Age man used obsidian (a naturally formed glass) for cutting tools and weapons. In 1500bc, we believe the first glass bottles were made using the "Core-Forming Method". Glass takes over 1 million years to decompose in our landfills and dumps....

The word "novel" originally derived from the Latin novus, meaning "new." The first novel, called The story of Genji, was written in 1007 by Japanese noble woman, Murasaki Shikibu. The rise of the "novel" as the major alternative to the...

Purify the air with anti-air pollution plants Is the air from your house more polluted than outside? Apparently so, according to NASA studies, done since 1990. Bacteria, acetone, ammonia, dust mites ... all be found in any home, regardless of how well...

The home of the United States' president, the White House, was built following an architectural contest won by James Hoban, an Irish architect and builder living in South Carolina. The architect of the White House was chosen in a design competition,...

The average reading speed is 200 – 250 words a minute in non-technical material . Estimates indicate that at least 20 million of the nation's 53 million school-age children are poor readers - about two out of five children. The average person...

Couples who live together prior to marriage experience greater dissatisfaction afterwards . A Saudi Arabian woman can get a divorce if her husband doesn't give her coffee. In Ireland, divorce was prohibited until 1997. Michael Douglas had to...

The United States and Canada are the world's largest producers of paper and paper products . The next largest are Finland, Japan, and Sweden, who produce significant amounts of wood pulp and newsprint. The eath wastes enough paper every day to...

The first actor to receive an Oscar posthumously was Peter Finch who died of a heart attack while leaving the Beverly Hills Hotel to do a pre-Oscar ceremony TV interview with Good Morning America. The oscar statuettes were once made of plaster...

There are about a billion bicycles in the world. Every year some 50 million bicycles - and 20 million cars - are produced. The first bicycles were made without pedals. Cycling burns 600 calories an hour. Twenty bicycles can be parked in the...

Shoes were made over 4000 years ago. Before the 19th century, there wasn’t a left or right shoe. Both sides were identical. In Biblical times a sandal was given as a sign of an oath. Today in the U.S. shoes are tied to the bumper of the...

Diamond Thieves and Smugglers use homing pigeons to smuggle rough diamonds out of mining areas. About 75% of American brides receive a diamond engagement ring. A new mineral, discovered in Russia, has been named Dianite, after Princess Diana,...

The Pentagon originally received its name, from the unusual, pentagon shape of the building. The Pentagon building is one of the largest office buildings in the world, covering 6,6 million sq ft, in floor size, and 17.5 miles of corridors. The...