People & Society

Around 21 million people in Uganda, half of its population, are under 15 years of age. March 25, 2021

In 1965 the Soviet Union detonated a nuclear device near the Chagan river to create an artificial lake with a volume of about 10 million cubic metres under it's Nuclear Explosions for the National Economy program. To date the lake is slightly radioactive and is nicknamed "the atomic lake". March 24, 2021

Wayne Gretzky is the only Hockey player to have scored over 200 points in a season, and did so a total of four times. His stunning success as a Hockey player was immortalized in the fact that not only did is own team retire 99, Gretzky's Jersey number, but the league as whole did as well! March 24, 2021

'Saturn devouring his son' and the 13 other Black Paintings were never meant for public display. In 1819 Francisco Goya went into near isolation and painted the works directly onto the walls of his house. The haunting pictures reflect Goya's internal demons and civil strife occurring in Spain March 24, 2021

People who speak Icelandic can still understand the old Icelandic Sagas because of how little the language has changed over the past 1000 years. March 23, 2021

There is no physical description of Jesus Christ in the Bible. All current evidence and portrayals of his appearance are based on cultural settings, political settings and theological contexts. March 20, 2021

The famous Japanese painting of a giant wave is actually from a series of 36 paintings of Mt. Fuji from different views March 20, 2021

That while the kilogram is defined in terms of three fundamental physical constants, the imperial equivalent, the pound is legally defined as exactly 0.45359237 kilograms March 17, 2021

It was illegal for Americans to own gold (except for some jewelry and collectors coins) between 1933 and 1975. March 15, 2021

When a 400-year rare old Japanese bonsai tree was stolen, the bonsai master gave out instructions on how the thief could care for the plant so it doesn't die, as he felt it was his child. March 14, 2021

In 1992, a California middle school ordered teachers to cover up all "obscene" words in Fahrenheit 451 with black marker before issuing copies to students. The school stopped this practice after local newspapers commented on the irony of defacing a book that condemns censorship. March 14, 2021

Cork flooring and wine corks are created using the bark of the Cork Oak tree. The tree isn't cut down. The bark is harvested & begins to regenerate quickly to be harvested every 7 years. The Cork Oak isn't harmed & is therefore a sustainable resource. March 9, 2021

The Hershey Ice Cream Company is a completely separate entity from the Hershey Chocolate Company, despite both being founded in Lancaster County in the same year by unrelated men named Hershey. March 9, 2021

The stick -- a small tree branch -- was inducted into the (U.S.) National Toy Hall of Fame in 2008. Organizers called it one of the world's oldest toys and said sticks "promote free play -- the freedom to invent and discover." March 8, 2021

In 1991 it was discovered that the heart has its "little brain" or "intrinsic cardiac nervous system." This "heart brain" is composed of approximately 40,000 neurons that are alike neurons in the brain, meaning that the heart has its own nervous system. March 8, 2021

The loudest sound in recorded history was the eruption of Krakatoa. It was so loud the sound wave traveled the world 7 times, was heard in 50 different locations around the world, and caused permanent hearing loss of those close to it. It also darkened the sky worldwide for years afterwards. March 8, 2021

Basque (a language spoken near the Spain/France border) is a language isolate; not only is it NOT a Romance language, it's not even an Indo-European language. It is the only surviving Pre-Indo-European language in Western Europe. March 7, 2021

A Christian sect called "Millerites" believed that Christ would return by Oct. 22, 1844. When that didn't happen, the "Great Disappointment" caused them to fall into confusion and disband, with some former Millerites reinterpreting their doctrine and forming the Seventh Day Adventists. March 5, 2021

The world's first implantable pacemaker patient, Arne Larsson, went on to receive 26 different pacemakers during his lifetime. He died in 2001, at the age of 86, outliving the inventor as well as the surgeon. March 4, 2021

The F.B.I. and C.I.A. recruit heavily from the Mormon population because they are usually cheaper to do a security clearance on, they often speak another language from their mission trips and they usually have a low risk lifestyle. March 4, 2021