In 1929, James Doolittle made history with the first successful all-instrument flight. Learn how this was possible and what it means for flying in the current day.
The History of Dice: Who Invented Them and When?
The history of dice goes back much further than you might think. They’re older than books. They are older than writing. Dice are older than almost any toy you can imagine. People rolled dice thousands of years ago, from the mighty pyramids of Egypt to the grand temples of Rome. Everywhere archaeologists dig, they find dice hiding in the ground, waiting to tell their stories.
The Phenomenal 23,000-Mile Journey of Arctic Terns
The Arctic tern migration is a phenomenal 23,000-mile odyssey stretching from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back again. They literally travel from the top of the world to the bottom and back. This bird holds the title for the longest migration in the animal kingdom.
Why Forty Percent of People Never Get Wisdom Teeth
Not everyone gets wisdom teeth. In fact, a whopping forty percent of people never develop wisdom teeth at all. This isn’t just a quirky fact about human biology. The story of wisdom teeth reveals a fascinating tale of human evolution. It illustrates genetic diversity and the mysterious nature of our pearly whites.
Did Nero Fiddle While Rome Burned? Unraveling the Myth
The image of the Roman emperor playing music while his city goes up in flames is powerful. But is there any truth to it? Did Nero fiddle while Rome burned? This powerful imagery is widely used around the world in songs, comics, and books. At this point in time, the image of Nero fiddling while Rome burned is part of our zeitgeist. Yet, the actual history is a bit more complicated.
The Science of Pyramid Construction: Weighing the Great Pyramid
The Great Pyramid of Giza is an awe-inspiring example of ancient Egyptian ingenuity with pyramid construction. It was built around 2560 BCE during the reign of Pharaoh Khufu. And, it is the oldest and biggest of the three pyramids which make up the Giza pyramid complex. This colossal structure held the record as the world’s tallest human-made structure for over 3,800 years. This changed in 2010, when the UAE built the Burj Khalifa. The Great Pyramid’s precise construction uses an estimated 2.3 million limestone blocks and continues to baffle modern engineers and archaeologists. What they can all agree on, though, is that it is incredible.