Facts & History
Cheapest States to Live in
Jobs are plentiful today, but the cost of living is high. If you’re contemplating relocating to a more affordable part of the country, there are several factors you should consider. The average costs of food, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services, are the six elements that the Council for Community and…
Read MoreSalt in water sources becoming worrisome in D.C. region, experts warn
The Washington region is growing — a metropolis of nearly 6 million people where area officials are pressing to build another 320,000 homes by the end of this decade. And with that growth comes an increasing, largely unregulated problem: Salt. Lots of it. Paved streets, sidewalks and parking lots need de-icing in winter, with the…
Read MoreTHE INVENTION OF THE VACUUM CLEANER
In 1901, if you were lucky, you might have witnessed a startling scene on the streets of London—one which would quickly revolutionise how most of us clean our homes. Science Museum Group Collection Hubert Cecil Booth (1871–1955). Science Museum Group Collection Engineer Hubert Cecil Booth was rolling his new vacuum cleaner onto the wealthier streets of…
Read MoreTreasure trove of gold and jewels recovered from a 366-year-old shipwreck in the Bahamas
Gold coins, gemstones and jewels are just a few of the priceless treasures found at a shipwreck site in the Bahamas. (Image credit: ©Brendan Chavez/Allen Exploration) A treasure trove of gold coins, gemstones and jewels was recently uncovered at a 366-year-old Spanish shipwreck. In an effort to conserve what’s left of the ship and its prized…
Read MoreHow to Prepare for a Hurricane
In September 2004, Hurricane Ivan struck the Gulf Coast as a powerful Category 3. Homeowners like Jason Huffman (seen here) did all they could beforehand to prepare their homes to withstand the brunt of the storm. STEPHEN MORTON/GETTY IMAGES There’s not much that can rattle a New Yorker. Most have seen enough to know they’ve…
Read MoreWhy Jack Ruby Killed JFK’s Assassin
If not for the events of Nov. 22, 1963, Jack Ruby may have lived out the rest of his life as he did most of the first 50-plus years of it: as a nobody, an outsider looking in, a small-time crook desperately seeking to belong. As it happened, though that day in Dallas changed a lot…
Read More1.2 billion-year-old groundwater is some of the oldest on Earth
Researchers discovered 1.2 billion-year-old groundwater inside a mine in South Africa. (Image credit: Dr. Oliver Warr/University of Toronto) Groundwater that was recently discovered deep underground in a mine in South Africa is estimated to be 1.2 billion years old. Researchers suspect that the groundwater is some of the oldest on the planet, and its chemical interactions…
Read MoreThere Are 6 ‘Strongest Materials’ On Earth That Are Harder Than Diamonds
Carbon is one of the most fascinating elements in all of nature, with chemical and physical properties unlike any other element. With just six protons in its nucleus, it’s the lightest abundant element capable of forming a slew of complex bonds. All known forms of life are carbon-based, as its atomic properties enable it to…
Read MoreThese 6 U.S. States Once Declared Themselves Independent Nations
This map shows the short-lived Republic of West Florida. Taken from the map ‘The British Colonies in North America, 1763-1775.’ RATTYRATTERY/WIKIPEDIA/CREATIVE COMMONS CC0 1.0 The good old U.S. of A. wasn’t always made up of the 50 states that we know today. It took a lot of battles, bloodshed and negotiations to get to this point. Some states…
Read MoreWho Invented The Shower?
For many of us, taking a daily shower is part of our everyday routine. Approximately half (49%) of people living in the UK have a shower or bath at least once a day and one in five (20%) have a shower four to six times a week*. That’s a lot of time spent in the…
Read MoreHOW BRIDGES ARE BUILT OVER WATER?
lmost everyone travel everyday and you must pass any bridge along your way. Bridges are the connecting link between two lands separated with water body. Do you ever think how the pillars are build in the water bodies to construct the bridge? Welcome to Engineering Master. In this article, we will tell the answer… Bridges…
Read More10 Little-known Facts About the Founding Fathers
This painting shows Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Benjamin Franklin presenting the first draft of the Declaration of Independence to the Second Continental Congress. Less than a week later, on July 4, 1776, the colonial delegates signed the document. If asked to come up with a fact or two about the…
Read MoreWillis Carrier The Man who Invented Air Conditioning!
Who hasn’t sung the praises of air conditioning on a sweltering summer day? But who do you have to thank for this refreshing convenience? The short answer to that question is Willis Carrier, an American engineer credited with inventing the first modern air conditioner. However, the idea of using evaporated water — or other liquids…
Read MoreAlan Turing: Computer Genius Compared to Einstein
he 20th century had no shortage of brilliant minds, but perhaps none had as significant an impact on our day-to-day lives as Alan Turing, considered by many as the founding father of modern computer science. Turing was a brilliant mathematician, before he’d even earned a Master’s Degree he wrote probably the second-most-important academic paper of…
Read MoreThe Net Worth Of Andrew Carnegie $310 Billion! His Story
Have you ever wondered what the net worth of Andrew Carnegie was? Andrew Carnegie has an incredible “rags to riches” story that led him to a net worth today of $310 billion. This is more than Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and Jeff Bezos combined. In this post, we show you exactly how Carnegie built his net…
Read MoreWhat is an executive order, and why don’t presidents use them all the time?
Though the Constitution plainly articulates familiar presidential tools like vetoes and appointments, the real executive power comes from reading between the lines. Presidents have long interpreted the Constitution’s Article 2 clauses – like “the executive power shall be vested in a President” and “he shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed” – to give them…
Read MoreCan I still buy a car in lockdown?
With a new nationwide lockdown coming into force, new restrictions are being introduced to our lives as we’re told to ‘stay at home’. Car dealerships are included in those ordered to close – they’re classed as ‘non-essential retail’ – limiting your options if you’re looking to buy a car. So if you need one,…
Read MoreWhy DOES the UK drive on the left?
Today, about two thirds of the world drive on the right and a third on the left, but how did it come to pass? And why is the UK in the minority? VCARS found out… Historical precedent In 1998, archaeologists found a track leading to a Roman quarry near Swindon. The grooves in the…
Read MoreWhat is the bloop?
The source of a mysterious rumble recorded in the ocean in 1997 is now known to have originated from an icequake. “The Bloop” is the given name of a mysterious underwater sound recorded in the 90s. Years later, NOAA scientists discovered that this sound emanated from an iceberg cracking and breaking away from an Antarctic glacier. In 1997,…
Read MoreWhat are the Totten Beacons?
These 19th-century aids to navigation are protected historical resources. In 1513, Spanish explorer Ponce de León sailed into the strong currents of the Florida Straits. Little did he know that within a few years, these uncharted waters, which feed into the Gulf Stream, would become a major international shipping route to and from Europe and the New World. As…
Read MoreWhy is the ocean salty?
Ocean salt primarily comes from rocks on land and openings in the seafloor. A brine seep located at the base of East Flower Garden Bank at a depth of about 240 feet. The seep lies within Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico. It is formed from super-saline water flowing from under the seafloor. The image was taken by the…
Read MoreIs glacier ice actually rock?
In places where it gets cold and snowy in winter, many meters of snow can fall. In some the following winter, adding a new layer to what was already there. Over hundreds to thousands of years, this process creates big sheets of ice called glaciers. Glaciers are found in the Arctic and Antarctic. They’re…
Read MoreWhat’s the Most Expensive Thing in the World?
Would you pay $10,000 for a feather? How about $1 million for a parking spot? Do you think $1.6 million is a fair price for a new bed? These are some of the most expensive items in the world. However, none of them come close to the price of the most expensive thing in…
Read MoreOcean waters cover about 70 percent of the planet. On average, that water is 3,800 meters (almost 2.4 miles) deep. But in the deepest spots, seawater fills a mind-boggling 11,000 meters (6.8 miles) of space above the seafloor. As anyone who has tried diving to the bottom of a deep pool knows, all…
Read MoreWhat is a Nudibranch?
Has anyone ever told you that you are what you eat? Did you picture yourself as a pancake after breakfast or a big slice of pizza at dinnertime? What you eat affects your body, but you don’t really turn into the food you eat! Unless, of course, you’re a special animal called a nudibranch (NEW-dee-bronk). Nudibranchs are…
Read MoreHow Do We Know What Dinosaurs Looked Like?
Movies like Jurassic World invite people to imagine a world where dinosaurs still roam the Earth. What if scientists did create dinosaurs from ancient DNA? Would they look like they do in movies? Would they be covered in scales? Would they have spikes along their backs? How do people know what dinosaurs looked like, anyway? Paleoart is art…
Read MoreHow much do taxpayers pay for fireworks for Fourth of July celebrations on the Suncoast?
Fireworks shows costs tens of thousand of dollars, so we wanted to find out how much taxpayers have to cover here on the Suncoast. The City of Bradenton, the City of Palmetto, and Manatee County are having a fireworks show at the Green Bridge. The cost of that show is $40,000 and is split…
Read MoreDoes the ocean produce oxygen?
It’s easy to think of the world’s forests as the planet’s “lungs.” Trees pump out oxygen—the same stuff we breathe in. The bigger the tree the more oxygen it releases. But most of our breathable air doesn’t come from land. It comes from the world’s oceans. And the most important oxygen producers are some…
Read MoreHow Do You Make an App?
Have you ever grabbed floating coins from the air? Do you make candy explode on your screen? Do you take care of a virtual cat? If you’ve done any of these activities, you were probably using an app! An app, short for application, is a program designed for users of digital devices. They’re made for devices from smartphones to gaming…
Read MoreWhat is depicted by 16 digits printed on Debit Card?
What do the numbers on my debit card mean? How to identify numbers on a debit card? What is card number and what do 16 digits on debit card mean? These are some basic questions that frequently asked. For complete details let us see below. Debit Card is also known as ATM Card and it is used for…
Read MoreDo You know that who Invented Ball pen?
The inventor of ball pen was Ladislao José Bíro, a Hungarian born in 1899 into a Jewish family. He invented the ball pen in 1931 to get rid of fountain pen’s blotting and smudging. The inventor of ball pen was Ladislao José Bíro, a Hungaria born in 1899 into a Jewish family. He invented…
Read MoreWhy Does the Moon Change Shape?
People have always been fascinated by the Moon. We have plenty of good reasons to be! The Moon controls our tides, causes solar eclipses, and appears to have a face. To add to our fascination, the Moon even changes shape! If you’ve spent any amount of time looking at the Moon, you know that the shape we see…
Read MoreWhy Does Minimum Wage Exist?
What do you dream of being when you’re older? Do you want to be an astronaut? A detective? An actor? Many people want to be teachers, architects, and engineers! Whatever your dream is, surely you’ll want fair pay for what you do. Have you ever WONDERed who decides how much people are paid? In many jobs, the employer has most…
Read MoreWhat is the reason behind floating ice on water
Have you ever thought! How any solid object floats on any fluid? Solids are hard and rigid like stones. They immersed in water, but the ice, which is a solid substance, does not sink in water, but floats. Why? Let us find out why ice being a solid substance floats on water. Have you…
Read MoreHow Do You Make Slime?
We were fishing in the Wonderopolis pond the other day when we overheard an interesting conversation between a frog and her child: Momma Frog: I need to go to the grocery store. Where’s my shopping list? Baby Frog: Here it is! Make sure you get everything on the list. Momma Frog: Let me see…glue…borax…saline solution…liquid starch…what in the world?…
Read MoreShould You Try J.Lo’s #NoSugarNoCarb Challenge?
We asked a registered dietitian to weigh in. Recently, Jennifer Lopez took to social media to challenge friends to join her on a 10-day no sugar, no carb challenge. J.Lo challenged actress Leah Remini, producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Today co-host Hoda Kotb, to join on this 10-day journey. Every few days J.Lo posted gorgeous…
Read MoreCan You Start Your Own Zoo?
Do you love animals? If so, you might have a pet or two at home. There’s nothing quite like a playful puppy or a cuddly kitten to curl up with when it’s time for bed. If you live on a farm or just really love animals, you may have expanded your stable of pets to include multiple dogs and cats or even other animals, such as…
Read MoreDo You Have a Good Memory?
When you look back over the best times of your life, what memories come to mind? The birth of a little brother or sister? That Christmas when you got a new bicycle? An amazing family vacation to the Grand Canyon? Memories are important. We’re lucky that our brains can hold so many important memories, so that we…
Read MoreWhat Is a Pangolin?
We were wandering through the Wonderopolis jungle the other day when we overheard some animals discussing a stranger in their midst: Lion: What is that thing? It’s eating ants. Is it an anteater? Anteater: Nope! It’s not one of us. It’s got scales. Is it an armadillo? Armadillo: Nope! I’ve never seen one of those before. It…
Read MoreWhy Prince Harry Is Giving Up Alcohol and Caffeine
It’s actually the sweetest thing. Before he became the princely half of perhaps the most-talked-about couple of 2018, Prince Harry was known to be quite the party guy. But since finding love with Meghan Markle, Harry seems to be changing his ways. In an extra-romantic gesture of solidarity, the Duke of Sussex has decided to…
Read MoreCan Eating Too Much Sour Candy Really Make Your Tongue Peel?
Chrissy Teigen’s experience with eating lots of sour candy is actually pretty accurate. In a video posted to her Instagram stories recently, supermodel and cookbook author Chrissy Teigen shared that her craving for sour candy during her third pregnancy had caused her tongue to peel. She also showed what she meant, and it was no joke!…
Read MoreMonkeypox is spreading around the world. What is the disease and how dangerous is it?
Health authorities in Europe, the U.S. and Australia are investigating a recent outbreak of monkeypox cases, a rare viral disease typically found in Africa. Germany on Friday reported its first case of the virus, becoming the latest European country to identify an outbreak alongside the U.K., Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Sweden. In the…
Read MoreDo you know why Oil and Water does not mix together?
We have seen many times and even we have tried at our homes that when we put oil in water and stir it, eventually they separate in to two distinct layers. Why is it so? Through this article we will study why oil and water does not mix together, why oil is sticky and why…
Read MoreWhy bursting of Balloon makes sound when pricked with a needle?
Mostly with birthdays and various parties, we see decoration made by colourful balloons which looks amazing and recall the memories of childhood. Have you ever thought why this happens? Why balloon produces pop sound instantaneously rather than leaking air slowly? Let us find out the reason behind it. Mostly with birthdays and various parties, we…
Read MoreCan Frogs Prevent Milk from Spoiling?
On busy school mornings, it can seem nearly impossible to get up, get showered, and get out the door on time. Often, the thing we sacrifice when time is short is the most important meal of the day: breakfast. While it would be nice to sit down each morning to a plate of bacon and eggs or maybe biscuits and gravy, there’s no reason to…
Read MoreWhen Was Pinball Invented?
Do you love video games? Many kids couldn’t imagine a world without them! Video games weren’t always something you could play on your smartphone or at home, though. Years ago, you had to find an arcade where you could plunk quarter after quarter into large machines. That’s how people played classic games like Pac Man and Centipede. Have you ever been…
Read MoreWhat Is Da Shuhua?
What’s your favorite thing about the Fourth of July? For many kids, celebrating Independence Day means fun in the sun, a picnic on the beach, time with friends and family members, and pyrotechnics in the nighttime sky. Yes, we’re talking about fireworks! Of course, Independence Day isn’t the only holiday when people enjoy fireworks. You’ll also find plenty of fireworks in the sky on New Year’s…
Read MoreWhat to Eat If You’re Hungry During a Workout
There are a few factors to consider when fueling during exercise. What if you get hungry during your workout — should you eat? If food is a good idea, what should you reach for? If you’re an avid exerciser, these queries have probably crossed your mind. It turns out there are several possible factors…
Read MoreWhat Is Mobility and Why Is It Important?
Mobility isn’t a new concept, but you might be surprised to learn it’s more than just stretching. Mobility isn’t a new concept, but it certainly feels like the up-and-coming popular wellness buzzword — and for good reason. Mobility is more than just stretching. What Is Mobility? Mobility involves the joints and their movement in…
Read MoreWas Einstein wrong? Why some astrophysicists are questioning the theory of space-time
As in history, revolutions are the lifeblood of science. Bubbling undercurrents of disquiet boil over until a new regime emerges to seize power. Then everyone’s attention turns to toppling their new ruler. The king is dead, long live the king. This has happened many times in the history of physics and astronomy. First, we…
Read More6 sacrificial pits filled with artifacts reveal rituals of ancient Chinese kingdom
Archaeologists have discovered six sacrificial pits containing about 500 artifacts, including gold and bronze masks, in the ancient Chinese city of Sanxingdui, according to news reports. The site is located about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) southwest of Beijing, Xinhua, China’s state-run press agency, reported. The artifacts date back around 3,000 years, to a time…
Read MoreVaginal birth vs. C-Section: Pros & cons
Babies can enter this world in one of two ways: vaginal birth or surgical delivery by cesarean section. Babies can enter this world in one of two ways: a vaginal birth or surgical delivery by cesarean section. The ultimate goal of both methods is to ensure that the baby and mother are healthy. In…
Read MoreChernobyl: Facts about the world’s worst nuclear disaster
There are plenty of unanswered questions about Chernobyl, the site of the world’s worst nuclear disaster. In the early morning hours of April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine (formerly part of the Soviet Union) exploded, creating what many consider the worst nuclear disaster the world has ever seen. Even after many…
Read MoreCan Caffeine Really Cause Insanity?
A Kentucky man is invoking temporary insanity brought on by caffeine intoxication as his legal strategy to claim that he did not, as accused, murder his wife. Prosecutors allege Woody Will Smith strangled his wife to death with an extension cord on May 4, 2009, according to the Kentucky Enquirer. Smith’s lawyer claims that…
Read MoreWhy Does the Fed Change the Interest Rate?
You hear about it a few times a year: The Fed has raised interest rates, or the Fed delivered an interest rate cut after its latest meeting. Excited, you go to your local bank to check out its brand-new rates on car loans. To your disappointment, they’re the same as they were yesterday. What gives? The Fed, formally known as…
Read MoreWhat is CGI?
Are you a movie fan? Do you like animation or live-action? Do you watch movies in 3D? It makes the special effects seem so real! Have you ever WONDERed how movie makers do it? It‘s not magic! Many times, they use Computer Generated Imagery (CGI). CGI is the use of computer graphics to make images and special effects. Do…
Read MoreHow to Brainstorm Brilliant Ideas in Teams
Creativity is among the most in-demand skills in the workplace. It’s not surprising that top multinational companies are looking to hire inventive thinkers: Research shows that creativity can drive innovation and resilience in organizations. Tech giant Google has grown by innovating the way we all use the internet. Electric car maker Tesla touts a collaborative working environment to “solve the world’s most important…
Read MoreWho is Papa Legba, The Vodou Link Between Human and the Spirit Worlds?
You don’t have to look far to find references to Voodoo in popular culture, especially in the Western world. Zombie movies, of course, have distant roots in Haitian Voodoo. Novelty stores sell pin-filled dolls to target anyone from miscreant romantic partners to unreasonable bosses. Even the Disney film “The Princess and the Frog” featured a Voodoo…
Read MoreWhat is stagflation and why is it so dangerous?
Stagflation is term that describes a “perfect storm” of economic bad news: high unemployment, slow economic growth and high inflation. The term was born out of the prolonged economic slump of the 1970s, when the United States experienced spiking inflation in the face of a shrinking economy, something economists had previously thought to be…
Read MoreCan You Live Underwater?
How long can you hold your breath underwater? The record is 24 minutes and 3 seconds. Most people can’t go more than a minute or two. What if people could grow gills? They could live underwater like mermaids! Humans might never grow gills. However, they may be able to live underwater without them. Technology makes new things…
Read MoreWhat Are the Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports?
What are the most exciting two minutes in sports? Is it the last two minutes of the Super Bowl? Maybe those of Olympic gymnastics? Could it be the last two minutes of the Stanley Cup? No, the most exciting two minutes in sports are during the Kentucky Derby! The Kentucky Derby is the most well-known horse race…
Read MoreWhat Caused the Big Bang?
Our world is full of interesting questions. What happened to the dinosaurs? Are ghosts real? What about aliens? In Wonderopolis, we love making new discoveries. We want to learn something new about the world every day. However, there are a lot of questions that don’t have answers yet. What is dark matter? Can anything live inside a black hole? What caused…
Read MoreShould Supreme Court Justices Be Compassionate?
President Obama’s nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court could force Republicans to choose between the often-nasty nomination battles that attend such weighty decisions and the potentially wide popular appeal of a Hispanic woman portrayed as one who understands and deserves some compassion. Should compassion be a qualification for a Supreme Court Justice?…
Read MoreWhich muscles does spinning work?
Indoor cycling is a firm favourite with fitness fanatics – but which muscles does spinning work? Find out with our essential guide There’s no two ways about it, indoor cycling hurts all over – but which muscles does spinning work, specifically? This HIIT workout will definitely push your leg muscles the hardest, with your…
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