,000 grams of water — or 1.1 million pounds. But while we have the equivalent of 100 elephants floating above our heads, the dryer, denser air beneath the cloud is even heavier, which is why those clouds can harmlessly float on by.

 

Three of the world’s 10 sunniest cities are in Arizona.
The sunniest place in the world is Yuma, in the southwest corner of the extremely arid state of Arizona; the city receives 4,000 hours of sunlight every year. However, Yuma isn’t alone — nearby Tucson and the state’s capital, Phoenix, are also in the world’s top 10 sunniest places. Nearly the entire state exists in a rain shadow caused by mountains in nearby California. This means little moisture, which in turn means little cloud cover. All in all, it’s a pretty poor place to go cloud gazing.

 

 

Source: The average cumulus cloud weighs 1.1 million pounds.

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - LEATHER DIAMONDS ON BACKPACKS

Did you know... You probably don’t need an instruction manual to understand how backpacks work, but they’re often adorned with one common feature that’s largely overlooked: a little leather diamond patch sewn onto the outside. This embellishment is called a “lash tab,” and it serves more than a simply decorative purpose, as it was initially used by mountaineers to secure their gear.

 

The name comes from the word “lashing,” defined by Merriam-Webster as “something used for binding, wrapping, or fastening.” These tabs are also colloquially referred to as “pig snouts,” as the two vertical slits resemble a pig’s nose. In an interview with Reader’s Digest, JanSport product director Ryan Lee said, “The diamond lashing square was used to hold ice tools for mountaineering expeditions, particularly the ice axe.” Hikers would feed a rope or cord through the slits, allowing them to tie up their equipment. This made it easier to access the items, which would hang off the bag instead of being tucked inside.

 

These practical leather patches began appearing on mountaineering bags in the 1930s, expanding to more general recreational backpacks as the century progressed. By the 21st century, the tabs were relied on less for function and more for their rugged, retro design aesthetic. However, they can continue to serve a purpose if desired. Some outdoor enthusiasts may hang a carabiner off the lash tab to secure their water bottles, while others thread their shoelaces through to hang muddy boots after a long hike.

 

The world’s two tallest mountains are located in Hawaii.
At 29,032 feet, Mount Everest is the world’s highest in terms of its elevation above sea level. But while Everest is the highest, the two tallest mountains in the world are located on the island of Hawaii, though each is largely hidden under the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

 

Measuring from base to peak, the tallest mountain is Mauna Kea — a dormant volcano that’s estimated to stand at 33,481 feet from toe to tip. However, roughly 59% of this mountain is located underwater; only 13,796 feet are exposed above sea level. (This still makes it the highest point in the state of Hawaii.) Located to the south is Mauna Loa, an active volcano measuring more than 30,000 feet from the ocean floor to its peak. Mauna Loa reaches comparable heights of 13,681 feet above sea level.

 

 

Source: The leather diamonds on backpacks were originally used for mountaineering.

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day -  GIANT MUSHRROMS

Did you know.... Long before trees, Earth was home to towering organisms called Prototaxites, which lived during the Late Silurian through the Devonian periods, roughly 420 million to 350 million years ago. Fossil evidence shows they could reach up to 24 feet tall and 3 feet wide, making them the largest land organisms of their time. 

 

Most plants back then measured only a few inches, forming low mats of mosses, liverworts, and early vascular species. Land animals — millipede-like arthropods, primitive insects, and early amphibians — were also relatively small, and the first treelike plants would not appear until millions of years later, making Prototaxites the giants of their prehistoric world.

 

For more than a century, scientists debated whether Prototaxites were plants, fungi, algae, or lichens, since nothing comparable exists today. Their fossil “trunks” were composed of tightly packed microscopic tubes, unlike vascular tissues in plants, and they lacked roots, leaves, or wood. Isotope studies suggest they lived as heterotrophs, absorbing nutrients from decaying organic matter rather than producing their own food.

 

They may also have played a role in shaping primitive soils and nutrient cycles, and some researchers speculate their massive columns offered shelter to small arthropods. Although scientists are still investigating how Prototaxites lived and precisely what role they played in early ecosystems, evidence now points to them being either fungi or an otherwise unknown fungus-like branch of life.

 

Some mushrooms can glow in the dark.
Bioluminescent fungi, such as Panellus stipticus and Mycena chlorophos, emit a soft green light through chemical reactions involving enzymes and oxygen. This glow serves multiple ecological purposes: It may deter predators, attract insects to help spread spores, or even protect the fungi from harmful oxidative stress. In dense forests at night, patches of these glowing mushrooms can make the forest floor shimmer as if dotted with tiny lanterns.

 

Interestingly, more than 130 fungi species are known to exhibit bioluminescence, making it more common among fungi than among animals. In Japanese folklore and among Indigenous cultures in Central and South America, bioluminescent mushrooms were often thought to be the spirits of the dead. Today, their glow reminds us even seemingly ordinary organisms hold hidden wonders, quietly illuminating the ecosystems we may otherwise overlook.

 

Source: The Earth used to be covered in giant mushroom-like organisms.

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - WET CARROTS? WHY?

Did you know.... It’s not your imagination. Baby carrots are wet on purpose.

 

Contrary to their name, baby carrots aren’t the juvenile version of Bugs Bunny’s favorite vegetable. The product comes from fully-grown carrots that have been processed into cute, bite-sized shapes. But snackability isn’t the only thing distinguishing the smaller model from the classic vegetable. As anyone who’s reached into a slimy bag of baby carrots knows, downsized carrots come with some unintended consequences.

 

Baby Carrots Need to Stay Hydrated
According to Southern Living, baby carrots tend to be wetter than most veggies in the produce section. This is because they’re prone to dehydration, so water is added to them during the processing and packaging stages. Producers give baby carrots their stubby shape by chopping up carrots that aren’t attractive enough to sell whole and tossing them into a polishing drum. Water that’s added to the drum gives them their smooth, shiny appearance.

 

This accounts for some of a baby carrot’s moisture, but not all of it. The bags they come in contain supplemental water to keep the miniature veggies from drying out. Full-sized carrots and other vegetables rely on their natural skins to retain moisture. To make baby carrots, the outer layer has to be shaved away, so there’s nothing keeping the water locked inside. A splash of water inside each bag gives the carrots the crisp, fresh taste people expect from their produce.

 

Avoiding “Carrot Blush”
Baby carrots aren’t immune to drying out—especially if they’ve been sitting in an open bag or on your kitchen counter for a while. The white film that forms on the product is called carrot blush, and it’s a normal sign of dehydration. The rumor that the white stuff is really chlorine is false, though it is true that baby carrots are processed with a minimal (and safe) amount of the chemical. You can read more about the history of the snack food here.

 

Source: Why Are Baby Carrots Always So Wet?

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - HUSH PUPPIES

Did you know.... Hush puppies might seem like a simple side dish, but they carry a pretty interesting history.

 

Golden, crisp, and addictive, hush puppies are basically savory doughnut holes made from cornmeal batter dropped into hot oil. These days, they can be found anywhere from Carolina fish houses to Chicago shrimp shacks. But, the tasty treats weren’t always called “hush puppies,” and they weren’t always so widespread.

 

A Southern Speciality
Cornmeal dishes were prevalent in several Southern states, particularly among enslaved communities. It was a primary ingredient in various dishes throughout the African continent; when enslaved people were transported from Africa to the United States, they brought with them pieces of their culinary heritage.

 

 

One popular version of the dish went by an entirely different name. It traces back to South Carolina, where Romeo “Romy” Govan became famous for a simple fried bread he called “red horse bread.” 

 

Govan was born to enslaved parents in the 1840s. He became a locally legendary cook by the 20th century; at fish fries held along the river, Govan wowed guests by dishing up spoonfuls of cornmeal batter fried in the same grease as the fish. Newspapers swooned, locals raved, and his red horse bread became a beloved speciality.

 

As the dish’s popularity spread, several names popped up. But only one really stuck around.

 

The Rise of the Hush Puppy
Over time, little balls of fried cornmeal batter became known as “hush puppies.” There are a few popular myths around the name. Some say it stems from Confederate soldiers tossing fritters to their dogs, fishermen feeding yapping hounds, or cooks quieting hungry kids. One particularly popular theory posits that enslaved people trying to escape would throw the food at tracking dogs to keep them quiet.

 

The paper trail leads us to a different explanation, though. As Serious Eats reports, the term hush puppy already existed as slang for keeping quiet. There are also reports of hush puppy referring to gravy, particularly when eaten to silence a growling stomach. 

 

 

By the 1920s and ’30s, fried cornmeal fritters were popping up at fish fries in Georgia and Florida under the new name. Tourists spread the word, magazines printed recipes, and hush puppies continued to gain popularity. 

 

It wasn’t long before they went national. After World War II, a North Carolina entrepreneur sold a just-add-water hush puppy mix that was distributed far beyond the South. The fried cornmeal balls began showing up in many American’s diets; now, they’re a delicious side dish that’s available in restaurants nationwide.

 

 

Source: Why Are They Called “Hush Puppies”?

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - BATS

Did you know... Anyone who’s ever serenaded their sweetheart has more in common with bats than they might think. In 2009, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M studied the vocalizations of Tadarida brasiliensis — the Brazilian free-tailed bat, more commonly known as the Mexican free-tailed bat — and found the tunes to be surprisingly nuanced love songs. Though difficult for humans to hear, the songs consist of unique syllables that combine to form three types of “phrases”: chirps, buzzes, and trills. The males combine these phrases in different ways to attract females — and to warn other males to stay away.

 

What makes this especially remarkable is that, until recently, bats weren’t thought to communicate with one another in such a structured way. But when the researchers listened to recordings of two free-tailed colonies in Austin and College Station, Texas, they discovered that they “use the same ‘words’ in their love phrases,” according to lead researcher Kirsten Bohn. And we’re learning more about bat communication all the time — in August 2021, researchers found that baby bats “babble” much like human infants do, practicing syllables over and over until they learn to get it right.

 

The world’s largest bat colony is in Texas.

Next time you’re near San Antonio, make sure to visit Bracken Cave. The nature preserve run by Bat Conservation International (BCI) is home to more than 20 million Mexican free-tailed bats in the summer, making it the largest bat colony in the world. Though often portrayed as sinister in pop culture, these creatures of the night play a crucial role in their ecosystem by consuming more than 100 tons of corn earworm moths and other pests every summer night. The cave is a popular place to visit on warm summer evenings, when the bats take flight in a stunning display with the potential to convert any chiroptophobes in attendance.

 

 

Source: Some bats sing love songs.

Edited October 11 by DarkRavie

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - "BOO!"

Did you know... If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.

 

People have screamed “boo,” or at least some version of it, to startle others since the mid-16th century. (One of the earliest examples documented by the Oxford English Dictionary appeared in that 1560s poetic thriller, Smyth Whych that Forged Hym a New Dame.) But ghosts? They’ve only been using the word boo for less than two centuries.

 

The Mysterious Origins of the Word Boo
The etymology of boo is uncertain. The OED compares it with the Latin boare or the Greek βοᾶν, meaning to “cry aloud, roar, [or] shout.” Older dictionaries suggest it could be an onomatopoeia mimicking the lowing of a cow.

 

Whatever its origins, the word had a slightly different shade of meaning a few hundred years ago: Boo (or, in the olden days, bo or bu) was not used to frighten others but to assert your presence. Take the traditional Scottish proverb “He can’t say bo to a goose,” which for centuries has been a slick way to call somebody “timid” or “sheepish.” Or consider the 1565 story Smyth Whych that Forged Hym a New Dame, in which an overconfident blacksmith tries to hammer a woman back into her youth, and the main character demands of his dying experiment: “Speke now, let me se / and say ones bo!”

 

Or, as Donatello would put it: “Speak, damn you, speak!”

 

Boo Gets Scarier
But boo became scarier with time. After all, as the OED notes, the word is phonetically suited “to produce a loud and startling sound.” And by 1738, Gilbert Crokatt was writing in Presbyterian Eloquence Display’d that “Boo is a Word that’s used in the North of Scotland to frighten crying children.”

 

In 18th century Scotland, bo, boo, and bu would latch onto plenty of words describing things that went bump in the night. According to the Dictionary of the Scots Language, the term bu-kow applied to hobgoblins and “anything frightful,” such as scarecrows. The word bogey, for “evil one,” would evolve into bogeyman. And there’s bu-man, or boo-man, a terrifying goblin that haunted man:

 

“Kings, counsellors, and princes fair,
As weel’s the common ploughman,
Hae maist their pleasures mix’d wi’ care,
An’ dread some muckle boo-man.”

 

It was only a matter of time until ghosts got lumped into this creepy “muckle boo-man” crowd.

 

Which is too bad. Before the early 1800s, ghosts were believed to be eloquent, sometimes charming, and very often literary speakers. The spirits that appeared in the works of the Greek playwrights Euripides and Seneca held the important job of reciting the play’s prologue. The apparitions in Shakespeare’s plays conversed in the same swaying iambic pentameter as the living. But by the mid-1800s, more literary ghosts apparently lost interest in speaking in complete sentences. Take this articulate exchange with a specter from an 1863 Punch and Judy script:

 

Ghost: Boo-o-o-oh!
Punch: A-a-a-ah!
Ghost: Boo-o-o-o-oh!
Punch: Oh dear ! oh dear ! It wants’t me!
Ghost: Boo-o-o-o-oh!

 

The Influence of Spiritualism
It’s no surprise that boo’s popularity rose in the mid-19th century. This was the age of spiritualism, a widespread cultural obsession with paranormal phenomena that sent scores of people flocking to mediums and clairvoyants in hopes of communicating with the dead.

 

 

Serious scientists were sending electrical shocks through the bodies of corpses to see if reanimating the dead was possible; readers were engrossed in terrifying Gothic fiction (think Frankenstein, Zastrozzi, and The Vampyre); British police departments were reporting a heightened number of ghost sightings as graveyards were plagued by “ghost impersonators,” hoaxsters who camped out in cemeteries covered in white robes and pale chalk. It’s probably no coincidence that ghosts began to develop their own vocabulary—limited as it may have been—during a period when everybody was curious about the goings-on within the spirit realm.

 

It may also help that boo was Scottish. Many of our Halloween traditions, such as the carving of jack-o’-lanterns, were carried overseas by Celtic immigrants. Scotland was a great exporter of people in the middle of the 1800s, and perhaps it’s thanks to the Scots-Irish diaspora that boo became every ghost’s go-to greeting.

 

Now that you know why ghosts say “boo,” find out a few regional terms for spirits and haunts that you might want to work into conversation, and learn about “ghost words”—nonexistent words that somehow found their way into the dictionary.

 

 

Source: Why Do Ghosts Say “Boo”?

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - BUSING

Did you know.... No, it’s not related to buses. Bussers help ensure a restaurant runs smoothly. Without them, water glasses would remain empty and tables would be piled high with dirty dishes. They’re where the phrase busing a table comes from, but where did the job title originate in the first place?

 

The Origin of Busser

According to etymologist Barry Popik, the term busboy comes from the word omnibus, which means “for all” in Latin. More specifically, it’s a shortened version of omnibus boy. This derives from the fact that busboys (who were typically male when the word was created) were hired to support all the staff members in a restaurant.

 

As the role opened up to more people, the term busboy was replaced with busser to be more inclusive. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that the earliest recorded use of busboy dates back to 1867.  

 

Busser vs. Waiter: What’s the Difference?
You may think that the terms busser and waiter (or server) are interchangeable, but that’s not the case. A busser’s main job is to focus on the restaurant’s cleanliness by wiping tables and resetting seating areas after the customers leave. As people dine, bussers may fill glasses of water and clear dishes; they also may be expected to rearrange tables to accommodate larger parties.

 

If they’re needed in the kitchen, bussers may take on tasks such as dishwashing, cleaning spills, or taking out the trash. You may not see them at restaurants that are less busy; they’re more likely to be needed at crowded ones.

 

Servers, meanwhile, typically take orders, serve dishes, interact directly with customers, and process payments. Both roles are vital to the customer service experience and the restaurant’s efficiency in different ways.

 

 

Source: Why Is It Called “Busing” a Table?

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - HIPPOS

Did you know... The word “hippopotamus” means “river horse” in Greek, which makes sense given the amount of time — about 16 hours a day — these massive creatures spend in the water. But as it turns out, hippos can’t actually swim or even float. Their dense bones and heavy bodies cause them to sink, and their short legs and broad structure aren’t built for moving through water as easily as other aquatic mammals. 

 

What they can do, thanks to that density, is stand sturdily on a waterbed’s floor and walk or bounce along the ground. With their eyes and nostrils located high on their heads, they can still see and breathe while almost completely submerged.

 

Although they prefer the shallower parts of lakes, rivers, and swamps — typically around 6 feet deep — they’ve been observed in waters as deep as 40 feet, which they can propel themselves above by leaping like porpoises off the bottom. Even when they sleep, they can hold their breath for only about five minutes before an automatic reflex ensures they rise to the surface for air so they can rest without drowning.

 

The water isn’t just a playground for these creatures — it’s vital to their survival. Staying submerged helps keep their sensitive skin cool and hydrated under the hot African sun. It isn’t until dusk that they emerge and spend the next eight hours or so on land, grazing on grasses, before returning to their aquatic refuge when the sun reappears.

 

The kid who sang “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” actually got one.
In 1953, 10-year-old Oklahoma child Gayla Peevey recorded the quirky holiday tune “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” After the song became a hit, an Oklahoma City zoo and a local newspaper launched a statewide funding drive, encouraging people to chip in so they could give Peevey the very thing she sang about.

 

Donations poured in, and by Christmas, a baby hippopotamus named Mathilda was sent to Oklahoma City. Peevey gave the hippo to Oklahoma’s Lincoln Park Zoo, making Mathilda  the zoo’s first hippo, and appeared alongside zookeepers and the media to help welcome Mathilda to her new home. 

 

Source: Hippos can’t swim or float.

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - DINOSAUR

Did you know... The first dinosaur fossil was discovered in 1677 — not that the man who came upon it realized the magnitude of his find. The English naturalist Robert Plot thought that his discovery had belonged to a giant human, and it wasn’t until 1824 that the geologist William Buckland identified the bone for what it was. It took an additional 18 years for Sir Richard Owen, the most famed paleontologist of his era, to coin the term “dinosauria” — deinos meaning “terrible” or “fearfully great” in Greek, and sauros meaning “lizard.” True lizards and dinosaurs diverged from one another 270 million years ago, but the name stuck nevertheless. 

 

Suffice to say that the schoolteacher who called a young Owen “impudent” would have been surprised by his lasting scientific contributions, which also include describing many new species and founding London’s Natural History Museum. Owen later went on to feud with none other than Charles Darwin over their respective views on evolution. Owen developed his own influential theory of how animals developed, and disagreed with how Darwin interpreted it in On the Origin of Species — as well as with Darwin’s entire concept of natural selection. As a result, Owen’s scientific reputation has suffered, but we can still thank him for every 7-year-old’s favorite word.

 

Dinosaurs aren’t considered extinct.
Not fully, anyway. While the vast majority of our prehistoric friends did indeed die out after an asteroid likely hit the planet about 65 million years ago, some persisted — and today we call them birds. There are 10,000 species of dinosaurs alive today, none of which is as fearsome as a Tyrannosaurus rex but all of whom are marvels of evolution. The ancestors of modern birds survived while other dinosaurs died out in part by shrinking their size and exploiting a different, less-competitive ecological niche than their bulkier, land-dwelling relatives. Between the dinosaurs of old and the birds of today was the Archaeopteryx, a “transitional fossil” with both avian and reptilian features that lived some 150 million years ago.

 

 

Source: ‘Dinosaur’ comes from Greek words that mean ‘terrible lizard.’

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - CARGO HOUSE

Did you know... The world’s largest coffeehouse chain, Starbucks, almost had a very different name. According to a 2008 Seattle Times interview with the company’s co-founder Gordon Bowker, the famous java chain was once “desperately close” to being called “Cargo House,” a name meant to tie the first store (in Seattle’s Pike Place Market) to the idea of beans coming from far away. Anxious for another, more pleasing moniker, a brand consultant working with Bowker mentioned that words starting with “st” felt especially strong. Bowker ran with the idea, listing every “st” word he could think of. The breakthrough moment occurred after the consultant brought out some old maps of the Cascade mountains and Mount Rainier — both close to the company’s hometown of Seattle — and Bowker stumbled across an old mining town named “Starbo.” The name lit up a literary reference embedded in his mind: Starbuck. 

 

The name comes from Herman Melville’s 1851 masterpiece Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. In the novel, Starbuck is a Quaker and trusty first mate of Captain Ahab, and serves as the voice of reason aboard the whaling ship Pequod (another name the Starbucks co-founders considered). Melville himself likely got the name Starbuck from a real whaling family that lived on the Massachusetts island of Nantucket in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Bowker readily admits that the character has nothing to do with coffee, but the moniker stuck, and the company doubled down on the nautical theme by introducing a mythological siren, likely influenced by a seventh-century Italian mosaic, as its now-famous green-and-white logo.

 

Coffee beans are not actually beans.
Two types of flowering shrubs from the family Rubiaceae, Coffea robusta and Coffea arabica, make up most of the coffee consumed in the world. These plants produce a sweet, reddish-yellow cherry-like fruit, and its seeds or pits — when roasted from light to dark — make the coffee beverage we know and love today. However, calling these seeds “beans” is a misnomer, since a “bean” technically refers to an edible seed from the plant family Fabaceae (also called Leguminosae), which includes foods such as soybeans, peas, chickpeas, and peanuts. Coffee seeds look much like a typical bean, but from a strict botanical perspective, they’re not. In fact, since coffee cherries are fruits, you might argue that your usual cup of joe has more in common with a smoothie than any sort of legume-heavy delicacy.

 

 

Source: Starbucks Coffee was almost called ‘Cargo House.’

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - SPLIT-FACE CHIMERA CATS

Did you know.... They look Photoshopped, but their striking beauty is all natural.

 

Cats come in tons of beautiful colors, with some of the rarest being the leopard-like rosette pattern or the purple-tinted lilac. Split-face chimera cats have a particularly unusual appearance, with their perfectly split coat patterns. It’s only natural to wonder how the felines end up with such striking features. You can find the answer below.

 

How Does a Chimera Cat Happen?
According to Animal Wellness Magazine, chimerism occurs when two embryos fuse during the early stages of pregnancy. A split-faced chimera cat essentially merged with a twin that would have looked different, which explains why it appears to be two individuals put together. In the most extreme cases, chimera cats also have heterochromia, or two distinct eye colors. 

 

 

The term chimera comes from the fire-breathing Greek mythical creature with the body and head of a lion, a goat’s head growing from its back, and a snake’s tail. Eventually, people used the word to refer to animals and people who have more than two sets of DNA.

 

Are All Multi-Colored Cats Chimeras?
Not all chimera cats are split-faced; some have subtle differences in coat color, according to Purina. Another thing to note is that breeds like calicos (tri-colored cats, usually white with black and orange spots) and tortoiseshell cats (typically a mixture of orange and black with specks of white) can also develop the split-faced and heterochromatic features. However, that doesn’t mean they’re chimeras.

 

All of these interesting color patterns are usually found in female rather than male cats. This is because the genes that determine fur colors in cats are on the X chromosome. Since female mammals have two X chromosomes, they’re a lot more likely to have these unique patterns.  

 

 

Source: What’s the Deal With Split-Face Chimera Cats?

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - DISNEY'S FERAL CATS

Did you know.... Spend enough time at Disneyland and you’ll see them. Maybe you’ll spot one snoozing in the bushes near the Jungle Cruise or observing you warily as you ride the tram, but one thing is certain: However many cats you see, there are more out of sight. About 200 feral cats roam the Happiest Place on Earth, where they earn their keep by helping to control the rodent population. The felines were first seen not long after Disneyland opened in 1955, when they took up residence in Sleeping Beauty Castle, and it soon became evident that keeping them around had more advantages than trying to escort them off the premises.

 

The mutually beneficial alliance even includes permanent feeding stations for the cats, as well as spaying or neutering and vaccinations. Though not official cast members, these adept hunters — who mostly come out at night — have earned a devoted following of their own. There are websites, Instagram feeds, and YouTube videos devoted to them. They’re not quite as popular as the actual rides at Disneyland, of course, but for cat lovers, they’re an attraction all their own.

 

A train station in Disneyland plays a message in Morse code.
Next time you find yourself on the Disneyland railroad, listen closely when the train pulls into its second station. New Orleans Square, which houses a telegraph office, plays a secret message in Morse code paraphrased from Walt Disney’s opening-day speech: “To all who come to Disneyland, welcome. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future.” There are also many other secrets in the park, from the optical illusion that makes Sleeping Beauty Castle look bigger to Walt Disney’s favorite chili recipe at the Carnation Cafe.

 

 

Source: About 200 feral cats roam Disneyland, where they help control rodents.

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - COVERED BRIDGES

Did you know... When you drive a car over a covered bridge, it’s easy to feel like you should be in a horse-drawn carriage instead. They call to mind quaint New England towns, vibrant fall leaves, and a simpler era. But these charming bridges generally aren’t built anymore; whereas there used to be over 14,000 of them in the United States, only about 500 to 600 remain. So what happened to these old-timey structures, and why are all the newer bridges open on top?

 

Why Were Bridges Covered in the First Place?

Covered bridges weren’t designed just for looks. The reason the covers were built in the first place was to protect the bridge—which was constructed entirely out of wood—from the elements. Wind and rain could erode and damage it, eventually causing the wood to rot away and become unstable. The covers help mitigate that risk and keep the bridge’s supports dry, significantly increasing its lifespan.  

 

Such a design made its first U.S. appearance in Philadelphia, when the Permanent Bridge was erected to cross the Schuylkill River in 1805. It lasted 70 years—including a later expansion to allow railway traffic through—before ultimately being destroyed in a fire. Unfortunately, this is a common story for covered bridges throughout history. Despite their increased protection, they are still very susceptible to flooding and fires in particular; many of these historic structures have had to be completely rebuilt after burning down. 

 

The Shift to Modern Bridges

Most bridges built today are made of steel and/or concrete, and in fact, it was the growth of the steel industry that marked the major shift away from old-fashioned covered ones. The vast majority of covered bridges in the U.S. were built from the 1820s through the 1870s, pulling from regional abundances of timber; wooden bridges were, by far, the most cost-effective option. But as industrialization advanced in the mid-19th century, the mass production of iron and steel became possible. 

 

These metals were stronger than wood, resistant to rot and fire, and could suddenly be accessed at historically low prices. They were no-brainers for new construction, and by the early 20th-century, covered bridges were essentially a thing of the past. Many covered bridges across the country were even torn down in favor of steel and/or iron replacements, setting up the beginnings of contemporary American infrastructure. 

 

Today, many covered bridges are considered historical sites in the United States. Organizations like the National Society for the Protection of Covered Bridges and the federal National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation program work to maintain them, inform the public about their history, and research new methods of preserving them for future generations. To see if there are any covered bridges near you, you can check out this map and hopefully enjoy a little piece of history. 

 

 

Source: Why Did We Stop Building Covered Bridges?

[DarkRavie]

Fact of the Day - HIGH-FIVE

Did you know... The act of high-fiving a friend in celebration may seem like it’s been around forever, but in fact, the gesture originated even more recently than cellphones or email. Lacking any earlier reputable reports, the most widely accepted origin story goes as follows: The high-five was first used during a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros on October 2, 1977. After hitting his 30th home run of the season, left fielder Dusty Baker was greeted by his teammate Glenn Burke, who excitedly offered a raised hand to celebrate, which Baker then slapped in return. Burke then hit a home run of his own, and the pair repeated the motion. 

 

The players celebrated another homer hit three days later with their new gesture, and that moment was photographed by the Los Angeles Times, which ran the image on the front page of the October 6 edition with the caption “GIVE HIM A HAND.” It wasn’t until 1980 that the term “high-five” was definitively coined and began appearing in print, with its first such appearance in a March 25 Boston Globe article, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

 

Another oft-cited report attributes the creation of the high-five to the 1978-1979 University of Louisville men’s basketball team. During practice, Wiley Brown offered his teammate Derek Smith a low-five — a knee-level gesture that was commonly used by African Americans as a symbol of unity. At that moment, as reported in The Week, Smith responded, “No. Up high,” thus giving literal rise to a new gesture. This was cited as the origin of the high-five in a New York Times article on September 1, 1980. However, this event postdates the Baker-Burke story, which makes the NYT’s claim suspect (assuming the reported timelines are indeed accurate).

 

Handshakes date back to ancient Mesopotamia.

Handshakes were used by people in ancient Mesopotamia no later than the ninth century BCE. One of the earliest examples is a stone relief from that era depicting the kings of Babylon and Assyria shaking hands to commemorate a pact. The gesture was later mentioned several times by Homer in the “Iliad” and “Odyssey” as a way to convey trust between two parties.

 

Shaking hands as a greeting was popularized, in part, by Quakers in the 17th century. Many Quakers weren’t particularly fond of greeting people with traditional bows or curtsies, as those gestures reinforced an unequal, hierarchical structure. Instead, they began using handshakes as a sign of equal respect.

 

 

Source: The first known high-five wasn’t until 1977.